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General discussion => Contemporary Longrifle Collecting => Topic started by: bones92 on January 18, 2016, 07:04:50 PM

Title: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 18, 2016, 07:04:50 PM
I happened upon this as part of a deal for something else, and I thought you all would get a kick out of it.

I have not found any other maker marks other than "R. White" on the barrel.  The hooked breech plug fits ok, but I think the tang is a wee bit off-kilter so it doesn't butt up quite flush (although it does when the tang and barrel are mated up out of the stock).

The bore is superb.  I pulled the plug, lubricated with some lithium grease, and reinstalled (it's easy enough to do with a couple crescent wrenches).

Someone sure spent some time on it!   I will likely list it for sale, but I wanted to share it with you fine folk first.

http://imgur.com/a/v7QH6

Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Joe S. on January 18, 2016, 10:11:30 PM
is it me or is the forearm just a wee bit slabsided?
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 18, 2016, 10:19:52 PM
Can you be a bit more specific? 
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Joe S. on January 18, 2016, 10:41:36 PM
well,when you take a look at long rifles or half stocks the lines of the stocks tend to be rounded.The forearm is rounded and not so boxed looking.This look can also be what the maker wanted too.Take a look at some photos of half stock hawken rifles or plains style rifles and compare.Does have an interesting look and I'm not saying its a bad look either just pointing it out
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 18, 2016, 10:47:47 PM
Ah, I see... and you're correct.  It is very much slab-sided in the forearm.  There may be a very small convex shape (I'll have to see at home) but not much.

Note the copper washer for indexing the drum.

The two screws holding the rear sight leaf to the dovetail are a bit loose, so the rear sight leaf can be moved from side to side.  Looks like a 3/8" dovetail, so it's probably easier to order a replacement than to work on this one.
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Mike Brooks on January 18, 2016, 11:28:30 PM
That's really something....... :-\
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: David Rase on January 19, 2016, 01:44:28 AM
That's really something....... :-\
Nicely put Mike.  :o
David
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Joe S. on January 19, 2016, 02:56:16 AM
and some tell it like it is
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Hungry Horse on January 19, 2016, 06:45:58 AM
Man the guy that made this gun must have had eyes like Marty Feldman. Everything on this gun is about two bubbles off.

  Hungry Horse
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 19, 2016, 01:53:44 PM
I'm not convinced that the German is actually correct,  either.

Should be interesting to see what it fetches on auction.   I did get a decent Euroarms two-band Enfield, as well, which is what I really wanted.
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Don Steele on January 19, 2016, 02:09:19 PM
That's really something....... :-\

Couldn't have said it better.
As I went down through the pictures...WELL before seeing the inscription cut into the barrel...I have to say...it certainly looks "Germanic"...and I'm not even sure what that means..!!  :-\
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Bob Roller on January 19, 2016, 03:00:53 PM
That's really something....... :-\

Couldn't have said it better.
As I went down through the pictures...WELL before seeing the inscription cut into the barrel...I have to say...it certainly looks "Germanic"...and I'm not even sure what that means..!!  :-\


Looks like a high school project from the German speaking area of Hawaii.

Bob Roller
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: grabenkater on January 19, 2016, 03:02:16 PM
He means it looks like Berlin, in the middle of May, circa 1945.
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: oldtravler61 on January 19, 2016, 06:04:23 PM
Looks like one side is flat the opposite side alittle rounded. Huge front sight even I can see. Maybe it was someone's first build?
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Robby on January 19, 2016, 06:15:38 PM
Ach du lieber!
Robbystein
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Tony Clark on January 19, 2016, 08:33:16 PM
That's really something....... :-\

LoL...
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 19, 2016, 08:48:29 PM
Dieses Gewehr ist schrecklich, nicht wahr?
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Joe S. on January 19, 2016, 10:37:08 PM
So much for being nice ;D
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Majorjoel on January 19, 2016, 10:48:01 PM
Sure glad you have a good sense of humor there bones! Just remember, we're not laughing AT your rifle, we are laughing WITH your rifle!  ;D
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 19, 2016, 10:52:10 PM
Well, if it were my name etched onto the barrel, I suppose it would be painful to bear.  

