Author Topic: .58Cal. Hawken? (Read 1797 times)

Ruger4Me · « **on:** December 12, 2003, 07:04:20 AM »

Anyone have one?

Wonder what load's you might be using with a patched round ball?

rollingb · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2003, 08:18:01 AM »

Ruger4me,.... What "Hawken" do you have??

My "Early Hawken" fullstock, .58, 36" Green Mountain barrel, .010-.012 deep rifle'ns, 1-70 "twist",.... will shoot sub-2" groups at 100 yards, loaded with .562 roundball and "denum" patch,.... or,.... .575 roundball and .018 "pillow tick'n" patch,...... with 90-100 grs. FFG Goex blackpowder.

Ruger4Me · « **Reply #2 on:** December 13, 2003, 06:05:40 AM »

I picked up an Cabela's Hawken Kit at a garage sale this past summer. For $50, I could not say no.

It was assembled but not finished, He rough sanded the stock and gave it an oil finish, this I will get redone. The rest needs finsihing but I will get to it this winter.

I got no books or anything with it so I have no idea what the groves or actual ball size should be.

rollingb · « **Reply #3 on:** December 13, 2003, 06:35:07 AM »

Ruger4Me,.... Cabela's Hawken is made by Investarms, are you sure it's a .58, and not at .54??

At $50.00,... I can certainly see "WHY" you couldn't turn it down!! :agree:

Ruger4Me · « **Reply #4 on:** December 13, 2003, 09:06:05 AM »

Yes, 100%.

The barrel is stamped with Cabelas and .58 cal..

And I shoot and hunt with a .54Cal. T/C Renegade that I bought 25 years ago when I was 16.

So yep 100% sure it's .58 Cal.

rollingb · « **Reply #5 on:** December 13, 2003, 10:51:58 AM »

Ruger4Me,.... Yore Hawken certainly sounds innerest'n,.... I wonder how old it is, or if it's somethin they've jest started offer'n?? Does it have the brass patchbox, and the other brass hardware??

In my 2003 Cabela's shoot'n catalog, the Cabela's Traditional Hawken is offered in .50 and .54,.... percussion "kit" $199.99,..... flintlock "kit" $229.99

I'd say thet,..... "you had a GREAT day, at the garage-sale"!! :agree: :toast:

If the Hawken you have, has the InvestArms barrel,..... I bet a .570 roundball, with .018 pillow-tick'n patch,... pushed with 70-90 grs. of FFG blackpowder, should make a good load to start "tweek'n" on!!

Please keep me posted on how yore rifle performs,.... "I LIKE .58's"!!!!!!

hans g./UpS · « **Reply #6 on:** December 14, 2003, 08:43:37 AM »

If your"Hawken"is like mine[e.g.rubber buttplate/recoil pad],the suggested load was a Hornady 240gr XTP sabot with 100gr FFg Goex.
I'd also consider trying l00gr FFg or 80gr FFFg with a .570 or .575 roundball.
My other 58s use 100gr of FFg or FFFg with .570 roundball.
I sight in for +3"at 50gr,0"at 100 yards.

Ramrod · « **Reply #7 on:** December 14, 2003, 09:13:32 AM »

rolligb,
I seem to remember Cabelas offering the Hawken in .58 a number of years ago. When I finally got around to buying a .58 it was no longer in the catolog. I ended up with 24" barreled Enfield Musketoon from Dixie.
Ruger,
rollingb's 70-90 grain starting load is a good place to start. I don't know how deep your rifling is but if it's shallow (.005-.006 thousanths) a .562 ball might work better.

Triple Se7en · « **Reply #8 on:** December 14, 2003, 05:05:12 PM »

Cabelas has an online gunsmith you can talk to. I believe those rifles from the early 90s were made by Navy Arms. They came in 50-54-58 caliber... in two lengths (22-28"). The 58 cal was discontinued by Navy Arms last year... the 50 & 54 is still available at jedediahs online.

http://www.jedediah-starr.com/

Ruger4Me · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2003, 05:19:51 PM »

The rifle looks the same as the ones they are offering now, all brass hardware & patch box, brass butt plate.

And I just had to dig it out today to look it is stamped Investarms on the barrel.

It also looks like he either used brown epoxy or bedding on the patch box and butt plate, I hope he used release on them, none of the brass is polished and just sort of fitted, and the trigger guard is still rough.

He guy told me it had been collecting dust for 8 or 9 years, and he had just lost interest.

rollingb · « **Reply #10 on:** December 15, 2003, 04:36:30 AM »

Ruger4Me,.... The Lyman GPR and the Cabela's Traditional Hawken, both have Investarms barrels,.... however they have different "twists",.... 1-60" and 1-48" respectively.

If yore older .58 Hawken has the slower 1-60" twist it should be a pretty good "roundball shooter"!!

If you run a clean'n jag and patch, down the bore, then wrap a piece'a tape on the ramrod at the muzzle, with the "tail" of the tape lined up with yore front sight, then pull the ramrod back out for a distance of 12" while take'n note of the amount of rotation "the tail of the tape" has rotated, you will git a good idea of the "twist rate" of yore rifle'ns. (hope thet don't sound too confuse'n!!)

rollingb · « **Reply #11 on:** December 15, 2003, 04:49:42 AM »

Ruger4Me,.... Sorry!!.. I should have mentioned thet you'll have to let the ramrod "rotate" in yore hand while check'n the "twist". In fact, if you have a modern clean'n rod with swivel-handle, it might be easy'er for you!!