hatfield rifles

[preston cook]

i know that the Hatfield rifles have not been made for sometime and perdersolie is making a repro of the squirrel rifle my question is what would an original rifle in perfect condition in .36cal be worth approx.

 

[BrownBear]

I've seen two for sale in the last year. The first went pretty quick for $500. The other was offered for $750 and the owner wouldn't back off the price. He finally withdrew it without a sale.

 

[cowpoke1955]

I've seen a couple on some of the auction sites. They were in the $700 range. A friend of mine had a .36 Hatfield flinter and he laid it next to my .45 Blue Ridge flinter. Except for the caliber and the markings on the barrels, they were identical. Even at today's price, I would buy a new Pedersoli over a used Hatfield, unless you just want the name.

 

[rice1817]

I have an early Hatfield .36 that was made while they were still in Missouri. Nicest piece of maple I have ever seen on a factory gun. It was around 400 bucks new back in the early 80s. Had "Hatfield" scribed into the lockplate. Superb fit and finish. The later ones started using some imported parts and were not done as nicely. They started using Italian locks and cheaper wood.

If the one you spotted was an early Hatfield, in like-new condition, it is worth every penny of 750, as it was all-American made at a time where craftsmanship still counted. These were semi-custom guns, in that although they all look the same, most of the work was hand-done and not machine done.

 

[wwpete52]

One was listed on gun auction sites. It ended a couple of days ago. It went for $489.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I always heard that the locks were made in Italy right from the start--probably by Pedersoli.

 

[preston cook]

the lock is an l&r classic and it has at least cm4maple it is an older one but the cond is like new it has been in a vault since the 80,s

 

[J.D.]

Hatfield rifles were pretty popular in Missouri during the first production runs. They soon became unpopular due to poor quality control in later production runs.

Some guns made after the first production run had good locks, but wouldn't shoot accurately. Some would shoot with the best, but the locks were junk. Some wouldn't shoot well even when the locks did work, and a few had both, good locks and good barrels.

It is hard to tell where the locks for the Hatfield were made. Some were reported to have been made by L&R, some were reported made in Italy. Others were made by who knows.

IMHO, the original Hatfield production run were kinda, sorta OK guns, but little better than the OLD CVA guns, which ain't saying much. The later ones were practically junk.

IMHO, anyone anticipating buying a used Hatfield would be much better off buying nearly anything else.

That said, I have seen Hatfields priced from below $500 to $1,000. The ones priced in the $500 range sold, while ones priced above that did not.

IMHO, a Hatfield in perfect condition may be that way because it didn't work, so it wasn't shot.

 

[rice1817]

Lots of good Hatfield info at this sight:
http://www.100megspop3.com/oldvalkyry/hatfield.html

 

[preston cook]

thanks for the help from all.- :bow:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Sounds like what I've heard from friends who bought them over the years. They all had that over-sized "Ketland" lock on them and they were built when Ted still owned the company. Always thought the buttstock should have been a little beefier--they look a little skimpy to me. Pedersoli hasn't done anmything about that either.

 

[J.D.]

Sounds like what I've heard from friends who bought them over the years. They all had that over-sized "Ketland" lock on them and they were built when Ted still owned the company. Always thought the buttstock should have been a little beefier--they look a little skimpy to me. Pedersoli hasn't done anmything about that either.

All Pedersoli did was reproduce a very poor design. And while Pedersoli's quality control is better that Hatfield's, it still ain't all that good.

IMHO, with a coupla design changes, like eliminating that huge, awkward forestock, beefing up the buttstock, eliminating that rediculous "patent breech" and tightening up tolerances on the lock, they could be decent guns. Still not great guns, but decent.

 

[BrownBear]

I gotta laugh at myself a little on that one.

I glanced at a rifle in a used gun rack a couple of times recently, even picked it up and shouldered it once. All the time I was thinking "Pedersoli." Wasn't till another guy came in and picked it up and asked the shop owner a question about "this Hatfield" that I realized I'd been fooled. I guess you I shoulda read the fine print. Neither one of us bought it.

 

[jimmytheshank]

I used to like the Hatfields long ago, especially the deluxe model with the grade 7 curly maple. It still strikes me odd how EXPENSIVE those things are for what little features were on them, especially it being a production gun. I've seen custom guns sold here in the classifieds for much less.

 

[Leatherbark]

I did some of those mods to my Cabela's Blue Ridge.......One that is......I replaced the barrel with a Green Mountain 1/70 twist .50 caliber barrel to solve the patent breech problem..........Couldn't pin the barrel like I wanted to.....Believe it or not that big old forend doesn't have enough meat where the pins would go thru thimbles to hold it strongly enough. The barrel dips down into that forend so far that the pins would have to go through the scalloped area. If Pedersoli hadnt grooved that forend it would have pinned nicely......So I had to dovetail the bottom of the barrel and use the screw system. She's a match winner now and everyone comments on how quick it fires......Big flint and a White lightning liner I suppose..........Got too much money in it to ever sell it now thats for sure............So if any of you all are interseted in buying a flintlock then by all means by an American made one that does not have to be modified..............Bob Hatfield.....proud owner of a fake Hatfield rifle............

 

[torn moc]

Bob....we have spoken before....and I know your ancestory... I have lived all my life in West Virginia and just had to HAVE a Hatfield rifle !!
I had a heck of a time winning one on auction...there was Allways somone with more $$$ than I....
I found a pedersoli .36 Blue Ridge and cannot be happeier with it! Lovely lines(my opinion)
& it shoots like a Demon from Hades!!!
The "Fake Hatfield" suits me just Fine....

 

[Leatherbark]

I never really had any complaints about the accuracy of the Blue Ridge/psuedo Hatfield rifle. Just that dang patent breech had to be cleaned good before any shooting session for absolute reliablity. Plus I used a 36 inch GM barrel for better balance with the Blue Ridge psuedo Hatfield than the 39 inch barrel.......The longer barrel I think needs a bigger buttstock area for better balance and aesthetics..............Bob