Rough Idea On Weight?

[Ohio Joe]

I'm planning to build a fullstock Hawken with the .54 x 1 x 36" GMB I have which weighs (5.95 pounds), and using a straight grain maple "TOTW" Hawken fullstock... Does anyone have an idea of how much this rifle will roughly finish in weight?

All furniture will be brass, but that may change and I might go iron?

Thanks for any information.

 

[Donny]

Don't know about weight, but would brass not be correct for a fullstock Hawken? Or does it matter here? :hmm:

 

[Ohio Joe]

Donny,

I'm sure your right about the brass/iron issue of being period correct. At this point I'm not really sure it is that big an issue to me, but than it may become an issue.

This is just a side project of mine with no real bearing at this point other than working out some weight details.

I already have all the fixin's to make another plains rifle using this barrel, but I was thinking something different for a change besides making another half stock. The barrel's not right to make my favorite longrifle, the Dickert. Pretty much just fishing for some idea's too... :hmm:

 

[Donny]

You must be close to the Fur Trade Museum. The last two guns I built were smoothies, from Hanson's books. I like the plains rifle style, and have a hankerin to make something different too, perhaps a kinda O'Dell plains rifle, backaction lock. My first gun build from a blank was a brass halfstock Hawken, but I wish I haden't put a drum and nipple on it instead of the pat. breech, oh well.
sorry, can't help on the weight.

 

[Ohio Joe]

Yes, I'm 25 miles from the Fur Trade Museum... I know the Curator's husband pretty well. He and I attend the same local Rendezvous and he works for the Nebraska Historical Society. He and I have started to run some monthly shoots. We have a Buffalo Cross Stick Rifle Match coming up next Sunday (26 Sept.)... Maybe after the shoot I might run over there and get some ideas, or maybe Wednesday afternoon when I'm off work?

I have thought about building "Little Bat Garnier's" - H. Folsom Plains Rifle. I have access to examine this rifle at Fort Robinson through the Nebraska State Historical Society. I should take advantage of this. His rifle appears to be a .54, yet I'm still leaning towards another flintlock.

Well, it's food for thought? My best weight guess is that a full stock with all the trimmings will weigh about 4.5 to 5.25 pounds, giving the rifle a weight of 10.45 to 11.10 pounds. Kind of like to narrow this down a bit more?

 

[Randy]

Hey there Ohio Joe,
A half stock Hawken rifle with barrel of those dimensions will usually weigh between 10 and 11 pounds. A fullstock will be a bit lighter because no underib and the stock will be a little slimer. Hard to get one built that is under 10 #. There aren't many examples of fullstock Hawkens but there were quite a few made in the Hawken shop around 1820 to 1840. One original fullstock had a 50 cal 36 1/2" barrel and weighed 10 1/4 pounds. A few of them were flint but percussion was getting popular when the Hawkens were at their peak production just before 1850. Jake and Sam Hawken hardly ever used brass mounts, even on their early fullstocks. Their halfstocks are all iron mounted with few or no exceptions. I'm not sure why T/C and Cabelas make brass mounted "Hawkens". I guess they sell better. Track of the Wolf sells all their hawken furniture in iron or brass. Again I'm not sure why the offer brass except to sell more parts to those who like the look of brass mounted guns. To be period correct go with iron.

 

[Ohio Joe]

Horse Doctor,

Thanks for the information. I was going through Hanson's book, The Plains Rifle, and on page 37 it says the average weight of a typical Hawken full stock rifle was 9 1/2 pounds. This being a .50 caliber or slightly larger with 38 1/2 inch barrel.

I'm not sure what I'll do now? I make my own half stocks from maple and the piece I cut from my slab for this project prior to thinking about making it a full stock, has curly figuring all the way through it. Well, no rush to judgement. I'll think it over some more.

Thanks again!

 

[JOHN L. HINNANT]

Greetings Ohio Joe,

Your finished full stock TOW Hawken will weight 10-10 1/2 pounds. A half stock with 36" barrel would run about the same.

Best regards, John L. Hinnant

 

[Randy]

While you're thinking it over check the library for HAWKEN RIFLES, THE MOUNTAIN MAN'S CHOICE by John D Baird, or THE HAWKEN RIFLE; IT'S PLACE IN HISTORY, by Charles E. Hanson Jr., or FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE HAWKEN LODE, also by John D. Baird. These books give some insight into what a Hawken rifle was in it's day. They may help you make some choices.

 

[Ohio Joe]

Thank you, I will do that. I have Hanson's book, but I don't have the other's... I will check with our library as you suggest.