Faked Hawken similar to Wyodusters

[mountainman70]

Hello all. Heres pics of similar Hawken fake












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[Wyoduster]

similar but different.. 

[Notchy Bob]

Interesting.  I'm sure it's a fake Hawken, but it looks like a genuine antique.  People must have been faking these for a long time.

Thanks for showing it!

Notchy Bob

[Seth Isaacson]

Interesting.  I'm sure it's a fake Hawken, but it looks like a genuine antique.  People must have been faking these for a long time.

Thanks for showing it!

Notchy Bob

Its not too uncommon for a run of the mill antique half-stock rifle to turn up that someone has stamped "Hawken" on sometime in the 20th or 21st century. The attempts are usually super obvious.

[Notchy Bob]

Its not too uncommon for a run of the mill antique half-stock rifle to turn up that someone has stamped "Hawken" on sometime in the 20th or 21st century. The attempts are usually super obvious.

Thanks, Seth.  That is no doubt correct.  However, we know Horace Kephart was writing about (and inadvertently promoting) Hawken rifles as early as 1897.  The markings on this particular rifle, which is the subject of this thread, are almost certainly fake, but I guess my point was that they appear to have been there for quite a while.  The stampings themselves appear oxidized and even seem to show some pitting.  I'm sure there are some artisans who can fake the aging of wood and metal very convincingly, but if the fake Hawken stampings on this rifle were done recently, the faux aging was done skillfully, even if the markings themselves are obviously incorrect.

Thanks for your comments!

Notchy Bob

[120RIR]

Based on the remarkable work of many skilled contemporary makers, I don't think it would take a lot to age modern stamped marks in such a way that would fool the vast majority of potential buyers.  Fortunately, it would appear that most fakers don't realize how cheaply and easily a very convincing Hawken stamp could be made. 

[Tanselman]

That comment assumes an "honest" looking Hawken name stamp/stamps has not already been made in the past, and used on rifles more similar looking to a Hawken than the old, cheap New York half-stocked rifles we normally see. Probably a bad assumption by modern collectors whose desire to own a Hawken overshadows their knowledge of good barrel stamps. Shelby Gallien

[mountainman70]

Thanks for all the interest. My friend Bob Walden and I took this gun apart,except the guard and triggs, and found some interesting smithin . The barrel is antique, possibly original to the gun, but was re breeched in 60-70 using that period pattent breechplug and tang. Bob has some of those  plug/tangs from back then in new condition, and are alike the one in the barrel. The consensus we have is the gun is an origibnal halfstock ,could have been full,not likely, and was made safe to shoot back in the 60s when there werent many store boughts.

I have shot it some, and am not the least bit afraid of it,barrel is probably a Remington,that type of steel. Lock has half cock notch very close to top of nipple. I will try to get some better pics.
I knew the barrel stamps were likely bogus when I bought it, and didnt pay a lot for it. It just intrigues me ,these old timers do. Kinda like sittin in on an old traveler telling of their life.
But,then, I am an incurable romantic. So be it. Have a great evening y'all. Dave F