Kibler has announced a Hawken Kit in the works.

[yellowhammer]

I just heard they are going to be stainless barrels and synthetic stocks. Brushed stainless on all the hardware. Heavy checkering too.

Cain't wait!

PD

 

[Notchy Bob]

What's with your avatar? A young kid smoking and a rooster. Does it have a meaning?

I can't speak for @Comfortably_Numb . He tells us he was a bonified rooster man for a large part of his life, and I'm happy to take him at his word. A banjo-playing buddy of mine worked for a Chick Fil-A in Lousiana some years ago, wearing a giant chicken suit and playing his banjo on the sidewalk out front. I don't know if Mr. Numb's experience as a rooster man was similar or not. Sometimes the mystery is more interesting than the revelation.

In any event, the boy with the cigarette in that image was named Henri Groulx, and the photo was taken at the Parisian Studios in Lachine, Quebec circa 1920. The photo is retained by the Library and Archives of Canada. There was a Henri Groulx who was a pharmacist and politician in Quebec, but I'm pretty sure he would have been older than the boy in the photo in 1920. Maybe the kid is his son (?). I don't know the name of the chicken, or why it was included in the photo, or why the chicken was not given a cigarette. Lots of unknowns here.

Getting back to the original topic, Mr. Kibler did announce on the ALR forum that he is working on a Hawken kit. That is straight from Mr. Kibler.

Respectfully,

Notchy Bob

 

[yellowhammer]

Lol that's a mesmerizing photo in so ways...

 

[Notchy Bob]

The Sam Hawken shop did make a percussion “squirrel rifle” for the local St. Louis trade. It was in the .36 to .40 caliber range, ~34” slim straight barrel, walnut (usually) half stock, brass furniture and a poured pewter nose cap. There is one on display at the JM Davis museum in Claremore, OK and there were at least two originals on display at the Hawken Classic. I don’t recall if these were produced by Sam Hawken, or when Gemmer owned the shop.

Pics? Links? "Inquiring minds want to know"

Check out John Baird's classic, Hawken Rifles, The Mountain Man's Choice, chapter 10, "Firearms Other Than 'Mountain Rifles.'" Baird described the Hawken "squirrel rifles" and included photographs of a nice one by S. Hawken in the Leonard collection.

A forum member also found an old rifle in an attic and posted about it right here on the Muzzleloading Forum earlier this year: Real Hawken or Not?

The consensus was that the rifle described in that thread was probably genuine, but that it may have been modified at some point by re-breeching. The owner estimated this rifle was about .38 to .40 caliber. There were some good photos of the subject rifle in the thread.

Notchy Bob

 

[springfield art]

Well, through the years, I've heard rumors of different guns Jim has in the works. When it hits the market, I'll believe it. Semper Fi.

The notice I saw, said that Jim was still looking for the perfect one to model for production; he'd buy or borrow; there's several types of Hawkins, so he'd better choose carefully, or else the internet will criticize relentlessly! He couldn't do better than to speak with Bob Woodfill, who I hear is an expert on the Hawken. JMHO I'd put in a reservation once they were available.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

Do y'all really think Jim Kibler will make a percussion rifle?

 

[HighUintas]

Do y'all really think Jim Kibler will make a percussion rifle?

He said it would be percussion!!

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

The notice I saw, said that Jim was still looking for the perfect one to model for production; he'd buy or borrow; there's several types of Hawkins, so he'd better choose carefully, or else the internet will criticize relentlessly! He couldn't do better than to speak with Bob Woodfill, who I hear is an expert on the Hawken. JMHO I'd put in a reservation once they were available.

Not interested in a Hawkin or a percussion. Just a thought, Jim's going to have to hire a guy to solder the ribs and thimbles on all day. There's a major cost right there. There aren't many buyers of kits who know how to solder a rib on correctly/safely. IMHO, that's a strike against a Hawkin ever coming out of Jim's shop. He would do better going with a Trade Gun. Semper Fi.

 

[HighUintas]

Thanks again, @Notchy Bob , for yet another history lesson. Your contributions always make me smile.

I do hope Mr. Kibler decides on a rifle that uses one of the less commonly known breach snails that are currently unavailable to the builder, such as the one that is on the "ETC" rifle in Montana, or the Sublette-Beale Hawken.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

He said it would be percussion!!

Where did he say that? I'd like to read the memo/article.

 

[HighUintas]

Where did he say that? I'd like to read the memo/article.

It was in his WTB post on ALR forum.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

It was in his WTB post on ALR forum.

Thanks.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Where did he say that? I'd like to read the memo/article.

As brother @HighUintas said, Mr. Kibler's post is in the "Items for Sale/Wanted" section of the American Longrifles Forum. The thread is about halfway down the second page in that section. In Mr. Kibler's second post in that thread, he said "We're planning on a half stocked percussion rifle."

Notchy Bob

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

As brother @HighUintas said, Mr. Kibler's post is in the "Items for Sale/Wanted" section of the American Longrifles Forum. The thread is about halfway down the second page in that section. In Mr. Kibler's second post in that thread, he said "We're planning on a half stocked percussion rifle."

Notchy Bob

Thanks.

 

[akroguy]

If he can produce a Hawken half-stock that weighs less than 9 lbs, has a milder radiused buttplate and NO freakin patent breech, I could be a buyer. My GPR is a great shooter but it weighs a ton and I cannot find a happy place with that damned narrow, edgy butt profile. And don't get me started on the *&%$^#$ patent breech.

 

[Kmcmichael]

I have no use for one either. Someone recently gave me a TC. I shot it till I ran out of caps. It has a foot shorter barrel and weighs 1.5 pounds more than my WoodsRunner.

It does not matte what it weighs, Kibler will not be able to keep up with demand for a while, such is the popularity due to that movie. I have already promised to put one together for a friend. He is chomping at the bit.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

Not interested in a Hawkin or a percussion. Just a thought, Jim's going to have to hire a guy to solder the ribs and thimbles on all day. There's a major cost right there. There aren't many buyers of kits who know how to solder a rib on correctly/safely. IMHO, that's a strike against a Hawkin ever coming out of Jim's shop. He would do better going with a Trade Gun. Semper Fi.

Laser welder. Fast, accurate, cheap. Never takes a lunch break, and no sick days.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Laser welder. Fast, accurate, cheap. Never takes a lunch break, and no sick days.

I agree, how much does one of those machines cost? Then he has to pay an operator. Semper Fi.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

I agree, how much does one of those machines cost? Then he has to pay an operator. Semper Fi.

Laser technology is a lot cheaper (and more reliable) than it used to be. The major cost would be the automation setup. Depending on capability of the system, I would hazard a system cost at about the same as the cost of one year of employment for a worker (depending on labor costs). After that, costs should be close to zero. A properly designed system would allow a worker to load up the system once a day and then go do something else.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Laser technology is a lot cheaper (and more reliable) than it used to be. The major cost would be the automation setup. Depending on capability of the system, I would hazard a system cost at about the same as the cost of one year of employment for a worker (depending on labor costs). After that, costs should be close to zero. A properly designed system would allow a worker to load up the system once a day and then go do something else.

That's interesting. Technology. Thanks. Rick