Alternate Hawken options

[MDHunter]

Hello everyone
I've been viewing this forum for a long time finally decided to join today with this question.

I have a Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawken in 54 caliber. It has a 34 inch barrel and weighs roughly 10 lb. It shoots the Hornady Great Plains conical bullets extremely well as well as round ball. I carried it through the mountains of Colorado last year and was successful in taking a nice mule deer buck. I love the gun but it's just getting to be too much to carry around in elk country. I bought the gun out of the Bargain Cave at Cabela's for a very reasonable price. I don't regret buying it just trying to figure out and alternative that will be more practical catrying through the mountains. I've contacted pedersoli on getting the 30 inch Missouri River barrel for the gun but that will cost me $600 for the barrel and is only available in 50 caliber or 45 caliber.
I've looked at the Lyman Great Plains Hunter that has the 32 inch barrel and I would be able to stay with the 54 caliber that way as well. 2 inch shorter may not sound like a lot but I'm curious as to what are there options I have out there? I have a couple of TC Hawkens that are much nicer to carry but I just don't have the same desire to hunt with them.
I'm not adamantly opposed to taking my Pedersoli Hawken back out there again the weight isn't necessarily its downfall just the length is a bit of an issue moving through some of the thick blow downs and Timber.
Thanks for any advice I appreciate it!

 

[rich pierce]

Cut 2” off your current gun.

 

[Zonie]

The Great Planes Hunter has a fast twist, shallow groove barrel designed only for shooting slugs. If there is a chance that you will ever want to shoot patched roundballs, this gun is not for you.

Also, the GPR and GPH weigh 9 pounds so you would only be reducing the weight by about 1 pound if you start carrying one of them.

I don't know what the size of the octagon barrel is at the muzzle but if it is around 7/8", cutting the barrel off to shorten it will give you a reduction of about 0.3 pounds per inch.
Shortening the barrel will make the gun feel a bit less muzzle heavy but it won't reduce the overall weight by very much.

If weight becomes a real problem for you, switching to one of the TC's might be the best answer.

 

[MDHunter]

Cut 2” off your current gun.

That’s one of the things I’m considering. I just hope I don’t regret it if I do

 

[MDHunter]

The Great Planes Hunter has a fast twist, shallow groove barrel designed only for shooting slugs. If there is a chance that you will ever want to shoot patched roundballs, this gun is not for you.

Also, the GPR and GPH weigh 9 pounds so you would only be reducing the weight by about 1 pound if you start carrying one of them.

I don't know what the size of the octagon barrel is at the muzzle but if it is around 7/8", cutting the barrel off to shorten it will give you a reduction of about 0.3 pounds per inch.
Shortening the barrel will make the gun feel a bit less muzzle heavy but it won't reduce the overall weight by very much.

If weight becomes a real problem for you, switching to one of the TC's might be the best answer.

If I did buy the GPH I would keep the Pedersoli as my round ball gun and conicals for the GPH. Again weight isn’t my ultimate issue as is the length of barrel. Even through the GPH would only be a two inch barrel reduction. The Pedersoli Missouri River Hawken having a 30 inch fast twist is was got my attention and the wheels turning. That barrel would be 4 inches shorter and much more manageable in thick timber.
Thanks for the quick response guys very much appreciated!

 

[Rifleman1776]

That’s one of the things I’m considering. I just hope I don’t regret it if I do

I suggest a 4" cut. The rifle would be more fun to carry. You would lose nothing noticeable in performance.

 

[MDHunter]

I suggest a 4" cut. The rifle would be more fun to carry. You would lose nothing noticeable in performance.

Can the ramrod pipe be moved in order to do that ?

 

[bubba.50]

Other than it’s too short(for me) trigger pull the T/C Renegade is as good a huntin’ gun as you can find.

 

[rich pierce]

It’s kind of a tossup. If you’ll never sell your current rifle you can cut it 2-4”. But it will devalue it and improve balance but not lose that much weight. If you buy a Plains Rifle or Trade Rifle it’s not overly expensive and it will be much lighter.

If I was doing the work of shortening, moving one thimble, and making it look nice I’d want about $150.

 

[MDHunter]

It’s kind of a tossup. If you’ll never sell your current rifle you can cut it 2-4”. But it will devalue it and improve balance but not lose that much weight. If you buy a Plains Rifle or Trade Rifle it’s not overly expensive and it will be much lighter.

If I was doing the work of shortening, moving one thimble, and making it look nice I’d want about $150.

