Need Advice .... Hawken Hammer Issues.

riverwalker76

New member
I have an Investarms / Dixie Gun Works 54 Caliber percussion Hawken that is acting up on me.

This afternoon I went to shoot it, and every time I fired the hammer would have to be cocked a 2nd or 3rd time before it would fire the cap.

I'm using CCI #11 caps, and have never had an issue with them before.

What's going on with my hammer that it isn't striking with enough force?
 
How long have you had this gun? Do I presume this is a new problem, or is it a new firearm to you?

Could be a weak mainspring. Could be the hammer is loose and striking the cap at an angle. The caps may be slightly small for the nipple and are not fully seated until struck 2-3 times by the hammer. Is the nipple "mushroomed" because of repeated use? If so, remove it, file it back into correct taper - that should help.

That's what comes to mind at the moment for me. Let us know if any of that works.
 
There are a couple of things to check -

First - obviously - you want to take a look at your nipple - how worn is it? If that is O.K.

Second - have you or do you romeove the lock when you clean it? If so, you may have overtightened the lock bolts that go through the stock and into the lockplate. Sounds very minor and it really is but I have had that problem on a number of rifles. The problem may be that with the lock bolts overtightened, the internal parts are tightened into the lock mortise and there is some interference somewhere. A way to check this is by applying a light coat of inletting black or even heavier grease to the inner workings and seeing if any transfers to the wood anywhere in the lock mortise - if so, you may need to "relieve" the wood to prevent it. Believe it or not - even if you haven't overtightened the lock bolts - a change in humidity may have affected it enough since wood does swell.

With an empty barrel pointed in a safe direction - place a cap on the nipple, cock it and pull the trigger - watch the hammer as it falls and see if it is hanging up anywhere along the travel as it drops on the nipple.

I'm not familiar with your gun - does it have a drum and nipple or a patent breech? If it is drum and nipple, check the alignment of the nipple and the hammer cup. Once in a while a drum will loosen and turn just enough to throw the alignment off even though the hammer cup encases the entire nipple (which it should) when it falls.

I don't know if I've explained this very well - if your gun has been working fine right along - then I'd check for binding in the mortise that is just enough to interupt/bind the hammer fall. Good luck and let us know what you come up with.
 
This is a rifle that I've had for a couple of years now. I've never had this issue before, and have only fired the rifle 15 to 20 times since new.
Can the height of the nipple cause issues? I may not have screwed the nipple in all of the way last time I cleaned it.
 
Hello, riverwalker76. If you haven't screwed the nipple in all the way..and your firing it that way...You might come to regret it did happen to go off!:eek:
 
#1 make sure the nipple is completely screwed in.

Firing after the second or third hammer drop is often a sign of the nipple not completely seated. The first hammer fall seats the cap on the nipple but does not have the energy remaining to ignite the cap.
 
robhof

I had a T/C Hawkins do the exact thing; check the screws on the action plate on the inside of the lock, if loose they allow play in the hammer and it will not strile right. Took mine apart, once I figured out the problem and cleaned and Loc Tighted the screws on the plate. That was 2 yrs ago and still working fine.
 
1st. pass; work the nipple

My first pass on this, is always the nipple as your cap is not seating all the way. I'm not saying that it's your fault but more that it's not being allowed to seat. This condition happens often when you get a carbon build up on the cone of the nipple. The fact that you are actually hammering it into it's ignition seat and eventually ignites, indicates that your hammer is providing enough force. .... ;)

A brand new nipple may also give you this condition as the O.D is larger than a used nipple. One of my 50's does this quite often after the tenth ignition when it gets dirty and it's a new nipple as well. I just take the time to clean it and proceed. ..... :)


Be Safe !!!
 
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