#230 • An Early and Remarkable Example of a Genuine J&S Hawken Percussion Plains Rifle

Part of The Ray Howser Firearms Collection, 1931-2026 (timed auction by Lewis & Grant Auctions)

Starting at $10,000.00

Status: Available

Live bidding starts Nov 20, 2026 10:00 AM EST

.50 caliber, 30.5 Octagonal Barrel, NSN. This is an early J&S Hawken rifle made between the 1830's and 1840"s, during the peak of the Rocky Mountain fur trade. Each of these rifles were hand made by the Hawken brothers and typically cost around $25 at the time. Being a reliable choice for the fur trade, mountain men made these rifles into American legends. The brothers, Jake and Samuel, worked together in St. Louis, Missouri from 1820 up until Jakes death in 1849 . Upon Jake's death, Samuel maintained the shop until the sale to J.P. Gemmer in the 1860's with the shop eventually shutting its doors in 1915. The barrel measures 1.125" across the flats. With the early silhouette of J&S Hawken rifles this one has all the hallmarks with a patent breech, double tang screw, snell percussion drum, double wedge, single side lock screw, iron butt plate, triggerguard and nose cap.  Notched rear barrel sight with front blade including the graduations in front of the blade.  Walnut stock with cheekpiece.  The top of barrel  marked "J&S. Hawken St Louis".   The metal is a smooth brown with some light staining around the snell drum protruding outward onto the barrel.  The lockplate has evidence of the staining under the snell and on the lockplate. Mostly just a smooth nice untouched brown patina, which is desired in these rifles. The stock with a very nice untouched patina with age and use showing nicks and Dings.  Two very old cracks near the toe and buttplate.  A slight age crack near the rear tang screw  and one small crack in the rear of the lockplate. There is a hole in the tang for a lolly-pop style tang sight. This rifle is indeed a great looking genuine Hawken rifle and as good as it gets for a mountain man rifle.  The bore is excellent however the barrel was shortened during its period of use.  This rifle was purchased by Ray Houser in 1998 from the Bill Knapp collection who had owned the rifle since 1941.  Really good Hawken Rifles seldom come up for sale.   Provenance: Bill Knapp Collection Ray & Maxine Howser Collection