introductions

[Joe S.]

howdy all,newbie here.Getting ready to start my first build.Spent a Lotta time coming up with a plan,many months doing my homework via books,Internet and road trips to hopefully get it right.Being from Pennsylvania we have many a flintlock styles to choose from.I really like the long stock look but maybe not all the fancy trim.Decided to go with a long stock hawkens flint.Like the look and also wanted a bigger caliber for hunting deer and maybe elk or a moose hunt if I ever get the  opportunity. Spent many hours doing my homework on these rifles and many times have more questions than answers.I know Hawkens rifles are not associated with Pennsylvania but father and sons started building not to far away and while there are many differances they all have many similarities as well.I have seen here and other sites there is great debate how to have a period perfect hawkens.I'm hoping to just build a nice flintlock which brings me here,you folks have a plethora of experience and are willing to share it. Thanks in advance for the help I may need,Joe

[Acer Saccharum]

Welcome aboard, Joe!

While Hawkens are not my thing, there are members here who specialize in them. I hope you have fun on your build, it can be so rewarding.

Tom

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Welcome to the ALR site Joe!  You will indeed get lots of advice here, and perhaps some of it may rub your fur backwards at times.  If you intend to build a full stocked Hawken flint rifle, you have bitten off a good chunk on which to chew.  There are nuances in these rifles that will make or break the build, as I see you are interested in making a good effort to get it 'right'.
It is my opinion that Jim Gordon's "Great Gunmakers for the Early West" Volume III, titled "Western US" is your best reference work on this particular rifle.  In it, you'll be able to study several examples of full stocked Hawken rifles, though none have flintlock ignition at this time.
Do you notice that I refer to the rifles as "HAWKEN" RIFLES - NOT HAWKENS.  I have seen this mistake many times and it always grates on me.  My philosophy is that if you can't get the name right, the chances are slim you'll get the build right.
So study as many examples as you can find from every source, buy the best components that you can find and afford, and enjoy the ride.  Ask lots of questions.  There are a few of us here who also have a warm spot for Hawken rifles, and we'll help where we are able.

I see Acer Sac-o-rum has beaten me to the punch.  Notice he refers to the rifles collectively as "Hawkens", which is correct.  But a singular rifle is a "Hawken".

[bob in the woods]

Some years ago, there was a video by Hershel House, re building a "Hawken" rifle.  I know that he is a gifted craftsman, and I have learned much from some of his other instructional videos.  Perhaps another option for learning the nuances ?
[ I've not seen this one, as "Hawken" rifles are outside my scope of interest ]

[gwill]

Welcome aboard Joe. If you're interested in a Hawken kit I hear that Don Stith's are hard to beat. His website is easy to find via a Google search. Best of luck and enjoy the addiction.

[Topknot]

Howdy do back to you Joe, you have come to the right spot to learn. These old f--ts know their business on building. Like was said earlier, some specialize in building hawkens. Look up Herb on this site. He can help you get started out on the right foot.
Welcome aboard Joe.

                                       topknot

[Bob Roller]

Welcome aboard Joe. If you're interested in a Hawken kit I hear that Don Stith's are hard to beat. His website is easy to find via a Google search. Best of luck and enjoy the addiction.

Don Stith's E mail is <ONTARGETS@AOL.COM>

Bob Roller

[whitebear]

Jo in Karate a beginner wears a white belt, almost universally no matter the particular stile.  This lets everyone know that they are beginners and can easily be hurt by a more experienced student or not having the control of the other more experienced students can hurt someone without trying.

In American civil war Reenacting a newbie has to tear a paper cartridge open pour the powder in his hand and spit on the powder.  Then he has the pleasure of rubbing it onto his face.  The reasons are about the same as the above karate explanation.

We aren't going to make you wear or do anything special but the more questions you ask the more you and everyone else will learn.  You are doing a good job asking questions the only stupid question is the one that you don't ask.  Welcome to the forum I couldn't guess how many hundred or thousand of muzzleloaders have been built by the people on this forum.  Let me know if I can help or post another question on the forum.  We love showing how smart we are by answering questions !

[Nordnecker]

You've come to the right place. I second the recommendation for Hershel House' Hawken video. Even though I have no particular interest in Hawkens at this time, I really got a lot of encouragement from watching that video.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

Joe S.

You probably should look at the pictures and read the copy on the following fullstock Hawken built by one of our most respected builders:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=8848.msg83485;topicseen#msg83485

[KLMoors]

Welcome to ALR. Definitely check out Don Stith's parts sets. I've built a couple and was very happy with everything. He is also a walking encyclopedia on Hawken guns and was willing to answer my questions when I got rolling on the builds.

[frogwalking]

Welcome.  Before you jump into a Hawken, please go to the ALR Library and look at all the rifles under Lancaster county Pennsylvania.  I was surprised to find only (about) half of them to be extensively engraved and carved.  Some had no carving at all. One has no patchbox. The style and shape are beautiful without the doo dads, and they are much lighter and more useful to those of us without a horse than an authentic Hawken.  Then there are the Tennessee rifles.