First flintlock rifle

[PluggedNickel]

Read Paul V's excellent article "Flintlocks: How to shoot them" in the how to articles. I'll post a link.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/flintlocks-how-to-shoot-them.38886/

 

[Critter Getter]

Read Paul V's excellent article "Flintlocks: How to shoot them" in the how to articles. I'll post a link.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/flintlocks-how-to-shoot-them.38886/[/QUOTE

. Thanks for that link. Even after shooting flints for a few years, I had never taken the time to read that. I learned something new by reading it and can't wait to try it! Greg

 

[mushka]

Hopefullya picture of the lock of my first flintlock will appear. Maybe, maybe not. First ever picture attempt. Anyone have any ideas who made, what kind of wood. Fit and finish on this rifle are impeccable.

 

[Bernard Streeter]

Feels good doesn’t it

 

[Patrick Thomas]

Beautiful

 

[plmeek]

...Anyone have any ideas who made, what kind of wood. Fit and finish on this rifle are impeccable.

I noticed that no one has bothered to answer your questions. Without some barrel markings, it's not possible to tell who made your rifle. The wood is maple--in fact very curly maple. Some call it "tiger striped" maple. If the pictures show the true color, then it appears to have been stained with ferric nitrate stain. Commercially, it was/is sold by Wahkon Bay Outfitting Co. as Aquafortis. Track of the Wolf sells something similar in name. The ferric nitrate, and especially Wahkon Bay Aquafortis, has been known to darken over time and almost turn black. I see that effect on your rifle.

The lock on your rifle is a Siler lock that has had the tail filed round. This is to make it more consistent with the period your rifle represents, which is a late 1820s Hawken rifle. Some of the more knowledgeable builders would have rounded the pan also to make it look more English.

There's a good chance your rifle was made in the 1970s or 80s. The 1:66 twist is consistent with a Douglas barrel from that period. So is the treatment of the Siler lock.

Another nice, vintage contemporary full-stock Hawken rifle.

 

[mushka]

plmeek, thanks for the information. Not sure if it should be called a Hawkin unless that indicates the 1820's maker. It is full stocked and in good light the stock will give off a slight greenish cast along with the brown. It has a 36" barrel. lt is a pretty thing. Going to shoot it this coming Sunday.

 

[Huntschool]

[COLOR=rgba(79, 97, 135, 1)][COLOR=rgba(79, 97, 135, 1)]mushka:[/COLOR][/COLOR]

plmeek's reply to your question is spot on. The gun is a contemporary built full stocked Hawken mountain rifle gun. Its a "fantasy" gun as we have never seen an original Hawken with a flint lock. There is a gun in the Smithsonian that many of the old Hawken aficionados agreed was converted from flint. I am not sure of your remark: "Not sure if it should be called a Hawken unless that indicates the 1820's maker. The Hawken rifle in the full stock mountain rifle style was around for quite some time. I assume that you understand this is not an original gun.

Of the pics you posted the trigger guard and the butt plate are a dead give away to the "style" of the rifle. Its a Hawken full stock reproduction. Now that you have posted additional pictures in you other thread...… Yea, its a Hawken copy.

JMHO​

 

[mushka]

Thank you huntschool. I have 6 BP rifles at present. I've never studied styles of builders. To me they all pretty much look the same. I'll not be one to study a rifle and figure out what style or where it was built by who. I just like the look of most of them as a basic rifle. Some are nicer looking than others. I am curious about this one as it is my first flinter and it is a pretty rifle and I obviously got it for probably a quarter of it's value. Anything else about it is just gravy. I'm hoping that it shoots well. Again thanks.