New Hawken

[GregLaRoche]

Last week I bought a Chassepot needle gun. While negotiating I saw this Hawken and asked about it. It ended up making the deal go through. I have been thinking about getting a rifled percussion gun, but hadn’t yet done much research.

It’s made by Ardesa in Spain. .45 cal. Is says Hawken R. 1/32”. 14-13-043600-05 The bore looks good. The bluing on the barrel is in very bad shape, but no pitting or scratches. I think for the time being I will remove the bluing and leave it white. Were original Hawken rifles blued?

So what did I get? Where does this gunmaker stand with the others of the world?

Sorry for no pictures. I’ll have figure out how to do that one day.

s

 

[GregLaRoche]

Just to add, it has a brass trigger guard and a small amount of brass inlay. No patch box. A brass crescent moon on the stock. Double set triggers. Simple buckhorn type rear sight and brass blade in front.

 

[William Sublette]

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/ardesa-rifles.4711/

 

[GregLaRoche]

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/ardesa-rifles.4711/

I just finished reading the post. Well I’m glad I didn’t pay anything for it.

 

[Carbon 6]

Ardesa is CVA/ Traditions they were also sold as generic/ house brands.
I'll bet it drills holes with a conical.

 

[GregLaRoche]

Ardesa is CVA/ Traditions they were also sold as generic/ house brands.
I'll bet it drills holes with a conical.

Can you suggest a conical to try. I’m new to rifled muzzle loaders.

 

[Carbon 6]

I didn't notice it was a .45, being that i would try a round ball and a patch first. You may be pleasantly surprised. If that doesn't pan out I'd start with a T/C maxi because that's what i have on hand.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Lee Precision REAL 45 caliber 200 grain.

https://leeprecision.com/bullet-casting/black-powder-molds/black-powder-real-bullet-combo-molds/

 

[Zonie]

Can you suggest a conical to try. I’m new to rifled muzzle loaders.

They shoot best with a patched lead ball which people on the forum just call a "roundball". Lead roundballs are inexpensive and can be very accurate out past 100 yards. They are very capable of taking deer out to 80-90 yards provided the shot is in the heart/lung area.

To shoot your gun you will need as a minimum:
.440 or .445 diameter lead balls. (About $11/100 at Track of the Wolf).
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/127/2

#11 Percussion caps, usually available at gun stores.

Powder. Either real black powder, Pyrodex, 777 or any other synthetic black powder. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EVER USE ANY KIND OF SMOKELESS POWDER. Even the weakest and slowest burning of them stand a good chance of blowing up your guns barrel and killing or maiming you or nearby bystanders.

A powder measure. These can vary from using an old cartridge case to fixed or adjustable measures. Powder loads are always measured by volume, not weight. Two .357 cases worth of powder = about 54 grains. Two .45 ACP cases = 52 grains.
A powder load of 45 to 80 grains works nicely in a .45 caliber muzzleloader.

Cloth patches. Either store bought (do not buy pre-lubed patches from a store) or tightly woven cotton fabric works nicely to patch the ball. Many of us use the blue/white striped "pillow ticking" sold at Wal Mart or Jo Ann's.
For a rifle, the patch thickness should be somewhere between .015 and .020 thick.
For a .45 caliber gun the material should be cut into 1 1/8" X 1 1/8" squares or a 1 1/8" circle.

A "short starter", wooden or plastic mallet or a block of wood to start the patched ball into the muzzle.

Some patch lube. This can be either store bought stuff like Bore Butter or just use a vegetable cooking oil or Crisco. Don't use a petroleum motor oil. It can combine with the fouling from the burning powder to form a very hard, difficult to remove fouling.

All you need to clean up a muzzleloading gun is plain water with a drop or two of dishwashing soap added. You don't need any of the fancy black powder bore cleaners.

You will need a cleaning jag made for a .45 caliber bore to clean the gun with. Regular cleaning patches will work nicely with the jag to remove the fouling.

A good rust protection oil of some kind to protect the bore after it is cleaned. I like Birchwood Casey Barricade.

That's about it.

When you load your rifle, make sure that there is no cap on the nipple and the hammer is at half ****. This allows the air under the patched ball to escape and in doing so, it will blow the loose powder charge over to the base of the nipple for nearly instantaneous ignition.

Have fun.

By the way, Ardisa barrels are noted for their great accuracy. The locks aren't the best and some people don't like the Beech wood stocks but there have been many times these inexpensive guns have walked away with the prize from a shooting match.

 

[mooman76]

I got one a few years ago in 36 cal. I believe mine was called a Scout. At first it didn't shoot so hot but I noticed it was literally shredding patches. I chalked it up to sharp rifling that needed to be broken in. I lapped the barrel some and it improved allot. Seems like every time I take it out it shoots better. If it doesn't shoot well at first don't count it out.

 

[GregLaRoche]

To shoot your gun you will need as a minimum:
.440 or .445 diameter lead balls.

I’ve heard .451cal ball with patch.

 

[Zonie]

I’ve heard .451cal ball with patch.

I don't know of any .45 caliber muzzleloading single shot rifle or pistol that uses a .451 diameter ball.

Typically, a .451, .453 or .457 diameter lead roundball is used in a .44 cap and ball revolver.
That is because with a cap and ball pistol the bare ball is forced into the chambers in the cylinder and they are a bit oversize so they will shear off some lead, making them fit very tightly into the chambers. This is important on a cap and ball pistol because during the recoil, the remaining balls must stay in place.
Also, a very tight fit is required in that area to prevent any flash from the chamber that is firing from getting into the neighboring chambers and causing them to fire. Such a event is known as a "Chain fire".

When we are talking caliber in a muzzleloading gun or a cap and ball revolver, we describe it by the actual bore diameter.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I have an Ardessa in 50 caliber and it is a good shooter. Nothing fancy about it but it is accurate.

 

[Hermanoshawken]

Hello.
The Hawken of the 45 with a 32"inch fast twist, manufactured by Ardesa in Spain, is a good rifle. It has a 32" long barrel and two keys. The wood is walnut. But it is a rifle for maxi-bullet or cylindrical bullet. With round ball and patch it only works well with small loads of black powder. It can be very accurate at 55 yards, with roundball and patch, with a load of 25 grains of Swiss powder of No. 2, 3 FFFg, and 0.440 ball with patch of 0.015 " (or 0,445 ball with patch of 0,010).
This is my experience. Just my two cents.

Best regards. Saludos desde España.

 

[russinnit]

Hello.
The Hawken of the 45 with a 32"inch fast twist, manufactured by Ardesa in Spain, is a good rifle. It has a 32" long barrel and two keys. The wood is walnut. But it is a rifle for maxi-bullet or cylindrical bullet. With round ball and patch it only works well with small loads of black powder. It can be very accurate at 55 yards, with roundball and patch, with a load of 25 grains of Swiss powder of No. 2, 3 FFFg, and 0.440 ball with patch of 0.015 " (or 0,445 ball with patch of 0,010).
This is my experience. Just my two cents.

Best regards. Saludos desde España.

Hi, I appreciate that this is an old post but I thought I'd try my luck. I've recently bought an ardesa hawken in .45 with a 1 in 20 twist and 32 inch barrel. Could you perhaps recommend a suitable conical, mould or powder charge for target shooting please. I don't want to make a mistake and buy the wrong mould and I am struggling to find information. Many thanks! in advance.