Who is the best maker of high quality kits for Hawkins rifles. I am not interested in colonial style .
thanks,
Mitch
thanks,
Mitch
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Best kits for Hawkins
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Depends on what you want to do. "Kit" covers a wide range of products. There are kits like the GPR (don't know if you can still get that one) which just requires finishing of wood and metal. There are kits that require a few more skills like inletting parts. I recommend looking at Track of the Wolf or Dixie Gun Works to see the variety. Most production kits like Lyman and Traditions are OK quality but as I was told just today these are not designed by gun smiths but by corporations. You will have to tweak the corporate compromises to get a completely reliable rifle. I have built a GPR, which is a good rifle but the lock is marginal. I have also built the CVA Mountain rifle (rare to find a kit nowadays). This one is an excellent shooter but required a lot of tweaking to get to be reliable performer.
How much do you want to spend? The prices are going to range quite especially now. Prices are up on everything.
How much do you want to spend? The prices are going to range quite especially now. Prices are up on everything.
Pretty open ended question. There are no colonial style Hawken rifles (note the spelling). Are you looking for historical accuracy? Easiest to assemble? Do you want a precarved stock? Is there a particular Hawken you looking to copy? Do you have a budget? What is is your skill level?
Well my wood working skills are pretty good. I was hoping for a kit with nice maple ( curly) stock. Been looking at the Kibler site and was hopping for that level.
Sometimes I want too much.
When I was in school decades ago I got a lot of -2 sp.
Mitch
Sometimes I want too much.
When I was in school decades ago I got a lot of -2 sp.
Mitch
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https://www.thehawkenshop.com/hawken_rifles.htmIF I were to do another I'd try these guys.
Or scratch build....
Don Stith is ill, I do not know if he is bundling kits. Track's kits are usually not available because of missing parts from suppliers. Authentic Hawkens are among the most most difficult to build. Real original Hawken plains rifles mostly had plain maple stocks.
I have a low opinion of lyman, traditions, TC, CVA and such. They are not really Hawken rifles anyway.
The Kibler SMR and Colonial are the best kits ever produced, nothing else is a close second. Those are flintlock long rifles. IF one of those appeals to you do not hesitate to get one. I am particularly fond of my newly completed SMR 45 cal. The lock is a work of art, it is by far, the best mass produced modern lock. Overall styling is as good as any full custom. Assembly is very easy. I have assembled five so far.
Kits as sold by everyone but Kibler and Chambers are parts sets bundles. All of the retailers get parts from other sources and bundle them into a kit (parts set). The stocks are done on a pantograph. There is a significant chance there will be problems with it. Any inletting will be crude and possibly more hindrance than help. The locks come from a couple of makers who all use cast parts that are assembled with an eye toward economy. Siler locks are OK. The various castings, trigger guard, butplate, etc may be very rough and will require significant work. One of these parts sets take me a week of work to get into an assembled but unfinished rifle. I am pretty efficient too.
Or scratch build....
Don Stith is ill, I do not know if he is bundling kits. Track's kits are usually not available because of missing parts from suppliers. Authentic Hawkens are among the most most difficult to build. Real original Hawken plains rifles mostly had plain maple stocks.
I have a low opinion of lyman, traditions, TC, CVA and such. They are not really Hawken rifles anyway.
The Kibler SMR and Colonial are the best kits ever produced, nothing else is a close second. Those are flintlock long rifles. IF one of those appeals to you do not hesitate to get one. I am particularly fond of my newly completed SMR 45 cal. The lock is a work of art, it is by far, the best mass produced modern lock. Overall styling is as good as any full custom. Assembly is very easy. I have assembled five so far.
Kits as sold by everyone but Kibler and Chambers are parts sets bundles. All of the retailers get parts from other sources and bundle them into a kit (parts set). The stocks are done on a pantograph. There is a significant chance there will be problems with it. Any inletting will be crude and possibly more hindrance than help. The locks come from a couple of makers who all use cast parts that are assembled with an eye toward economy. Siler locks are OK. The various castings, trigger guard, butplate, etc may be very rough and will require significant work. One of these parts sets take me a week of work to get into an assembled but unfinished rifle. I am pretty efficient too.
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Scota@4570,
Thanks for your valued opinion. In the future when I am able I will most likely will be following your advice.
Mitch
Thanks for your valued opinion. In the future when I am able I will most likely will be following your advice.
Mitch
If you do get a precarve stock(other than Kibler) what ever you do don't let them do the lock inlet, bad stuff happens that will be hard to correct.
Like this, yep, the precarve inlet put the pan below the side flat.
Like this, yep, the precarve inlet put the pan below the side flat.
Or get it with out lock inlet. I’ve had good luck with precarved stocks provided no preinleted lock
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"Like this, yep, the precarve inlet put the pan below the side flat."
Was there room in the web to inlet the barrel deeper?
I had this happen with two hawken precarves in a row. On the second one I had gotten pretty far along, the lock plate and hammer were ruined, and the stock was hopeless. I made a new lock plate from scratch, and bought a new hammer. I built from a plank and it went smoothly and much faster.
I looked at the expensive junk stock sitting in the wood pile for some time. I finally got smart and cut it into little pieces on the bandsaw and burned it.
The understanding is that if you cut it you can not send it back. Often you can not tell it is junk until you cut on it.
"Or get it with out lock inlet. I’ve had good luck with precarved stocks provided no preinleted lock"
That is a big help. IF they did the the lock molding you might be painted into a corner too. Lots of precarves make the web between the barrel and ramrod way to thick.
I find many precarves cost me more time head scratching than building from a plank and the extra wood removal time.
Was there room in the web to inlet the barrel deeper?
I had this happen with two hawken precarves in a row. On the second one I had gotten pretty far along, the lock plate and hammer were ruined, and the stock was hopeless. I made a new lock plate from scratch, and bought a new hammer. I built from a plank and it went smoothly and much faster.
I looked at the expensive junk stock sitting in the wood pile for some time. I finally got smart and cut it into little pieces on the bandsaw and burned it.
The understanding is that if you cut it you can not send it back. Often you can not tell it is junk until you cut on it.
"Or get it with out lock inlet. I’ve had good luck with precarved stocks provided no preinleted lock"
That is a big help. IF they did the the lock molding you might be painted into a corner too. Lots of precarves make the web between the barrel and ramrod way to thick.
I find many precarves cost me more time head scratching than building from a plank and the extra wood removal time.
GoodRabbitPilgrim
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The Hawken shop sponsor in the banner at the top is technically the original hawken brand. I'd I were to build one I'd go that rout only I own 2 hawken rifles already and my next stop is a flintlock.
