Hawken (1974)

My first Hawken rifle. The proper parts were becoming available, thanks to the influence of John D. Baird.

Early Rifles, 1973-1976

KENTUCKY STYLE RIFLE, c. 1973

Cliff Jackson of Nedrow, New York, was my first teacher. He made my first rifle almost to completion. I picked it up in March, and learned to shoot it over the summer. The 42" .45 calibre barrel was too heavy for me, so Cliff sold it for $115 and applied the money to parts for the next gun. I never signed this gun; I didn't have it long enough, and I wasn't happy enough with it.

GERMAN SILVER-MOUNTED KENTUCKY RIFLE, c. 1974

Cliff and I worked on this gun together. The 36" .45 calibre barrel made it better-balanced. Not knowing anything about the originals, it had German silver hardware, including the patchbox. I signed this one. The last I heard, it was somewhere in Georgia.

"HALF-STOCK PERCUSSION", c. 1974

A half-stock percussion, .54 calibre rifle. I was getting into Hawken rifles. Cliff started this one, too. I used the crest of the barrel to make a matching pistol. I traded both for an original Marston (Canadian) rifle.

BEDFORD COUNTY PERCUSSION RIFLE, c. 1975

A Bedford rifle, .45 calibre x 42 13/16" Douglas barrel. I traded it to Dixie Gunworks for an original Virginia long rifle, which Wallace Gusler kindly identified.

"PRE-REVOLUTIONARY" RIFLE, c. 1976

Using my first swamped .50 calibre Paris barrel, I made what I thought was a great pre-Revolutionary rifle, to go along with re-enacting in the Briagade of the American Revolution. Later, Rudi Bahr showed me it was all wrong, and I sold it to an "infidel".

JOHN NOLL, c. 1976

I made a John Noll rifle for my good friend and colleague, the late Doug Givenrod.

Peter Alexander