Thank you. Like I said, I'm pretty excited to finally add a real Hawken to the family. It's been a long time coming.
Many importers and manufacturers supply "Hawken" rifles. It's become a somewhat ubiquitous moniker for any half stocked muzzle loader. Unfortunately, most of today's "Hawken" pattern rifles miss the mark by a good deal. Thompson / Center started this trend in the 1970's with their "Hawken" rifle, one of which I purchased and built in about 1979. It has proven to be an absolutely fantastic hunting rifle, and I've taken more game with it than I will ever remember. It is, however, not even close to the "Hawken" pattern. It's more of an upper New England region German "Jaeger" pattern, with lots of fancy brass furniture, engraving, etc.:
Its big attraction to me, initially, was its ability to shoot the heavy conical bullet, as shown in the photo. A .54 caliber round ball only weighs 230 grains. That thing, a Lyman Great Plains Bullet, weighs 460, twice the weight. Far more effective on game, per our modern thinking. And, boy, I have to say - a fair number of deer, elk, and black bear would not argue.
.54 caliber round ball, T/C Maxi Ball, and Lyman Great Plains bullet:
But that's not really the same, is it? If we are going to hunt with "period" equipment, is that really right? I began to think not. The next step was going to be a round ball shooter. The problem, though, is I think I went "too far". My next rifle build was a Tennessee "Poor Boy" long rifle. Round ball shooter, but of .50 caliber and flintlock ignition. Kind of difficult in our wet Pacific Northwest fall weather, and marginally effective on mule deer, elk, and black bear. Although I did manage to take one or two of each. I just needed more of a "Western" rifle:
So, next up was a Lyman Great Plains Rifle. This is a much, much better representation of the Hawken. .54 caliber, round ball only. I have to say, for anyone wanting a "Hawken experience" at minimal cost and commitment, this is the one. It really is a fantastic rifle. Very, very close in most details. In the end, however, an imported rifle built to a cost. It's great for what it is, but it only served to whet the appetite for a real Hawken:
So, that's what's next. A real Hawken. I want to get one while I can. Before I'm either too old, or they are too old. Hell, they have only been made, continuously, for 200 years. God only knows when they'll stop. I want mine before they do...