#3 Hawken Full Stock

[stuartg]

Nice! I've been looking at those versa vise styles and hear mixed reviews, but it seems that some are better than others. I saw that Grizzly has one on sale for $45, but the one at woodcraft and Garret Wade look to be of a little better quality. Decisions, decisions... :hmm:

 

[sean30ber]

Been sick as hell for a few days and didn't get any work done until tonight. I went with the dovetails and got them installed. Inlet them into the stock and did the layout for the keys. That about did me in so maybe more tomorrow. Here are some pics.







As she sits now

 

[galamb]

Dang Sean, that's really looking like a rifle now.

You could still spend many an hour getting the lines (subtle) "just so" but regardless of whether you do or not it looks like it's going to be one very sweet rifle.

 

[sean30ber]

Thanks Graham. Its getting there. Im going back over my Turpin video on how to install the keys without messing them up, never done keys. Get the pipes installed and the nose cap, Nipple in the drum and sights. Shape up the lines and thin it out. Ill take it out to test fire as I do all mine before the finish. This is when I usually get impatient. Still a lot to mess up so ill just cruise along.

 

[Swamp Rat]

Your cruisen at warp speed compared to me. Duelist 1954 video about number 6 shows his tool he made for locating barrel pins worked like a charm for this first timer.

Yep number 6 about 3 min mark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z_p6338JKw

 

[sean30ber]

Neat little trick. I could use that for the Key also, Thanks

 

[sean30ber]

Keys are going in good. I started with the front and am working back. Not sure if that is the way or not but its working good. So I got the front and middle in and the rear key im finding is a slant head as the front two are. Am I wrong, or is it supposed to be a flat head. Don sent me all slant. Way to slanted for the rear key hole.


ALL KEYS SLANT LIKE THIS


FRONT TWO IN

 

[galamb]

Your cruisen at warp speed compared to me.

Yes, remember that cartoon Mexican mouse - Speedy Gonzales?

"¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba! ¡Epa! ¡Epa! ¡Epa! Yeehaw!"

 

[Swamp Rat]

I think we need to check load ratio of sugar to coffee in that coffee cup of his.

 

[sean30ber]

Getting the nose cap in. 1/8th back from the muzzle good? Most originals (pics) Ive seen, seem to be about 1/8th to 2/8ths but they are not good pics.

 

[sean30ber]

Colombian only with cream, no sugar. Had about six hours straight to work on it today

 

[galamb]

I don't know how "correct" it is but I like to leave a little bit of barrel "hangin'" out of the end of the nose cap - just like the look.

Don't really measure, usually just where ever the nose cap finishes up when I'm done inletting, but not more than 3/8" out the end.

I don't have any good shots of the muzzle area on FS Hawkens, but from the angles I do have the "overhang" looks to be pretty minimal.

Just go with what looks "right".

 

[sean30ber]

Finished for the night. Kind of a poor photo but its nice and tight, a heavy 1/8th from the muzzle. Tomorrow spend the morning with the daughter and then maybe get a pipe or two in.

 

[sean30ber]

Im going to hear it now. I have to ask. What is with this sight. Is it a Hawken, What style used on. Is it appropriate for 46 year old eyes with Bi-Focals for hunting out to 150. Or unnecessary and put the Buckhorn in. I had this style on a 30-30 but never really used it back then.

 

[sean30ber]

Another question, I put the drum all together. Used a drum jig and everything is lined up well. I notice the head of the hammer is to far forward like the whole drum is setting back just a little to much. Is there a problem with heating the neck of the cock up red and bending the chin back just a tad to make it more pleasing to the eye. It fires a cap fine, just dont like the line up that much.

Another question. When I cock the hammer and set the trigger, fire the front, it catches back on half cock instead of firing. If i cock it and just fire with front trigger its fine. Whats going on ???

 

[galamb]

Let's see what I can answer for you.

I believe that sight was used on the Atcheson Hawken (ca. 1836).

Since your trigger guard is indicative of an early J&S, that sight would not be out of place and would give you the elevation adjustment.

You can bend the hammer - that is actually pretty typical on a cap gun, always needs a little adjustment.

However you might start by first trying to adjust the drum a hair. A couple swipes with a file on the (face) of the drum (the part snugging up against the barrel) should allow it to turn in a hair further which will bring the nipple up a little. May still have to bend the hammer, but maybe not to the same extent or may simply have to rework the (cup) of the hammer a bit so it hits the nipple flush.

(it's all about "geometry")

If the trigger is hangin' up at half cock when fired "set" it could be a couple of things.

1) you might have the fly in backwards - there is a "right way". If in backwards it doesn't do it's job right and the nose of the sear doesn't clear the half cock notch when fired set.

(in case you don't know, the fly is only required to fire the trigger set - the set trigger bar is so quick that the fly allows the nose of the sear to "ride over" the notch. When you fire "un-set" because you keep the trigger squeezed "longer" than the time it takes for the tumbler to move past the notch, the fly is not needed)

2) the spring on the set trigger may need adjusting - might be set too weak and is barely nocking the nose of the sear out of the full cock notch.

My bet would be the fly...

P.S. - don't fire it set anymore until you have it sorted out. You can bust the nose of the sear or wreck your tumbler if it hangs up like that.

 

[sean30ber]

Thanks Graham. Didnt even think about the fly.

 

[sean30ber]

Here is how it lays, Turn it around and it still locks up.

 

[Zonie]

Like galamb said, the L&R locks fly can be put into the tumbler two ways.
One will work but if the fly is turned over and installed, it won't.

It's been a while since I checked out which way it the right way but the fly in your picture looks to be right, I think.

I'd suggest assembling the lock.
Then, before putting it into the gun pull the hammer back to full cock.
Hold the hammer to keep it from falling and release the sear.

Allow the hammer to slowly fall, watching the nose of the sear and the fly.
The fly should deflect forward as the sear hits it. It then should come to a stop and force the nose of the sear to jump over it and the half cock notch it is covering.
If the sear jumps over the half cock notch, repeat this test a few more times.

By the way, it isn't uncommon for the nose of the sear to hang up slightly on the fly when the hammer is slowly lowered.
When falling at full speed, the sear should not hang up on the fly.

As a side note: This hanging up on the fly when the hammer is slowly lowered is the reason someone shooting a gun with a fly in the lock should NEVER try to drop the hammer from a full cock to the half cock.

They should always lower the hammer to a position below the half cock and then raise it back up until they year the "click" of the sear entering the notch.

This "hanging up on the fly" with a slowly lowered hammer/cock can happen with all fly equipped locks. Siler, Davis etc. They all can do it.

 

[sean30ber]

Thanks Jim. Out of the gun, I cocked it and let it ride slowly forward. It seems to work fine out of the gun. Soon as I install it is when I have the problem. I tensioned the set trigger as suggested, slowly at first then so much it was hard to set the trigger. still catches on half cock. Im not firing it full force as I don't want to brake it. but it hangs up. Tried another cap, just once, and it hung up. Fired just the front trigger and wallah, no problems. I blacked everything just to see if anything was hitting in the wood and no black shows up on any wood. Could I have over filed the set trigger. Im at a loss.