I took delivery today of a Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawken in walnut that I purchased through Cherry's.
They did an outsanding job of packing the rifle. They had the original Pedersoli box packed inside another box about twice as thick and filled tightly with foam peanuts.
Fit and Finish---
I thought it was a handsome rifle right away. The wood was not spectacular but nice looking.
Very good fitting around the furniture for a production rifle. No noticeable gaps anywhere.
The browning was very nice looking and smooth. The lock ,breechpug,tang and butt plate are all case colored and done well. Not on par with a Shiloh I owned once but nice nonetheless.
After scrubbing out the bore with Birchwood Casey gun scrubber to remove the packing grease I dropped a small bore light down the barrel. Some noticeable tool marks were evident. About the same as when I look down my Green Mountain .58.
I didnt think the gun felt as heavy as some have said here. Maybe Im just used to using heavy guns.
At the range--
A pretty miserable day here in western NY. Cold ,flurries and very overcast.
First shots were with 70 grains FFG Goex with a .530 Hornady roundball. I use moose juice as a lube and .018 pillow ticking for a patch.
first 3 shots at 25 meters were touching but low and right.
Recoil was almost nil with that load. The set trigger is set too light for me. I'll take care of it later.
This ball patch combo had to be short started.
I went right to 50 meters raised the step on the rear sight one notch and upped the charge to 90 grains. Didnt shoot a great group abot 3-4 inches for 6 shots. I was having a little trouble seeing the sights. It was so dark in our covered shooting pavillion I some times have trouble seeing the front sight clear enough at the 50 meter station.
I said what the heck and went to a 100 meters. I can see a little better at that part of the range. It has clear panels overhead to let some natural light in. I upped the charge to 100 grains. Even withthat charge recoil wasnt bad. I was wearing a hunting jacket but i was shooting it off my shoulder not my bicep. I thought it was quite manageable.
I fired 5 shots at a 8 inch circle 3 were inside it and 2 others were outside it by about half and inch. The gun was still shooting a little right but I didn't have the stuff to drift the sights with me. All in all the five shots were in about a 4-5 inch group. Ok for these old eyes at 109 yards.
Cons--
I would like the rear sight further down the barrel. I'm gonna remedy this by replacing the adjustable rear sight with a non adjustable. this will put the sight about 4 inches further down the barrel.
The wedge pins are way too tight and I have some tweeking to do there
The inside of the barrel channel and lock mortise seem almost like non finished wood to me. I'll remedy that with some Tru-Oil thinned with paint thinner I think that will make it more weather resistant.
I plan on using this gun mostly for target shooting but will take it out hunting ocassionally. I'll probably use my .58 more for hunting.
So far I like it. I gotta do a little more tweeking and shooting before id be comfortable to hunt with it.
I hear a lot of people say if you pay that much (800 bucks) you should buy a custom. Well I don't think thats possible for a Hawken style rifle. Most of the parts kits are well over 650. I paid 900 for A Stith kit that Don did the breech plug. under rib thimbles, wedge tennons and front sight. And that was without a lock. Have Track of the Wolf do the same work and its about 900 also.. I just dont think you can get a nice custom Hawken for less than 1400-1500 bucks. And that would be a major bargain.
I think these guns are a good altenative. I just wish some American makers would produce something like this.
Just my opinion
They did an outsanding job of packing the rifle. They had the original Pedersoli box packed inside another box about twice as thick and filled tightly with foam peanuts.
Fit and Finish---
I thought it was a handsome rifle right away. The wood was not spectacular but nice looking.
Very good fitting around the furniture for a production rifle. No noticeable gaps anywhere.
The browning was very nice looking and smooth. The lock ,breechpug,tang and butt plate are all case colored and done well. Not on par with a Shiloh I owned once but nice nonetheless.
After scrubbing out the bore with Birchwood Casey gun scrubber to remove the packing grease I dropped a small bore light down the barrel. Some noticeable tool marks were evident. About the same as when I look down my Green Mountain .58.
I didnt think the gun felt as heavy as some have said here. Maybe Im just used to using heavy guns.
At the range--
A pretty miserable day here in western NY. Cold ,flurries and very overcast.
First shots were with 70 grains FFG Goex with a .530 Hornady roundball. I use moose juice as a lube and .018 pillow ticking for a patch.
first 3 shots at 25 meters were touching but low and right.
Recoil was almost nil with that load. The set trigger is set too light for me. I'll take care of it later.
This ball patch combo had to be short started.
I went right to 50 meters raised the step on the rear sight one notch and upped the charge to 90 grains. Didnt shoot a great group abot 3-4 inches for 6 shots. I was having a little trouble seeing the sights. It was so dark in our covered shooting pavillion I some times have trouble seeing the front sight clear enough at the 50 meter station.
I said what the heck and went to a 100 meters. I can see a little better at that part of the range. It has clear panels overhead to let some natural light in. I upped the charge to 100 grains. Even withthat charge recoil wasnt bad. I was wearing a hunting jacket but i was shooting it off my shoulder not my bicep. I thought it was quite manageable.
I fired 5 shots at a 8 inch circle 3 were inside it and 2 others were outside it by about half and inch. The gun was still shooting a little right but I didn't have the stuff to drift the sights with me. All in all the five shots were in about a 4-5 inch group. Ok for these old eyes at 109 yards.
Cons--
I would like the rear sight further down the barrel. I'm gonna remedy this by replacing the adjustable rear sight with a non adjustable. this will put the sight about 4 inches further down the barrel.
The wedge pins are way too tight and I have some tweeking to do there
The inside of the barrel channel and lock mortise seem almost like non finished wood to me. I'll remedy that with some Tru-Oil thinned with paint thinner I think that will make it more weather resistant.
I plan on using this gun mostly for target shooting but will take it out hunting ocassionally. I'll probably use my .58 more for hunting.
So far I like it. I gotta do a little more tweeking and shooting before id be comfortable to hunt with it.
I hear a lot of people say if you pay that much (800 bucks) you should buy a custom. Well I don't think thats possible for a Hawken style rifle. Most of the parts kits are well over 650. I paid 900 for A Stith kit that Don did the breech plug. under rib thimbles, wedge tennons and front sight. And that was without a lock. Have Track of the Wolf do the same work and its about 900 also.. I just dont think you can get a nice custom Hawken for less than 1400-1500 bucks. And that would be a major bargain.
I think these guns are a good altenative. I just wish some American makers would produce something like this.
Just my opinion
