Cabelas Hawken
 

I'm trying to find out about Cabelas Traditional Hawken rifle, my wife wants to buy me one for Christmas and I would like to find out if there are any concerns as far as quality or anything else I should know about it. I'm looking at the .54 percussion thanks for any information you can give.

Duane

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

Buy the longer version! On occasion, the shorter stock has-had wood-cracking issues near the trigger guard. Also.... tell her to have the store salesman bring three rifles to the counter-table. The quality of the wood grain & stain colorvaries. This way, she can pick-out the one that's most appealing.

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

The Cabela's Hawkins used to be made by Investarm s.p.a.. The same people that make Lyman Rifles. My friend's wife bought him a .54 caliber long Hawkins (not the carbine) and it is a beautiful excellent shooting rifle. It has a 1-48 twist and shoots conicals as well as roundball very well. He has take a couple deer with it.

I have a Lyman Trade Rifle which is basically the same rifle in .54 caliber. The difference is the Lyman Trade rifle does not have the fancy brass patch box. D&R Sports has the best price on them. Unless you want the fancy one, that would be another alternative. Lymans, Investarms, all good rifles, good shooters, made in Italy.

Keep the wife.. if she buys guns, she's all right in my book!! :D

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

I have one in 50 cal that I picked up for free. The disgusted owner had left it for dead and gave it to mewith a dry-balled PRB and then a charged PRB, seized nippleand had broken the ramrod.

After removing the double load, a complete detail cleaning, mild bore polishing, a hand made ramrod,light sanding and oilingon the stock, polishing the hardwareand tuning the lock the rifle looks and shoots like brand new.

Nice rifles. As mentioned, don't mess with the short barreled carbine version and if you can hand select your woodgrain stock to ensure that the wrist is with the grain not cross-grained.

Nice gift!

Tahquamenon

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

They seem like good rifles to me. THey are very popular!

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

A better alternative (in my opinion) is the T/C Renegade or Hawkens. You can buy a slew of aftermarket drop-in barrels for either one& that's what sets them apart from most other manufacturer makes & models-- plus T/C's best ML warranty in the entire firearms business.

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

this is what I wanted to know I would rather have a lyman gph but the budget wont allow that it doesen't sound like I can go to far wrong with this rifle.

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

The same 15/16" GM IBS drop-in barrels that fit the T/C Hawken will fit the Cabelas/Investarms Hawken.

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

thanks thats a good thing to know.

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

According to my Green Mountain Chart... they have drop in barrels for the Cabela's Hawkins, Investarms, Lyman Trade Rifle, Lyman Deerstalker, Lyman Deerstalker carbine, the T/C Hawkins, Renegade. Renegade Hunter, and T/C Big Bore.

With these drop in barrels they range in caliber from .32 - .50 in fast and slow twist barrels. In order to get the bigger calibers, you have to go to a Thompson Center .54 caliber rifle and then you can get a drop in all the way up to a .62 caliber.

Good luck with your selection.

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

My only concern with those contraptions is that they don't really resemble a true Hawken rifle in any respect except that they are half-stocks.

IF you want a good quality rifle that is based on the Hawken Plains rifle pattern, I recommend a Lyman Great Plains rifle. Except for custom-made guns, these are very close to a real Hawken. They still come in .54 as well as .50.

Another excellent, and reasonably priced hawken reproduction is the Santa Fe Hawken. These rifles are exact reproductions, except for caliber,of the rifle the Commanches took from Jedediah Smith when they killed him in 1831. Jed's was about a .53, and took 526" balls. These new ones are .50 or .54. The Commanches sold his rifle and two pistols to the Spanish in Santa Fe.

http://www.ubertireplicas.com/whats-newModels.html

The Lyman Great Plains is a high-quality piece, and even the flintlock version fires well with no alterations to the frizzen or lock mechanism!

I have one of the Santa Fe hawkens. It shoots very well, but is a little on the heavy side. Good to carry on horseback, but not too far on foot!

RE: Cabelas Hawken
 

Actually, you can go up to .54cal in a 15/16" GM IBS barrel.