My finished Hawken

[Boz330]

I've had a Hawken project on the back burner for several years and actually hunted with it unfinished. I contacted Waksupi about finishing it up for me and here is the result. There is a before and after shot of the rifle. To say I'm pleased is an understatement. The service was faster than I expected (deer season) and the price was very fair.
I'm planning on using my homemade BP in this rifle for deer and I have plenty of time to get things together so shouldn't be any excuse for missing if something gets in range. I fired the first shots through it last night with some of my HM BP. The velocities were good but the sights need regulating and so does the load, close to 1400fps. Ouch!

Bob

[waksupi]

Bob, I hope you enjoy it. It should be a good shooter!

[DIRT Farmer]

Looks good, now you need to find time for the woods.

[northmn]

I ahve done that with three guns and only finished one so far. I have an Englsih styled half stocked flintlock and a fullstock 20 bore smooth rifle to finish up. Used to never shoot them unitl I finished them. Wasn't an all bad policy but what the heck. Tahts a genuine Hawken repo and should be a great gun. 140 grains? Is it about a 58?

DP

[waksupi]

If anyone else has a project hid in the closet, let me know, I'll finish it for you.

[Dean D.]

That's great Bob! Ric sure does a nice job. I'm sure you will have many hours of enjoyment with your newly finished rifle!

[LUCKYDAWG13]

that looks sweet

[Omnivore]

That does look nice (turns green with envy).

I have one very much like that I've been working (or more often not working) on for a while now. Now you've gone and inspired me. So far all I have done is inletting of the barrel, tang, and lock. Lock still needs some final fitting to the snail though. It's a beautiful piece of figured maple I have for it. All I need to do is avoid screwing it up. There are two ways to avoid screwing it up; a) do nothing, and b) do something, very carefully.

The company that sold me most of the parts warned us not to start with a Hawken as a first build project. Only now am I starting to understand why they said that.

[wtfooptimax200]

Congrats on a beautiful gun!

[nicholst55]

If anyone else has a project hid in the closet, let me know, I'll finish it for you.

I'll take you up on that once I return to the States. I've got a partially built Edward Marshall rifle on a Track kit that's been waiting for me (or someone with greater skills) to finish it for two years.

[thunderthud]

been doin' the building (scratch ) since 84' also can carve & engrave. give me a shout we can talk, retired now so I have fast turn time.

[garry r]

ive been told the same thing and i wonderd why. they look easier than a full stock but there must be something tough about it . anyway thats one beautifull rifle for sure

[docone31]

I love it.
Interesting choice on early trigger guard on a late rifle. I like it.
That is a downright handsome rifle. Prolly looks better than most used to.

[405]

Yep, early trigger guard. Nice looking gun! The sure enough Hawken guns I've looked at were all obviously well used. Most- down right beat up. Tho I've never seen it except in photos the Bridger Hawken IIRC, is also a little beat up. Even had some brown colored paint or something slathered on the stock at one time. :shock:

[roverboy]

Thats something I've meant to do. I'd like to find a Hawken and do a antique look to it someday. I would do away with the brass furniture and replace with iron or steel and brown all metal. I've heard of a chemical for brass, that darkens it so it don't even look like brass.

[405]

Thats something I've meant to do. I'd like to find a Hawken and do a antique look to it someday. I would do away with the brass furniture and replace with iron or steel and brown all metal. I've heard of a chemical for brass, that darkens it so it don't even look like brass.

Well, something like a T/C "Hawken" with all the brass fittings, curly Q trigger quard, etc. shares very little in common with a real Hawken or one of the very good Hawken repros available since about the mid-70s. Once in a while at gun shows, gun shops or on one of the web auction sites you'll see a used custom or kit gun that has been put together in the last 40 years that IS a good Hawken repro. Sometimes the prices on these are very reasonable. TotW has some good parts and kits for 'HC' Hawken rifles. Most all originals and the better repros have brown iron furniture are fairly heavy and have very little bling. Before everyone gets the yabuts, the generic 'Plains Rifle' and all the Trade Rifles came in many forms and from many makers. But, the iconic rifle of the fur trade era remains the Hawken in its recognizable, basic form as made by J&S Hawken shop or the S Hawken shop. (the Gemmer continuation to 1915 is another story)

Boz330, I know what you mean by bogged down projects. My first "Hawken" build from various parts back in 74-75 took me well in excess of 450 hrs to complete. As a rookie, almost gave up on it a couple of times.

