Sharon Rifle Barrel Co. Hawken style rifle

[The Goose]

This came today. It is a Hawken repro in .54. Curly maple stack with pewter forend cap. It was made from a kit by the now defunct Sharon Rifle Barrel Company. Back in the 1970's and 80's Sharon barrels were considered quite good.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/sgoselin/DSC03014_zps5ffd38fa.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/sgoselin/media/DSC03014_zps5ffd38fa.jpg.html)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/sgoselin/DSC03010_zpsc0be5457.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/sgoselin/media/DSC03010_zpsc0be5457.jpg.html)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/sgoselin/DSC03011_zps25e14b6d.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/sgoselin/media/DSC03011_zps25e14b6d.jpg.html)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/sgoselin/DSC03012_zps640b8113.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/sgoselin/media/DSC03012_zps640b8113.jpg.html)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l299/sgoselin/DSC03016_zps75265a01.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/sgoselin/media/DSC03016_zps75265a01.jpg.html)

[kenyerian]

Very nice.

[johnson1942]

what twist does it have?

[wgr]

itlook,s like it,s got a lot of lyman gpr in it.

[BPShooter]

Nice looking Rifle. Thanks for the pictures.

[John Allen]

I like the browned lock you do not see them like that very often

[C. Latch]

Gorgeous.

[JeffG]

Love that browning on the lock and barrel, escutchens, etc.

[waksupi]

I think most of the larger bore barrels from there were 1-72, although they did make some faster twists. Jerry Cunningham and Harrison Weimer were the barrel smiths. I always enjoyed going in and shooting the bull with Jerry, Harrison was pretty quiet most of the time.
Oops! Forgot, Jerry's wife also worked there, making barrels.

Harrison would usually make a trip to Friendship once a year, with a small trailer with reject barrels, that he sold at a big discount. Many of the top shooters were buying them, building rifles, and winning. I've never seen one of their barrels that won't shoot.

[concho]

Fine Job ! Nice pictures

[JMtoolman]

I wonder if that rifle might be one I made. I was working for Hall Sharon at the time, I was hired for a few months to set up a line of building the kits for sale. After about six months of work, and about a dozen rifle that I built, I realized that they were going bankrupt. I changed jobs by moving out of Montana. I always wondered where the rifles that I built ended up. John and Lin were good people that I lost track of over the years. The toolman.

[Black Powder Bill]

WOW I have a rifle 54cal from 1977 that is almost identical to yours!

[GARD72977]

That's a nice gun. A guy showed up with one at the rondy last October.

[waksupi]

I wonder if that rifle might be one I made. I was working for Hall Sharon at the time, I was hired for a few months to set up a line of building the kits for sale. After about six months of work, and about a dozen rifle that I built, I realized that they were going bankrupt. I changed jobs by moving out of Montana. I always wondered where the rifles that I built ended up. John and Lin were good people that I lost track of over the years. The toolman.

You may know John Hyslip then. I saw one of the rifles he built for Sharon at the gun show last weekend.

[mikeym1a]

(drool!) PRETTY!!!! (drool!) :-D

[tnpaw]

Beautiful Rifle! Hope it shoots as good as it looks!.....john

[JMtoolman]

Waksupi, that name is sure familiar, I think John was into Indian stuff then, man that was about 40 years ago, and my memory is starting to fade. I did get a number of the barrles from Lin Wymer, one of them is the twin of the one made for John Amber for the Ruger long range single shot on the cover of gun digest. I tried to get it from John when the shop was working, but he wanted it for himself. He made two for the Ruger single shot, in case he screwed one up he had another to fall back on, for it was a rush order to get the gun done for the cover of the "Gun Digest". It is the yellow cover with the engraved Ruger single shot. Both came out great, so the second one wasn't used. Lin later on got it as part of the back wages when Sharon went bankrupt. I pestered Lin for five or six years until he relented and sold it to me. I used it to make a copy of a Henry long range rifle for thousand yard muzzle loading shooting. A friend of mine had it for many years and it went overseas to the international matches, and to Africa hunting several times. He won a gold medal at a thousand yards with it. He returned it to me after 30 years, as he is in very bad health. So I own the barrel, (and rifle) for the second time in 30 years. Best regards, the toolman.

