Mule Deer Hawken Build and Scouting

[Herb]

I am nearly finished building my .54 15/16x 31" H&H barreled Kit Carson inspired Hawken, with a Schiller lock and Roller triggers.  Will post some photos of the load development.  My hunt is the 26th to October 4th.  Bill and I went scouting today and saw over 20 bucks from 9:30 to noon.  Here are some of them, most of them were within range, some as close as 30 feet, which I didn't get a picture of.







There is a second buck laying in the brush in the left hand corner.  See him?





This looks like an old deer, kind of gray.  This is maybe the best head we saw, and this is the one I will try to get.

[alacran]

That is what is known as a target rich environment. Where is the rifle?

[stubshaft]

Definitely target rich. My mouth is watering looking at them deer.

[Huntschool]

Wow... an H&H barrel... that's an antique..... but a great one  Hoppy made some great barrels.  Is it round bottom rifled and what is the twist.....  inquiring old minds want to know.

Thanks.

[alacran]

Built this with an H&H Barrel. Herb might like.




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!@*%&@ good shooter

[Herb]

Huntschool-   It is flat bottom rifling and about 1 in 66" twist.  To measure it, I have a .30 caliber military surplus steel cleaning rod with a swivel handle.  I pinned a square nut next to the handle so I can turn the rod to tighten the cleaning jag.  Pushed the jag clear to the breech with a tight patch.  Marked the rod at the muzzle.  Turned the rod to make the top of the nut level.  Pulled the rod out 90 degrees so the next side of the nut was level.  Measured the pull out, which was 17 inches.  Seventeen times four (for a full turn) is 68 inches, but this measurement is approximate, so I guess the twist is probably one in 66, a common one.

[Herb]

Alacran-  Nice rifle!  Here is a .58 Hawken flintlock I built.




I fell on icy rocks when elk hunting a few years ago, and turned the rifle to fall on its butt.  This is what happened.  I now reinforce the toes of my Hawkens with long screws under the toe plate.

[Osprey]

Good luck Herb, looking forward to some grip and grin pics!  From the scouting photos I can almost smell the sagebrush.   

[alacran]

Thats a nice Hawken herb. Too bad about that toe piece.
I fell in the Malapai on my first elk hunt with my .54 Hawken. Needless to say it has a few character marks now.
Good luck with that old Muley.

[Martin S.]

Nice looking Hawken, Herb!

Thanks for posting.

Did you fix the toe?

I think some hide glue and maybe a screw or two would heal it.

[Huntschool]

Herb:

Thanks for the reply.

Good luck on the hunt.

[Herb]

Yes, I repaired the toe.  Long screws and glue.  It really surprised me how easily that butt plate bent.

[Pukka Bundook]

Poor photos, but here are some of our boys hanging around one of my oat fields;