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Green River Rifle Works Hawken

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The guy I am communicating with is helping sell it for the owner. I asked him about the barrel condition and he looked at it with a bore scope. He stated it was excellent. Should I have any concerns at the asking of $675?
 
I received the gun yesterday. It is essentially a like new gun. I think it's been fired, but if it was it was cleaned properly. It came out of the estate of a guy that had several fine muzzleloaders. Beautiful wood on this one as well. I can't tell if its some sort of Walnut or maybe cherry. I can't wait to shoot it!
 
Shootn,

Based on the few photos that you've posted, I believe the stock is plain maple with a honey brown stain that has a hint of red in it. I'm not sure what stain GRRW was using on these early rifles, but it's pretty distinctive. I have several early rifles in my collection with the same stain.

Your rifle was built in the second half of 1973. The barrel should have 8 lands/grooves indicating that it is a Douglas barrel. GRRW didn't start making their own barrels until early 1874.

As I mentioned before, it is an example of what I call the "first standard" pattern Hawken that they made. These rifles are special to me because they were pictured in the 1974 paperback book, Guns & Ammo – Complete Guide to Blackpowder, which introduced me to Green River Rifle Works and their Hawken rifle. That's a Green River Rifle Works Hawken on the cover and Phil Spangenberger is shouldering another one as he aims at a buff from horse back.

74 Guns-n-Ammo Complete Guide To Blackpowder cover.jpg


There are several pictures of a GRRW Hawken illustrating articles is the above book. The rifle labeled "10" in the picture below is of the same pattern as your rifle. This picture is from page 25 in the book.

Guns n Ammo BlackPowder pg 25_crop.jpg


Page 24 has a close-up of the William Morgan designed lock (lower image) and compares it to a lock on an original rifle (upper image).

Guns n Ammo BlackPowder pg 24.jpg


Congratulations on your recent acquisition. You have a real prize there.
 
Def buy. I got mine like new from a pawnshop for $400 a few years ago. Never should have sold it, but I got a mint for it compared to what I paid.
 
I looked up that Guns & Ammo Blackpowder Guide that was pictured by @plmeek in post #35, above. Used copies of that publication are listed online for more than the OP paid for his GRRW Hawken!

Holy smoke!

Notchy Bob
 
I looked up that Guns & Ammo Blackpowder Guide that was pictured by @plmeek in post #35, above. Used copies of that publication are listed online for more than the OP paid for his GRRW Hawken!

Holy smoke!

Notchy Bob


That's amazing, Notchy. I about wore out my original copy and found another copy on eBay a few years ago for a reasonable sum, though I don't recall just how much I paid for it. It's still a good book, but I can't imagine someone paying the current asking prices for a copy.
 
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