But despite all its shortcomings, there's a part off me that likes it... perhaps only because I've never seen anything like it before.   Of course, I'll still sell it... (mainly because I don't have room for every wayward ML that I come across).

Whenever I describe something as "interesting" there's always a wide spectrum of interpretation implied.

Sure glad you have a good sense of humor there bones! Just remember, we're not laughing AT your rifle, we are laughing WITH your rifle!  ;D
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: L. Akers on January 19, 2016, 11:00:27 PM
My impression is a first build by someone who didn't know what it was supposed to look like.  Sorta like MY first one.
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 21, 2016, 07:16:04 PM
The more I learn about muzzleloading rifles, the more I realize that there are a great number of interpretations on the matter.   I think the general consensus is that "more eye candy, more better". 

I haven't found any maker marks for the barrel.  I'm sort of curious to see how it shoots.  However, I have other rifles waiting for their trip to the range, already, so that may not happen.

Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Majorjoel on January 22, 2016, 01:27:50 AM
 This rifle would be a very good piece to do some fixing up on Bones! Change out the sights and strip it down. Take some wood off the forestock and do some reshaping. Then give it a nice refinish. A good rifle for a 2nd chance.   Make it a fun project for these dark winter months! It would also be a great learning experience.
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Dphariss on January 22, 2016, 04:04:57 AM
That's really something....... :-\

Ditto.

 
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Old Ford2 on January 23, 2016, 04:31:06 PM
It looks as though the barrel key is passing through the barrel. It is quite high.
Germanic??? Yeah the lock does look like a Volkswagon, in profile.
I must admit that the work on the end of the barrel ( muzzle ) is not bad, and the quality of lettering ( although a lot ) on the barrel is impressive.
My knowledge of German is poor, but, did he write his whole family history?
You could strip the gun down ( throw away the barrel, lock, stock, ram rod, trigger, trigger guard, butt plate, tang, sights ) keep the screws and make a new gun. ;D
Fred
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Dan'l 1946 on January 23, 2016, 07:19:14 PM
Fred, I'm not sure about keeping the screws, either.
                                                  Dan
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 23, 2016, 10:21:29 PM
Wait, what's wrong with the buttplate? !   ;)

It looks as though the barrel key is passing through the barrel. It is quite high.
Germanic??? Yeah the lock does look like a Volkswagon, in profile.
I must admit that the work on the end of the barrel ( muzzle ) is not bad, and the quality of lettering ( although a lot ) on the barrel is impressive.
My knowledge of German is poor, but, did he write his whole family history?
You could strip the gun down ( throw away the barrel, lock, stock, ram rod, trigger, trigger guard, butt plate, tang, sights ) keep the screws and make a new gun. ;D
Fred
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 23, 2016, 10:30:03 PM
See, the more y'all pile on, the more I'm tempted to keep it, replace the rear sight, and win the NMLRA world championship with it.
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Joe S. on January 24, 2016, 02:56:37 AM
Now your thinking,they tell you how bad it is in hopes you will sell it cheap.Its worth a small fortune ;D
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Old Ford2 on January 24, 2016, 06:02:55 AM
Seriously Bones,
It very well could be a good shooter.
If the lock is good and solid, and the bore good, for all intensive purposes you could have a good find.
Many people here make fantastic guns. True beauties to hold.
But often times they get whuped by a lowly CVA or Numrich underhammer. Go figure!
Enjoy your find!
Fred
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: Boompa on January 26, 2016, 03:55:44 PM
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ::).  It may shoot great, if nothing else it is unique.
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 26, 2016, 05:35:45 PM
That front sight blade, which appears to be about half a yard wide, is not conducive to good accuracy (for me, anyway).  I could swap out the sights and give it a try.   That is, if it doesn't sell first.
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: T*O*F on January 26, 2016, 05:42:19 PM
Quote
the more I'm tempted to keep it, replace the rear sight, and win the NMLRA world championship with it.
That would be quite an accomplishment considering the NMLRA only hosts the national championships and you can only win a class medal.  Which of the 496 available classes do you plan to win?
Title: Re: An interesting find... Hawken-style .45 with German flair
Post by: bones92 on January 26, 2016, 08:52:54 PM
In all seriousness,  I'd be happy just to attend a NMLRA event...