Silver Dollar City Hawken

[Bledfor Days]

It does look like an Investarms 120B except there's no engraving on the lock plate and a slightly different drum.

 

[JoshPalmer]

So the big issue is that it's missing the barrel wedge pin. Anyone able to point me in a direction to buy one or where to find one?

 

[Bledfor Days]

So the big issue is that it's missing the barrel wedge pin. Anyone able to point me in a direction to buy one or where to find one?

I would order one from Lyman for a Trade rifle. The Great Plains ones are different. I've got one from them before.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

So the big issue is that it's missing the barrel wedge pin. Anyone able to point me in a direction to buy one or where to find one?

Gun Works Muzzleloading Emporium has the brass wedge pin you need, as it originally came with a brass one. They are very helpful if you have difficulty knowing which one to order. It is a ML or ML kit from Italy made by Investarm. It should have the importer stamped on it somewhere. I have one exactly like it, made in 1979, that was imported by Armsport Inc. in Miami, Fl. Other companies have imported Investarm guns over the years as well.

 

[Bledfor Days]

This is the wedge pin from my Investarms 120A. I'm sure it's the same one.

 

[SDSmlf]

So the big issue is that it's missing the barrel wedge pin. Anyone able to point me in a direction to buy one or where to find one?

As others have mentioned, a place like Gun Works Muzzleloading Emporium or Track of the Wolf will have barrel wedges. You can order one and likely make it work. I would start with one for a Lyman Trade Gun as suggested above. Or carefully examine the flats on the barrel as previously suggested for stamped information, and post a photographs of what you find. Someone here will then tell you exactly what you have so you can take much of the guesswork out of what you want to order.

 

[dnjfarms]

So the big issue is that it's missing the barrel wedge pin. Anyone able to point me in a direction to buy one or where to find one?

I would like to sell this one I have from 1978. SDC rifle. Do u know what it's worth?

 

[Grenadier1758]

I don't think that the Silver Dollar City built rifles carry any premium. The value is about the same as any similar rifle from the same manufacturer.

 

[bang]

Since the gun has been sitting any lube in the trigger assembly may have gummed up the works. Remove the lock and give it a through cleaning and try it

 

[derrickman]

Track of the Wolf has spare brass wedge pins. I carry an extra in my kit just in case.

 

[Rifleman1776]

It's probably a long shot, but Ozark Mountain Arms was located in Branson, MO in 1979. They could have been marketing at Silver Dollar City.

View attachment 26902

They made a very nice looking Hawken rifle.
View attachment 26903

OMA had several locations during it's day. And, yes, their rifles were nicely done.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Regarding the barrel wedge or key, the dimensions kindly provided by @Bledfor Days in post #25 should be similar to what is needed for the subject rifle. The OP can browse the websites for Track of the Wolf, Deer Creek Products, October Country, the Gun Works, or TDC (Ted Cash Mfg.) to find a suitable replacement.

You can also make one of wood. Wedges got lost back on the frontier, too. Lewis Garrard, in Wah-To-Yah and the Taos Trail, noted that one of the "pins" on his rifle was a wooden replacement. You could pare down one "leg" of a wooden clothespin to the dimensions provided by Bledfor Days. That would hold the rifle together until you get a proper replacement.

As for the hammer not holding full cock, there are a couple of possibilities. At least some imported rifles, especially those made in Spain, had a set-screw in the tumbler to adjust the sear engagement. I don't know if the subject rifle has that feature or not. If it was made by Ardesa, it might. If this screw is turned in too far, the sear nose won't engage the tumbler's full cock notch properly.

Another possibility is that the triggers may need to be set before the rifle can be cocked. I don't know if that has been tried or not.

Yet another possibility might be a weak sear spring.

One final consideration about this rifle should have been suggested first: Have you made sure it is not loaded? Insert a wooden dowel in the bore until it bottoms out and mark it at the muzzle. Pull it out and lay it alongside of the barrel with the mark even with the muzzle, and compare the position of the distal end of the rod with the joint where the patent breech plug screws into the barrel. The threaded shank on the breech plug should be no more than 5/8"-3/4" long. If the distance between the end of the rod and the joint is more than that, you probably have something in the barrel. If the difference is as much as 1-1/2" or 2", the rifle might very well have a load in it.

Notchy Bob

 

[Elkhorse]

Call Track of the Wolf for the pin. Watch You tube vids to get an idea of how it all works.

 

[smoothshooter]

That may very well have been me that wrote some of those articles. I got in serious trouble with the NMLRA honchos. Seems I was not making friends with the Silver Dollar City people making those (truthful) comments. SDC is a tourist trap entity and will sell anything. Fun place to go but be wary about spending your money there.

I personally know the guy who was the “ Head Gunsmith “ at SDC for many years. The guns I saw that were there were usually assembled factory kits having various levels of quality. Saw one rifle that my acquaintance made for himself, and it was one of the roughest looking rifles I have ever seen. Not saying he was not capable of better, but most of their guns were nothing to brag about.
It is possible your rifle is a decent one that left the factory as a nearly finished kit, or even a finished rifle. It actually looks pretty good in the photos.
look it over carefully, and check function of the lock and trigger(s), if all is well, shoot it and enjoy it.
BYW, the guy I knew was quite an interesting character. Has several long conversations with him away from SDC. Unfortunately, he served some prison time for some pretty bad stuff after leaving there. Don’t know if he is still alive. His first name was Bruce.

 

[Okie Hog]

That's a very nice rifle.