OK here goes...
First, let me say that for the most part, all three rifles are inlet fairly well, have decent wood typical of original Hawken rifles, and are priced very reasonably. I think these rifles, especially the Sharon Rifle Works #3, were made during a time when authentic parts were not readily available - witness entry pipe and butt plate shape. A lot of us used those same parts to make our Hawken rifles, in those days.
But the OP requested a critique.
#1
LOP way too long
Appears to be Chromium Trioxide stain evidenced by the green cast of the curl.
escutcheon plates could have been spaced better
lock not bottomed in the mortise
lock panels too chubby and lack sculpting especially at the front end
hammer cup doesn't align with nipple -= too far forward
gap between rib and nose cap excessive
two pins in entry pipe - redundant
needs better solder clean up on piples and rib
jag on the rod?
front sight too far forward
cheek piece lower line should not intersect back end of lock panel
trigger guard mainspring screw too long - pushing guard away from trigger plate
domed screws (butt plate)
lock bolt escutcheon unusual shape - too big
no attempt to clean up or file sculpt breech snail
I like to see a screw at the rear end of the trigger plate
forestock is shaped well with no slab-sidedness but the panels along the trigger plate are missing
barrel keys left too thick - heads too fat
nice wood - well finished
decent quality parts and a good price
#2
lock panel undercut too much and a too pointed at the rear. Not sculpted at the front end - too beefy
domed butt plate screws
escutcheons not dressed with the wood and screw heads domed
keys too fat and thick
solder clean up on pipes poor
nose cap/entry pipe relationship incorrect - cap should begin at mouth of pipe
under rib upper lip too heavy
nice cheek piece
trigger guard shaped nicely
domed butt plate screws
lock panels WAY TOO FAT
no attempt to file dress the cast breech snail and tang
domed forward tang screw and forward screw too far forward
barrel and breech plug browned together - grease line evident
panels along trigger plate erased by oversanding
priced cheap
#3
production rifle from Sharon Rifle Works circa 1978
butt plate too much crescent and not enough heel
lock panels poorly sculpted, especially at the front end
steel has been hot blued and too much nickel or chromium in the alloy caused purple hue to trigger guard, lock and breech plug
comb line is swamped
domed butt plate screws
allen headed screw in snail is inappropriate
escutcheon plates too narrow
nose cap shape is incorrect
ramrod candy strip is inappropriate
cheek piece is good shape
barrel key heads need shaping
two entry pipe pins
entry pipe casting is poor - tail too short, and transition ramp too long
forward tang screw much too far forward
needs a screw in the rear end of the trigger plate
panelling lost along trigger plate
butt plate screw in cresent is 1 1/4" too high and domed.
All that being said, these rifles were made at a time when there wasn't very much published material on Hawken rifles, and builders frequently copied others mistakes. Combine that with the fact that correct parts were not commercially available and had to be hand made, if you could glean what WAS correct from someone 'in the know'. There is much variation in original Hawken rifles but there are nuances that set them apart. To learn these nuances, careful study is necessary. I highly recommend Jim Gordon's Volume III of his three book set, "Great Gunmakers for the Early West". There you will see the diversity and the consistency of Hawken rifles.
