New Cabela's Traditional Hawken

[Dave Markowitz]

The other day the BBT dropped off a new Cabela's Traditional Hawken for me. No, the pics aren't backwards, this is a left handed rifle.

It's a .50 with a 1:48 twist. I'm hoping to take it out tomorrow and run some patched round balls through it. I'm also planning to try some conicals eventually.

It's almost a left handed Lyman Trade Rifle, which is what I have wanted for a long time but isn't offered. Both the Cabela's rifles and the LTR are made in Italy by Investarm. The main difference between the Cabela's and the Lymans are the addition of the cap box and the double set triggers on the Cabela's guns.

I should point out that although they dub this as a "traditional" rifle, it's not a replica of any 19th Century gun. More of a late 20th Century interpretation of a plains rifle, similar to the T/C Hawken. Lyman's Great Plains Rifle (also made by Investarm) is more authentic. I just happen to like these anyway.

Range report to follow.

 

[FrontierGander]

very nice looking wood on that rifle!

my dad has the sporterized hawken .50cal I just traded off my .45 sporterized hawken at rendezvous.

for conicals. give the 295gr Powerbelt with 80-90gr pyrodex rs or equal a try. My dads hawken will drill the 100 yard 3" circle all day long.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Range Report

The weather was nice so I got to burn some charcoal in the Cabela's Hawken today.

Overall, I'm quite pleased. The bore needs breaking in -- the lands are still sharp and I'm getting some cut patches. Still accuracy seems fine at 50 yards, with offhand groups inside ~3" when I do my part. My load was 80 grains FFg Goex, a swaged .490 RB, pillow ticking patches, Track of the Wolf Mink Oil lube, sparked by RWS caps. I'm looking forward to shooting this rifle a lot more.