Hawken

[1eyemountainmen]

I was wanting to know if anyone has built a Hawken rifle kit from Track of the wolf? I am not a great builder. Hell, I'm not a good builder. I was also wanting to know if there are any builders out there that would be willing to build my kit. The peolpe I have talk with want $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ That I don't have or they are two or so years behind. Any help? :bow:

 

[tg]

Most builders figure 30-40 hours in finishing a parts set add in a fair wage per hour and having a gun built is not a cheap venture.

 

[captgary]

Bought a Lyman GPR kit from D%R Sport Center for $267. My first ever attempt at building a rifle. I now have the barrel, lock, and trigger fitting nicely and am starting on the stock. IMHO anyone with a little patience and time could do a good job on this kit.Just keep taking babby steps and dont rush it Any snags ? ask the forum they all have run into the same problems. My next project will probally be a much tougher build,but now I know what Ill be in for. Also nothing better than saying "I did it myself"

 

[Runner]

There is a new TOW Hawken gun with the barrel left white and the stock finished blonde on the rack at Best Shot in Arnold Missouri. I believe the price is 600$ That is what it was laxst I looked. I would have to refinish the stock myself since I don't like blonde wood on a gun, but the gun looks pretty nice. I don't know who built it but the owner of BestShot could most likely tell you.

 

[Zonie]

Right you are captgary but the "kits" from TOTW are entirely a different breed from the GPR.

Not only are they at least 5 times more difficult than a commercial kit, the Hawken 1eyedmountainman is talking about is one of the more difficult guns that TOTW offers.

I would say anyone who could build it in 50 hours and have it come out like it is supposed to is doing an incredible job to say the least.

If I were doing it, I would figure at least 100 hours and actually more like 150 hours.

 

[bioprof]

I recently finished a Kit Carson Hawkens from a TOTW kit. It took me about 7 months of off and on work. It was my second TOTW kit rifle and it was much more difficult than their Vincent rifle. I don't think I would do it again. I wouldn't recommend it as a first project. On the other hand, I'm pleased how it turned out. Waiting for a little more of our snow to melt so I can get it sighted in. We had a heck of an ice storm last week with over a foot of snow over the top of it. Some people were without power for over a week.

 

[MikeChapin]

I built a fullstock Hawken flinter this last summer. I was using a pre-shaped pre-inlet second stock. I don't like pre-inlet stocks but the price on this one settled me on it. Anyhow it took me a month and a half to do the rifle in spare time but I have done a few.

There are a few good rifle makers around the state. Travis Bennet in Riverton and Dave Tyrell in Basin come off the top of my head. Verlin Danner, out in your neck of the woods, is also very good but hasn't had time to finish his own latest rifle.

No matter who you find it's going to cost you some gold. Tg has it right about the money involved. The builders I know don't get rich doing what they do and they do need to get a decent wage to eat and pay the rent.

 

[Herb]

Zonie, you're right in my experience. I have built five Hawkens now (on my sixth). Two were from the stick, but they had all the parts as from a Track "kit" except for an inletted stock. Built three of Track's Bridger Hawkens. It takes me that much time. Am now whittling a carpenter-built full stock Green River parts "Hawken" I got traded into down to a workable size. Cut 4" off the barrel, 1.25" off the butt and made it into a halfstock. Just fitted the nose cap (from Track) and slimmed the belly up .2 inch and have to slab the lock plate panel off about 1/4". Its a lot more work to re-do one than to do it the first time. lmtn (can't remember your name!), if your want to PM me, we can talk. You can see one of my stick-built Hawkens on this forum under "Picture of in-the-white Hawkens rifle (build)" 10/25/05.