Hawken Nosecap/Underrib Relationship

[Tizzy]

Looking for a little advice from you Hawken experts out there. I am currently working on a project that I hope at least resembles a rifle that could have been made in the Hawken brothers shop..My question is...how close were the nose cap and underrib mated together on originals? Were they completely  mated, or was a gap present? I have never had the opportunity to examine an original.

[Mtn Meek]

Not an expert, just a student.  On some Hawken rifles the underrib was as close to the nose cap as practical and still be able to swing the barrel up and disengage the hook at the breech.

Here is a J&S Hawken rifle.


This is the Kit Carson S. Hawken rifle.


This is not an original Hawken rifle but it is one of Art Ressel's kits probably assembled by Keith Neubauer.  The nose cap has a small recess that the end of the rib fits into.

[Daryl]

They all look just great to me - even the English styled one.

[Bob Roller]

In the long distant past the was a nice Hawken type rifle made using a
Bill Large barrel with a hook breech.To make a short story shorter,the
stock was unstable and elongated the forearm cap against the rib and
accuracy suffered.When the rib was filed so a small gap appeared between
the rib and the cap the problem with accuracy went away.

Bob Roller

[Tim Crosby]

They all look just great to me - even the English styled one.

 Dang I like not only the looks of those leaf sights but their usefulness. It would be fun just sighting them in.
 I'd like to see some other Pix of that one.


   Thanks, Tim

[Tizzy]

Thank you everyone for the replies. The information has been very helpful.

[Dphariss]

Looking for a little advice from you Hawken experts out there. I am currently working on a project that I hope at least resembles a rifle that could have been made in the Hawken brothers shop..My question is...how close were the nose cap and underrib mated together on originals? Were they completely  mated, or was a gap present? I have never had the opportunity to examine an original.

Gaps are always unsightly. Set it as close to the cap as will work if a hooked breech or even cast the tip around it.  This is the cast cap on an early J&S Hawken percussion rifle, probably 1834-36 at the latest due to marking on the lock.


Dan


the end of looper

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Dan, cast, as in pewter?

[Dphariss]

Dan, cast, as in pewter?

Yes.

Dan