Plainsmen's rifles

[Gabriel Law]

Here's a couple of Hawken rifles I finished up this spring...a half stocked percussion .62 cal and a flintlock .50 cal fullstocked rifle.

[Good Troy]

WOW! 
They are both awesome, but I really like the lighter color on the flintlock.  It makes the grain POP!

[Gabriel Law]

Me too GT!

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[Blair]

GL,

Both are Great images!
Nice workmanship,
My best,
 Blair

[River City John]

Very nice, Gabriel!


RCJ

[Tsalagidave]

Those are gorgeous Gabriel.  Very nice work my friend.  Have you shot them yet?  If so, what did you use and how did they do.  Really loving the TLC you put into these man.

-Dave

[Gabriel Law]

I test fire every rifle/smoothie/pistol before it goes to its new home.  It is a selfish treat I give myself after months of building.  But it serves more practical purposes too.  It ensures that everything is in harmony and functions flawlessly.  And it gets the gun very close to being sighted-in.  the new owner must do the final shooting to find out what works for them, but it also satisfies me that the rifles, particularly, are accurate.

The .62 half stock used a .613" pure lead ball (from a Lyman .610 mold), a denim .022" patch and mink oil or neatsfoot oil for a patch, over 100 gr. of FFg GOEX.  I personally prefer 125 gr. with this loading, for best accuracy out of a .62 cal round ball rifle, but some shooters are recoil shy.
The .50 flinter fullstock was sighted with the same patch/lube combo and a .495" soft lead ball.  I used 80 gr. FFg GOEX.  I sight them at 50 meters...25 meters tells you little.

Some shooters don't use that much powder - wasteful (cheap) or too much recoil.  But I use the same charges I hunt with.  Target practice is also hunting practice.  My experience tells me that these charges/loads, yield the best accuracy.

I appreciate the kind words, partners.

[LonesomePigeon]

Great Hawken's!

[Niederlander]

Sweeet!!  You are an artist, Sir!

[BlackHillsScout]

Those are really nice rifles, how much time do you have in each of them?

[Gabriel Law]

Thanks for the kind words lads!  I started these two rifles at the same time - November 1, 2015, and worked on them simultaneously until they were both finished at the same time - April 9, 2016.  So that's five months.  I worked on them pretty steadily over that time, but there were a few times when nothing was accomplished for various reasons.  I usually got between six and eight hours each day to work on them.  I don't keep good track of the time.  I'm not a fast builder, but I don't waste time either.  And I'm a fussy old fool.

[Blair]

My specific area of building custom made firearms dates from 1840 to 1865 Military type arms from both the US and CS production.
It may take me several years to put together the original parts, or new made parts of high enough quality before I felt I could start a new custom build. Once I had those required parts, the build would only take me about 6 weeks to fit and finish it out to the Military specs for this period of time.
However, I did this sort of work for 40 years or more, and one might expect that I had become quite quick with it.
Also, Military firearms have to fall within very specific guide lines and measurements to be accepted.
Gabriel, thank you for your posting, these are very nice workmanship!
My best,
 Blair

[Tascosa Joe]

Awesome rifles, Sir.