This half-stock rifle blends the features of a Hawken Mountain rifle with the slender proportions and rounded forearm found on the smaller caliber Hawken squirrel rifles. The rifle was assembled and finished by Brant Selb, and was constructed without sights. A 6x Malcolm style scope was fitted to the rifle, which required the rear nose of the hammer to be ground away to create clearance for the telescope tube when the lock is brought to full cock. This alteration was done after the lock was finished and the ground areas are bright. The telescope also does not allow the hooked breech to easily dismount from the tang. You have to raise the elevation adjustment near the limit of the travel to allow the sight tube to sit high enough that the barrel can be rotated and lifted from the stock. Trigger reach is 14", to fit a 6" or taller shooter. This half-stock rifle weighs 9.9 pounds. Recoil should be modest, thanks to the small caliber and weight of the rifle.

The .36 caliber Rice barrel is cut rifled with six lands and square grooves. Twist is 1 turn in 48 inches, for .36 caliber round ball. Rice Muzzle Loading Rifle Barrels are set between centers and milled octagonal, insuring a centered bore, concentric with the exterior, with no "run-out". Each barrel is stress relieved in an atmosphere controlled electric furnace, to eliminate work hardening or barrel warp, and to dampen harmonic vibrations or barrel whip.

After the rifling has been cut, each bore is "ball burnished". A carbide bore-sizing die is pulled through the barrel, to insure bore dimension uniformity, eliminating any tight or loose spots inside the barrel. This critical procedure leaves the top of the lands smooth and polished, equaling the traditional lead lapping procedure. Rice barrels are Match grade quality, with bench rest capability. Rice barrels do not require lapping or extensive shooting to break-in.. The bore is bright and clean, well maintained. The chocolate brown finish of the barrel shows only a few small marks on the barrel from loading.

The maple stock was stained with Aquafortis reagent to bring out the attractive narrow bands of figure from the buttstock to the forearm. The long tang of the slanted hooked breech strengthens the wrist. The tang bolts are neatly fitted with the slots aligned. The hooked breech does allows the barrel to be dismounted for cleaning without wetting the stock, but it requires raising the telescope elevation adjustment to near the limit of travel to allow enough clearance to get the hook to dismount from the tang. A single key retains the barrel, the key is slotted for a capture pin but no pin is installed. Remove the key with a brass or hardwood drift, and withdraw the ramrod, before lifting the barrel from its mortise. A stainless steel 1/4-28 threaded nipple for a No. 11 cap, is fitted to the hooked snail breech. It may be easier to clean this rifle with a 1/4-28 flush nipple and not have to dramatically adjust the telescope elevation.

The iron toeplate protects the toe, ending in the traditional beaver tail finial. This rifle has a shorter triggerplate than a full size Hawken rifle. The trigger bar is anchored to the long tang with two tang bolts, supports and re-enforces the wrist. Hawken rifles quickly became famous for reliability in the Rocky Mountains. The forend is fitted with a rounded poured pewter forend cap that also acts as the ramrod entry pipe. The snugly fitted hickory ramrod is well finished, with an brass tip threaded 10-32 to accept your cleaning jag or patch worm. The single lock bolt, and fancy tear drop escutcheon around it, are classic features of a halfstock Hawken plains rifle, from the 1835 - 1845 era. The beaver tail shaped cheek piece adds comfort for a right hand shooter, while aiming this .36 caliber rifle.

Ron Long, of Denver, recreated this T. Gibbons Hawken percussion lock, for the Green River Rifle Works of Roosevelt, Utah. Skillfully assembled and tuned by R. E. Davis, this is the correct Hawken lock for this fur trade era percussion rifle. Polished inside, the well tempered parts include a strong mainspring, stirrup link, and a fly detent to allow set triggers. The rear of the hammer has been ground through the color case hardened finish to allow clearance for the telescope. The hammer spur is also very near the tube, and you need to be very deliberate to bring this lock to the half cock and full cock positions.

R.E. Davis double lever double set triggers fire set or unset, for target match shooting, or cold weather hunting with gloved fingers. Turn the set screw, between the two triggers, inboard, until the rear trigger is disabled. After hunting, return the screw to its normal position, and adjust it to make your set trigger as strong or as feather light as you prefer, within the limits of safe use.

The rifle is fitted with a Malcolm style Gen II 6X 18" long Rifle Telescope. The rear mount is square to provide 1/4 MOA adjustments. The turret adjustment mark ring has been polished to allow easy reading. The scope is equipped with a sliding lock ring that mitigates the recoil energy going through the optic by allowing the scope to slide. Prior to every shot, you will need to pull back on the scope to reset it to battery. The telescope has the dust caps fitted. The tube of the scope has some bright marks in the finish on the last few inches.

A used Hawken squirrel rifle with Malcolm style telescope fitted. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.