Another muzzle loader... Nothing special about this one, but it was my main hunting rifle for an awfully long time. It's another kit I built as a teenager; actually the first kit I ever built. It's a .54 caliber Thompson / Center "Hawken". Standard hunting load is 120 grains of FFg with the 450 grain Lyman "Great Plains" bullet shown, for just over 1,500 fps. I've killed several dozen animals with this thing, and have never managed to find one that will actually stop one of these heavy bullets. It even achieves full lengthwise penetration on our Washington elk. My plinking load is 100 grains of FFG and a .530" round ball, patched with .015" pillow ticking and lubed with bore butter. I have a second barrel sighted for that load.

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This one of a kind JJ Luke was custom built for black powder competition. Note the side lever set trigger. It feels incredibly sweet resting in your hand.

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If I remember correctly, Dave offered me $150 for it a couple of years ago.

Is that a false muzzle on it?

good to know. i was concerned about hunting deer with my muzzleloader. i use a 270 gr/.50 cal bullet over 82 gr of FFG.

I've got the .50. Love that gun. Fun being at the range and having youngin's take a break from shooting their black rifles and come over and take a look. Last time I was at the rifle range with it, I was set up next to two guys in their 20s. The one guy had an AR with so much crap hanging off it, I wouldn't be surprised if it made espresso.

I set Hawken off with 110 grains of FFG and some flavor of Powerbelt. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see both guys jump. :D One of them said, 'holy schit!'.

mine is a .50 thompson/center firehawk. i really love that rifle. it is very light, well balanced, and wicked accurate. i have a peep sight on it. my wife got it for me for christmas 18 years ago.

Yes. Here is a closer look.
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Very handsome... I love these flint locks because there's a delay between pulling the trigger and the gun firing. It takes discipline to fire them accurately.

Front stuffers are kind of poorly understood in today's world of high velocity, small bore, light bullets. Their "paper ballistics" are not all that impressive. They kill in a different way, however - bullet mass and diameter. They penetrate like no one's business. Their pure lead projectiles simply do not break up, no matter what they hit.

The only exception, in my mind, is the round ball. I've hunted enough with them to have determined we should probably not hunt with them. Unless they are really big - like 12 bore and up. Even the .50's and .54's are very marginal with the round ball. I have never had one exit - even on a broadside shot. They are just too light for caliber and lose velocity like a badminton shuttlecock - use a conical bullet if you are going to hunt with a muzzle loader. They maintain velocity much better, and penetrate better as well.

Oh, and yes - if you really want to learn to shoot, pick up the flint lock. You will find no more demanding task master.

Some very interesting things here; thanks for posting, guys!

Somewhat rare Colt 1905. The first version of the 45 ACP. Original magazine and grips. Check the serial number.

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that's a beautiful thing Henry!

I'm on the fence about having it restored. What are your thoughts?

it's pretty rare gun Henry. I would think tampering with it would kill any collectable value. But it's your gun, do as you wish.

The reason I ask you is because you know your TIHS backwards & forwards so I value your opinion.

You know me: I need quality but I like them young. So a 45 year old that looks 25 works for me (even if it took a face lift to get there) lol

I noticed a restored 1905 go for $ 5,000 at auction recently, so I'm thinking the restoration didn't change to value much if any?

rare is rare at any price and condition I guess. If it were mine, I would leave it. But I do know how you are LOL. You do have the right guy for the correct bluing process, so.....

Colt 1905
 

Very nice example of a rare Colt! There were only 6100 of these made. Serial numbers ran up to 6210 but some numbers were not used. The first one was shipped on December 1, 1905 and the last one (3 actually) on September 11, 1917. The guns from #1 thru about 3609 had the round hammers with the later guns having the spur type hammers. The earliest hammers had hand cut checkering while the later ones were stamped checkering. A few of these guns were cut for holster/stocks. All were finished in the high polish blue also known as the oil finish blue. All of the production 1905s had checkered walnut grips. For more info, find a copy of "The Colt Model 1905 Automatic Pistol" by John Potocki printed in 1998.

Like classic cars, they're only original once. Nice spoon.

Well I got the 3 Hawken style muzzle loaders that Doug Knoell made about 25 years ago and I shot the one with his Border Patrol name tag this morning at our monthly match. For a gun I had never shot I was really happy.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1391381173.jpg
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Not just NO! BUT FK NO!!!! Your an idiot if your restore that Pistola. The patina on that one is HISTORY.

5K for a restored one...OK but what was the cost of the resto????? then add in the price of the pistola....

Igf you want a cleaner one step up to the plate and buy one...I imagine it would cost you around 12K to find one that would meet your expectations...

GOD I can not believe this cr@p.