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Cabelas Sporterized Hawken??
- Thread starter Wink
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I have a .54 Cabela's "traditional" Hawken (that's an oxymoron, BTW) not the "sporterized" Hawken. It shot OK, but not great and it doesn't hold a candle to a Lyman GPR IMHO. The "sporterized" version has an even shorter barrel than the "traditional" one. After I got my .54 GPR, I replaced the Cabela's barrel with a GM IBS in .40 x 32" and never looked back.
I also have the tradional Hawken only in 58 cal. and I'm very happy with it. I had a 54 cal in the plains model ( not in production now )of Cabela's also and it worked well. The only thing was GM didn't make a drop in barrel for it.
But with the Hawken I can get a GM drop in barrel. I think that the sporterized stock is the same which means you can always get a drop in barrel for it. So if your on a budget like most are, its a good way to have one stock and a couple barrels. I also have TC,CVA and was looking to get lyman GPR. But I got a heck of a deal on my Cabela's Hawken so for now I'm happy with all my rifles and shotgun.
Good luck
But with the Hawken I can get a GM drop in barrel. I think that the sporterized stock is the same which means you can always get a drop in barrel for it. So if your on a budget like most are, its a good way to have one stock and a couple barrels. I also have TC,CVA and was looking to get lyman GPR. But I got a heck of a deal on my Cabela's Hawken so for now I'm happy with all my rifles and shotgun.
Good luck
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In terms of barrel length, you may want to ask for comparisons with the Lyman Deerstalker rather than the GPR. Having both Lymans but no experience with the Cabelas, I can only offer this:
Accuracy with my wife's Deerstalker 54 cal with RBs is at least on par with the GPR and may be even better. The single trigger is very good for a hunting rifle, but still no match for a set trigger for deliberate range shooting. We're talking ragged holes offhand with both rifles at 35 yards, so it really boils down to how ragged is the hole? We haven't tried the Deerstalker at 50 or more, but expect great things.
I have to point out also that the shorter barrel shifts the center of gravity way back between your hands. My wife hates a barrel-heavy feel, and the Deerstalker 54 beats that. It feels and handles like a really good double barrel shotgun. Blazing fast to aim and swing, making the longer GPR feel like a club.
I'm likely to pick up one myself for fast shooting in close cover. Read between the lines, and you'll figure out there is going to be no borrowing my wife's. She won't let me near it now!
If you're likely to be facing fast shots in close cover you just might like that Cabelas more than the GPR, even if the GPR is a better range shooter.
Accuracy with my wife's Deerstalker 54 cal with RBs is at least on par with the GPR and may be even better. The single trigger is very good for a hunting rifle, but still no match for a set trigger for deliberate range shooting. We're talking ragged holes offhand with both rifles at 35 yards, so it really boils down to how ragged is the hole? We haven't tried the Deerstalker at 50 or more, but expect great things.
I have to point out also that the shorter barrel shifts the center of gravity way back between your hands. My wife hates a barrel-heavy feel, and the Deerstalker 54 beats that. It feels and handles like a really good double barrel shotgun. Blazing fast to aim and swing, making the longer GPR feel like a club.
I'm likely to pick up one myself for fast shooting in close cover. Read between the lines, and you'll figure out there is going to be no borrowing my wife's. She won't let me near it now!
If you're likely to be facing fast shots in close cover you just might like that Cabelas more than the GPR, even if the GPR is a better range shooter.
I have 2 .54 Cabela's Hawkens (unsporterized) and a .50 GPR. I would say that they handle differently rather than perform differently, taking into account the caliber difference. Both of them are more accurate than I can hold them.
If you are purely looking for something to hunt with right out of the box, and nothing more (which I assume from your reference to "sporterized"), I would probably go with the Cabela's Hawken... the "Unsporterized" version, of course, old chap. "Sporterized" is a term that you should only apply to cars and your wife's dainty underthings.
:wink:
They handle a bit better in the thickets due to a shorter barrel, are 1:48 so in theory give you a bit more flexibility with bullet projectiles and are fairly rugged in my experience. Also, it seems the triggers on my Cabelas have a much better feel than my GPR stock triggers did, although they are probably fairly close to the same trigger. I haven't examined them closely.
If you are purely looking for something to hunt with right out of the box, and nothing more (which I assume from your reference to "sporterized"), I would probably go with the Cabela's Hawken... the "Unsporterized" version, of course, old chap. "Sporterized" is a term that you should only apply to cars and your wife's dainty underthings.
:wink:
They handle a bit better in the thickets due to a shorter barrel, are 1:48 so in theory give you a bit more flexibility with bullet projectiles and are fairly rugged in my experience. Also, it seems the triggers on my Cabelas have a much better feel than my GPR stock triggers did, although they are probably fairly close to the same trigger. I haven't examined them closely.
