Stupid Hawken question for the day

[noahmercy]

Did all Hawken rifles (most specifically the fullstock versions) have the patent breech?

To show you how observant I am, I just noticed that the Sharon kit I got a week ago has a breech with the "snail" and tang screwed directly into the barrel. 'zat seem right to any of you learned folks?

:thumbsup:

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Yeah, I'd say they all did have patent breeches. I've never seen a drum&nipple breech on a Hawken, though Leman and other "plains rifles" did sometines use a plain "flint style" breech with durm&nipple.
Understanding, of course, that a "patent breech" is not always the same as a "hook breech".
Where on earth did you find a Sharon kit? Wherever, that was a find! :grin:

 

A lot of the old fullstock Hawkens have a brazed on snail on a solid breech and tang arrangement. My own thoughts are possibly these rifles were originally flintlock rifles. The only Hawken rifle I know of that has a drum and nipple arrangement is the Smithsonian Hawken (1855) and it was probably a late flint rifle to begin with. I also believe that they were probably all patent breech rifles.
Don

 

[noahmercy]

How do, Coyote Joe. I was thinking that "hook breech" and "patent breech" were synonymous. :redface: (That's what I get for thinking!) And I found this on[url] AuctionArms.com[/url]. There's no stock, but otherwise it seems complete.

Cooner, I'm wondering if that's what Sharon was trying to replicate when he came up with this. My friend has two half-stock Sharons and they both have hooked breeches.

I'll get a picture posted tomorrow if I can. Maybe that would help i.d.'ing what I have. In the meantime, thanks for the replies. As always I appreciate everyone being so generous with their knowledge!

:thumbsup: