Hawes 44 magnum SAA Western Marshall

[haddon1]

Hi, Does anybody know if these guns are of good quality-proper heat treating etc.? Thanks ahead of time BOB

[mescalero1]

The one I have is quite old and holding up.

[mescalero1]

Sorry, mine is .45 Colt

[AkRay]

I owned a Hawes Chief Marshal until the mainspring broke. This was in the late 80s or so and I had a hard time finding a replacement spring in those pre internet days. As soon as I located one from Gun Parts Corp. I sold it, because I didn't want to break the gun again. I put the proceeds and a little more into a 10" SBH though, so it worked out to be a good deal.

[Idiot]

They are tanks; decent quality and stout. Have fun.

Type "Hawes Single Action Revolver" in Google search and you will find a ton of stuff on them. Also type in "Herter's Single Action Revolver" and you will also get a ton of info on them (Herter's and Hawes imported the same German made Revovler - they are the same). You might like this article: http://www.singleactions.com/HERTERPOWERMAGS.pdf

[mescalero1]

My friend Jimmy James the stoned cowboy had 1 when I was young.

[Buffboy]

I've only seen a couple in 44mag., the 44s aren't as common as the 357 or (I suspect) even the 401s. I've never seen one locally in 45 or 44-40 though I know they were made. They are robust guns, if not abused, very reliable and can be very accurate. I owned one in 357 and had three friends that also had them in 357. I have another friend that has one in 401 powermag(not for sale, ever, he loves it). I traded mine off on something else a long time ago (don't even remember what now, CRS). I have one friend's 357 Hawes here at the house. I take it out on rare occasions to give it a little exercise . I think all the others were sold or traded. You used to see these guns a lot at shows and dealers before CASS. Now they are not very common and when they do show up, a lot more expensive. You used to be able to pick up the 357s for $100-150. Treat it like a colt, hammer down on a empty chamber.

I've had to do a little work on Hawes revolvers over the years. I've never seen a broken hammer spring. Most of these repairs were done on one particular gun that was abused pretty badly. The trigger/bolt springs are breakable(I've replaced 2 in different pistols) but they are easy to get (gunparts inc., they make their own and I've never broken one of theirs, I may still have a new one in my parts box). Don't let the ejector rod housing get loose, they are aluminum, they can break. I don't imagine they are as easy to find as the last time I had to, 25+ years ago. Don't dry fire them without snap caps as you'll eventually damage the firing pin and spring for it(frame mounted firing pin).

I also had to weld up/recut/harden/temper the hammer and trigger on one. I don't know what happened, the owner didn't either as it was returned after being loaned to a "friend" in that condition(he was not impressed). I suspect the borrower was doing a fast draw and dropped it cocked . Gunparts(or numrich arms as they called themselves back then) didn't have any triggers or hammers in stock(pre-internet, had to wait 4 weeks to find out via mail). It hasn't required any work since it was repaired. Yes, it's the one I have here.

[Dave James]

Some of the early Hawes models where made by Sauer, we had several on the farm in either 45 colt or 357 mag, decent guns for the price, couldn't afford the Colt's at that time