Pic of 3 "Hawken" rifles for comparison (sorry no originals in the herd :()

top- 1st build- '74-'75, 54 cal, 12 1/4 lbs

mid- Santa Fe "Hawken"/Western Arms- late 70s, 53 cal, 9 lbs

bot- T/C "Hawken"- mid to late 70s, 45 cal, 7 3/4 lbs

[roverboy]

I pretty sure we can think T/C for the brass furniture Hawken. I know a lot of people that like'em but, I never have. When I first started in M/L back in '88 I bought a New Englander. I just like the looks of a nonbrass rifle. The "original look" Hawkens to me are awesome.

[Ajax]

I recently got my flinter from Ric. Here is a link to the build http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=127351
I am telling you I am not the best at explaining what i want sometimes. But with my meager attempt to explain it to Ric, I gave him artistic license, he turned out a rifle that I had been dreaming of. This is one one of my dream rifles and i can't say enough to explain the beauty of the gun i recieved. If you are looking to have a gun built ot a kit finished/built you will not be dissapointed with Ric's work.


Andy

[Fly]

Boz was that rifle a kit to start with?It does have curle maple stock is why I ask.
Thats one fine looking rifle.

Fly

[Hang Fire]

Late Bill Fuller of Cooper Landing, Alaska built this one up for me in 1973 when I lived in AK. He took great care in putting them together and had an original for the model.

http://hstrial-rchambers.homestead.com/6slb2_op_483x600.jpg

[Hang Fire]

Thats something I've meant to do. I'd like to find a Hawken and do a antique look to it someday. I would do away with the brass furniture and replace with iron or steel and brown all metal. I've heard of a chemical for brass, that darkens it so it don't even look like brass.

If one wants to darken and antique brass you always have the means at hand. After firing the piece, swab the bore few times with a wet patch, take said patch and rub down the brass, voilà, job done.

[Boz330]

Boz was that rifle a kit to start with?It does have curle maple stock is why I ask.
Thats one fine looking rifle.

Fly

No it wasn't kit. A buddy found a Sharon 58 cal barrel at a club trade day. He owed me some money and wanted to know if I would take the barrel in trade for the money. I said yes and the odyssey began. I think the stock came from Dixie and the rest of the parts from Track of the Wolf. The lock and trigger are Davis. My buddy started the project and did the really hard part and I was supposed to finish it but never seemed to have the time or inclination all at once so I sent it to Ric to finish. I was really happy with the job he did.

Bob

[docone31]

That truly is noteworthy. That is a beautiful job on the rifle.
I have my eyes on a full stock, percussion cap, Hawken rifle.
They did those during the transition year. They converted flint to percussion. I like percussion, and the lines of the full stock Hawken.
One day.....
If mine comes out half what yours did, who could complain about that?
A great job.

[Boz330]

You will enjoy it for sure. The guy who started mine built a full stock for another mutual friend, except in flint lock. It is one beautiful rifle and seems to me just as fast as a percussion rifle. The real beauty of it, is it has a 54cal Bill Large barrel on it. Probably one of the last barrels Bill did before he passed.

Bob

[405]

Late Bill Fuller of Cooper Landing, Alaska built this one up for me in 1973 when I lived in AK. He took great care in putting them together and had an original for the model.

http://hstrial-rchambers.homestead.com/6slb2_op_483x600.jpg

Great photo- thanks for sharing! For composition, it rivals the studio photos from the mid to late 1800s. Background doesn't look like Cooper Landing tho- where was the photo taken? Something about Cooper Landing and firearms crafts.... first Johnson then Fuller. Still a pretty small place but overrun with Skankorage weekenders and seasonal tourii.