This one came in about 4-5 days ago, It will be Hawken #11 that gets my special treatment like all the others before her.

Its a .50cal and 1" barrel width. My past experience leads me to believe its a 1:66 twist as the 1:48 I've yet to find in the larger 1" width barrel. I'll be cleaning up the bore here in a bit, but so far the rifling is perfect as its an unbuilt kit. Trigger I already polished, Lock REALLY needs a polishing, its pretty gritty and I can see why with rough textured sear and tumbler. No biggy, an hour of work will get it almost like glass.

I'll work on the barrel flats tonight and prep for browning. I normally brown after I get the dovetails recut for the larger 3/8" dovetail sights.

Truoil as always for the finish, but I am not 100% sure what to go with for stain.

#8 I used dixies best gun stain. Its a brownish red color. Very pretty on walnut! I've done other beechwood stocks and its a good stain for light color woods.

This was on walnut.


Or LMF nut brown on beechwood


I have been in the mood though for another dark hawken. This was with birchwood casey walnut and hand rubbed truoil.


I am really favoring the dark walnut, it just seems warmer.