Pedersoli Hawken Rifle

Niederlander · November 02, 2017, 08:25:04 PM

Gentlemen, Anyone here have one of the Pedersoli Hawkens? How do they shoot? They look really nice in the pictures, and I may have a chance to get one.

Buffalo Creek Law Dog · November 02, 2017, 09:55:43 PM

Can't speak about the Hawken but, I have the Pedersoli Pennsylvania 45 cal, Kentucky 50 cal and the Scout 50 cal cap locks and they are excellent firearms. You won't regret getting a Pedersoli.

Niederlander · November 03, 2017, 05:51:18 AM

Yes, I used to have a Pedersoli 1874 Sharps. Very nice rifle. Glad to hear the muzzleloaders are nice, too.

Jack Wagon · November 03, 2017, 04:50:02 PM

I have the .54 Pedersoli maple stocked Rocky Mt. rifle. Beautiful tiger striped stock, excellent fit and finish and a great shooter. It is the gun I compete with at my muzzle loading club. Jw

LonesomePigeon · November 05, 2017, 12:02:37 AM

I too have a Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawken .54 caliber with maple stock. I have only shot it a few times but it shoots great. First time out with it I hit the 100 yard gong offhand with the very first shot. Next 3 shots were bench rest at 25 yards, all 3 touching in the 10 ring.

I will say it's a heavy rifle at about 10 pounds and for me it's a bit barrel heavy but I guess one can learn to deal with it. Another thing that I am not sure if I like or not is that there is a flat spring on the bottom of the barrel. I think it is designed to hold the barrel more firmly in the stock, with an effect similar to glass bedding. I think this feature probably does help with accuracy but it also makes the wedge keys hard to drive out.

All in all I think it is an excellent rifle. Be aware that there are two main versions of this rifle. The Rocky Mountain has a 1:65 slow twist for roundball and the Missouri River has a fast twist(not sure exactly what it is) for conical bullets.

pony express · November 05, 2017, 07:08:53 PM

The Lyman Great Plains rifle had 2 different twists, too. I wonder if Pedersoli was providing them to Lyman?

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · November 06, 2017, 09:56:33 AM

I have two Pedersoli muzzleloaders. 1. .45 Tryon back action lock. A formidable offhand target rifle. and 2. 54 cal Mortimer flintlock with a spare 12ga. shot barrel. The lock is VERY reliable and fast. I heartily recommend Pedersoli rifles.

Tsalagidave · November 10, 2017, 04:41:14 PM

The Pedersoli barrels are good and the overall package offers a good shooter at a good price. They seem to be used quite commonly in a lot of competitive BP shooting clubs. If you are looking for hardcore authentic stuff, it's easy to tell a Pedersoli apart from an original even if they are in the same condition. That said, I think they are worth their salt for what they give out.

-Dave

Reverend P. Babcock Chase · November 11, 2017, 07:52:05 AM

Howdy ML Fans,

Re: Lyman Great Plains Rifle

I believe that a company named Investarms makes them for Lyman. They are not Pedersoli. Pedersoli makes Lyman's superb "Model of 1878 (Sharps)". I have worked as a consultant with Lyman for years and that is my recollection.

Reverend Chase

Mike · November 11, 2017, 03:43:51 PM

All we see over here is the Plain Jane Kentucky rifles, from the web site there are some real nice looking Hawkins style gun available.
The Pedersoli guns I have used and seen all shoot well with the right load/patch/ball combo.

Tsalagidave · November 11, 2017, 04:28:55 PM

That's good to know Reverend Chase, I was not aware of that. Aside from a repro m1855 rifle musket, I don't have any pure Italian guns in my collection anymore. I do like how they shoot however, but am admittedly not as in the know on the Italian BP arms as I should be.

-Dave

Niederlander · November 12, 2017, 08:09:46 AM

I read a review of the Pedersoli Hawken the other day by a guy who has owned one original Hawken and handled at least fifteen others. He said the fit and finish of the Pedersoli was, in his opinion, better than the originals. I know they sure look nice. I'm going to be looking for one if I can raise the money.

Niederlander · November 21, 2017, 05:06:48 PM

Well, I've got one on the way. I'll try to post some pictures when it gets here.

LonesomePigeon · November 22, 2017, 12:52:26 AM

That's awesome, congrats.

Niederlander · November 22, 2017, 06:03:29 PM

Quote from: Tsalagidave on November 10, 2017, 04:41:14 PM
The Pedersoli barrels are good and the overall package offers a good shooter at a good price. They seem to be used quite commonly in a lot of competitive BP shooting clubs. If you are looking for hardcore authentic stuff, it's easy to tell a Pedersoli apart from an original even if they are in the same condition. That said, I think they are worth their salt for what they give out.

-Dave

According to the one article I read, the guy says the styling is very close to original Hawkens he's been around, with the exception of the rear sight. He said he REALLY liked the rear sight, though.

Gabriel Law · December 01, 2017, 07:59:02 PM

Can someone post a picture of this rifle...just curious about it's accuracy to history.

Niederlander · December 02, 2017, 05:36:52 PM

http://www.namlhunt.com/mlrifle18.html
Here is a link to a pretty good article on this rifle. (I had to get my daughter to do it for me.)

Gabriel Law · December 03, 2017, 12:10:12 PM

Thank you.

Niederlander · December 03, 2017, 05:50:24 PM

What do you think?

Gabriel Law · December 05, 2017, 01:20:15 PM

As a production rifle, it is excellent! Outstanding, even. I don't know the retail price, but I suspect it's about 20% of what I used to charge. I've been a serious student of the Hawken rifle for about 50 years and have made about two hundred of them, the most recent only a couple years ago. I started out in black powder shooting with a T/C "Hawken" rifle in fifty cal....wish Pedersoli had this one back then. I'd have been a sure customer.