My babies!
 

These are my black powder babies. The top one is a handmade pennsylvania long rifle from the late Tom Ball of Ball Accuracy in Pennsylvania (my great uncle). The bottom one is a S Hawken that was from his private collection. He was an awesome black powder gunsmith and both rifles are extremely accurate. I have killed deer with both of these weapons, however I am EXTREMELY picky about what type of weather/hunting situations I have ever taken these guns out in. BTW these are true black powder guns and may only be shot with black powder/patch and ball. None of that new fancy stuff. Just thought I would share. Thanks.

Love the Hawken. Your uncle built it, or are you saying it's an original Hawken?

Hawken
 

To be honest I am really not sure about the Hawken. He did make the other gun himself, it was a graduation gift made for my brother. Tom Ball was well known in the cowboy shooting sports, especially for accurizing black powder pistols. My uncle had a small collection of old guns when he passed away. Had about 20 or so rifles including original henrys, sharps, and older flintlock and percussion guns. This was one them. My father has an original brockwood (sp.) squirrel gun that was from his collection. It was made in the 1860's and still shoots quite well. It is a beautiful rifle also.

The Hawken will say S Hawken on it if it's original. It will also be worth a fortune.

To be honest. It looks too nice to be an original. Most of them are pretty beat up.

very nice rifles. And there sure is nothing wrong with shooting real black powder.

hawken
 

Has S. Hawken on sideplate. Stock has a few scratches, small cracks near buttplate, otherwise really nice. Not sure of true age but by looking at the patina on the metal hardware and such it is quite old. This gun is HEAVY. It easily outweighs the one he made. To be honest, I never really thought about what they may be worth. The fact that one was made by him and the other was one of his collector pieces make them more valuable to me than anything. I hope someday I can pass them on to one of my daugters/grandkids(if I have them).

It should be S Hawken on the barrel. It might have been a lock Hawken made.

I don't know of it's true value, but it would probably buy a house.

Beautiful rifles.

My Uncle was obsessed somewhat with accuracy. Would not be surprised if stock, plate, lock were original with a handmade barrel from him. All of the other metal on the gun looks way older than the barrel. When I say this thing shoots, it is an old school tack driver for a black powder gun. There are no markings on the barrel. I have owned the gun for about 11 years. The lock appears to have been engraved as opposed to stamped. The letters are not perfectly aligned and spaced as you would think a stamped piece would be.

Take some more close up pictures. I never get tired of looking at Hawkens.