St.louis Hawken is finished!

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

Finally got her all finished up! What a great fun project and I finally own a dark stained sidelock that I've been wanting.

Traditions St.Louis Hawken.50cal 28" barrel with 1:48 twist. I used birchwood casey walnut and rusty walnut stain to bring out different colors under different light conditions. Browned the lock and barrel, antiqued the brass with birchwood casey brass black, lyman rear sight, german silver front sight. The stock finish is Tru-oil that I rubbed on very thin, around 14 coats. The stock almost feels like it was finished with truoil, which is a huge compliment IMO. I did not want a super shiny, thick, plastic looking finish on it, so super thin coats and then birchwood casey gun stock wax at the end * 4 coats* to add a little shine, topped it off.

Now to go cast some balls and take it out to 75 and 100 yards. Currently, its dead on at 50 yards. Just in time for a hog hunt!
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[Beagle333]

Very nice! Congrats on a great job! Now we'll await pics of the hog. :-D

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Good job! Looks great. :-D

[swheeler]

Very nice! I do like that color of stain, sweet:drinks:

[rancher1913]

the dark color does look good.

[izzyjoe]

Very well done, hope you get your load figured out. Show us some pics of some targets as well.

[54bore]

Good job!! Ive been contemplating a Traditions .32 Cal Crockett Rifle kit, i would like to do it the same as you done this Hawken

[Fly]

Great looking rifle. For me a tad to dark, but that's me. Guest that's why
we all pick different color cars. But you did a fine job my friend.
Very nice rust brown.
Fly

[54bore]

Great looking rifle. For me a tad to dark, but that's me. Guest that's why
we all pick different color cars. But you did a fine job my friend.
Very nice rust brown.
Fly

It would be a boring world if we all thought alike, I personally prefer the Rich Dark brown, i have a really nice old TC Hawkin with a light colored stock, been contemplating redoing it DARK

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Yes, I think the colour looks good, and it will stand up far better than light ones to handling, smoke, fouling etc.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Looks nice. Good job. I await photos of the first hog to fall this piece of art.

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

I'll be taking her out to 75 yards tomorrow! I shot it 5 times at 50 yards and it shoots sweet. I think I'll limit myself to 75-85 yards for the hog hunt since the area has some 200+ lbers, so that will be the best thing for me IMO.
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[Hogdaddy]

Good Luck on your hog hunt F/M ; )
H/D

[Treetop]

I love that stock color and finish, Frontier Muzzleloading! Our county just instated a primitive firearms season after the regular white tail season is over. Regular season is over around the first weekend in January. It's too late for me to build anything for this season, but I think that this is what I will do before next season. Hope mine turns out as nice as yours! Semper Fi, Treetop

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

well I took it out to 100 yards yesterday, shoots DEAD on!

First shot was about 5-6 inches to the left, next 2 shots climbed a little higher and 3" to the right of the first one, but those 2 shots were maybe 1 1/2" apart! The rifle seems to want a CLEAN bore otherwise they group higher and to the right.

Im using 80gr Olde Eynsford, .020" patches and .490" round balls.

My dad, brother and I are driving to Oklahoma to visit a friend and we're all going hog hunting on his property. We did this in march and had a blast. This time we're going earlier in the year as my dad missed 3 hunting seasons due to having a kidney/tumor and other complications after the surgery. Hes eager to break in his socom m14.

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

well my 2 shots were a heck of a lot closer than my 1 1/2" guestimet.

80gr 2fg jim shockeys gold super powder, .490" round ball and .020" lightly lubed with frontiers anti rust & patch lube. Shes hog ready! Next video I am uploading shots 100 and 80 yard shooting.

first 3 shots at 100 yards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QifxoqjO-tw

[Treetop]

Yep, that's definitely "minute of hog" accuracy right there! Be sure to post some pictures of he hunt, F/M. Treetop

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

From the same day, but this time using Olde Eynsford black powder 2fg, .020" patch and .490" round ball. First shot was on a freshly cleaned bore at 100 yards. Next 2 were on a fouled bore and firing using the atv seat as a rest, from 80 yards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymF0DsCdKUI

1 1/2 more days till the hogs start squealing! Really pumped up.

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGBqIyx79Wk

[Lethemgo]

Very nice....I had one of their hawkens and it was quite the shooter also. If you need a little more weight slinging down range mind shot real sweet with the lee r.e.a.l. bullet. Problem was at the range with a bunch of bullets all lubed up you can just shove down the bore you sure shoot all lot more lead. Nice shooting buddy....the fooling shot always runs a stray and many guys won't count them in and group.

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

One more day to go, hopefully some rain moves them around!

200+ lbs
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[Texas by God]

Gorgeous rifle. And your load sounds perfect. I want a .54 just like yours! The side lock round ball section of muzzleloading is my preference. No pellets,209primers,or plastic sabots or stocks! But that's just me. Enjoy that special gun.

[flint45]

Nice build they are alot of fun good work.