breech plug-hawkins

[Bill Bounds]

Hey all:
I'm building a hawkins for my kid. I would like to make a fowler style hook and tang where the butt of the barrel meets the face of the tang, instead of the type of hawkins sold by Track of the Wolf, which has a slanted face and a section of breech plug sized to match the contour of the barrel. I plan to make the tang and put a hook on the breech plug. It would be similar to the old CVA mountain rifle, which had a fowler type hook and tang. Is this a bad idea or not? Is there a reason why the Hawkins had the slanted hook? Strength maybe?
Bill

 

[CrackStock]

Wiley,

If you are wanting to build a Hawken, then you should use what they did. This is one of their trademark features. Likely why you have received so few responses.

YMHS,
CrackStock

 

[MikeChapin]

I'm building a Hawken full stock flinter right now. I went with the slant breach. The two hooked breach rifles that are here, my wife's Cherokee and my Sante Fe both have flat breaches.

I just looked at Track's web site and they have flat hooked breaches also. As far as the difference between the two styles I can't see much. It would seem that the force of the explosion would come straight back in both instances. With the flat breach it transfers everything straight back. The slant breach would have a tendency to rise along the slant. Since everything is solidly hooked in both cases I can't see as it would make much of a difference.

Maybe the slant breach is easier to remove the barrel. Dunno.

--Mike