Allen FA/ Uberti Santa Fe Hawken

[LonesomePigeon]

A couple months ago I found this "Santa Fe Hawken" at a gun show. It was marked $500 but he let me have it for $400. It had been shot but seems to have been well taken care of. Barrel address says ALLEN F.A. MFG. CO.- SANTA FE N.M. Date code is AM for 1984. It says 54 CAL but it's a .53 caliber and it takes .526 round balls. One interesting thing about it is it has no cheekpiece, it's totally flat on both sides of the stock.

Just wondering if anybody has any experience with these and if you think I got a good deal?

[LonesomePigeon]

Here is a closer pic of the target.

[Forty Rod]

That's a very good deal and very fine rifle.  Learn its quirks and shoot the bejabbers out of it.  You'll learn to love the thing.

I would have loved to have had one but settled for a Lyman Great Plains, a fine rifle in its own right.

I have three other Allen Arms / Uberti rifles and they are as good as any I've seen.  They are an 1860 Henry, a '66 winchester, and a '73 Winchester.  All three with 24" barrels and all three in .44-40.

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[dusty texian]

You did good! That is a fine looking rifle. That one should be a great shooter. I'm with you ,its odd not to have a cheek rest . Most do!  Good Looking non the less,,,,DT

[River City John]

LP, I'd say whatever combination you worked up to get the results on the top right hand target #2 is what your smokepole likes best.


RCJ

[Blair]

Often time, stocks with a cheek piece will have an off-set to the overall length of the trigger pull, of about an 1/8 of an inch.
Right or left side, depending on the shooters preference. This allows the shooter to get their dominate eye behind the barrel sights, without getting their cheek bumped by the comb during recoil.
My best,
 Blair

[LonesomePigeon]

I like this rifle a lot and I'm very happy with it.  As for the target 1 and 2 were shot from 25 yards; 3, 4 and S from 50 yards. I agree #2 is the load I will practice more with, although I think out past 25 yards the rifle is capable of more than me. Did I mention I like this rifle!

After I got this rifle I sold my T/C Hawken .50 caliber to a new bp shooter who is moving to Idaho. I still have a T/C Hawken in .45 caliber that I want to restock and put some more historically correct furniture on it. Should be good practice for a flintlock build someday.

[Tascosa Joe]

Where did you find a .526 mold?  The only thing I have been able to find a is a RCBS .520 mold.  BTW I have 2 of those Allen/Western/Santa Fe Arms Hawken rifles.  I paid $400 and $295 for them.

[LonesomePigeon]

Tascosa Joe, I do not have a .526 mold. I have been buying cast .526 balls from Track of the Wolf.

Sounds like you got some good deals too!

[Tascosa Joe]

Thanks for the info.

[BlackHillsScout]

That's a very nice looking rifle.

[Tsalagidave]

LP, nice shooting and nice work on documenting the specs on the ball, patch, and powder. 

You also did a great job demonstrating that you don't need to spend a fortune on a custom gun to get some great shooting done.

-Dave