THR Caplock Rifle Club

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Iggy I have a personal attachment to Mariano's rifle. Back in the 70's I was building my first BP rifle and I made a special trip to the Colorado State Historical museum where the rifle was supposed to be on display. When I got there I found out it was not on display. One of the employees of the museum seen my disappointment and asked me if I wanted to see it. Which, naturally I did. She took me into some room away from the exhibit areas and brought out the Hawken rifle and handed it to me. She said I could have to liberty to look at it as much as I liked. After a few minutes she brought out a box containing Mariano's badger skin shooting pouch, horn and other items. She then told me that an author of a book on Hawken rifles had examined the rifle and made a set of blue prints of it and she asked me if I would like a set. WOW! how could I refuse that? I looked and took notes for quite awhile. I thanked her and asked her how much the set of blue prints would be and she said "Oh! no charge". What a day that was.

Now comes the sad part.

I went down to the new museum just to visit the old rifle again about 10 years ago or so. I didn't see it on display and I finally came across a person who I could ask. She (not the same woman I met 30 years earlier) said that the rifle had been sold to a private collector:(.

I later found out that the collector also bought the Hawken rifle of another Colorado mountain man Tom Tobin. There are some amazing books and stories of Tom from the raw and dangerous history of Colorado. One of which was a pair of cruel and dangerous brothers that the governor hired Tom to bring them in dead or alive. It is an amazing story. A bit too raw to discuss in forum. The rifle ended the grip of terror the brothers had on southern Colorado. IIRC Tom's Hawken had 18 notches carved in it. He could load and fire it very quickly. I read the book in one sitting, never looking up from the pages from cover to cover.

Thanks for the memory Iggy.

'loose
 
Loosenock,
I got this rifle and also learned of the original being in the Denver museum from John Baird. I took mine down there and they allowed me to handle the original and compare it to mine. Apparently the guy that made mine must have got some of those blue prints. If there was a nail head worn off on the original it is gone on mine too. He must have made pencil rubbings of the stars on the stock as the ones on my rifle are exactly the same as the original.

I "think" the gun went to a guy who built or opened a museum in Loveland or near the old Namaqua site.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Mariano+Medina+Hawken+Rifle&client=firefox-b-1&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=S9C1Xnk0hMkCcM%3A%2CifYTAAo2Txre2M%2C_&usg=__v8jItDE9noIKJ9m7WMXrvyQkao8=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjG_Yjk-77YAhVG7WMKHX2RDMoQ9QEIMDAB#imgrc=S9C1Xnk0hMkCcM:
Here is a picture of some guys handling it there.
 
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Cooldill said:
Welcome aboard, Iggy! Amazing rifle. I love the swirl pattern ramrod and patch box, looks like a great Hawken!

THR Caplock Rifle Club Members (as of 3 January 2018):

1. Cooldill
2. robhof
3. Armored farmer
4. eastbank
5. rodwha
6. bannockburn
7. desidog
8. TheSquire
9. D. Buck Stopshere
10. Hanshi
11. 58limited
12. Kaeto
13. daboyleroy
14. Patocazador
15. Billy.Tif
16. 792mauser
17. Charliefrank
18. drobs
19. Loosenock
20. WestKentucky
21. Iggy

*List continued in following posts
Click to expand...
Hey you left me out! I'm #17 ;)
 
Beautiful Hawkens, J-Bar and MCgunner!

THR Caplock Rifle Club Members (as of 9 January 2018):

1. Cooldill
2. robhof
3. Armored farmer
4. eastbank
5. rodwha
6. bannockburn
7. desidog
8. TheSquire
9. D. Buck Stopshere
10. Hanshi
11. 58limited
12. Kaeto
13. daboyleroy
14. Patocazador
15. Billy.Tif
16. 792mauser
17. Charliefrank
18. drobs
19. Loosenock
20. WestKentucky
21. Iggy
22. big-ugly
23. J-Bar
24. MCgunner

*List continued in following posts
 
drunkenpoacher said:
A 50 CVA Hawkin, older one with 1-66 twist, and a 58 of my own concoction.
This thread reminded me it's been a while since I've taken a deer with a round ball.
Might have time to fix that tomorrow.

View attachment 774229
Click to expand...

I should get serious and get a 1:66 twist gun. :D The 1:44 doesn't do bad at 50 yards, but ain't much to brag about beyond that.
 
As I mentioned in another thread, I recently got a Smith Carbine. However, it is a breech-loading caplock rifle and I saw that they weren't being counted. I am still keeping my eyes open for a two band Enfield.
 
Hasaf said:
As I mentioned in another thread, I recently got a Smith Carbine. However, it is a breech-loading caplock rifle and I saw that they weren't being counted. I am still keeping my eyes open for a two band Enfield.
Click to expand...

A two-bander Enfield would be sweet! I've thought about those to. Would you be getting a repro or an original?
 
Well, I'm in the Remmy club, the ROA club, guess I'll join THIS one.

1:48 CVA Plainsman I got for 80 bucks off Gun Broker. Shoots great, looks a little...well...experienced. :D I plink with light loads. The thing is light, don't really fit me well, so felt recoil is an issue with heavy loads.

35jffxj.jpg

Only shot I have of my Hawken Hunter Carbine. I bought this from Cabela's 25 years ago for hunting in New Mexico and never went out there with it. It's a 1:24 twist, for heavy Minies or sabots (I prefer the Minies), no RB need apply. :D I took this pic to feature the gaping hole in the muzzle. Don't show much of the gun, but it's an Investarms creation, very nice wood, It's modified by them from the traditional Hawken by having a recoil pad, nice adjustable sights, blacked out furniture. The stock is a nice Monte Carlo stock of walnut and it's a left hander because I shoot lefty.

14l26ac.jpg
 
Guys we've got some new members and I welcome them! Hope you all are keeping your powder dry and burning some of it, too! :)

THR Caplock Rifle Club Members (as of 9 January 2018):

1. Cooldill
2. robhof
3. Armored farmer
4. eastbank
5. rodwha
6. bannockburn
7. desidog
8. TheSquire
9. D. Buck Stopshere
10. Hanshi
11. 58limited
12. Kaeto
13. daboyleroy
14. Patocazador
15. Billy.Tif
16. 792mauser
17. Charliefrank
18. drobs
19. Loosenock
20. WestKentucky
21. Iggy
22. big-ugly
23. J-Bar
24. MCgunner
25. drunkenpoacher
26. Iroquois
27. montanaoffroader

*List continued in following posts
 
I'll join!
I started BP hunting with a CVA "longrifle" in .45 caliber in 1982, bought from Best & Company (not Best Buy) for under $100. Heck I still own that rifle.
I have a .54 New Englander, PLUS I have the 12 gauge barrel
I have a Pedersoli Caplock 20 gauge SxS
and I have an old Lyman .58 Caliber Remington "Zouave".

LD
 
I just picked up this Pedersoli Rocky Mountain rifle.
 

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