My Investarms Hawken Rifle

[kje54]

I've decided to keep and at least partially (as much as possible) de-farb the Investarms. Talked with Greg at the Hawken Shop and ordered (all iron pieces); the butt plate, original read sight, nose cap and trigger guard.

Greg said they would need minimal work to install.......... I guess what some consider minimal and what I consider minimal are two different things. Oh well, have a lot of work ahead of me, at least unlike ToTW the sprues are cut off so minimal grinding, filing and polishing required. Of course when I say "minimal" it's a relative term......... Did I mention I hate metal work?
I wonder what the steel ramrod tubes from Track are going to look like.......
Now I'm wondering if I should replace the front sight. What do original Hawken front sights look like?

 

[Phil Coffins]

Hawken front sight were copper base with silver blade.

 

[kje54]

Hawken front sight were copper base with silver blade.

And Track has em.

 

[Bent Sight]

Did your Investarms Hawken have a fixed or adjustable rear sight?

 

[kje54]

Did your Investarms Hawken have a fixed or adjustable rear sight?

Modern adjustable.

 

[Bent Sight]

I have an Investarms Hawken, which is a decent shooter and I plan on keeping it.

Please post pics as your project progresses.

 

[kje54]

I have an Investarms Hawken, which is a decent shooter and I plan on keeping it.

Please post pics as your project progresses.

Already I've discovered some necessary wood removal to fit the butt plate is going to be required, not much and mostly on the bottom. Along with that the toe of the butt plate will need about three sixteenths to a quarter inch removed including some from the side at the toe to match it up with the wood. Some extra inletting will be needed for fitting the rear trigger guard mount and some of the wood from the nose cap mount will have to be removed.
The rear sight, other than filing, sanding and polishing will need the two mounting holes drilled and countersunk (save the mounting screws from your modern sight.......). A lot more than what I counted on but it could be worse.
The trigger guard will need screw holes drilled and countersunk also.

 

[gabedard]

I recommend leaving the overhang on the butt unless it’s excessive or you’re adding a toe plate to protect that area
Here’s a pic of a front sight that you might consider

 

[kje54]

By the way, the castings on these conversion parts are very rough.

 

[kje54]

I recommend leaving the overhang on the butt unless it’s excessive or you’re adding a toe plate to protect that area
Here’s a pic of a front sight that you might consider

Thanks but I already ordered the silver blade on a copper base from ToTW.

 

[Carbon 6]

Looking forward to this project, I have two that need upgrading.

 

[kje54]

Here's about an hours worth of filing in the butt plate. As you can tell there's still a ways to go.

 

[Carbon 6]

Thanks but I already ordered the silver blade on a copper base from ToTW.

Which part number ?

 

[kje54]

Which part number ?

Front Sight, tall blade, .062" thick nickel silver, 9mm by 1/16" copper dovetail base for Lyman rifles - Track of the Wolf

I'll let you know if I got the correct on when it shows up.

I also ordered the steel ramrod pipes, they're for the Thompson Center Renegade but no reason they shouldn't fit on the Investarms.

Ramrod pipe, steel, fits Thompson Center Renegade Rifle, steel, for 3/8" ramrod, drilled for 6-48 mounting screw. - Track of the Wolf

 

[rusty]

Does that rifle have a patch box? It is hard to visualize what you doing without a picture of the rifle.

 

[Byrd]

Neat project! I've got a TC Hawken kit gun from the 80's that needs a redo. I'll be following your progress to see if I want to tackle it.

 

[kje54]

Does that rifle have a patch box? It is hard to visualize what you doing without a picture of the rifle.

Yes it has a patchbox and currently there are no iron patchbox covers for this model but Greg at The Hawken Shop said he's working on one that should be ready after the first of the year.
As for what it looks like;

 

[kje54]

Does that rifle have a patch box? It is hard to visualize what you doing without a picture of the rifle.

Also I aged the current brass patchbox,
1 cup hydrogen peroxide
2 oz distilled white vinegar
1/2 Tbs salt (no iodine salts)

It will tarnish very rapidly, let it get darker than what you want as some will wipe off after being rinsed and dried.

 

[Bighorserider]

I did this to my 80s vintage TC Hawken. I got the parts from the Hawken Shop in St Louis when Art Ressel owned it. The parts were smooth and required little to no clean up. Anyone thinking about doing this might check with the Hawken Shop in Washington to see if theirs are rough or not. My rifle looks like a mini Hawken except for the brass patch box I never got around to spending $75 to replace. As a bonus I got turned loose in the back room to handle some origonals.

 

[Bent Sight]

Your rifle looks like my Model 120B, which was made in 1976. Do you plan on drilling the rear sight and use the existing holes in the barrel to mount it? I am undecided on mounting a rear sight with screws or filing a dovetail on the barrel to mount a different rear sight.

I had my rear sight apart to tighten it up yesterday. The rear sight mounting screws on mine are spaced 1.460" apart center to center. The pin that attaches the long moveable part to the rear sight base is 0.041" in diameter.