Traditions Hawken kit

[Donny]

I was eyeballing a Traditions Hawken kit , $319.00

It looks like an very easy kit, almost a snap together .

Like I need another kit, or gun even. I have 2 somewhat partially completed projects (Tryon rifle, and asmoothie from blanks but I have lost a lot of interest..

I have built 12 or so guns, most from a blank, a couple Hawkens, my fave is the Sutherland from Hanson's sketchbook.

heck, I have 4 Hawkens already, , but......maybe I will put peep sights on this one. ennyhoo, any of you guys have this gun?

 

[running horse]

I have one, picked it up as a kit. It looked real easy and wasn't too bad but took a bit of effort to clean up all the way. It shot well until the plastic rear sight disappeared, due to how the sight mounts another plastic one is all I can find as a drop in so I will be cutting in a dovetail to allow a different metal sight to be used. Looking into other modifications to take it where I want it but over all it's a pretty good gun.

 

[railshot]

I am just finishing up a Traditions St. Louis Hawken kit as a re-learning experience so I can move up to a bit more expensive and accurate builds.

I agree about the sights, but Traditions does offer an upgrade sight that I just received today in the mail.
All metal front and rear.
I have no clue as to the cost because when I saw the plastic sights I contacted them quickly due to the front sight cracking when I installed it, and they sent me the upgrade for free.
These upgrade sights screw into the original St. Louis Hawken kit holes for the rear, and the front is a dovetail and fits beautifully.
It appears to me that only the St. Louis Hawken has the plastic sights, so the others must have metal?

Good communication from them so I am going to do one more Traditions kit until I get comfortable enough to move up the ladder!
Get one and enjoy it, and mine will never be done... heheh, as was said in another post, do not stop the process you are doing until you are satisfied, or have reached the limits of your skills..... then move to the next..... I did not sadly.
I am on my 3rd version of finishing the stocks on both my Kentucky, and the Hawken, and I think it may never end!

 

[crankshaft]

If I build another, I would stain it darker to hide some of the Birchwood grain. and trim the lock panel, It is thick around the lock, where most original rifles had a thin layer of wood around the lock.

 

[Cowboy]

Building a kit seems to be a good way to pass the time during these cold winter months ahead.

Great therapy and very rewarding!

Respectfully, Cowboy

 

[Crewdawg445]

Save your money and purchase a kit that will not only blow the socks of a cheapo traditions but it will absolutely appreciate in value and be worth more than you paid, plus it will be historically correct.

With $300 that's a downpayment that will secure you a Kibler kit, a true kit rifle. Take the advice for what it's worth, but the investment is worth every penny.

You won't regret a Kibler kit!

 

[crankshaft]

However. That is somewhat true.. These new Traditions rifles (competed) I would call excellent quality. Kibler doesn't sell a
.32 halfstock...my Crockett may be a generic 1/2 stock. will match them in quality though. Completed $400.

 

[Crewdawg445]

I'd take a traditions kit over a complete production version any day if I had the choice. Reason being, with the kit I myself WILL be putting the quality into the kit that isn't found on the completed models. I've examined plenty of the traditions guns, no offense but their quality is lacking in many areas.

Also, while no halfstock Jim offers a .32 SMR.

 

[crankshaft]

I'd take a traditions kit over a complete production version any day if I had the choice. Reason being, with the kit I myself WILL be putting the quality into the kit that isn't found on the completed models. I've examined plenty of the traditions guns, no offense but their quality is lacking in many areas.

Also, while no halfstock Jim offers a .32 SMR.

I




I couldn't find a kit so just went with one finished. A kit I would brown and stain dark and do whatever.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Quality isn't in just the staining and finish but largely in the small details such as wood to metal fit and slimming down the stock to give more visual appeal to the eye. Given proper time and patience for building these traditions kits can come out very nice. There is a thread currently with a member building a little .32, he is doing an excellent job doing some of those "little details" . Certainly check it out!

 

[azmntman]

I have had nothing but good luck with my traditions rifles. I sure wish I had time to spend about a year with a good builder! I would love to do that near full time when I retire ("if I get to retire)

 

[Crewdawg445]

It indeed is a true joy! I'd recommend if you have an intrest in doing so get yourself a copy of Recreating the American Longrifle, just one of many excellent resources that will give you some great knowledge and understanding of building. Unfortioanitly, I've got awhile to go till retirement... I often fanaticize about it though!

 

[Huntschool]

Kit guns allow the new builder to work on his/her skills without spending too much money. Most of the ones I am familiar in the lower cost bracket have ample wood, as crewdog445 mentioned, to allow for the builder to gain some familiarity with working with wood as it relates to rifle building. The only problem I see is that most folks do not look really close at similar guns to gain a feel for design and wood manipulation. Many of these kits can be made to look quite good if the builder looks at a lot of other guns of the genre and try's to duplicate them. I know from back in the day (almost 42 years ago) it is scary to take a rasp to the forearm sides to thin them down to a more sleek, less "clunky" appearance. The first build from a plank is really scary.....

The upper bracket kits like Chambers, Kibler, et.al. are certainly more finished and shaped HC, and their parts are certainly of higher quality. To my way of thinking, we are fortunate to have suck kits available to us today.

One must decide on their own, with perhaps some advice from forums like this, what they want to do.

JMHO