Hi, Jim; you mentioned what you are doing is done all the time in high-end longrifle building, and there is the problem, as I see it. As I tried to say, but I guess fell short of fully explaining, on most any other style of muzzleloading rifle, one can make any and all modifications and improvements and suffer no ill will. As you are no doubt finding out, some of us crusty old buckskinners (myself turning 74 next month), we've seen too many guns over the years called Hawken that fell short of the looks and feel of what Sam and Jake made. You even mentioned you are not a fan of the guns that the Hawken brothers made, so I'm probably not able to convey what some of us think. When I first saw your update video, I felt the fancier finial on the entry pipe and trigger plate should be made "plainer", as in most of the guns they made. You've made your own butt plate, which again, on most rifles, would be fine, and most younger shooters will probably love it. I know whatever you market is going to be the finest quality we've ever seen, and therefore I should be grateful, but there are a lot of us out here in the world that have been hoping and wishing for the day we'd see a great quality reproduction that was a true replica of an original. GRRW came close years ago with their Jim Bridger commemorative, but even it fell a bit short. I realize you are a businessman and need to market something that will reach hundreds, if not thousands of customers, in order to succeed. What you have shown us in the update will probably meet most folks criteria, I just was hoping for a closer copy of an original rifle, whether it was the Kit Carson or Jim Bridger, or any number of original Hawken rifles in private or public collecitions. Again, this is not bashing your entry, however it comes to market, those of us that buy it will be thrilled at the quality, it looks to be the best we have ever had access to, without getting a custom gun such as Taylor S., or Selb, etc..and most of those artisans are getting out of the business! Is there any chance, since you have the most modern techniques available, that some minor modifications could be made to satisfy the few of us that are apparently too darn particular about what we want in a Hawken? In other words, market your version as you see fit, but would there be any chance at all for a stock with a 'standard' entry pipe and trigger bar inlet, or even have a stock with no inletting cut for those pieces? I have no experience with CNC, and don't know if this is even feasible from your standpoint. If it is possible, it may surprise you how much demand you could have!
