Old .44 Hawes gets a new pair of boots!

[Skillet]

I got these grips for my old thumbuster from www.westernandwildlifewonders.com. They offer cast-resin grips in a variety of colors for a number of newer and older guns.

I'm partial to the "aged ivory" look on a single action...



This gun has proved a little finicky to load for. Although it's stamped as ".44 Magnum", I treat it like a beefy .44 spl and that's all I shoot in it.

Here are 2 typical 30 yd groups with a decent handload. Bullets are homecast Keith 245 grainers, sized .430 and lubed with Lyman Moly-Lube:


And last, a group using a charge of 2400 under the same slug, distance is abt 63 yds:


Probably couldn't shade a good Colt or a Smith, but a pretty decent sidearm for walking in the hog-woods, I'm thinking.

HH!
Skillet

[AkRay]

I bought a Chief Marshal about 23 years ago and I thought it was great until the mainspring broke.  It was the gun I brought with me on a remote trip, and the mainspring broke when I cocked it.  I finally found a replacement after ordering a Gun Parts Corp. catalog in 1990 or 1991.  I sold it and put the proceeds towards a 10" Super BlackHawk.  Parts are available for Rugers, but the only things I've replaced have been the basepins, and those only occasionally. 

[44 Man]

Any Colt style flat mainspring can be fitted to the Hawes.  I have also used uberti parts to fit a bolt and a hand spring to one.  Also the cylinder bolt/trigger spring is standard to most single actions.  Parts should not really be a problem.  I own a couple of the full size .22 Hawes, and they have been good guns.  I always wanted one of the .44 mags for a knock around gun, but never got around to persuing one.  Should have bought one when they were $87 new.  44 Man

[jcn59]

I had a couple Hawes in 44 mag. in the seventies.  Hard to find anything else in that cal. where I lived.  They were good guns and I shot them as well as I shoot anything today.  'Course today's revolvers have hairballs for sights.

[gcrank1]

Thanx for the heads-up on the site, decent prices too!