My Hawken is Home!!!!

[jjarrell]

Well, she's home. Not finished, still in the white. Still smells like machine oil. I'll be starting to brown the steel this weekend to a deep chocolate brown gloss with Laurel Valley browning solution, then silver plating the brass and adding a little patina. Wish me luck that it turns out like what's in my mind. I'm not sure how long it will take. The Gun Works does great work. I'm very pleased. Joe Williams built a beautiful barrel, and mounted the Lyman 57SML rear sight with a high German silver front blade. .54 caliber, 1" across the flats, 36" long, 1:79 twist. I chose 1:79 with .012" radius bottom rifling because I have been doing some "research" on twist rates for round ball barrels that are accurate with loads from light loads up to and including heavy full boar hunting loads. I only shoot round balls. The Greenhill formula for roundball twist rate says (diameter of ball x 150) to determine the fastest twist rate. A .530 round ball comes out to 1 in 79.5" I think. I wanted a rifle that was as accurate with 120gr loads as it is with 80gr loads. I know heavy loads aren't needed for whitetail but I hope to use this rifle for much bigger critters in the future. With that said, I figure I owe it to the game I hunt(no matter it's size), to be as accurate as possible with game appropriate loads. It may not hit the broad side of a barn from the inside but it sure looks to be a finely crafted barrel. We shall see with time. I think she'll do just fine though.

[45workhorse]

Nice smokpole!

[Fly]

That is sooooooooooo cool. What stain @ finnish did you use on that walnut stock?

Fly

[jjarrell]

Thank You 45. Fly, Its the factory Thompson Center finish.

[pworley1]

I hope it shoots as good as it looks. Very nice rifle.

[jjarrell]

Thank you all. I've started silver plating the brass. It looks pretty good. I'm surprised actually. I knock the shine down with some 0000 steel wool. Gives it a nice pewter look. I've never done this before so I don't know completely how it will turn out. Good. I hope. I'm taking my time and not rushing. If it's not what I want I'm doing it over. I can powder coat and anodize so hopefully some of that knowledge will help. Cross your fingers for me. Lol

[jjarrell]

The browning of the steel has begun.

[jjarrell]

168570168571168572The silver work is finished. All the brass has been silver plated and brushed for a pewter appearance. Took the lock and trigger apart and cleaned it with a steel brush then lubed nice and slick. Still working on browning the barrel but it's coming along slowly. If any of you think I'm taking this in the wrong direction please chime in. I welcome the input.

[Beerd]

So you got this new barrel for your rifle and you didn't run right out and shoot it?!
Now that, friend, is self control.:wink:

Looking good by the way.
..

[jjarrell]

Lol, I know I know. But if I'd started shooting it she would have been in the white forever. I wanted it to be finished before going out. I silver plated the brass, which looks pretty good. Pics are above. I machined a new brass ramrod for it. Cut grooves for the handle on one end the dished the other end to fit a ball and drilled and tapped it for 10-32 ramrod tools. Then I blacked the ramrod. Now I'm browning the barrel, tang, and under rib. Once the browning is finished its on!!!!!

[nicholst55]

A very nice looking rifle. But, something appears to be wrong with the lock - it has no frizzen or flashpan! Just kidding.

[54bore]

Sharp looking rifle!!

[Old Scribe]

I like what you've done! Great looking rifle, but where's the frizzen?!

[bedbugbilly]

That's turning out beautiful! You can sure be proud of the job you've done!

How did you plate the brass? It looks great!

[OverMax]

Kinda reminds me of the discontinued T/C Cougar model it too having satin hardware.

Good looking rifle you have there jjarrell

[rfd]

VERY nice hawken! i'll bet it's a tack shooter, too!

[jjarrell]

Thank you very much guys. I used a silver plating solution. There's a cleaner you use on the brass, then apply the plating. It's supposed to be .999 silver. I'm not sure how durable it will be.

[idahoron]

It looks like my Hot Rod!!

[johnson1942]

just traded my hot rod renagade for a new high end modern handgun. will never sell my hot rod hawken. 36 inch barrel, 1/28 twist 50 cal. 485 grain paperpatched bullet. drives tacks.

[Dryball]

Very nice gun. When I built my flinter I couldn't resist and had to shoot it. I was lazy and did a French gray finish but it is nice and durable.

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

You need to silver plate the screws too IMO. Just doesnt look right with the brass screws. That or replace them with blued or unplated screws.

[jjarrell]

Thanks for all the compliments and input. It shoots really well. I'll actually start working on loads and seeing what it will really do after about 200 balls down the bore. It's at about 75 shots now and I'm getting 1.25" out of it at 50 yards with a 90gr charge . Pretty sure I'll be able to get better out of it. Haven't tried different charges, patches, or balls yet.

[jjarrell]

With roughly 125 balls down the bore I am getting .91" center to center measured with calipers. Same 90gr load and range, 50yds. (5 balls,one hole) Don't think I'm going to bother changing anything at all, and just shoot it. I cant shoot any better than that so this is its load, .535 ball, .020 linen patch, my patch lube, and 90gr FFFg Goex. Its tight to start but the barrel loads REALLY smoothly after its started.