Hawken Rifles, What's All The Hoopla?!

[Bill M.]

Thompson Center did a lot for the modern popularity of the Hawken, I suspect, by putting a first quality gun on the market for a reasonable price. I know that I have looked at a lot of muzzloaders but a couple off TC Hawkens is all I have bought.

 

[Siringo]

Most men of the fur trade era were much shorter and weighed much less than todays shooters. Most true to original reproductions I’ve owned, shot, ect are heavy (10+ pounds), and very muzzle heavy (34 to 36 inch barrels). Now maybe a 20 to 30 something mountain man can handle that weight versus a 70 year old today, but for me they are hard to shoot offhand.

The only Hawken Style I have left is a Pedersoli Rocky Mountain. Being a 54 caliber it was muzzle heavy for me to hold up for extended periods. But then I said the heck with it and had Hoyt rebore it to 58 caliber. That shifted the balance point rearward just enough to to make it more pleasant to hold up.

 

[Kmcmichael]

I put a kit together for a relative. The hook breach and the key instead of pins is a great design. I like Long rifles but can see the advantage of these. If Kibler ever makes a kit with a suitable twist, I will get one. I will put a full buckhorn on it and shoot conicals, something I would not do with my Long Rifles, even if they we’re not coned.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Most men of the fur trade era were much shorter and weighed much less than todays shooters. Most true to original reproductions I’ve owned, shot, ect are heavy (10+ pounds), and very muzzle heavy (34 to 36 inch barrels). Now maybe a 20 to 30 something mountain man can handle that weight versus a 70 year old today, but for me they are hard to shoot offhand.

The only Hawken Style I have left is a Pedersoli Rocky Mountain. Being a 54 caliber it was muzzle heavy for me to hold up for extended periods. But then I said the heck with it and had Hoyt rebore it to 58 caliber. That shifted the balance point rearward just enough to to make it more pleasant to hold up.

I think the avg mountain man/trapper had to be in decent shape or they would not survive the rigors of the wilderness. I do not believe that most of them were shooting in a traditional offhand position.

 

[Mulemauler]

I built so many of them in the 70's and 80's just got totally burned out on them. Seems everyone wanted a "Hawken". Was so glad when Tennessee rifles and trade guns caught people's interest!

 

[The Appalachian]

It would set you back more than a Thompson Center Hawken. I have been trying to find one myself.

Yep, those old ones are crazy high.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I put a kit together for a relative. The hook breach and the key instead of pins is a great design. I like Long rifles but can see the advantage of these. If Kibler ever makes a kit with a suitable twist, I will get one. I will put a full buckhorn on it and shoot conicals, something I would not do with my Long Rifles, even if they we’re not coned.

Hooked breech & barrel keys are the best thing ever invented for a ML IMHO. Cleaning is so much easier!

 

[Dispatch]

Has to do with the romance of the time period, Trappers, mountain men, the far West etc. Also, they are shorter, easier to transport, especially on horse back and usually heavy caliber which suited the larger game found in the mountins of the West etc. IMHO

Romance?! I ain't taking the rifle out to dinner before I buy it!

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Romance?! I ain't taking the rifle out to dinner before I buy it! View attachment 160967

maybe you should?

 

[poinlaw]

A new Corvette in 1972 booked at $5800. A Winchester 70 for $112. A Browning Hi-Power for $126. $500 was big bucks back then.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I must admit that I built a fairly accurate copy of a Hawken Plains rifle when I upgraded from a T/C Hawken. There's lots that is not authentic about my rifle, but it is as heavy at 12 pounds. The more I read about the Fur trade era in the mountains the more I realized that my Hawken rifle didn't really fit in no matter how much I loved that rifle and how accurate it was and still is. That's when I spent a lot of time researching the fur trade rifles and ended u building my replica of an 1809 Deringer flint lock rifle. No set of parts were and for that matter are available for such a rifle. I was lucky and had a suitable barrel and a stock blank. I spent a pretty good amount of time gathering all the other parts from a variety of sources. I remember talking with the owner of Mountain State Muzzleloading. We were looking at the sketch book. He would go to his inventory and compare parts to the drawing in the sketch book and choices were made.

Of course, now I reenact the life of a British solider during the French and Indian War. The Derringer (my replica is a Derringer not a Deringer) gets used on the target range.

 

[gunsmithgreg]

The original Hawken Classic Plains Rifle continues to be built today by The Hawken Shop.
Check out the history of Hawken and our rifles at www.thehawkenshop.com.

 

[Rod Man]

I must admit that I built a fairly accurate copy of a Hawken Plains rifle when I upgraded from a T/C Hawken. There's lots that is not authentic about my rifle, but it is as heavy at 12 pounds. The more I read about the Fur trade era in the mountains the more I realized that my Hawken rifle didn't really fit in no matter how much I loved that rifle and how accurate it was and still is. That's when I spent a lot of time researching the fur trade rifles and ended u building my replica of an 1809 Deringer flint lock rifle. No set of parts were and for that matter are available for such a rifle. I was lucky and had a suitable barrel and a stock blank. I spent a pretty good amount of time gathering all the other parts from a variety of sources. I remember talking with the owner of Mountain State Muzzleloading. We were looking at the sketch book. He would go to his inventory and compare parts to the drawing in the sketch book and choices were made.

Of course, now I reenact the life of a British solider during the French and Indian War. The Derringer (my replica is a Derringer not a Deringer) gets used on the target range.

Yep and when you read the Hanson and Baird books you realize the very same thing. The facts are that they had more to do with Westward expansion and the Santa Fe Trail than they did the Fur Trade. Not that some didn't have a "Hawken" they just were not as prevalent as people think. I still appreciate the rifle for what it is and its place in history.

 

[weitzfc]

I've never owned or even fired one for that matter, but have noticed them around a lot and are extremely well-known in the black powder community, more so than any other model I've ever notice before.

What is it that makes it such a standard? View attachment 160713
View attachment 160715

 

[weitzfc]

I've never owned or even fired one for that matter, but have noticed them around a lot and are extremely well-known in the black powder community, more so than any other model I've ever notice before.

What is it that makes it such a standard? View attachment 160713
View attachment 160715

 

[Dispatch]

maybe you should?

Alright, but it better give it up on the first date!

 

[Herb]

I have built more than 50 Hawkens, most of them close copies of originals. I like them because they work.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I have built more than 50 Hawkens, most of them close copies of originals. I like them because they work.

View attachment 161006

best reason in the world!

 

[sheriff john]

There's something about coil springs inside a lock that turns me off as well as screwed-in ramrod pipes when I see "Hawken" used to describe a firearm. Other stuff as well, but that's just me. Authentic reproductions are still uncommon, but what I like best.

 

[senseisugarbear]

Forgive my Niavite', but when I was coming up,Talk among the Old Timers was that most of the rifles brought out West were Full stocked. But after a year or so of 24, 7, 365 ,outdoor living ,being used for Making Meat, Defense as a Club, horse falls, and God only knows what else the Fore end would be worn or broken. And thats when the 1/2 stock Heavy,shorter etc. would Shine.The old timers I'm talking about learned to shoot around the turn of the Century,and were taught on M/L rifles. I tended to put a little more stock in a mans words when many times they had to shoot to eat. I think nowdays Hawken in a Catch phrase for a style of rifle...ROMANCE yeah ,Just like in 1955 all MAJOR U.S. car makers had what turned out to be CLASSIC collectables.....There's a seat for every A$$.....Be Safe>>>>>>>Wally