CLOSED Hawken Rifle

[sturmkatze]

@gunsmithgreg

 

[user 57851]

@Smokey Plainsman ,

I can’t direct you to a proper Hawken for sale right now, but since the thread has turned into sort of a discussion, I have a couple of suggestions.

One is John Bergmann of Tennessee. He is a first-rate builder and much more willing to work with the customer than some. I have two rifles and a pistol from him, all custom builds, and could not be more pleased with them. One caveat is that John will build to your request, and if you want a thoroughly authentic rifle you need to research it so you know what to ask for. If I remember correctly, the wait time for my guns averaged around 15-18 months. Most of that is waiting for John to complete other orders in the queue. Once he gets started on your gun, I believe he concentrates on it, and you will probably have it in your hands 4-6 weeks later.

Another suggestion would be to contact The Hawken Shop. They sell a kit, but I understand they have now lined up some builders to provide you with a finished rifle. The Hawken Shop kit is for a “classic” late S. Hawken rifle in .54 caliber. They don’t offer many options but this kit was reportedly developed to be dead-nuts authentic, down to the number of grooves and twist of the rifling. A forum member recently showed us a rifle assembled from one of these kits, I think by Michael Compton (?), and it was very well done.

You never know what’s going to turn up all of a sudden on the sale sites, though. A forum buddy sent me a PM a couple of days ago with photos of a Hawken he had just bought, by a builder named Edge, and it knocked my socks off. An outstanding rifle, in every way. He saw it for sale and pounced. The good ones sell pretty fast.

I‘m sorry things haven’t worked out with Brant Selb. He has been considered one of the very best of the current Hawken builders.

Good luck!

Notchy Bob

I took my Bergmann to the Hawken classic last month, and it was well received by the gentleman giving the speeches. I talked to several people about the "New Hawken shop" kits and they expressed that they were extremely difficult to make.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I took my Bergmann to the Hawken classic last month, and it was well received by the gentleman giving the speeches. I talked to several people about the "New Hawken shop" kits and they expressed that they were extremely difficult to make.

Oh I see. Like lots of fitting needed?

 

[user 57851]

Oh I see. Like lots of fitting needed?

That's what the builders tell me. They go out and buy all the parts separately and then put it together and have less trouble than building the kit. Now remember, I'm just telling you what they told me.