Author Topic: My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts  (Read 2090 times)

Offline Dave B

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My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts
« on: March 10, 2019, 08:01:36 AM »
We just got back from a whirl-wind trip over to the other side of the mountains to The Monroe show put on by the Cascade Mountain Men.  I was disappointed with several of the builder supply companies not being there like they have been consistently in the past so I came back empty handed . But I was able to catch a quick look at an original S. Hawken rifle on display at the Hawken Shop  booth. It is non-typical from what I have come to expect in a Hawken rifle. It had heavy barrel 1 1/8" breach and just over an inch at the muzzle in possibly 52 cal.? possibly 30" long?, plain maple stock, poured pewter muzzle cap enclosing the ram rod  at the entry of the forearm. The mounts were of brass. Butt plate Dimick style with a short return and a slight reverse sweeping of the toe section, trigger guard early style having a flat section and with a spur off the Bow  and with a pineapple finial, toe plate and rod pipes all of Brass. I think it had flat Patent breach with the stand out portion being only about what seemed only 3/16". it was almost flush with the lock plate a clean out screw was in place. The cheek side has a beaver tail  design a engraved silver inlay of a buffalo was set in the cheek  area. The escutcheon for the lock bolt was of the tear drop style. I was to pressed for time to wait to talk to the owner who was engaged with several others and I was supposed to leaving and I never take pictures with out permission so I opted to just look and make mental notes. I took his card and will follow up with more from the owner if He is willing. Maybe a few of the others that are on here that came to the show can produce some pictures and better details but it was exciting none the less to see one not behind glass.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2019, 09:05:04 AM by Dave B »
Dave Blaisdell

Offline mountainman70

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Re: My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2019, 02:14:00 AM »
Congrats on seeing ol Hawken. I remember seeing,and holding my first one at CLA show. you has seen the Elephant, bro. Best regards, Dave 8) 8)

Offline Dave B

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Re: My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2019, 05:31:16 AM »
We some times get to see some gems out this way but rarely. They had some one step up and put up a display of original rifles and smoothbores that took up 4 - tables. I was glad to see their wanting to educate the public. Not that I have any thing against the factory made modern reproductions but you need to see and hold the real thing to comprehend how and why it looks and feels the way it does. I would guess that Hawken weighed in the neighbor hood of 12-13 lbs. It would give you a good work out if you didn't have a horse to use.
Dave Blaisdell

Offline One Shot

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Re: My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2019, 09:39:35 AM »
I believe that is the one owned by the Hawken Shop out of Oak Harbor...I believe that there was mention of restoration work on it and mentioned a couple of pieces were not original..

Offline vanu

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Re: My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2019, 08:40:33 PM »
I was at the Hawken Shop in Oak Harbor a few years ago and was offered an opportunity to handle their S. Hawken rifle, as I recall it had what looked like a European military lock that had been converted from flint to percussion, as one can imagine; the discussion began to focus on "they used what was available in those days". Just struck me as odd, but I am in no way an expert on Hawken rifles.

Bruce

Offline Dave B

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Re: My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts
« Reply #5 on: March 12, 2019, 08:32:43 AM »
yep that is the one. I wasn't aware they had an original but assumed they had some one loan it to them. They never had it at the show before or I was not aware if they did. Restored or restocked possibly. I didn't catch that the lock was previously a flintlock converted to percussion. I must be slipping.  The poured pewter for-end on a mountain rifle was what made me wonder if it has had some extra work done to it. The local market rifles had some for-ends poured, at least one I saw at the museum in Green river UT had one that had no under rib and a poured for-end.  Maybe Don can give us some of his wisdom about this question.
Dave Blaisdell

Offline Ron Scott

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Re: My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2019, 05:18:56 PM »
Hi Dave, I believe the Hawken shop has more than one original Rifle.  There was another atypical Hawken displayed two years ago at the same show. 

Offline Dave B

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Re: My first orignal Hawken with brass mounts
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2019, 06:32:36 AM »
Two of them!!  Wow that will merit a trip over to Oak harbor. Ron Thanks for that information.
Dave Blaisdell