The MRRW Hatfield rifle?

[nosrettap1958]

That's the style of Hatfield I had only in 50 caliber. I foolishly traded away my 2nd Generation '51 Colt for it back in 1989.

Bad trade.

[Bob Roller]

A little funny story about Hatfield:  years ago when they were in business Ted called me and ordered a dozen of our early Ketland locks and said he would send a check as soon as he got them.  The check never came even after several invoices were sent.  About two years later I got a call from a nice lady at Hatfield asking if they could purchase some spare parts for the locks.  I thought for just a minute and then told her yes, but I would need to send them COD if that was ok.  She agreed.  I took a chance that just maybe she or some secretary would cut a check for the UPS driver without checking with Ted.  So, I sent the few spare parts and included on the COD invoice not only the cost of the parts but the cost of the dozen locks that had never been paid.  Sure enough a check for the full amount arrived in a few days from UPS.  They never ordered any more locks, not that I would have sent them any anyway, at least not on open account.

 When I was making transmission bushings and other automobile items,EVERYTHING went COD at the buyers requests.In 1987 Don Brown took three orders for kits for his Alex Henry target rifles from the German team captain who insisted on my 4 screw locks for these rifles.Don didn't like it but had to agree or lose the sales
of those kits.I got the locks ready and sent them COD to Don and he called and raised $#*! about it.I told him
I had to interrupt my car work to make them and everything went COD or it didn't go at all. That was an odd situation because he wanted one of these fancy locks for his own rifle but didn't want them as an alternative to the lock he was using.

Bob Roller

[hanshi]

Mike does call them like he sees them and I respect him for it.  I admit I've never seen a mass produced gun that I'd call even "really good looking" much less handsome or beautiful.  I still think the "Hatfield" is about the best of the lot with most others ugly, as Mike says.  No production gun will EVER come close to a handmade custom gun.  I consider them all to be starters or at least beater guns.  Had my share and they do serve well; but I'd never take one home to meet my parents.

[D.Boone]

I'll say it again my Hatfield's are great shooting guns and very accurate. There has been no mechanical problems either. I would never pay those high prices for a custom built guns when a Hatfield a great gun!

[nosrettap1958]

Look at how the MRRW built Hatfield was made with a Green Mountain barrel and L & R locks and triggers. Being how popular they were I'm surprised that this new and vastly improved Hatfield rifle didn't survive. I don't know, more availability to custom makers the 'reputation' that the older Hatfield Rifle Works earned for themselves with vendors and other black powder enthusiasts, I don't know.

But if you look back on it, Green River Rifle Works is gone, Ozark Mountain is gone, Sharon Rifle Works is gone, Hatfield Rifle Works and Missouri River Rifle Works are gone, the only one to survive was Tennessee Valley Muzzleloaders and Thompson Center.

[bob in the woods]

The Hatfield looks like a long rifle , the same as the Thompson Centre looks like a Hawken. When the consumer wanted something more authentic looking, and found it at a reasonable price; Hatfield was doomed. The construction methods re pipes etc were obviously not HC .  The TVM rifles are much closer to resembling historical guns…at least to an untrained eye. Just my opinion

[hanshi]

IMHO the Hatfields are longrifles.  They resemble only slightly a couple of traditional schools with similar architecture.  They are not beautiful but do look fairly nice.  Long ago I wanted one but opportunity came too late.  They are apparently very good rifles; accurate, reliable and trustworthy.  For someone who wants a longrifle without the price tag of a custom they make sense.  But I'm referring primarily to the Pedersoli.  I'm glad I found my way into the handmade guns but it likely wouldn't have happened without a solid introduction to the factory guns; and I've owned many.  Still have two I treasure.   
       

[Mike Brooks]

They are apparently very good rifles; accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

Exactly opposite in my experience. 25 years ago I had 1/2 dozen come through my shop so I could execute some sort of miracle so they would be competitive at our club shoots. Impossible to do as constructed with the ramrod pipes as anchors for the barrel to the stock....just won't work for fine shooting. Not to mention the goofy breech system and the junk lock. Over all all pieces of $#@*. It was easier to make a new gun than fix all the problems those guns had.
 What was up with those goofy fore stock moldings anyway? GAK! Looked like something you'd use for door moldings on your house!

[D. Buck Stopshere]

I will agree with Mike. We were one of the larger Hatfield dealers in the Southeast. More than once, a Hatfield rifle would come in with a beautiful piece of curly maple and the vent liner did not sit centered at the bisection of the pan. It was usually a little forward and higher than proper position.

Ted's explanation was the flash in the pan (scientifically) rolls in a fashion that allows it to ignite the powder. This was during the Pedersoli parts "era". We just had to hold back the laughter on our end and help the buying customer the best we could. Because the were no barrel pins, we couldn't relocate the barrel back and down. We did our best to get those rifles in the hands of customers who just wanted the proverbial "rifle over the mantelpiece".

[Mike Brooks]

The fix I found most effective as follows. Install standard lugs on the bottom of the barrel. Cut of the breech end of the barrel and rebreach with a standard plug. Of course then you would have to reinlet the breech tang, Sometimes a rebarrel was easier. inlet the new barrel lugs and drill pins through the lugs and slot the lugs. Inlet two new ram rod pipes and pin them to the stock. Then fill the lock mortise with wood and inlet a new lock that works. Easl peasy lemon squezzy right? You now had a gun that would make it through a shoot with out a misfire and would hold zero. But, you still had a gun that looks like a %$#@!.

[flinchrocket]

  I don't think I could talk myself into doing all that to a production rifle. Like you said earlier,
  it would be better to just build one. Even a barn rifle would be a whole lot nicer. The only production
   rifle that I thought looked like anything was the browning hawkin rifle.

[Ridge]

I remember hunting with my old CVA "Kentucky" rifle and dreaming about the day I'd have enough money to order a Hatfield.

Sounds like being poor was beneficial in the long run.