.50cal Hawken mod

I.N.F.K

I.N.F.K

Joined
Jul 7, 2012
Messages
1,896
hello,

I have found myself with three black powder firearms; T/C .54 hawken, CVA .50 Hawken, and a Uberti 1858. I decided that I wanted to cut down the CVA into a hand cannon. Now I've already shorten the stock and all, but I'm having issues with reinforcing the barrel. Now my thinking is that with the barrel going to be 35-40% of it's original length, recoil is going to more forceful. So my thought is that the little pin that goes through the stock to hold the barrel in place may not be enough to shoot 100 grains of powder through it. I'm not even sure that the gun will be able to burn off a 100 grains of powder before the ball leaves the gun. Although maybe with a heavier sabot round I can get a better burn. So my thought with reinforceing the barrel would be to buy small leather straps and tighten them around the stock and barrel. I did think brass ring hammered round them, but that would make cleaning a real pain in the butt. I know the straps would be ugly compared to the brass rings, but the whole thought premise is that it would be a poor mans pistol from back in the day, really just a fun range gun. Any inputs in this design, i've already chopped the stock down, so it's going to happen.
 
No problem. You won't burn 100gr. of powder in that length barrel anyway. You might get an impressive flame from the unburned powder spewing out of the barrel though. Remember, Black Powder burns, not explodes.
 
I'd board a prize ship with that.
 
well I borrowed a sawsall from work and plan on cutting the barrel tonight. I plan on having a gunsmith recrown the barrel for me. Side note, something I have done has caused the retaining pin for the barrel to no longer do it's job, it just falls right out. Must of been a spring or something that I accidentally removed.
 
Bend the wedge slightly, put it in a vise top of the vise on the center of wedge bend just a little try it (bend down) repeat as necessary till it fits to suit you . It is not uncommon to have to do that. I have the same gun in 54 I cut the barrel to 16 " reshaped the stock (took the cheek piece off) get north of 70 grains of FFFg and I get lots of muzzle flash
Roy
 
On full length stock theres a bit of a bend up toward the end, thats why you have to give it a little squeeze to set the pin.
When you cut the stock theres no more bend. I think, you would be better off putting a bit of a wedge in the end of the stock instead of bending the pin. JMOP, YMMV.

Not sure i would want to shoot it minus a stock, but with the barrel cut may not be to much kick. Id start with 50 grn and a round ball. Dont know how that trigger gaurds gonna feel when it goes off.
Good luck
 
Gonna be bitchin. Get a video.
 
Results so far. Im contemplating a front sight, but thinking shotgun bead. May refinish the stock to blend my cuts, but unsure. Also thinking about removing part of the brass because its pretty rough on the hand. Reblue???

 
I.N.F.K said:
Results so far. Im contemplating a front sight, but thinking shotgun bead. May refinish the stock to blend my cuts, but unsure. Also thinking about removing part of the brass because its pretty rough on the hand. Reblue???

Click to expand...

looking good. refinishing the stock and cutting the extra brass off would be nice. also, a small blade style front sight would only increase the awesomeness.
 
Went to the gun range to take a couple shot. First with 50 grains then maxed out at a 100 grains. It seems to like 80 grains. The gun shoots level but about 4 inches go the right at 10 yards. I also but a bit if buck shit in it as well. Turns that it is considered a sawed off shotgun from what I have read from the laws in Virginia. Not even sure if its entirely legal shooting a ball through.
 
unless VI laws are different than fed laws, its not even considered a firearm. no age limit to buy it or own it.
 
Virginia describes a shotgun as an object an object propelling one or multiple projectiles with an explosion as a shotgun, whether or not it has rifling. They don't mention muzzle loaders in that section and black powder burns more than explodes, but that's pretty thin. On the other hand though a cop wouldn't know that much about this area and would probably follow the federal law.
 
I.N.F.K said:
Virginia describes a shotgun as an object an object propelling one or multiple projectiles with an explosion as a shotgun, whether or not it has rifling. They don't mention muzzle loaders in that section and black powder burns more than explodes, but that's pretty thin. On the other hand though a cop wouldn't know that much about this area and would probably follow the federal law.
Click to expand...

Or just arrest you for the heck of it, and let a judge sort it out.
 
Yeah, cops usually dont know much about the law:cool:;)

Muzle loaders are listed the same as air rifles, non guns, thats why theres no ffl forms.

They are not guns, or at least not listed as guns state or federal.

Not secret info, look it up.
 
heresthedeal said:
Yeah, cops usually dont know much about the law:cool:;)

Muzle loaders are listed the same as air rifles, non guns, thats why theres no ffl forms.

They are not guns, or at least not listed as guns state or federal.

Not secret info, look it up.
Click to expand...

And the courts have given the green light to police not needing to actually know the law that they seek to enforce. They're now allowed to say that they didn't know what the law said, or didn't say, and the ticket or arrest is justified on the basis of being a reasonable mistake on their part. It's all in the Heien decision.

https://verdict.justia.com/2015/06/10/the-shrinking-fourth-amendment-heien-v-north-carolina
 
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