Exactly part of me wants to leave it the way it is because that’s how it was designed. The other part of me wants to make it a practical gun for my intended hunting style. Cutting 4 inches off would make it look like the Missouri River version which I think is just as Beautiful and be easier to carry miles into the timber. Also allows me to keep it a .54
Thanks again guys you are a wealth of knowledge. Not many people I can bounce these ideas off that wouldn’t say “ahh do whatever”

 

[Phil Coffins]

Remember the old guns were made with about any length barrel. Make it just the way you want it!

 

[Eutycus]

Some say 2", others say 4". Does it have to be an even number? Whats wrong with 3"? But I'd probably go with the 4"'.

 

[MDHunter]

Remember the old guns were made with about any length barrel. Make it just the way you want it!

Great point!

 

[MDHunter]

Some say 2", others say 4". Does it have to be an even number? Whats wrong with 3"? But I'd probably go with the 4"'.

Nothing wrong with 3 Lol. I think 2 came from matching Lyman GPH and 4 matched Pedersoli Missouri River Hawken barrel

 

[BlackHillsBob]

send one of your tc hawkens to the oregon rifle barrel co. have them make a 30 inch drop in barrel .54 cal 1/66 twist for it. even 28 inches if you like. make sure the 54 has a 1/66 twist. it will shoot holes in holes at any range and be easier to carry. that twist is best for a .54 and can take a heavy charge or a light charge and still shoot holes in holes. keep that beautiful pedersoli as is. use it when your not walking around in the mountains. i have a 36 inch 50 cal oregon rifle barrel on my thompson hawken, it is a 1/28 twist. shoots paper patch or the cva copper hollow based bullet well enough to cut a snakes head off at 100 yards. it looks like a mountain man gun, it is a sleeper in that it shoots like a 50/90 sharps. i dont over load, i go for 80 grains of real black in it. just as the 50/90 sharps did. in meets i can shoot a patched round ball with a much reduced load very well at 25 or 50 yards. again if you like 54 round ball, a 1/66 twist will be your go to gun to hunt with. a 28 0r 30 inch barrel is plenty long enough. the twist is more important than the barrel length. ive had them made in 26 inches and they shot just as good as the 36 inchers as long as the twist was the right twist.

 

[MDHunter]

send one of your tc hawkens to the oregon rifle barrel co. have them make a 30 inch drop in barrel .54 cal 1/66 twist for it. even 28 inches if you like. make sure the 54 has a 1/66 twist. it will shoot holes in holes at any range and be easier to carry. that twist is best for a .54 and can take a heavy charge or a light charge and still shoot holes in holes. keep that beautiful pedersoli as is. use it when your not walking around in the mountains. i have a 36 inch 50 cal oregon rifle barrel on my thompson hawken, it is a 1/28 twist. shoots paper patch or the cva copper hollow based bullet well enough to cut a snakes head off at 100 yards. it looks like a mountain man gun, it is a sleeper in that it shoots like a 50/90 sharps. i dont over load, i go for 80 grains of real black in it. just as the 50/90 sharps did. in meets i can shoot a patched round ball with a much reduced load very well at 25 or 50 yards. again if you like 54 round ball, a 1/66 twist will be your go to gun to hunt with. a 28 0r 30 inch barrel is plenty long enough. the twist is more important than the barrel length. ive had them made in 26 inches and they shot just as good as the 36 inchers as long as the twist was the right twist.

Damn it Bob just when I thought I had my mind made up ! Could they make a 30 inch fast twist drop in for my Pedersoli ? I do prefer conicals at this time but then could have a barrel for each

 

[Artie Peltier]

I have a question for the group in regards to cutting the barrel. If the barrel has a specific twist, 1/66 in this instance and you properly cut the length of the Barrel, will the shortened barrel reduce accuracy due to the fact the projectile is traveling a shorter distance in the rifling and not receiving the the total length of the original barrel?

 

[Phil Coffins]

I have a question for the group in regards to cutting the barrel. If the barrel has a specific twist, 1/66 in this instance and you properly cut the length of the Barrel, will the shortened barrel reduce accuracy due to the fact the projectile is traveling a shorter distance in the rifling and not receiving the the total length of the original barrel?

Nope, once the ball is spinning the length of the barrel only determines the sight spacing and how well the powder is used. Accuracy can be maintained in a short barrel, it’s just harder to shoot it as well. With in the length being discussed here there will be no problems.

 

[bubba.50]

Damn it Bob just when I thought I had my mind made up ! Could they make a 30 inch fast twist drop in for my Pedersoli ? I do prefer conicals at this time but then could have a barrel for each

Unless Pedersoli breechplugs(or compatible replacement) are commercially available you’d likely need a donor plug.

 

[Walkingeagle]

As stated previously, grab a used TC Renegade in .54. It has a 1:48 twist and 26” bbl. Shoot the conicals and carry it all day up them hills. Wont break the bank and you can “make it your own” with any custom work you desire.
Walk