Hawken Rifles

[p. gannon]

I have a few general questions regarding Samuel Hawken’s rifles.

What was the approximate date that he began to produce his famed Hawken rifle?
Were the early ones full stock flintlocks?
If so when did he transition to percussion and half stocks?
Did he use patch boxes regularly or not?

Thanks,
Paul

[scooter]

1822 is accepted date for Sam's removal from Xenia, OH, to St Louis, MO. Thus {1] all his OH guns were flint initially [2] some of his St Louis guns were flint. These 2 things settled, most of hsi OH made guns were fullstock. How many fullstock guns he made in St. Louis will always be unknown, but probably "not many." Better question is whether he consciously decided to make "Hawken rifles" or it just accidentally evolved as buyers said we want plain guns, half-stocked, in large bore over opposite that he had been making in Ohio. I sincerely doubt any of St Louis makers consciously set out to make "Hawken rifles."

[Swampwalker]

Paul - while no Hawken expert by any means, I have been researching the rifles to some extent, mainly because I am buildling a rifle inspired by the S. Hawken fullstock in the Cody museaum collection (this collection is available on-line).  My research suggests that full-stocked rifles were available til quite late, and were cheaper than the half-stocked, hooked breech rifles.  Also it appears that the supply of percussion caps pre 1830 or so was not reliable, especially in wilderness trading posts, suggesting that usage of percussion-lock rifles much before 1830 was not extensive on the frontier.  The few Hawken rifles I have seen pre-1840 or so do not look like the typical scroll-guard, half-stock rifles we've come to associate with the label 'Hawken'. 

[Clowdis]

I wonder what went with him when he moved. Did he take stock blanks? Maybe more maple in the Ohio region than around St. Louis? How many barrels and locks did he take? And just one other thing that has always bugged me, anyone else notice the similarity between the southern mountain iron hardware and Hawken iron hardware? I would assume that he would have started making the rifles with which he was acustomed to making and gradually switched to the design that the people and area demanded, just like the 'smiths today. You make the rifle the customer askes for. Sorry Paul, but more questions than answers on my part too.

[Sean]

There are a few pre-J&S script signed S. Hawken guns out there.  The only one to my knowledge that has been published is the gun in Hanson's book from the Riesner collection.  Most of these are very Maryland-looking, but no one can pin down exactly where they were made.  Could be Hagerstown, or Zenia, or even 1822-25 before he stated working with Jake in St. Louis.  Could be all three.

Sean