It's great to see someone taking on a Hawken rifle, and this is a nice one for sure. When I first opened up the pics o n the blogspot, I was surprised at what I thought looked like exaggerated drop at the comb and heel. But I'm not so sure now that I've perused Robidoux's drawings of a S. Hawken drawn in the '70's. Perhaps one of the things that made me think that was the way the lock is tipped a little up at the front end, so that the top of the bolster is not parallel with the flat lines on the barrel. I cannot tell what lock he used since the hammer is not one that typically comes with any of the commercial offerings. It has the length and mass to make it look correct, and I for one would like to know where the hammer came from. It lines up well with the nipple. If I knew some dimensions, such as those of the barrel, I could comment further on the hooked breech, which appears a little round and fat, like many I've used in the past. The triggers are very good. They have been tuned so that they have the correct "at rest" attitude, without appearing "pinched".
Harrison has done a great job replicating the Modena box and the star inlays that accompany it. The engraving overall including that on the lock is nicely understated and well cut. It has lots of "character" with varying width and depth of cuts. I don't know enough about case hardening to make more than a comment...is it real, or applied with a torch? Either way, it sure grabs ya!
The little silver inlay at the muzzle end of the trigger plate...I know how that happens. You have to file lots of draft on the muzzle end, because as you inlet the butt end, and the plate rolls down into the bottom of the stock, the front end tends to get shorter. When you inlet this long plate, inlet that muzzle end last or you'll end up with a gap.
I love the blued barrel trigger guard and plate. I don't like the jagged rod tip - just a personal thing. The overall finish is super though likely better than Sam's. The maple is a nice colour, and with some time and use, will rub back nicely.
It's a spectacular Hawken for sure, and well made. I hope Doc White does some hunting with it.
And I hope I'm not the only one who likes Hawkens. It's wild that this one should appear right now. I just took delivery of my Hawken barrel from LCR, and it's a beaut. Now a piece of hard maple from Acer Sacc-o-rum.