[SamTexas49]

I had "2" Sharon kits back in the mid 70's, a .62 cal Full stock Hawken and a .54 cal half Stock Hawken. A very good friend and BP shooter, who was also a great custom builder assembled both rifles for me. Loved shooting both rifles, especially that .62. My friende was at least 10 yr older then me and was feeling he couldn't handle his custom .50 cal Flint Hawken so we conducted a trade his Flinter for my 2 Sharons. I went on to win many matches wit the .50 flinter too! This was all down in San Antonio area and I finally moved away to God;s country (Montana) . I lost touch with my friend thru the years, his initials was R U. A gentleman of about 5' 9" medium build. The above Half stock looks so much like the one he built for me from the Sharon kit!

[gandydancer]

That one looks just like the one I have had in my safe for the last 20 years or so never have shot it. 54 caliber also.

[camotes2]

I have had one of these kits for the last 15 or so years, and finally this winter it is being built. Half stock .58, but a walnut stock. It is going to be my next favorite, fired 5 shots at 30 yards in the snow last week, only 2 holes in the paper, I pulled off on the second shot. Still only have 4 coats of finish on the wood, and did not start the browning yet. Yes very nice barrel.
Regards Camotes2

[waksupi]

Waksupi, that name is sure familiar, I think John was into Indian stuff then, man that was about 40 years ago, and my memory is starting to fade. I did get a number of the barrles from Lin Wymer, one of them is the twin of the one made for John Amber for the Ruger long range single shot on the cover of gun digest. I tried to get it from John when the shop was working, but he wanted it for himself. He made two for the Ruger single shot, in case he screwed one up he had another to fall back on, for it was a rush order to get the gun done for the cover of the "Gun Digest". It is the yellow cover with the engraved Ruger single shot. Both came out great, so the second one wasn't used. Lin later on got it as part of the back wages when Sharon went bankrupt. I pestered Lin for five or six years until he relented and sold it to me. I used it to make a copy of a Henry long range rifle for thousand yard muzzle loading shooting. A friend of mine had it for many years and it went overseas to the international matches, and to Africa hunting several times. He won a gold medal at a thousand yards with it. He returned it to me after 30 years, as he is in very bad health. So I own the barrel, (and rifle) for the second time in 30 years. Best regards, the toolman.

Yes, John is a buckskinner, we belong to the same group, and see each other a couple times a month.
I have one of Lin's barrels on my Alexander Henry English sporting rifle. I believe it is the last barrel he made. After his wife died, he lost interest in a lot of things he had done before.

[JMtoolman]

Tell John hi for me the next time you see him. Best regards, John the toolman.

[The Goose]

Thanks for the great responses. Now I really feel like I made the right decision to acquire this rifle.

[fouronesix]

Nice rifles. They always had a good reputation for being fairly HC to original Hawken design and usually shot well to boot. The rifle pictured does look like it was put together from a kit. A few mistakes and yaw, yaws visible but overall looks OK. How it shoots depends on the bore condition, loads and the shooter.

[Nikkisdad]

I have a T/C hawken .45 cal bought in early 70's how would I know if my barrel is a Sharon serial number is five digit's. Thanks Five digit serial number

[John in PA]

Sharon made the barrels for the early Shiloh Sharps 1863's during the early Farmingdale days. I'm not sure when Wolf Droege started his own barrel making, but I distinctly remember that Sharon made the early barrels. Maybe the first few years (??)

[nekshot]

What price range do these guns run? Kinda makes you wanna save up and do more looking!

[waksupi]

Sharon has been out of business for at least 30 years.

[Viejo]

I also have one of these rifles, acquired in 1976. I think it is a 1-66 twist. It shoots a patched .530 round ball with 110g to 120g of 2F absolutely perfectly. If there is error, it is me.
I have harvested several elk and deer over the years and after a long "drought" plan on another successful hunt this year. Problem..I have lost one of the wedge keys. Does anyone out there know where I can obtain one?

