Traditions St. Louis Hawken Rifle Build It Yourself Kit

[Buster95]

The Traditions St. Louis Hawken Rifle Build It Yourself Kit is a good kit? Any modifications or replacement parts needed?

 

[Gramps7]

I have built two of them for my sons. They turned out very nice.I have built from scratch and now at 77 years old it is easier for me to build a kit. My seventh kit build is in progress.I hope you enjoy the build.

 

[Phil Coffins]

That kit will make a pretty fair rifle. A detail that is often over looked be a novice builder is the lock panel molding. Reshaping them a bit will improve the finial appearance a lot. Use a half round file to trim both the lock side and side plate side equally. There’s plenty of close up photos on line of old rifles to guide you.

 

[necchi]

Any modifications or replacement parts needed?

Nope.
You still have to make the parts fit,, and the lock/trigger parts should be de-burred/polished.
If you want a nice rifle when your finished,, it takes more then sand paper, screwing the parts in and slapping a coat of varnish on the wood.
But that's a good kit for a starter,, just take your time to research beyond the box instructions.
It's all covered in the Gun Builders Bench section of the forum.
(read the archives/back pages for an encyclopedia of knowledge shared.)

 

[Grenadier1758]

In general, there will be a lot of wood to be taken off from around the lock and forearm. Wood will be removed from the trigger guard area to install the triggers and cleanup will be needed around the cheek piece.

The rifle will be accurate in performance.