Hawken Restock Question

[HughMan]

I have an Austin & Halleck percussion mountain rifle with a very nicely figured maple stock. The issue is the stock pull is way too short for me and it's very uncomfortable to shoot. I'm going to have a longer fancy maple stock made using the existing furniture and add a wider iron buttplate to get away from the narrow, crescent shape. I'd like to keep the Hawken styling as much as possible but primarily, I want a better fitting, more comfortable rifle.
Were St. Louis Hawkens ever made with a wider, less crescent shaped butt? I've read old threads in this forum (Is This A Hawken is a great reference thread) and looked at photos of original Hawkens but all the rifles I've seen have the same basic shape of stock. Is there a style of plains rifle without the sharp, narrow butt? Rifle builders, what would you advise?
Photo for reference. My rifle looks the same except for the lock.

 

[45man]

It would just not look right if you want to stay with tradition. Getting a good fit for you will mitigate recoil enough. I would go for fit.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Don’t hang on the word “Hawken” that’s a maker. A number of makers produced plains rifles as we call them today. Have your parts built into a “plains rifle“ that suits you. You might even consider not useing you rifle as a parts gun and start afresh!

 

[user 36911]

There's a purpose for the butt plate if you mount the gun properly. You should mount the gun more across your body then straighter in the shoulder like a modern gun. Then the butt plate will hook under your shoulder/ arm and help hold up the heavy barrel. If you mount the gun like a modern gun that plate will dig into you.

 

[Bnewberry]

Ask your stock maker about ”cast”. This offsets the stock to permit the crescent buttplate to fit on your arm above the bicep, below the shoulder more comfortably.

Some Leman plains rifles look to me to have a bit less crescent shaped butt, but don’t take my word for it. I have only looked at a few pictures!

 

[user 36911]

Ask your stock maker about ”cast”. This offsets the stock to permit the crescent buttplate to fit on your arm above the bicep, below the shoulder more comfortably.

Some Leman plains rifles look to me to have a bit less crescent shaped butt, but don’t take my word for it. I have only looked at a few pictures!

I can't agree with that. That much cast off would never align the sights. How you shoulder the gun is what puts it in the right place on the shoulder.

 

[Bnewberry]

I can't agree with that. That much cast off would never align the sights. How you shoulder the gun is what puts it in the right place on the shoulder.

I defer to your expertise as I am sure you know more about this than I do!

 

[Eric Krewson]

Make a try stock if you want to design a stock to fit you perfectly. I put 1/4" of castoff in my stocks and took measurement for drop and pull off my try stock. I can shoulder my rifle with my eyes closed, open my eyes and the sights will be in perfect alignment.

 

[Ames]

Good idea!

 

[HughMan]

Thanks for all the advice. What I've decided to do is reinstall my existing parts on the original stock and use the NOS A&H parts I ordered a few weeks ago to build another rifle. Everything is the same except the barrel which is 1:66. I need to find an A&H tang (anyone have one?) and make a new butt plate.
As I was looking through old posts, I found one with a video link to this gorgeous rifle that had the butt that I had imagined. The new stock will be similar to that with a much better overall fit.

@MtnMan - You're right; I was shooting it like a modern rifle and every shot was like self flagellating penance for past sins.
What part of Colorado are you in? I have family in Denver and Ft. Collins. If you ever pass through Ft. Collins and smell sheep manure, that's my relatives.

@Eric Krewson - Your test stock is a great idea.

 

[user 36911]

I'm in mid state. A small town called Buena Vista. Population 2200. Very quiet and no crime. Good fly fishing and hunting all around me.

 

[HughMan]

I'm in mid state. A small town called Buena Vista. Population 2200. Very quiet and no crime. Good fly fishing and hunting all around me.

Sounds like paradise!