[waksupi]

I also have one of these rifles, acquired in 1976. I think it is a 1-66 twist. It shoots a patched .530 round ball with 110g to 120g of 2F absolutely perfectly. If there is error, it is me.
I have harvested several elk and deer over the years and after a long "drought" plan on another successful hunt this year. Problem..I have lost one of the wedge keys. Does anyone out there know where I can obtain one?

Track of the Wolf, Dixie Gun Works, several dozen other vendors.

[bedbugbilly]

I may be mistaken - and if so - please correct me. I'm thinking that Track of the Wolf sold some of these kits in the early 80's? I bought one and put it together - identical to the OPs - which is a very nice rifle. Mine was 54 and one of the best shooting rifles I have ever owned - I just couldn't miss with it. I can remember running the primitive course at Friendship where you had to start a fire with flint and steel, throw a hawk and take several shots. I was using my rifle like this for the first time. One of the shots was at a kitchen match - I took the head right off of it and then another shot was splitting the ball on an axe head - I lucked out and split it and broke both targets on each side - all "beginner's luck". :-) I ended up selling the rifle a few years ago and have regretted it since. It was the only gun that I never built from scratch but it was certainly a nice quality kit - great barrel, great wood and great fit. They just don't make quality kits like it anymore.

[cowboys1062]

That Sir! is indeed a nice looking Hawken Rifle! Is definitely a keeper. I am sure she will shoot as good as she looks! Respectfully. cowboys1062.

[El Bango]

I got several of those Sharon barrels in '78 or'79 while attending gunsmith school in Trinidad.I built a Leman style rifle and it was deadly. I gave it to my son a few years ago and he's also deadly with it.

[BPJONES]

Hello everyone. I came across this thread while searching the net and I have a question regarding a Hal Sharon 54 caliber rifle I have. I am wondering if my rifle is a kit rifle or if it would have been factory made as it has no serial number anywhere. I was told once that the kit rifles all had serial numbers but not the factory assembled rifles. I was just wondering if there is merit to this or not?

[Wayne R. Scott]

Hello everyone. I came across this thread while searching the net and I have a question regarding a Hal Sharon 54 caliber rifle I have. I am wondering if my rifle is a kit rifle or if it would have been factory made as it has no serial number anywhere. I was told once that the kit rifles all had serial numbers but not the factory assembled rifles. I was just wondering if there is merit to this or not?

I have a Sharon Kit rifle from the early 70's and there is no serial number on it. This sample of one would say "no" to the serial numbers.

[mazo kid]

Sharon has been out of business for at least 30 years.
I believe it was 1984 when Jerry Cunningham came to Friendship with most of the remaining parts stock from Sharon; I bought a stock, breached barrel, lock, and assorted other parts at that time. Still have them and still not put together!

[GMU28]

I wonder if that rifle might be one I made. I was working for Hall Sharon at the time, I was hired for a few months to set up a line of building the kits for sale. After about six months of work, and about a dozen rifle that I built, I realized that they were going bankrupt. I changed jobs by moving out of Montana. I always wondered where the rifles that I built ended up. John and Lin were good people that I lost track of over the years. The toolman.

Hello sir,
I have a .54 Hawken with Sharon Riffle Barrel barrel. The stock (half stock) looks correct but the hardware is brass. Also, the stock is heavily carved, the brass engraved, and has gold inlays. Would you happen to know of any examples of this description. It was purchased in a bank auction in Northern Colorado in 1980-81.
Many thanks for your time and contribution over the years to the history of our sport.

[Fly]

Dang after reading this thread I thought I was the only old guy here. I feel much better now, Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Fly

[beemer]

Back around 1976-77 I bought .40 cal. 42" from Dixie Gun Works, it was marked Sharon. From the best I can tell it is a 1-72 twist. It does better with heaver charges but still killed a bunch of tree rats with a 38 Spcl case full of Gearhart- Owens FFF. It was the first rifle I built and I made every mistake you can think of including way too much wood left. That said it is breached properly and put together solid and I learned a lot.

Dave

[LongJnSilver]

from the Gun Values Board - "#4Suzy Brownfield3 years ago
I worked for Sharon rifle barrel in 1976 and did all the browning and finish work on them. Worked with Larry Zoren. He helped me build my 54 caliber. So is this, did you work in the barn? Suzy"