Don King Hawken

[Windriverbob]

I have acquired a Hawken built in 1971 by Don King. It has a barrel with 10 lands and grooves with what looks like a 1 & 60 twist or so but I haven't measured it yet. The grooves appear to be about .010 deep. Does anyone have an idea who might have made this barrel?

[Bob Roller]

I think Don King is still alive. Maybe Dan Phariss would know.

Bob Rollert

[JDK]

Yes, according to Dan, Don is still alive but not doing any gun work.  Dan has an ongoing thread on another site about Don right now.  If you contact him through the here I am sure he will be willing to share....Dan is always willing to share.

Enjoy, J.D.

[Dphariss]

I have acquired a Hawken built in 1971 by Don King. It has a barrel with 10 lands and grooves with what looks like a 1 & 60 twist or so but I haven't measured it yet. The grooves appear to be about .010 deep. Does anyone have an idea who might have made this barrel?

Most of these have Douglas barrels but I will ask Don tomorrow when I see him. If I can remember that long

Dan

[Dphariss]

Don says the only way it has 10 grooves is if its been re-rifled.

Dan

[Windriverbob]

Thanks Dan
I'll take another look to be sure on my count of the lands and grooves. This rifle was made for a Dr. William Bowser, a Master Mason likle Don. It is a full stock percussion .58 Hawken with some really fancy wood. I don't know if Don would remember it or no.  It has some sights on it that I'm wondering if they were added later. The rear sight is a semi-buckhorn that has a tiny screw that allows a little sight blade to be moved up or down and the front sight is a post type affair, not the typical long blade found on most muzzle loaders. The sight set resembles something call the "California Sight Set" offered back in those days. I wonder if Don made up this set or it was added to the rifle later. If it's a later add on I would like to replace them with the same type of sight Don would have used. I'm wondering if Don still has any sights gathering dust in his shop.
I had eye surgery this morning so it will be a day or two before I can take a close look at that barrel, but I will take a look and post what I found.

[Windriverbob]

Thanks Dan
I'll take another look to be sure on my count of the lands and grooves. This rifle was made for a Dr. William Bowser, a Master Mason like Don. It is a full stock percussion .58 Hawken with some really fancy wood. I don't know if Don would remember it or no.  It has some sights on it that I'm wondering if they were added later. The rear sight is a semi-buckhorn that has a tiny screw that allows a little sight blade to be moved up or down and the front sight is a post type affair, not the typical long blade found on most muzzle loaders. The sight set resembles something call the "California Sight Set" offered back in those days. I wonder if Don made up this set or it was added to the rifle later. If it's a later add on I would like to replace them with the same type of sight Don would have used. I'm wondering if Don still has any sights gathering dust in his shop.
I had eye surgery this morning so it will be a day or two before I can take a close look at that barrel, but I will take a look and post what I found.
I do remember that the index mark between the barrel and the breech plug looked a little off by a few thousands but the flats all lined up. I thought at the time the plug must have been removed at sometime after it was marked. That would sure be an indication it had been re-rifled. This rifle was built while Don was in Wichita.

[B Shipman]

The 1-60 twist sounds like Green River. But nothing I have ever seen has 10 grooves.

[doulos]

Windriver
If this is the gun I think you got a pretty good deal

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=312984699

[Windriverbob]

That's the one.

[Shreckmeister]

She's a real looker.

[Alan Gommel]

Picture 16 in the GunBroker listing sure looks like it has 10 groves.

[Don Stith]

I bet it is 8 groove. Walnut??

[Jim Kibler]

Don't think there is any question it is maple. 

[Dphariss]

Picture 16 in the GunBroker listing sure looks like it has 10 groves.

Don remembers the rifle it was made for a friend of a friend.
It was made as a 54 and was cut out to 58 during its service life.
Don thinks it was done by a guy in Oklahoma.
Surprised that it has a cast buttplate.  
All the flint Hawkens he made have shop made buttplates.

Dan

[Dphariss]

The sights on the rifle are not what Don installed either.

Dan

[Don Stith]

I'm sure it is maple, but the auction ad said  walnut

[Roger B]

Your barrel was most likely done by Don Goucher of El Reno, OK.
Roger B.

[Windriverbob]

Thanks Dan for contacting Don.
Being re-rifled would explain why the breech plug had been removed. The twist seems to be 1 in 48". I haven't had any experience with a .58 in that fast of a twist. Should be interesting when I get it out to the range. Here is some additional information for those who might be interested. The stock is maple, the lock is a H. W. Robbins. It does have 10 lands and grooves. Now I need to figure out who might have done the re-rifle job. Anyone know of an Oklahoma barrelsmith who might have done the Work?

[Windriverbob]

Thanks Roger
I didn't see your post until after I added some information. Is Don Goucher still alive?

[Dphariss]

Don said it had a Robbins lock. I forgot to put that in the previous post.
It was a good find. Don did not make many percussion Hawken rifles.

Dan

[Simon]

Thanks Roger
I didn't see your post until after I added some information. Is Don Goucher still alive?

This information is on Google--------Don Goucher            405 262 5604

                                                        2715 S  Estate Dr.
                                                         El Reno, Ok 73036-6105

[Windriverbob]

Thanks. A long time friend of his told me he has passed away. Google probably has his old contact information.

[Windriverbob]

I spoke with Don King a couple of days ago about the rifle. It turns out I know the gentleman he made the rifle for. He still lives in the area and I spoke with him after talking with Don. The original owner didn't change the caliber while he had it or the sights. This is the second time it has been back in the Wichita area after the original owner sold it. It has been well traveled since being made in 1971. It's globe trotting days are over with for awhile.

Bob

[Dphariss]

I spoke with Don King a couple of days ago about the rifle. It turns out I know the gentleman he made the rifle for. He still lives in the area and I spoke with him after talking with Don. The original owner didn't change the caliber while he had it or the sights. This is the second time it has been back in the Wichita area after the original owner sold it. It has been well traveled since being made in 1971. It's globe trotting days are over with for awhile.

Bob

Did the original owner mention the sights that came on the rifle? The rear sight dovetail is not what Don usually used for a rear sight so i wonder if Don put these on originally?
Don's typical Hawken rear sight was similar to the Schillinger "Modena" sight and has a longer base.
Based on this the sights might be original to the gun?? But this is supposition.
In any event you did well, as you may know from talking to Don, he made few percussion Hawkens.
Most looked like these.





Photo was taken at Chadron NE in 1971

Dan