Under Construction
The Hawken half stock rifle at Green River Rifle Works went through a series of changes and improvements over the years not too unlike the original J&S and later S Hawken rifles. There is no evidence that it was ever their intention, but GRRW ended up at the same evolutionary apex as the Hawken brothers, namely the late Sam Hawken pattern rifle with the cast furniture. This pattern is seen in the Jim Bridger Hawken rifle, Kit Carson Hawken rifle, John “Liver Eating” Johnston Hawken rifle, and many more in public and private collections.
Earliest GRRW Hawken Pattern
Serial numbers H-001 to at least H-031 look similar to the rifle above. All these rifles probably date to 1973. This was an experimental period for GRRW as they were using barrels and locks from various makers. The stock is a little thick in the wrist and on this example, the toe of the butt plate sweeps too far back. Most rifles in this serial number range had pewter nose caps. The highest serial number I’ve seen in this pattern is H-031, but it could go higher.
First Standard Pattern Hawken
The serial numbers range from something less than H-036 to around H-150 for this pattern and dates may range from as early as late 1973 to the end of 1974. The lowest number I know of is H-036 and the highest is H-142. This pattern is easily recognized by the William Morgan lock that GRRW used on the rifles. The lock was copied from an original J&S Hawken rifle and has cast-in scroll engraving and a “J&S Hawken” on the plate. GRRW had standardized the stock pattern and the use of Cherry Corners breech & tang, butt plate, and trigger guard. The nose cap was hand made in the GRRW shop from two pieces of sheet steel that were shaped and soldered together. Initially, they used barrels from G. R. Douglas Co., but in early 1974, GRRW started making their own barrels and used them on their Hawken rifles around serial number H-121.
Transition Pattern Hawken
Serial numbers range from about H-150 to 363 and dates range from 1975 to late 1976. By 1975, Ron Long came out with his Hawken percussion lock, and GRRW started using them on their Hawken rifles instead of the William Morgan lock. This appears to have occurred in the mid-100’s serial number range and marks the beginning of a transition period in their Hawken pattern. The lowest serial number I know of with a Ron Long Hawken lock is SN H-211. In 1976, Cherry Corners sold out to Ithaca Gun Co. and GRRW had to find another supplier for breech & tang and the other Cherry Corner parts they had been using. A different stock supplier/duplicator appears to have been used and subtle variations in the stock shape, particularly the wrist and the lock panels, can be seen on rifles from this transition period. This probably reflects a little more artistic license allowed with the individual GRRW riflesmiths in this period and the use of component parts from different suppliers. Note that the two-piece, soldered nose cap was still used on this pattern. Somewhere in the low 200’s serial number range, GRRW dropped the “H” prefix in the Hawken serial numbers.
Another interesting observation is that all of the GRRW Hawken rifles I’ve seen, except for a couple, for the three patterns above used 1” straight octagon barrels. With subsequent patterns, 90 plus percent were made with 1⅛” straight octagon barrels. A few rifles appeared to have been ordered with 1⅛” to 1” tapered barrels and a few with 1” straight octagon barrels after 1976.
MHS Bridger Commemorative Hawken
The Montana Historical Society began working with GRRW in 1975 to build a copy of the Jim Bridger Hawken in their collection for a fund raising campaign. The MHS loaned GRRW the original Hawken to study and copy. The first Bridger Commemorative Hawken rifles were shipped to MHS in November and December, 1976. These Commemorative rifles were as close a copy to the original that GRRW could make using available components at the time. These rifles used 1⅛” straight octagon barrels, a cast nose cap, and a stock that was a direct copy of the original. According to MHS records, 75 Commemorative rifles were made and sold before GRRW closed in the fall of 1980. They were serial numbered 1 to 75.
“Bridger” Pattern Hawken
Serial numbers range from 364 to 680 and dates range from late 1976 to September 1980. As a result of the Bridger Commemorative Hawken project, GRRW changed the pattern for their regular Hawken rifle. To satisfy the contract terms with MHS, GRRW made slight changes in the butt plate, different barrel lengths, a different entry pipe, and a longer forearm for their “Bridger” pattern rifles. Otherwise, the “Bridger” pattern Hawken was similar to the Commemorative rifles. Even though, GRRW offered the customer his choice in barrel diameter, nearly all Hawken rifles that GRRW built after the Commemorative project used a 1⅛” straight octagon barrel. GRRW was prohibited by the contract with MHS from marketing a “Bridger” Hawken, therefore they never used the name in their catalogs or print advertising. The term “Bridger” Hawken was apparently coined by Track of the Wolf long after GRRW closed and probably when they acquired the master stock pattern for the rifle from Doc White. The term is frequently used by GRRW collectors today.
Custom Hawken Patterns
GRRW offered the customer several custom features such as choice of percussion or flint ignition, fancy wood, flat-to-wrist trigger guard, left hand versions, tapered barrels, and other features as requested by the customer. The rifle above is an example of one of these custom Hawken rifles. It has a hand engraved lock, which was engraved after-market since GRRW did not do any engraving, and a “J&S Hawken” stamp on the top flat of the 1⅛” x 36″ barrel. The butt stock also has more drop than the standard pattern.
The above rifle is another example of a custom rifle–this time in left hand configuration with a right hand lock and flat-to-wrist trigger guard. Other features of this rifle are typical “Bridger” pattern with 1⅛” straight octagon barrel. The brass tacks and tang peep sight were added by the owner. These custom rifles are included in the “Bridger” pattern serial number range.
