Cabela's Hawken Rifle

[Artie Peltier]

Question for the group. Did cabela's make a 54 caliber side lock percussion hawken rifle with the following features?
Browned barrel, brass furniture, and an what appears to be a hand oiled natural stock. The ramrod is brass tipped both ends and has a tiger stripped pattern on it. I don't believe the rifle I'm looking at is a kit.
Any and all information is appreciated. Thanks Art

 

[BrownBear]

Sure sounds like my own, but mine is a 58 caliber. Just a dandy rifle made by Investarms, who also makes the assorted Lyman sidelocks.

 

[bubba.50]

other than the Great Plains Rifle I've never seen a Lyman/Cabelas/Investarms with a browned barrel from the factory. my guess would be either a well done kit or refinish job.

 

[BrownBear]

other than the Great Plains Rifle I've never seen a Lyman/Cabelas/Investarms with a browned barrel from the factory. my guess would be either a well done kit or refinish job.

Ooops. Read too fast and overlooked the browned barrel. In fact I haven't ever seen a GPR with a browned barrel either.

Could be a kit, but also could be a basic refinish.

 

[azmntman]

I have 4, two .54 and two .58 all have blue barrel and no stripe in rod. These are about 20 yrs old.

 

[necchi]

I don't believe the rifle I'm looking at is a kit.

I'm pretty sure they offered an Investarms made (Cabelas stamped) Brass mounted Hawken in a kit.
I remember walking into the Owattonna, Minn store for the first time about 15yrs ago and they had the Hawken in a kit.
I bought the finished "Sporsterized" Hawken instead.
Both were Investarms made

 

[bubba.50]

Great Plains were advertised as havin' "browned" barrels though it was actually closer to black probably due to boilin' after brownin'.

 

[mooman76]

I've never seen one from the factory browned either. Like stated probably a kit or someone refinished a factory gun. Some people buy kits and pay someone to finish it to the spects they want.

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Cabela's does not make rifles; they get them from the manufacturers.

Is this a specific .54 rifle you are looking at? If yes, posting the maker names from the barrel would help.

The most common Hawken Cabela's sold for many years and made by Investarms usually had " Cabela's " marked on the barrel in large letters as well as " Investarms ". They have also sold more expensive Hawken rifles which could be what you are asking about.

Have never seen the common Hawken with a factory browned finish.

 

[Artie Peltier]

Question for the group. Did cabela's make a 54 caliber side lock percussion hawken rifle with the following features?
Browned barrel, brass furniture, and an what appears to be a hand oiled natural stock. The ramrod is brass tipped both ends and has a tiger stripped pattern on it. I don't believe the rifle I'm looking at is a kit.
Any and all information is appreciated. Thanks Art

Thanks for all the help. I went back to the shop with my tools and bore light and here is the update. It is a Cabela's rifle that was made by Investarms. It is not a kit but the owner tried to improve it. I know! The barrel has been browned but when you wipe it down with any lube to clean it you get a an orange brown residue that come off! No matter how many times you wipe it it won't go away. R moved the barrel with some light rust where the flats were in the channel. Nipple came right out! Possibly a ball that was dry balled at bottom of breech, not sure the distance measured is close to being an empty barrel. Bore appears to be encrusted with crud. You can see the lands but groves are loaded. Unknown it's crud or rust. I may go back with a bore brush and scrub it good then re look. With all these issues I have walk away but for 100.00 it may be a salvageable gun. Feel free to comment again and thanks. Art

 

[Kansas Jake]

As an Investarms, it would have a patent breach so the drum will be a little behind the bottom of the barrel channel, but it still may be dry balled. I've bought a couple of cheapy rifles that had some rust in the barrel and they cleaned up into decent shooters. I also bought a Rogers & Spencer revolver that I thought would clean up and the rifling is far gone in it.

If all else appears to be okay, but the barrel is questionable, I would offer $50-$75 and see what happens.

 

[azmntman]

re-bore if nothing else, then ya got $235.00 in it with a tack driving new barrel :hmm:

 

[mooman76]

At worse case parts are worth more than $100 even without the barrel. I'd get it. Barrel could be refreshed or bore out but probably salvageable as is with some good scrubbing.

 

[BrownBear]

If it tells you anything other than me being crazy, I was downright proud to pay only $300 for the one I bought in 58 caliber. Been offered a whole lot more than that since then.

 

[RhinoDave]

Well the 54 cal that followed me home last month has a blued barrel. Pretty good barrel and it held a 4" group at 50 yds the first time out. It cost me $160.00

[/url]DSCF3147 by Dave, on Flickr[/img]

 

[Kansas Jake]

Nice looking rifle Dave. You did good.

 

[Free Plunder]

Most of the smokers that are cruddy can be rehabilitated with a bit of effort. Lock and stock easily worth the 1C. I have 2 Cabelas and they are both shooters with PRB. go for it and get any help you need here. FP

 

[kodiakmarine]

Scrub out the barrel and then run a ball puller down the bore, the kind with the brass disc that keeps the ball puller centered. If there is a ball in there, then the puller will grab it easily. You will know. Clean it up and see how it shoots.

I would not spend money on freshing out the barrel. With the brass furniture, your gun sounds like a Lyman Trade Rifle. If the barrel is ruined, then it will probably be cheaper just to buy another used LTR in good shape than to rebore or replace the existing barrel. Good luck - John

 

[kodiakmarine]

I have to agree with Kansas Jake. That is a nice rifle with a gorgeous piece of wood. $160.00? I'm turning green with envy! Congratulations - John

 

[azmntman]

Scrub out the barrel and then run a ball puller down the bore, the kind with the brass disc that keeps the ball puller centered. If there is a ball in there, then the puller will grab it easily. You will know. Clean it up and see how it shoots.

I would not spend money on freshing out the barrel. With the brass furniture, your gun sounds like a Lyman Trade Rifle. If the barrel is ruined, then it will probably be cheaper just to buy another used LTR in good shape than to rebore or replace the existing barrel. Good luck - John

$125 (about) from Mr. Hoyt............?