Jim Bob said:
Wanting to buy a new Hawken type rifle.
In your boots, I'd go one step beyond looking at style. I'd move heaven and earth to see them firsthand and include handling in your decision.
I have a fairly wide array of "Hawken-styles" as you're defining them, and they all handle differently. And ultimately it's the handling that determines which ones make me happiest and get all the shooting time.
For example, I have a 58 caliber Hawken from the old Green River Rifle Works, a joy to see and shoot, and reputedly closer to a true Hawken than any recommended so far. Sure they haven't been made for 30 years or so, but they still turn up used when you keep your eyes open, and often in the price range of that Pedersoli.
That's where the comparison ends, though. Like the real Hawkens, mine has a tapered heavy barrel. It's 36" long and tapered from 1 1/8" at the breech to 1" at the muzzle. And due to the taper, it hangs and points better than any straight barrel I've ever handled, in spite of the weight.
Did I mention "weight" just now? Oh yeah. Original Hawkens were heavy, and this one is true to form in that regard too. It tips the scale at a little over 12 pounds, and that's not overly heavy at all for true Hawkens.
But here's the rub. It looks right, feels right and shoots right. But then I have to carry the blooming thing without a horse. It's a big hunk of metal to lug up and down mountains all day, day after day.
Here's where the handling comes into your decision. The more Hawken-ish you get, the tougher it's going to be to actually use it. In spite of having that beauty in my rack, other rifles get most of the hunting time. It's one step short of a range queen because I do get it out hunting now and then. But add many more birthdays to my tally, and it almost certainly will become pure range queen.
