S. Hawken 1832 Hawken light mountain rifle. Weight at 8.5 pounds: No cheek stock, no rib and small cal. due to early Trapper’s did not want heavy guns. Enough for beaver fur… lighter weight ammunition... This rifle has a small bore barrel at .385 with straight rifling. Straight rifling being first born. This rifle with No cheek stock, no rib and lightweight @ 8 ½ pounds says cheaper rifle! Smaller, plainer editions of larger Hawken Mountain Rifle known as Light Mountain Rifles normally had cheek stocks. A cheek stocked rifle would have never been considered a cheap rifle. Hawken shows only one cheap rifle made in 1832. The next one was made in 1840 and both being documented as “Cheap” in the Hawken redjustry. Barrel tells me so. Hand welded Hawken barrels circa 1829, Factory made barrels were common late 30’s. This barrel varies around 1 inch throughout the length of its 39 11/16 inch barrel. Not factory made. Front barrel sight: Silver on copper base that was a tradition brought from Hawken eastern training. Mountain men were known to complain about this eastern short sight and they would add a sliver of silver coin to make it higher. 27 inches between sights is a known Hawken measurement such as ours determining the original barrel. Hawken was predominant and possibly the earliest percussion rifle used by the mountain man. Barrel, stock and breech corrosion from percussion caps: Early Hawken rifles had this corrosion problem being a fault of Hawken, later fixed and fixed again till he got it right. This rifle is a perfect example of this corrosion. Two pins: Close examination of early Hawken rifles will reveal that the lower thimble was held in place with two pins passing through the stock. This barrel has two holes for these pins. Crescent butt-plate and heal toe as two pieces are held together with a rivet and brass and fluxed. Very early construction.. This rifle has this fluxing inside butt-plate with the rivet revealed. Heel of butt plate touches the ground first when the barrel is held vertical to ground. The toe is off ground from ¼ inch to ¾ inches known Hawken. This rifle does this. Forend tip of S. Hawken squirrel rifle in Lenard collection. Note cast rear sight, and lack of rib for ramrod. Pewter poured cap. Hawken rifles the mountain man’s choice. Page 63 Plate No. 95. This rife lock has been repaired by a gunsmith. Note the escutcheon parts used to hold lock to stock. The lock bolt broke into the lock. This rifle's lock bolt is not recessed, dating this rifle to early status. Original lock plate with flat original snail. I am happy for this repair as to keep the rifle original. Due to not having a cheek stock, it was figured to be a cheap gun and don’t put a new lock on it? Just rig it!