I have the Investarm Hawken, which is the exact same gun as the full sized model that Cabelas sells. At the time it was the most accurate muzzleloader I owned. It will slightly outshoot my GPR, but not by enough to be a factor. The downside is that it's picky on powder and doesn't seem to like any FFFG load that I've tried. It's the only gun that I use FFG in, which is a bit of a pain. I haven't heard of others having that problem though, so mine might just be an isolated example.
I like the feel of the gun. It fits me well and it quite easy to shoot accurately with. I hunt mostly with an old beat up T/C New Englander, but the Hawken carries and points just about as well.
I like the feel of the gun. It fits me well and it quite easy to shoot accurately with. I hunt mostly with an old beat up T/C New Englander, but the Hawken carries and points just about as well.
I said earlier - "I have a .54 Cabela's "traditional" Hawken (that's an oxymoron, BTW) not the "sporterized" Hawken. It shot OK, but not great and it doesn't hold a candle to a Lyman GPR IMHO. The "sporterized" version has an even shorter barrel than the "traditional" one. After I got my .54 GPR, I replaced the Cabela's barrel with a GM IBS in .40 x 32" and never looked back."
Wink,
I think I need to expound upon my first post . . . The Cabela's Traditional Hawken was my first ML and I was quite happy with it. I shot my first ML deer with that rifle as well as won my first ML shoot with it. I also have the flint version that I bought as a kit. I have several CVA ML's (rifles and shotguns), a Pedersoli flinter, a custom longrifle, several ML pistols and a couple of Lyman GPR's. I prefer the .54 GPR for no other reasons than I like the looks, it fits me well and I shoot it better than any other ML I own - at least at this point (I'm building a .58 Leman that seems like it is taking forever to get done). There is not a thing "wrong" with the functionality of the Cabela's ML's. They are built (at least the barrels and, I think, the locks, too) by Investarms, the same as Lyman. When I bought my first Cabela's ML, it was $169 for the "package deal", now the finished gun alone is $370 ($350 for the unfinished kit). You can get a finished GPR for $409 from Midsouth ($321 for the unfinished kit). When I got my first, the GPR was somewhere around $275 for the finished rifle. After several years (actually about 10) of not shooting my Cabela's, I got a GM IBS drop-in .40 cal, 32" barrel for the Cabela's stock and lock - now I shoot it again. I can't ever let it go - that would be like dis-owning your first child. That's just the way my stick floats, didn't want to leave you (or anyone else) with the impression that I looked "down my nose" at the Cabela's Hawken. Good luck and shoot straight . . .
Wink,
I think I need to expound upon my first post . . . The Cabela's Traditional Hawken was my first ML and I was quite happy with it. I shot my first ML deer with that rifle as well as won my first ML shoot with it. I also have the flint version that I bought as a kit. I have several CVA ML's (rifles and shotguns), a Pedersoli flinter, a custom longrifle, several ML pistols and a couple of Lyman GPR's. I prefer the .54 GPR for no other reasons than I like the looks, it fits me well and I shoot it better than any other ML I own - at least at this point (I'm building a .58 Leman that seems like it is taking forever to get done). There is not a thing "wrong" with the functionality of the Cabela's ML's. They are built (at least the barrels and, I think, the locks, too) by Investarms, the same as Lyman. When I bought my first Cabela's ML, it was $169 for the "package deal", now the finished gun alone is $370 ($350 for the unfinished kit). You can get a finished GPR for $409 from Midsouth ($321 for the unfinished kit). When I got my first, the GPR was somewhere around $275 for the finished rifle. After several years (actually about 10) of not shooting my Cabela's, I got a GM IBS drop-in .40 cal, 32" barrel for the Cabela's stock and lock - now I shoot it again. I can't ever let it go - that would be like dis-owning your first child. That's just the way my stick floats, didn't want to leave you (or anyone else) with the impression that I looked "down my nose" at the Cabela's Hawken. Good luck and shoot straight . . .
I have the Cabelas .54 cal. Sportized Hawkens Carbine and love it:
She is lite and easy to care in the woods and loves saboted bullets. It has a 1 in 24" twist. I am shooting the Barnes expander in mine and it is deadly accurate.
I harvested a nice large doe last season with it. I am not sure, but don't think that Cabelas sells the carbine anymore. What a shame!
She is lite and easy to care in the woods and loves saboted bullets. It has a 1 in 24" twist. I am shooting the Barnes expander in mine and it is deadly accurate.
I harvested a nice large doe last season with it. I am not sure, but don't think that Cabelas sells the carbine anymore. What a shame!
CrimsonTide
32 Cal.
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I had one of those little Hawken Carbines once, and really liked it. Mine was a .50 caliber, and shot sabots very well as a rule. I took one doe with it and then traded it like an idiot.
