Austin & Halleck - any good?
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RonRC
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I had an Austin and Halleck rifle. Quality was good and it shot reasonably well.
I sold it too tje fellow who bought it and he later reported that his stock had cracked.
Here is some more information I have on Austin & Halleck:
Today, there's a tidal wave flowing carrying an old interest renewed. It is the current popularity of replica and black powder guns, not only for cowboy shooting, but also silhouette, hunting, and recreational shooting. Austin and Halleck, makers of the ultra modern Model 420, surprised us with a rifle representing the other end of the spectrum. Remembering that replica means "any close reproduction or facsimile." the A&H Mountain rifle that reached my door recently fulfills that promise in gold plated words.
""We think," said an A&H spokesperson, "that our mountain rifles display the kind of design and craftsmanship that would have made Sam Hawken want one for his very own." In style, the A&H Mountain Rifle clearly recreates that family of half-stock rifles that sprang into the minds and hearts of hunters from 1837 through the remainder of the 19th century and is now reborn in modern times.
This rifle comes in flint, but my test sample was the Percussion Select model, caliber .50, with 32-inch barrel an inch across its octagon flats. First impression was cosmetic appeal. Metalwork was correctly finished ix] slow rust brown with a dull rich touch that I, along with many others, consider handsome. Stock wood comes in three grades; all tiger stripe curly maple with filled grain and a pleasing luster finish rather than plastic gleam. The stock on my test rifle was totally satisfactory, although not startling in grain contrast.
Protecting the buttstock is a steel crescent buttplate like the originals. On the other end, the nose cap was secured with two screws into the forestock, same browned finish, which likewise dresses the ramrod entry thimble. Two brown-finish thimbles under the barrel secure the wooden ramrod with its brass tip threaded for jag, worm, screw or other implement.
Wood to metal fit around the browned lock proved totally acceptable, while wood to metal fit at the buttplate was excellent except for one minor gap. This could be corrected with an application of hot water to swell the wood followed by judicious sanding and a touch of oil to refinish the area. As with all of the furniture, the trigger guard with its semi-pistol grip flare presented a dull brown appearance. The wrist area fit my hand just right and I suspect will do likewise for most other shooters.
The stock's pronounced cheek piece flowed with a particularly attractive shape. Along with eye appeal, stock design was especially suited to the offhand stance. Barrel hang being prominent, the rifle shoots well with the marksman firing from "his hind legs." Two escutcheons on the left-hand side of the stock protect against the lock screws breaking out wood. The lock plate is clean with no protrusions of screws.
The overall Hawken effect bespeaks mountain man ruggedness. This is not a showpiece Pennsylvania/Kentucky long tom embellished with inlays of leaping tigers and dancing maidens. It's all business, just like its plains rifle predecessors. "
Ron
I sold it too tje fellow who bought it and he later reported that his stock had cracked.
Here is some more information I have on Austin & Halleck:
Today, there's a tidal wave flowing carrying an old interest renewed. It is the current popularity of replica and black powder guns, not only for cowboy shooting, but also silhouette, hunting, and recreational shooting. Austin and Halleck, makers of the ultra modern Model 420, surprised us with a rifle representing the other end of the spectrum. Remembering that replica means "any close reproduction or facsimile." the A&H Mountain rifle that reached my door recently fulfills that promise in gold plated words.
""We think," said an A&H spokesperson, "that our mountain rifles display the kind of design and craftsmanship that would have made Sam Hawken want one for his very own." In style, the A&H Mountain Rifle clearly recreates that family of half-stock rifles that sprang into the minds and hearts of hunters from 1837 through the remainder of the 19th century and is now reborn in modern times.
This rifle comes in flint, but my test sample was the Percussion Select model, caliber .50, with 32-inch barrel an inch across its octagon flats. First impression was cosmetic appeal. Metalwork was correctly finished ix] slow rust brown with a dull rich touch that I, along with many others, consider handsome. Stock wood comes in three grades; all tiger stripe curly maple with filled grain and a pleasing luster finish rather than plastic gleam. The stock on my test rifle was totally satisfactory, although not startling in grain contrast.
Protecting the buttstock is a steel crescent buttplate like the originals. On the other end, the nose cap was secured with two screws into the forestock, same browned finish, which likewise dresses the ramrod entry thimble. Two brown-finish thimbles under the barrel secure the wooden ramrod with its brass tip threaded for jag, worm, screw or other implement.
Wood to metal fit around the browned lock proved totally acceptable, while wood to metal fit at the buttplate was excellent except for one minor gap. This could be corrected with an application of hot water to swell the wood followed by judicious sanding and a touch of oil to refinish the area. As with all of the furniture, the trigger guard with its semi-pistol grip flare presented a dull brown appearance. The wrist area fit my hand just right and I suspect will do likewise for most other shooters.
The stock's pronounced cheek piece flowed with a particularly attractive shape. Along with eye appeal, stock design was especially suited to the offhand stance. Barrel hang being prominent, the rifle shoots well with the marksman firing from "his hind legs." Two escutcheons on the left-hand side of the stock protect against the lock screws breaking out wood. The lock plate is clean with no protrusions of screws.
The overall Hawken effect bespeaks mountain man ruggedness. This is not a showpiece Pennsylvania/Kentucky long tom embellished with inlays of leaping tigers and dancing maidens. It's all business, just like its plains rifle predecessors. "
Ron
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Hey! Who doesn't like dancing maidens?RonC said:
I think someone was just jealous of those
beautiful, show piecey inlays!
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