Hawes question

[Aguila Blanca]

I'm sort of a sucker for the "oddballs" that show up at my local dealer from time to time. Such was the case with this Hawes "Western Six Shooter" in 22 LR I picked up a few weeks ago.



It's marked "Hawes Firearm Company, Los Angeles, California, Made in Western Germany, by J.P. Sauer & Sohn." on the left side of the barrel. On the right side it says "Western Sixshooter, 22 Caliber."

That looks exactly like the .22 I had back in the 60s. But mine was marked with the maker's name under one of the grip panels. For a long time I thought I remembered it as Sauer, but now I'm sure it wasn't. Might have been Schmidt.

 

[Bob Wright]

Here is my .357 Magnum Hy Hunter, made by J.P. Sauer & Sohn, forerunner of the Hawes. The frame, barrel, cylinder, and innards are steel; the trigger guard, backstrap, and ejector assembly are Zamak.



Or rather, WERE ZAMAK:



I found a brass trigger guard for a Ubertri SA, and a backstrap for a Hawes and sort of fit them on my gun, and made some grips from scrap walnut I had on hand.

Bob Wright

 

[CajunBass]

I believe the alloy is ZAMAK, a zinc based alloy that originated in Germany. ZAMAK is an acronym from "Zinc Aluminum, MAgnesium, Kopfer (copper).

Yea, I figured it was ZAMAK, but I got dragged into a ZAMAK argument once in a Hi-Point thread, so I just started to call it all "some kind of aluminum alloy."

 

[jimbarry]

Thanks for the input and info
I bought my Hawes 357 and as far as I can see it has never been fired but the trigger guard, backstrap and ejector tube shows the wear of a gun used more, apparently just from handling. I de-blued them and it Looked like aluminum but seemed somewhat different (softer?). So I am assuming it is the alloy Zamak
Thanks again

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I found a brass trigger guard for a Ubertri SA, and a backstrap for a Hawes and sort of fit them on my gun, and made some grips from scrap walnut I had on hand.

Very nice, and certainly an improvement from several perspectives. Definitely worthwhile for a .357 Magnum. My little .22 cost me a whopping $25 NIB back in the 60s. If I had it today, I probably still couldn't justify the cost of swapping in a brass strap and real walnut grips (and I'm not skilled enough to make revolver grips for myself).

Yea, I figured it was ZAMAK, but I got dragged into a ZAMAK argument once in a Hi-Point thread, so I just started to call it all "some kind of aluminum alloy."

About the one thing Zamak isn't is aluminum. Call it "pot metal," Zamak, "Chiapalloy" or whatever, it's basically a zinc alloy. The aluminum content is typically only about 4 percent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamak