In my last post, I stated that I wanted to build or buy a full stock Plains or Hawken type rifle with a standing/hooked breech, and was asking for opinions on .50, .54, or .58 caliber. If I build the rifle, or have it built, I've decided to go with .54 cal. I had thought that if I ordered a kit that I would go with Track of the Wolf, but it appears that their full stock Hawken is only available with a 1" barrel. In messaging another member, who has built exactly what I thought I wanted, he has cautioned me that his TOW is pretty hefty to carry around the woods. It seems that if I went with a 15/16" barrel, I could save nearly a full pound of weight on a 36" barrel rifle. Pecatonia River offers the stock I want with a pre-inlet 15/16" barrel channel. Has anyone here built full stock rifles (not necessarily Hawkens) from kits supplied by Track of the Wolf AND Pecatonia River, so that I could get an apples to apples comparison of the builds offered by these two companies? I'm also open to suggestions on other companies products as well, as long as I can build what I want. For the time being, I'm still stuck on wanting a standing breech barrel system, even though I know several folks don't even break the rifles down for cleaning. I'm also considering additional calibers down the road, so that's my excuse for sticking with the standing/hooked breech requirement.
.54 cal full stock Great Plains or Hawken build - Who's kit?
- Thread starter jetcsa
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Rock Home Isle
58 Cal.
https://www.jedediah-starr.com/thumbnail.asp?cid=126&offset=0
Try this link…you can select for a fullstock, Hawken parts kit, with a 15/16’s barrel channel, in .54 calibre. Cost has gotten pricy from when I had mine built, just a few years ago…
https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssup....cgi?cart_id=494839.32136&product=Riflestocks
Here’s where I ordered my original stock and some parts, but the stock design that I ordered is no longer listed on their site.
Try this link…you can select for a fullstock, Hawken parts kit, with a 15/16’s barrel channel, in .54 calibre. Cost has gotten pricy from when I had mine built, just a few years ago…
https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssup....cgi?cart_id=494839.32136&product=Riflestocks
Here’s where I ordered my original stock and some parts, but the stock design that I ordered is no longer listed on their site.
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Thanks for the link. Do you know if they offer any gunsmithing services on their kits? I’m most concerned about inletting the buttplate and lock. I do like the fact that TOW and PR offer some of those services. If I end up having it built, I guess that’s neither here nor there.
Rock Home Isle
58 Cal.
Select a kit, and at the bottom of the page they list additional services and prices
https://www.jedediah-starr.com/closeup.asp?cid=126&pid=116&offset=0
For example….
A Track of the Wolf ‘kit’ is basically a parts set, and more than a little assembly is required. As far as barrels, I seem to recall that ‘original’ Hawkens had tapered barrels, starting at over an inch at the breech and tapering to about an inch at the muzzle. Definitely not lightweight guns.
Perfect, thank-you! I should have been reading this on my laptop instead of my phone. Probably wouldn’t need quite so much “hand holding” to find my way!
From all my studying, you are exactly right. I’d been trying to stick with the term Plains rifle instead of Hawken, because I would prefer mine to be quite a bit lighter. The majority of Plains rifles were not Hawkens, but I want a standing/hooked breech barrel system that has become so synonymous with what many folks (maybe not on this site) call Hawkens. I also want mine in flint. I still haven’t found a documented example of a Hawken in anything but percussion, but plenty of their early guns didn’t have standing/hooked breeches.
If it helps you understand a flint fullstock build, here is the documentation of mine, a ToTW Hawken in .58 (see the Flickr Album link. Clicking any picture shows the notations I made.)
Whether Track or Pecatonica it's about the same. My understanding was that, at least at one time, Track got the stocks from Pecatonica.
IIRC, my completed rifle was 9 3/4#. Hawkens are heavy.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/building-a-kit-tow-early-flint-hawken.93612/
Whether Track or Pecatonica it's about the same. My understanding was that, at least at one time, Track got the stocks from Pecatonica.
IIRC, my completed rifle was 9 3/4#. Hawkens are heavy.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/building-a-kit-tow-early-flint-hawken.93612/
Rock Home Isle
58 Cal.
I’m fortunate to have a personable and talented gun builder in my kneck of the woods. I gather my parts, or at least MOST of my parts. Tell him what I’d like as a finished product. Then a couple weeks later, I show up and take her home…
Tried to look at the photographs in the thread you referenced, but it seems to require signing up for ‘Flicker’ to view photos, or am I missing something?
Try directly from here.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/100435142@N08/7878q5i1Mn
If I send this out directly it should allow viewing whether you have a Flickr account or not. Never had issues before and this Album has had almost 7000 views, but who knows. These photo storage companies are always changing things up. Let me know if it works.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/100435142@N08/7878q5i1Mn
If I send this out directly it should allow viewing whether you have a Flickr account or not. Never had issues before and this Album has had almost 7000 views, but who knows. These photo storage companies are always changing things up. Let me know if it works.
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Guess I’m missing something. Or maybe it requires me to ‘sign up’ so I can get more emails? This is a screenshot I get when I go to the link. Appears I have to ‘log in’ to see any photographs.
When I use the link not signed in, I go right to the album. There is a blue button on top that has "Sign Up" in it, but you don't have to to see all the pics. I see it's been viewed five times already since I posted. Try again and let me know.
Again, it you click on a picture you should see the pic and my build notes. Ypu can then use the left/right arrows on the pic to move through all pics seeing the notes (if any I made).
Looks like you are going to a home page of some kind. Try copying the ENTIRE link and putting it in your browser. Seems like you are just getting to Flickr.com instead of my album. What's the URL when you have that screen?
Ok, clicking on the link in your post takes me to the ‘home page’ or whatever. Copying the text from your link and pasting it into my browser works…. Not sure, maybe an issue when using an iPhone or possibly a Bill Gates thing. Have not had this issue with other links.
Bottom line, copy and paste worked, clicking on the link did not.
Thank you for the assistance.
That is the most thorough, awesome documentation of a build that I’ve ever seen. Thank-you!!
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I bought a Pecatonica River (PR) LH Tennessee Mtn FL Rifle in .36 cal back in 90's and was very happy with it, still have it and still satisfied.
According to everything I read and hear about PR nowadays they're still considered a good option for Kit builders, they offer a very wide range of styles both in FL and Percussion, and more LH options than any other supplier I know of.
Last year I was about to order one of their Virginia FL Rifle kits in LH when one of the forums members kindly offered to sell me a LH TVM Early Virginia FL in .50cal which I bought without hesitation.
Seriously if I was going to buy another kit it would be a PR, the Chambers and Kibler options are nil for we overseas buyers as both parties arent interested.
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That is a nice build documentation
