Hawken build update

H

Hawg

New member
It's getting there. Commentary is from the builder.

lots of sanding done, some serious shaping taking place. This is all 60 and then 80-grit work, BTW, which is the stage at which the polish left by sharp chisels and gouges is ground away, and the polish to come from progressively finer sheets of paper isn't there, yet, so you won't see much curl in the wood right now.

014-3.jpg


Right and left views of the butt and breech area. The lock panels are going to be slimmed up more, but when working with 60 and 80 grit paper on an oscillating sander it's best not to try to get too fancy on small details. That comes later.

018-5.jpg


019-2.jpg


An interesting shot of the cheekpiece contour, showing how its curve is in line with the top curve of the sideplate panel. The slight downward curve as the cheekpiece blends into the wrist will fade away with finer and more detailed sanding.

021-2.jpg


The butt, from the top, showing both cast-off and the slimness the comb is taking on. On my inexpensive trade rifles I don't cut this detail quite as fine, but I've noticed that on the Hawkens I've seen the comb tapers to a very slender, almost pointed profile when seen from above, and that's a detail I very much wanted to capture on this gun. It's getting there. Removing wood in this area is best done in stages, or you lose perspective and can quickly end up with something that causes you to give serious thought to taking up finger painting or coloring books, something a little less critical/stressful.

022-1.jpg
 
More as I get it. This is a unique and fascinating experience for me. Watching this rifle being built from the ground up and knowing it's mine when it's finished. The anticipation is killing me.:D
 
I built a .54 Hawken flintlock with the mandatory double-set triggers and hook breach, and brass furniture. It was about the 3rd flintlock I built and I took extra care to do it right. It's as accurate as any modern gun in my rack and still looks pretty good, with the patina and wear of nearly 30 years of field and range use. It's probably my favorite rifle of all those in my collection.

I had forgotten just how satisfying building such a gun is. It's been a lot of years since I took on such a project. Reading this thread has rekindled my interest full force, so now I'm setting up the shop I have in the basement to do it anew. I found all the inletting tools I had carefully put away, and the notes and plans I had kept the last time I had such a shop- about 2 houses, 1 divorce and a war ago.

As I wrote in the "reloading" threads: Since the stuff you need to handload cartridges is scarce or unavailable lately, why not put handloading cartridges on hold for a while and handload the gun?
 
No offense intended but I can't believe you used Hawken and brass in the same sentence.:D Early Hawken's were iron mounted. Late ones were either iron or pewter mounted.
 
Beautifull job there Hawg, now ya got me wantin to put my non-essential woodworking skills to the test. How much time have you invested in this project so far?
 
How much time have you invested in this project so far?
Click to expand...

None, I'm not building it. The builder has been working on it in his spare time for a couple of months but as to how long it's taking for the actual build I have no idea. He's also building three other rifles along with this one.
 
Quote: "No offense intended but I can't believe you used Hawken and brass in the same sentence. Early Hawken's were iron mounted. Late ones were either iron or pewter mounted."

Yeah, I know, a couple of others gave me trouble about the brass furniture.

I used brass because I liked the way it looked better.

From the National Firearms Museum website on a page titled "Hunting- The Hunting Tradition":

"Built by Samuel Hawken in his St. Louis gunshop circa 1849, this .50 caliber muzzleloader is an example of the late pattern Hawken rifle taken west by goldseekers and settlers. ... An unusual feature of this rifle's stock is the German silver patchbox, likely inletted from another rifle. Most Hawken rifles were plainly finished, leaving owners to improvise decoration."

Well, I improvised.

Guess I ought to have called it a "Hawken type" rifle, or a "Plains rifle", or left the Hawken out of it and called it a "half-stock large caliber rifle reminiscent of the guns of the early 1800's and the move westward, with double set triggers, hook breach, and a barrel shorter than the Kentucky rifles (made in Pennsylvania) that preceded them".
 
"Thet thar tain't jus' eny brass buttplait, it's goold! Puurre goold sure 'nuff comin' all de' way from da' Californy rush!" :D
 
Last edited:
Woodwork is almost done. Inletting the toe plate and final sanding and it will be ready to stain and the metal will be browned.
The stain will be a honey maple alcohol stain that, Tip Curtis swears is the closest to natural finish you can get and still bring the curl out in the wood. Tung oil will be applied over that.
003-34.jpg
 
That a beauty, Hawg. Thats a dead ringer for a mid term Hawken, halfstock, caplock, and iron. Now when you get this one shot in, you can start on an early fullstock flintlock!!! Git your mule up here and we'll go b'ar huntin'.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top