Navy Arms .58 Cal Hawken Hunter

[Idaholewis1]

Anyone have one of these .58 Cal Hawken Hunter’s made by Navy Arms? I bought this rifle last year in a Pawn shop, it belonged to the owners friend whom had passed away, the Rifle was Brand new unfired. It is a 3 Groove 1:60 Twist, I need to get this Gun out and Try Some Patched Roundball in it. This is a BEEFY rifle, 1-1/8” Across the Flats. I wish it had a Set Trigger in it instead of the Single, i don’t like the Trigger pull at all, Way to heavy for my Liking. A good friend and Gunsmith has offered to lighten the Trigger pull for me, I just need to get it to him.
  This Rifle has quite the History, was kind of a Pet Project of Val Forgett’s, the Owner of Navy Arms, He took this Rifle to Africa and killed all of the Big Critters that Walk there. He shot a 610 Grain Lyman Minie in front of 200 Grains of FFFG! But eventually settled on a Load of 180 Grains FFFG with 100 yards Groups measuring 4-1/2” There is a good Write up on this Rifle in 1 of the Lyman Load handbooks. I am Not sure how Many of these were made? 

Here it is in front, beside 1 of my .54 Cal TC Hawken’s

As you can see it is a 3 Groove 

Solid Stainless with Brass end, (at least it appears to be Stainless?) The Barrel under Rib is Solid Brass

 

[Idaholewis1]

Lyman book describes Val Forgett, owner of Navy Arms as shooting 180gr of 3FFF behind the 610 gr minnie (Lyman 577611) They got consistent 4.5" groups at 100 yards. See page 20 in this book for the entire six page story. They got elephants, hippos, wildebeest, sable, cape buffalo, lions, antelope, zebra, wildebeast, hartebeeste, bushbuck, duiker, impalla and others with the 58 cal big rifle.


The facts: 58 cal, 28 inch barrel, 1:60 inch twist made for slugs. 
It shoots RB pretty well at 50gr to 70gr with THICK patches. It shoots slugs very well. I shoot 120gr of Goex FFFg powder. Yes, Navy Arms proofed it for 200gr of FFFg behind a Lyman 577611 cast from soft lead.

 

[Okie Hog]

That is an awesome rifle. Not many .58 caliber Hawken Hunters were made: A friend has one.

All the original Navy Arms Hawken style rifles are rare. My .50 caliber was bought from Carlos a couple years ago. i'm thinking of having it re-bored to .54 caliber with round ball twist.

https://i.imgur.com/XYtgSsu.jpg

 

[Idaholewis1]

Can you imagine 200 Grains of 3F Pistol powder pushing a 610 Grain Bullet :shock:

 

[Okie Hog]

Can you imagine 200 Grains of 3F Pistol powder pushing a 610 Grain Bullet

Not really. i would not fire a 610 grain bullet using 100 grains of 3F.

 

[exMember]

I was reading about this rifle in a Sam Fadala book last night lol. They seemed to build a solid rifle back in those days. Hang onto that rifle, they are worth some $$$.