Hawken Rifles, What's All The Hoopla?!

[Kabulrocks]

Great thread! A few years after building my first ML back in the 70’s, (50 cal TC Hawken kit), I found this Western Arms, Santa Fe Hawken kit in a small gun shop. It has served me well since using a 52cal PLRB behind 100gr FFG. I eventually replaced the walnut stock with a maple.
View attachment 175940View attachment 175941

For the stock replacement, did you use a pre-carved stock or did you start with a plank of maple? I’m looking at a similar project.

 

[DSmith]

Face it, Hawkens are cool and everybody get's one sooner or later.
I myself am thinking of making one in a 18 inch carbine. 50 Cal. ofcourse.

 

[SciAggie]

Face it, Hawkens are cool and everybody get's one sooner or later.

This was true for me.
I have a custom gun that I love to look at and handle - but I do not like to hunt with it. I have other guns that IMHO handle better and are easier to carry. I have thought of selling it, but never do just because I enjoy having it. Weird, huh?

 

[CVA Enthusiast]

Ah well to each their own I like Hawken Rifles, I tried my first flint rifle Now Kill joy no hoopla just a PIA to set up and agate a definite no go 1 piece of english flint that actually works $40, I can get close to 3600 hand made primers for that $40 price. no brainer there at all

 

[vintovka]

Hawkens are fine when your physically able to handle the weight in the field. Those of us in the "4th quarter" are pretty much limited to their use on bench or range.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Ah well to each their own I like Hawken Rifles, I tried my first flint rifle Now Kill joy no hoopla just a PIA to set up and agate a definite no go 1 piece of english flint that actually works $40, I can get close to 3600 hand made primers for that $40 price. no brainer there at all

where are you paying $40 for a flint? I pay $2.00 to $2.50

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Hawkens are fine when your physically able to handle the weight in the field. Those of us in the "4th quarter" are pretty much limited to their use on bench or range.

I have both Hawken and "Long Rifle" , and Fowlers. The weight between the heaviest and lightest is about 17 ozs., that is it. They are all heavy to me now! (73) So I have to suk it up and exercise a bit more or sit on the sidelines. it is what it is.

 

[Paul Nelson]

Looks fine. whats the diff between GPRs and Investarms if any?

I think Investarms use to make them for Lyman now Investarms makes it as a Gemmer Hawken.

 

[DuncNZ]

I started my modern muzzle loading habit with a kitset .45 TC Hawken I purchased at a sale about 45 years ago , It was a fine accurate little rifle . Then I started reading Baird and Hansen on Hawkens and discovered what I had was in no way a copy of an origional ( coil spring lock , brass furniture ) , other than it was a muzzle loading caplock rifle .
I also got interested in the RMFT era . I purchased a Pedersoli Tryon which was a very good copy of a plains rifle . It was a great shooter . Then I got hold of a Uberti Hawken , from the second batch which was a .54 cal not .53 like the first ones . I sold the TC and the Tryon .
I fired thousands of shots through that Uberti , then slowly stopped using it as I switched over to flintlocks .I was aware that the Hawken was a rifle which came into use at the end of the fur trade and was more a rifle used by pioneers and miners . I sold it about a year ago to a friend who desperately needed it , then earlier this year I traded a custom made .54 H E Leman trade rifle off a friend and now have a firearm that is a very good copy of the most commonly used caplock rifle of the RMFT era , it is the same caliber as the Hawken , just as heavy or maybe heavier , and just as accurate , and I believe more authentic , and if it matters , just as good looking .

 

[S.Kenton]

I’ve owned several, killed many deer with them.. I’m talking about the original copies not the T/C version. The only thing o do t care for is the 8-10 lbs that they weigh.. the older I get the more heavier that 9lbs gets!

 

[Walkingeagle]

Lol. I started with a .50 TC Hawken far to long ago. Sold it to my brother as I started to learn myself on what original rifles were actually like. This learning came from the old Muzzleloader Magazine Campfire forum long before it died. Bought a .54 Renegade and built a truer Plains rifle from it. All done by freehand. Only thing TC left is lock, barrel and trigger set. I ordered up a half stock blank and sand cast iron everything else. I’ll tell ya she ain’t purty but we have a love affair that will last until my demise.
I also have a hand built .50 Isaac Hains Late Lancaster that I eventually converted to cap lock. This was built by a fellow here in AB as his personal rifle until he got out of the game. I got all his stuff, right down to all contents of his range box (and the box).
Walk

 

[DuncNZ]

I guess there are commercial copies , close but no cigar , not copies but named Hawken and perfectly made recreation's. It it these last ones that float my canoe .

 

[bptactical]

True. However, many of the pioneers heading westward did their best to get a Hawken rifle.

Not a very accurate statement. Hawken rifles were undoubtedly some of the finest to be had. But as they were such they were also very expensive for the time. $25-$35 was a considerable amount in 1840-1850ish. They were also built in relatively small numbers. Figure a Brown Bess or Harpers Ferry was almost given away in that time and were plentiful.

 

[Howard Pippin]

I have two , a capper and a flinter and I think they are a very good rendition of a Hawken style. Sometimes people get caught up in the minutia and can't see the forest for the trees. Some times the details are so small that to the average person there is absolutely No difference. To me unless you are building a Hawken from scrap, hammering out the barrrel etc, there are no "originals" just copies of varying degrees.IMHO

Agree. Why would having to have one of these first run rifles be so terribly important to us average shooters? I guess there's not a single gun, rifle, pistol, I own that are the original or of the first run. Come to think about it, neither is my camper, car, pickup, or all the other stuff that I've collected through a lifetime of just living. To own any of those things I've mentioned, I would have had to be of a much earlier time. I wasn't, I am happy with that as many of the diseases and dreads of that generation didn't get me either. I shoot these modern look-alikes that are just as much fun, or even more so than the originals, and I don't have to stay awake at night wondering how I'm going to protect them. I am totally amazed at what some people think that valuable really means.
Squint

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I think Investarms use to make them for Lyman now Investarms makes it as a Gemmer Hawken.

Correct I have built one of each. The orig. Lyman GPR by Investarms was more refined then the Gemmer Hawken by Investarms. Exactly the same rifle, but the Gemmer Investarms requires more work. The Capper is the Lyman orig. The Flinter is the Gemmer. IMHO

 

[frankie]

They are just sexy looking.

 

[vintovka]

Saw 2 recent GPR imports. Both fit and finish were less than older ones. Wood was not as nice as well. I wonder if they are really back up to speed with their workers???

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Saw 2 recent GPR imports. Both fit and finish were less than older ones. Wood was not as nice as well. I wonder if they are really back up to speed with their workers???

I like mine, post #295

 

[CVA Enthusiast]

Hawkens are fine when your physically able to handle the weight in the field. Those of us in the "4th quarter" are pretty much limited to their use on bench or range.

True there, as I get older I am finding it can be a struggle

 

[waksupi]

Ah well to each their own I like Hawken Rifles, I tried my first flint rifle Now Kill joy no hoopla just a PIA to set up and agate a definite no go 1 piece of english flint that actually works $40, I can get close to 3600 hand made primers for that $40 price. no brainer there at all

Are you sure on that English flint price? Some one saw you a-comin! I'll sell you some for only $30 each!