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WB Selb Hawken Rifles
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Greenhorn
posted
Is anyone familiar with the Hawken rifles made by WB Selb? Can you tell me anything regarding their build quality/craftsmanship? I'm interested in having a tapered barrel half-stock percussion Hawken built, and Selb seems to be the easiest maker to find using Google. If anyone knows of any other top-notch Hawken maker(s), I'd be indebted to you if you could pass their contact information along. Thanks in advance for any help provided!
 
Posts: 4 | Registered: 20 September 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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I'm new here but I saw your post and decided to join this forum.
I recieved one of Brants fullstock percussion Hawken's about the first of the year. You can't go wrong if your willing to spend the money. Mine is a .54 and had him have the furniture case hardenend but left the barrel, trigger guard and thimbles browned. R.E.Davis lock, Rice barrel, Bob Roller triggers.
He is easy to talk to and will build what you want within reason.
Mine took about 6 months to get from time of ordering.
It's kind of a bucket list gun for me, I always wanted a GRRW Hawken back in the 70's but couldn't swing it. And unfortunatly I have not shot it yet.

Scott
 
Posts: 13 | Location: Texas hill country | Registered: 27 June 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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I would recommend Bob Browner..he is near ST Louis, and makes a terrific Hawken...you may have seen him at the recent CLA exhibit at the 2012 NRA st.Louis show...he benches his work directly from originals...

The contact info he posts on the CLA artisan sheet is:
Robert V. Browner
435 Southside Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63119
phone number: 314-566-0991

tc
 
Posts: 486 | Location: Illinois River Valley | Registered: 02 January 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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54LR, I have talked with Selb and while I've only seen his Hawken rifles in photos, I have no trouble in recommending his work. He makes a fine rifle. Shoot sharp, Mike
 
Posts: 3531 | Location: Pacific Northwest | Registered: 25 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Pilgrim
Picture of Beaver Hunter
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I highly recommend Mr. Selb!!!

I received my rifle from him in early February of this year. It is also a fullstock percussion Hawken with a .54 caliber tapered Rice barrel. The stock and furniture all came from Don Stith. The breech, tang, trigger bar, buttplate, and Davis lock are all case hardened. The barrel, end cap, and trigger guard are browned.

It is by far the finest and most accurate rifle I own! Brant is a great guy to deal with. His passion is building Hawkens. He has owned a few originals and is very knowledgeable about them. Mine was his 90th Hawken build. He enjoys what he does and it shows!

The fullstock with the tapered barrel balances perfectly. The picture below is from a shoot I attended last month and it speaks for the accuracy of the rifle. The inletting, finish, and attention to detail is excellent. He is highly skilled at what he does!

If you decide to have one built, get the case hardening. When you are spending $2,500 for a rifle, what is an extra $175? It puts the rifle in a league of its own! The case hardening is professionally done and sets it apart from other Hawkens. Plus, many of the original Hawkens were casehardened. You will not regret spending the extra money.

If you can afford it and are willing to wait about half a year, I highly recommend Mr. Selb! He is a top-notch builder!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Beaver Hunter,

 
Posts: 76 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: 03 September 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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Beaver Hunter, how did you manage the shot that removed the fletching from both sides of the feather withough cutting the stem? Did you double ball or was that done with a ball that was cast in two distink halves? Wink

Load fast and aim slow.
 
Posts: 1726 | Location: Pacific Northwest | Registered: 08 March 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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Hey White Fang, That stem is separated, the two pieces are just sitting too close together... I'd say that shot was just as good as the two taken at the playing cards. Some doin's! Shoot sharp, Mike
 
Posts: 3531 | Location: Pacific Northwest | Registered: 25 October 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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Beaver - crap (your targets)I knew they were good, I realy need to get off my rear end and shoot mine. I think it's # 88. He said he was building one almost like mine simultaniosly. I went with the full stock for the 8 1/2 # weight since I am past my prime.
For the halibut google wb selb and find his site and look in the picture gallery. At the bottom there is an old cruddy Jaeger rifle that my uncle found in a cave on the Pedernales river.

Scott
 
Posts: 13 | Location: Texas hill country | Registered: 27 June 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Pilgrim
Picture of Beaver Hunter
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Scott, Brant sent me pictures of your rifle when it was finished as a preview for mine. Yours is also a fine looking rifle and sounds exactly like the twin to mine. Good luck shooting it!

Yes, with the feather, it is the stem that is shot in the middle. We earned one point if we hit the feather anywhere, but could get two if we clipped the top off by shooting the stem. The big card we had two shots at. One point if we hit the outer edge and two points for the inner rectangle, so four points possible if both are in the inner rectangle. My two shots were almost right on top of each other. At first I thought I missed my second shot, until we closed the range and I walked up to the target. The little playing card was shot in half on edge. I had a pretty big smile on my face when I saw the top of the card fall to the ground.

It really is a great rifle to shoot and a lot of fun! It took me many years to save up for a rifle like this, but it was worth it!
 
Posts: 76 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: 03 September 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Booshway
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Ah so, ah so; so it is Mike. One had to look close or should I say, "look sharp" to notice. excellent shooting.

Load fast and aim slow.
 
Posts: 1726 | Location: Pacific Northwest | Registered: 08 March 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Greenhorn
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My how time passes. As I posted before, that I always wanted a GRRW Hawken. I got one a few months ago. .54 halfstock built by Gardell Powell ca. 1976. I swear it's unfired.
Also since it needed a proper side arm to pair with it I ordered a 2nd gen Colt's 3rd Dragoon, also unfired nib from Track the other day.
Now to find a decent holster for the big horse pistol.

Scott
 
Posts: 13 | Location: Texas hill country | Registered: 27 June 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Factor
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So...,

did he get the WB Selb rifle or not?

Anybody? Bueller?....., Bueller?.....

LD


It's not what you know, it's what you can prove
 
Posts: 3843 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 10 November 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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