Building rifles with an aged look

[Herb]

Here is a .58 fullstock flint Hawken that I "aged" on an elk hunt.

When I no longer had the muscles to shoot this off-hand in our matches, I sold it.  I had maybe 1500 rounds through it.  Taylor Sapergia, acting as agent, bought it for Hatchet Jack up in British Columbia.  Hatchet Jack wrote me December 18th and he now has 9000 rounds through it.  I'd bet it doesn't look much different than when I had it.  Here is Hatchet Jack with a halfstock flint .50 caliber Hawken type rifle built by Taylor.

As of December 18, Hatchet Jack had put 22,225 rounds through it.  It doesn't look much worn.  So good luck to those putting their own wear and patina on a rifle.  It won't have changed much when it goes into your estate sale.  Here are five of my Hawkens. 

I aged the Bridger rifle (third down) because I know what it looks like now, and I like it.  I have shot this maybe 1500 to 2000 rounds, and hunted deer and elk with it.  The fourth rifle is a .58 flint Hawken style, and I killed a mule deer with it.  The bottom rifle is a .50 antelope rifle, aged because I wanted that look.  I killed an antelope with it and shot it maybe 300 times and gave it to my nephew, where it will be an heirloom.  The others look new, I had no reason to age them.

[RJD-VT]

Ouch. 
I did that to a T/C “Hawken” back in the 70’s. Thompson-Center accualy replaced it for free.
Go figure.

Are you going to show us the fix?

Bob D

[oldtravler61]

  Herb you sure that Hatchet Jack guy isn't you with a beard.  That there 20,000 + rounds is some serious shooting. Congrats.

[redheart]

That .50 cal. Hawken must be a .54 by now!

[Eric Kettenburg]

You know Herb, kind of off the topic of the thread, but you make a really, REALLY fantastic plains rifle.

[Herb]

RJD-VT-  I slipped on an icy rock and turned the rifle to fall on the butt to break my fall.   It surprised me how easily that butt plate bent.  I straightened it as well as I could and glued the chip back in.  Then I fitted two, 2-inch long screws under the toe plate to strengthen that chip and  covered that with the toe plate.  Now each time I build a Hawken, I put two long screws under the toe plate to reinforce the stock toe.

[Daryl]

Hatchet Jack now lives in the South of the Province where the weather is always balmy - well, almost.
He is a consummate shooter who rarely shot less that 80 shots on our Sunday trail. He would start a good2 hours before us and usuaĺly quit at the same time  when we,'d aĺl go for a late lunch.
He would return on Monday and shoot the trail again - all day  from 8 am to about 2 or 3pm- at least another 100 shots. THAT is Hatchet Jack.
I will also note, he NEVER has to "swab" his barrel during the day's shooting.

[Herb]

Thanks, Daryl.  Hatchet Jack wrote me that he squeezed the trigger on a flinter for the first time in late June 2003.  "Since then I've fired 63,116 shots with flintlock only!  I document every shot fired."  He writes me a really nice letter once or twice a year.

[t.caster]

I don't know...he sounds like an urban legend. Lord, the lead and powder he must go through!

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

He's one of a kind for certain.

When we built his rifle, I employed a used barrel I had in the rafters.  It's bore wasn't perfect, but was certainly serviceable.  Now, it is like a mirror, yet the rifling is still sharp.  I suppose it's been firelapped.  As you can see in that picture of him, the last four inches of the barrel has no finish.  He has worn it off with his hands loading the rifle.  The barrel has a deep rust browned finish.  Also, that is the same rifle that he fell on and smashed the stock, years ago.  It was the feature of a repair thread.  It's obviously still going strong.

[redheart]

 
I don't think the original Hatchet Jack lived long enough to burn anywhere near that much powder!

[Daryl]

I don't think the original Hatchet Jack lived long enough to burn anywhere near that much powder!

You are absolutely right. Ours above, is almost 60 & likely has more tattoos than the real one had ever seen in his life.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

When HJ lived in our town, he brought his muzzle loaders to me frequently for service.  He was amazed that after only 4000 rounds, his frizzen needed grinding, or even replacing.  I explained to him that there isn't a single gun from history that has had to sustain that many shots, let alone 40,000.

[shifty]

   I sure like Hatchet Jacks clothes and his rifle! I would like to have the money he has spent on shooting then i could take another trip out west.

[shifty]

    Here is my Hawken does it look aged,i built it a few years back 58cal works pretty well on deer.

[Herb]

Hatchet Jack wrote me again November 1.  He then had 10,364 balls through the .58 fullstock flintlock Hawken he got from me, and is still using the original ramrod.  He writes a nice letter.

[Daryl]

Been a couple years now. I miss his cheery voice on the phone as he called everyone in 'our' section to shoot Sunday Morning. We've kinda fallen
off that log now that he moved & are doing other things, most Sundays.
This Sunday was a chilly one. NewYears day, one year? - but I do remember the temperature - it was -14C. We usually didn't shoot if it was colder
than -5.

My late hunting buddy Brad, shooting at the flying goose, that day, now so many years ago.



The was everyone who showed up that day, minus me, taking the picture. Hatchet Jack, always there - in his red capote.