Investarn Hawken

[rickjf]

Yesterday I picked up at a pawn shop an Investarm .50 Hawken rifle like those marketed by Cabelas's but must be much older. It has no store name. It seems to have very little or no use. Got for less than $100. It seems to be a good rifle. I have looked at T/C Hawken rifles over the years but only seen these in adds. Can any of you inform me more about this rifle. It looks like it spent most of its life in a closet. :thumbsup:

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I have (2) Lyman Trade Rifles, which are made in Italy by the same manufacturer. Great half-stock rifles, comes with a 1-turn in 48" twist 28" long barrel, which is good for PRB's or the 370 grain T/C Maxi-Balls that I shoot. I use a .490 Hornady ball with a .018 pre-lubed pillow-ticking patch on top of 72 grains of 3Fg Goex. This load can cut playing cards in half at 20 yards all day long if you do your part!

Good luck with her and let us know how she shoots!

Dave

 

[bwhoffman]

I have the same gun in .58 It is a shooter and structurely as sound as my TC.

It isnt going to win any beauty contests but will hold its own on the line, trail and in the woods.

Like the sights that come on TC's and GM barrels, I dont care much for them as thy are fairly wide, thick and blocky. Just dont look right, but that is personal prefrences!

Enjoy your new .50! shoot it, wash it and shoot it some more!

I feel you got a good buy!

 

[rickjf]

I had time this morning for a closer look. It has a beautiful walnut stock clean lines and good blueing. Do you keep the brass shiny or do you let it turn with patina to the dull finish?

 

[bwhoffman]

I prefer dull myself!

 

[Jayhem]

Nice pick up!

I have an Investarms .45 Cal Hawken from Cabelas, bought it in the mid 1990's new for $169.99!

It actually has a much nicer Walnut stock than the TC Hawkens, at least mine does! Mine has a 29" barrel with 1:48 twist and shoots round balls well and will put five 255 grain TC Maxi-Hunter's into a 4" bull at 50 yards even with the crappy factory sights. I found that I had to shave a bit of the stock just above the lock because my hammer was rubbing it which slowed down the lock speed.

I just let the brass tarnish, which looks more historic to me, they didn't polish their brass in the old west...glare could cost you your game animal or your life!

Enjoy the new rifle. You will find that it's a real shooter.

 

[rickjf]

because it is bp rifle I am concerned about protecting finish on the walnut stock. What do you do. It may be no different from a centerfire rifle. but I knot around the lock and nipple fire can effect steel and wood finish. This rifle looks new around the lock. There is some rust on the hammer and barrel like finger prints. The barrel has not rust in the bore. Looks like barrel blue in the bore very new looking.

 

[necchi]

" Can any of you inform me more about this rifle. It looks like it spent most of its life in a closet"

Good find and a good gun. They'er not that old, I know a gent that bought about 20 of them for his shop back in the early 90's.
The wood is best treated like any other rifle, just use a good polish and or wax every so often and all is well. :wink:

 

[rafterob]

Just clean the metal areas with warm soapy water when you are cleaning the barrel and wipe off any fouling that accumulates on the wood. That is the good thing about BP, it cleans up easy. I wax my wood a couple times a year and keep the metal oiled regularly.

 

[kelleyjk]

I have a pre-Cabelas Investarms Hawken style in .50 its a real nice little gun for the money got mine used for a hunerd bucks too, bore is spotless.

The QC was much better back then than what Im seeing on current stuff.

 

[flintlock10]

I also have a percussion .50 Hawkin and I love it! I throw 60 gns of 3f triple 7 down the pipe and a spit patch with a round ball. I've had the rifle for about three years and I dropped a coyote this fall with it at 20 yards. I'm hoping for a nice white tail this fall.

 

[deseeb2001]

I have an Investarms .50 cal Hawken from the mid 80's, shoots great, only had a problem with it until I replaced the nipple. The brass on mine has some dulling to it, haven't decided yet if I want to let it age or not. Like others have said, put some wax on the stock and you should be good! :thumbsup:

 

[rickjf]

The nipple on this new one was to large and could not have been used as the diameter was to big for #11 caps. A little file work fixed that. I took it to the range with Goex FF about 60 grs and round balls and a cloth patch. It is fun to shoot. and easy to shoot very reliable it seems. :hatsoff:

 

[w_dexter]

I missed out on one of these rifles last week for 100 bucks~!! it looked like new and had great wood,it was an older one in 50 cal,I have shot several of them and they are good shooters and a well made rifle

 

[rickjf]

Here it is I love to find a bargain

 

[1sgt]

Looks great and a good price. I have one .50 cal and one .36 cal. I could use one in .45 cal. All I really need is more time to shoot. Have fun.

 

[rickjf]

I plan to get GM drop in barrels in .32 and 54 to add to this rifle. It really is a clone of the T/C Hawken. I know they make the lyman products which are more HC. I like the shorter barrel. It seems very well made I guess it is a "Pre-Cabelas" rifle for what ever that means for quality. The phot does not give a good impression of the beauty of this rifle.

 

[hoochiepapa]

I bought two of those from Cabela's bargain basement 15 years ago, still have them, and they shoot great. Already said they ain't PC but I've killed numerous elk with them.

 

[rickjf]

Thanks for all the feed back I got excited Ill be quit now. :surrender:

 

[Mad Professor]

The other variation of this gun was the Lyman plains rifle, main difference is style of patchbox on the Lyman.

Barrels are pretty close to TC so with some minor fudging you can switch out barrels with those and GM barrels.