Ithaca Hawken kit re-do

[reddogge]

Since I put this question about re-doing my Ithaca Hawken kit on here I thought I'd show the results.

Lock panels and side panel before.





After reshaping and thinning down.







I took 1" off of length of pull. 14.5" to 13.5'. Now it fits me.

[dadybear1]

LOOKS TO ME LIKE YOU DID A GREAT JOB!!!!!!

[mountainman70]

Nice work so far.
I redid one of these about 2018?
Taylor S and a couple others here advised me on those very things you are doing
Yea, I shortened lop too
The finished rifle was featured here. I doubt if pics remain.
Keep us posted.
Hawken is well regarded by most of us here
Best regards
Dave F

[Roger B]

Much better!
Roger B

[reddogge]

Even after shortening LOP I realized what a heavy rifle Hawkens are. This one only weighs 9# but it is a beast for me to hold offhand at my age.

[Bob Roller]

Good job and that kit was ideal for your ideas about making it a better gun.I'd like to see a Hawken styled rifle with fine,burl walnut,upgraded lock and color case hardened butt plate and trigger guard.Checkered grip would be good as well.

Bob Roller

[reddogge]

Good job and that kit was ideal for your ideas about making it a better gun.I'd like to see a Hawken styled rifle with fine,burl walnut,upgraded lock and color case hardened butt plate and trigger guard.Checkered grip would be good as well.

Bob Roller

That would be something to see. At the time in 1977 or 1978 this was one of the few Hawken kits out there that was anything close to what one looked like. I had no idea either what a real one looked like either. This one fills the bill for now and fits me which is most important.

[Bob Roller]

Look at the N;G.Whitmore half stock rifle in the Smithsonian and you will see my ideas as to the way a half stock caplock rifle should look.
The recorded tests by Mr Whitmore indicated it was as accurate as it is good looking.As far as I know (which isn't very far) there have been no attempts to make a facsimile of this superb rifle.It stands out like a goose egg in a bucket of coal.
Bob Roller

[reddogge]

Some of those on here gave me advise on cutting the butt stock which was appreciated. What I wound up doing is using a piece of plywood as a jig and screwed the stock to it with a screw through the lock bolt hole That held the stock in a good 90 degree solid attitude while cutting on the bandsaw. I taped the stock and used a cardboard template cut out from the buttplate to draw the new line on the stock. It worked out really nice.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

In answer to Bob Roller's request, I post here a few images of a Hawken rifle I made for myself in 1980.  Alas, it doesn't have colour cased furniture, rather browned steel.  But the rifle has a 1" .50 cal barrel at 34" length, figured Claro walnut stock, chequered wrist, tuned L&R lock and triggers and variant guard.  I rebuilt a Cherry Corners/Ithaca Hawken about that same time for a teen aged lad who was living with us at the time, and like yours, it turned out to be a winner.  Nice work.

[reddogge]

Thanks, Taylor.

[T.C.Albert]

I may be seeing things, or just showing my ignorance, but what’s that big hole in the off side of the breech?
Tim A

[Daryl]

Clean-cut screw hole missing screw?

[reddogge]

It's a clean out screw and it's in there but you can't see it from that picture.