Hacker Martin Reworked **photos added**

[DV1564]

Good evening. I'm recently new to the forum. A couple of weeks ago I inherited a Longrifle from my step dad.  He purchased the gun about 5 years ago from an antique store in Asheville, NC.  I was always told it was a Hacker Martin because of the barrel and signature stamp.   Recently I learned from another member that the gun looks to be reworked as some of the parts look to be more recent than 1970. There will be pics posted later this evening. I was looking to get an idea of the value of the gun and maybe some more opinions   It is a beautiful gun and I would like to see it go to someone who knows a lot more about longrifles than me.  Feel free to contact me if your interested.  Thanks for looking.

[Dennis Glazener]

Surely someone other than me can make a comment on how likely this rifle was made by Hacker Martin. My thoughts are that its a recent restock using a barrel that may or may not be a Hacker Martin barrel. I would bet a fair sum that those triggers are by MSM and not available until after Hacker's death. I believe that the buttplate is the same or close to the same as the Bean TN buttplate that TOW sells. I had a capbox identical to that with a box of parts that I bought, I was told that it was made by Ted Cash. The trigger guard looks very much like the contempoary TN guards sold today, possibly "tweaked" a little by the builder. The wood and its finish looks to me to be very recent. Its still a neat, well made rifle and if the barrel was made by Hacker Martin that would add a little nostalgia to the gun. Am I all wet?
Dennis

[art riser]

I'm with you Dennis...

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

If it is a restocked Hacker Martin  barrel it is a nice collector item. The parts and stock were surely not made in the 1960s or earlier as they would have to be to have been made by Martin.  He is an interesting link between the 19th century builders and contemporary builders.

[heinz]

I believe you are right on Dennis.

[Mike Brooks]

That's a better built gun than anything I have seen by Hacker Martin.

[DV1564]

Well I would like it to go to a good home so let me know if you're interested

[Jackie Brown]

Stock and furniture definitely not Hacker Martin's work.  Nice gun though.

[skillman]

Ted Fellowes had a gun he built with a Hacker Martin barrel. He wouldn't cut it down because it was one of Hacker's. It was a very nice Southern gun but it was built by Ted even though he put the stamp up like pictured on this one. It was a 48 inch barrel and one of the most awkward guns I ever held.

[Mark Elliott]

I am going to be less diplomatic than the others.   The rifle pictured looks like one of those Japanese or Indian reproductions that you might buy at Cabelas or the like that had been faked up by a "hack" but not Hacker Martin.

Mark E.

[pathfinder]

I recently picked up a few guns from the kid's of a collecter near Lansing,Mi,and one of then was built by Harold Hassler using an original Bedford flint lock with W*B* engraved on the plate.

Was told by folks who were there in the '50's and '60's that they used a lot of original parts to "re-build" or make a "new" gun.

I'd say this is a very recent build using one of Hackers barrels.

[Dphariss]

I am going to be less diplomatic than the others.   The rifle pictured looks like one of those Japanese or Indian reproductions that you might buy at Cabelas or the like that had been faked up by a "hack" but not Hacker Martin.

Mark E.

Too nice for this. The Italians etc won't/can't make a ML with this inletting, shaping. Its too good.
Name on the barrel? There are original Hawken stamps still in use they tell me...

Dan

[G-Man]

The hardware - at least the guard, thimbles, and pathcbox (not sure on the buttplate - it may be a casting) - actually look like custom hardware to me.  The hinges on the box look a little cleaner and tighter that those you see on the commercially available boxes.  But it is hard to tell from the pictures.

As Dan pointed out the gun is inlet and put together fairly well and there were a lot of things done right on this rifle.  I am wth Dennis - I think it is a build done in the past 20 years using a Hacker Martin marked barrel, restocked I would assume.

[Hessian]

I'm no expert by any means, but that gun just looks "too clean." It has a look of something "manufactured." Any provance, other than the word of the antique shop?

Hessian

[pathfinder]

I'm no expert by any means, but that gun just looks "too clean." It has a look of something "manufactured." Any provance, other than the word of the antique shop?

Hessian

And we ALL know we can trust the words of antique dealers! LOL!

DV1564,Still looking to sell this? Have you figgured out a price based on these comment's?

[pathfinder]

Still looking for a price wanted for this piece,IF it's available.

[Sequatchie Rifle]

Pathfinder, are you referencing the Harold Hassler who lived in Cookeville, Tn until his death in the 1990s?  He was originally from Byrdstown, Tn and had many fine ofld guns, but only retored a few and never built any.

[pathfinder]

No,DV1564 had this gun and seemed interested in finding a home for it.

[Steve Bookout]

Being an enthusiast of and a collecter of Hacker Martin for the last 35 years, I have compared this photo to others in my quite large file on Brother Martin.  I find no resembalence between the two.  Even the stamping is different.  When a man builds rifles for a long period of time, his "signature/style" starts standing out in his work.  Just ain't there boys.  I say straight out that the rifle is a fake.
Cheers, Bookie