Hawken history

[Riley/MN]

I do like that 1803 Harper's Ferry rifle, and since my last name is Harper and my ancestors on that side came from Virginia to Texas by way of Alabama, maybe I ought to get me one of those for a flinter... ::
Patsy

Well, I don't have Harper in my name, but Jeannie C. Riley sang Harper Valley PTA :haha:

Anyway, I'd sure like to get an 1803 myself. Sounds like the imports are junk and the customs are out of my range right now...

 

[OTHERN]

I have a 1803 Harpers Ferry from Cabalas made by Interarms cal 54, and the folks who shoot primitive against me would NOT consider it junk. Yes I did change the sights(course I've done that to most of my guns) and the main spring in the lock was weak so changed it, but it is an accurate(2" at 100 yds off bench)and reliable firearm. :results:
As with many italian guns it is possible to have variations to a considerable degree I suppose.

Othern

 

[Riley/MN]

So Othern, yer HF is a decent sparker? I heard most of 'em were not. I saw a used one in the bargain cave in Owatonna, but they still wanted $675, I think. Somebody had used a file to narrow the front site and left big scratch marks up and down the barrel. What did you do for sites?

 

[soquili]

It is funny how a couple of you assume that she is talking about a T/C Hawken, when all she said was "Hawken". The GPR is just another Hawken clone. There were real Hawken rifles! My first (and only, but I traded it off) was a custom copy of a real Hawken in a museum in Taos. Ithaca, Green River Rifle works, the Hawken Shop, and many others made true Hawken copies--the T/C is not the only rifle out there with the name! And of all of them it is the least authentic copy! [as I said previously on another thread, the T/C resembles late plains rifles of the post rondy era.]

Mike, mine is a .50cal CVA Hawken from a vintage-1980 kit, with brass furniture - probably less PC than a Traditions, maybe, now that I've looked at some of the real Hawkens. :: But the guy who put it together for me did brown the barrel and change out the crappy sights that came with it, and I plan on letting the brass tarnish naturally. Heck, I don't even DUST at my house, much less polish brass! There are some pics of it here on the forum in the photos section:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/ubbthr...p;page=0#117280

The 'voos that I go to are pretty lenient as to rifles, as long as they are black powder muzzleloaders, no in-lines, round-ball only, etc. As long as you are making an effort in the right direction, they are patient while you learn more and upgrade your equipment. I've seen other Hawkens there, so I think it should be fine.

By the way, I wrote a reply to Ghost's post about 'voos last night, it showed that it was posted, but isn't there today?? Guess it disappeared into cyberspace???? :youcrazy:
Patsy

 

[OTHERN]

My Harpers Ferry sparks very well. It is on par with my Siler's. For the front sight a good friend soldered 2 half pennys on. Dated 1825 and 1832. I'll try and take a picture tonight and see if I can post it as a new post. For the rear sight I cut a new dovetail farther forward where the barrel changes to round and put in a more normal sight. I have a couple thousand rounds on the frizzen and it is still working fine.

Othern

 

[sidelock]

Actually, from what I gathered, a Hawken would have been a rare sight at any rendezvous, Hollywood is to blame for putting a Hawken in the hands of every trapper...

I'm not saying they weren't there, Jim Bridger had one at one point in his life, I'm saying that they were in limited quantities...

This Hawken was owned by Jim Bridger in 1850, it now is part of the Montana Historical Society...

:imo: If you really want to wow them, show up packing a Model 1803 Harper's Ferry rifle...

1995? you need to visit again!!!!!! It's a real--- and beautiful rifle. :m2c:

Sure is a purty Hawken! I paid more attention to the Native American part of the museum in Helena the last time I was up there in 1995, before I got into 'voo stuff, wish I'd seen that rifle though. The one thing I remember most about mountain man stuff there, was the contrast between a mountain man's buckskin shirt with grease and dirt all down the front, compared to the Crow and Lakota brain-tan shirts, which were CLEAN.
:: :crackup:

That Model 1803 Harper's Ferry is fine-lookin' too, found a pic of it, a nice early percussion Hawken, and some Hawken history here (thanks,vsparto!):
http://www.bbhc.org/firearms/collections.cfm
It says, in part:
"The muzzleloading Hawken rifles were among the finest known to western mountain men during the late fur trade era. They were famous for their accuracy and reliability. The St. Louis gunshop of brothers Jacob and Samuel Hawken employed over a dozen men and could produce about 100 rifles a year. Many famous mountain men including Jim Bridger and John "Liver Eating" Johnson used Hawken rifles. The rifle featured here has a 33

 

[soquili]

Actually, from what I gathered, a Hawken would have been a rare sight at any rendezvous, Hollywood is to blame for putting a Hawken in the hands of every trapper...

I'm not saying they weren't there, Jim Bridger had one at one point in his life, I'm saying that they were in limited quantities...

This Hawken was owned by Jim Bridger in 1850, it now is part of the Montana Historical Society...

:imo: If you really want to wow them, show up packing a Model 1803 Harper's Ferry rifle...

Sure is a purty Hawken! I paid more attention to the Native American part of the museum in Helena the last time I was up there in 1995, before I got into 'voo stuff...
Patsy

1995? you need to visit again!!!!!! It's a real--- and beautiful rifle. :m2c:

Dang straight, Sidelock! Montana is just about the prettiest place I've ever seen. Tons of history up there too. I used to have a cousin (Dave Bird) that lived on a ranch up near Helena, but he moved back down here to Texas a few years ago, so I don't have a free place to stay up there any more. And my neighbor that used to work for Delta and got me cheap "buddy pass" plane tickets, moved to Atlanta. Drat!! I hate paying retail!!! :: ::
Patsy

 

Your rifle would be accepted at any rondy I have been at.... :front:

 

[soquili]

Your rifle would be accepted at any rondy I have been at.... :front:

Thanks, Mike, that's the answer I was looking for!
:: :thumbsup: :hatsoff:
I'll start raking pennies together in a pile to get a flinter later, but it might take a while... ::
Patsy

 

[Robert58]

Have you been to www.thehawkenshop.com Very interesting reading.

Robert