I am still searching for info on Single shot rifles patented and built by Wilbur Hauck of West Arlington Vermont in the 1950's and 1960's. A couple of you folks provided me with some really great info including his patent papers, but what I'd like to know is where did this powerful action wind up after his death. It was beautiful, tight and usually came with double set triggers. (If you would like to see one, go to Cabella's Gun Library website and type in Hauck - they had a .243 for sale which I missed, but my hunt goes on!) I was also told on the Forum that mention was made of his work in Frank DeHaas's first book on SS actions - “Single-shot actions: Their design and construction”, but to date I cannot find a copy. It was published I think in 1986.

Any more info anyone has would be appreciated and as was before, if anyone has one and is interested in parting company with it, I am a motivated buyer!!

realize this is an old thread. I have owned a number of Hauck rifles over the years and greatly regret moving them on. I live not far from Wilburs home territory. I had owned both single shots and bolt rifles built by him. There was a fellow from California traveling around the area of Saratoga, Washington and Benningtion counties back in the late 80's visiting the older gun shops in the area looking for Hauck rifiles and following up on leads to Hauck rifles. I sold him 2 that I had and sent him to several other gun shops in the Saratoga- Adirondack area. I don't recall his name although I have his card somewhere. I do remember that he either owned or operated restaurants called The Charthouse in California. He bought a lot of Hauck rifles.

Don Hamilton of Pumpkin Hollow gun shop bought Wilburs machinery and tools and several rifles and most of what he had when he got out of the gun business. Don has sold the shop to Jason Barden a couple of years ago It is now called ;
Jason Barden's, Pumpkin Mountain Gun Shop. Located on Rt 28/30 in Blue Mountain Lake. 518-352-1977. Jason may be able to provide further info on Don Hamilton and Wilbur Hauck. I believe Jason used to work for Galazan's.

I was of the understanding that Wilbur was operating a bar in Vt. before he died. I am not 100% on the certainty of that. A gun shop that is still operating in Schaghticoke, NY ,(a great old gun shop) Beecrofts Shooters Supply, might have some further information You could contact Dave Beecroft at 518-753-4402. His father , John Beecroft new Wilbur fairly well.

Don't know if this helps much but as a fan of single shot rifles I thought I would pass it on.

Thanks for the update SPORTCLAY. I owned Serial Number 38 in the Hauck family of Single Shot rifles. It had originally been built for an uncle of mine in West Lebanon, NH in the 50's and was chambered for the .250 Hauck Magnum (a 25-05 variant of Hauck's own design). My uncle also had some pretty nice gunsmithing work done by Hauck such as sleeving a 45-70 Sharps smooth bore, rechambering a German Drilling, etc. He was a friend of Wilbur's and was saddened when Hauck "started slinging beers" in a bar rather than building guns in his later years. Stupidly I sold the rifle and have been looking for one for years now as a replacement. There was a .243 that wound up in Cabella's gun room in Colorado a year ago, but i missed it.

What is curious to me is whether Hauck actually milled those actions himself or whether he had them done elsewhere else. As an example, I find it hard to believe that he actually cast the molded trigger tang in his shop.

I do have a copy of his patent for the action if you would like it. Let me know.

I'm originally from Schuylerville, NY and I knew Wilbur Hauck. He was a legend and a very fine man.

A few facts: The bar he was running was actually just south of Schuylerville NY on the Hudson River in the hamlet of Coveville. Great bass fishing, we used to call that spot "Wilbur's Cove." I think he was actually living above the bar. That bar is now known as The Alcove Marina.

I think he had family in Vermont, maybe a daughter. In his bar on the jukebox, he forbid anyone to play "Moonlight in Vermont." And if somebody did play it he'd reject it and give their money back. That song made him very emotional.

My uncle Tom Nolan was an attorney from Mechanicville and he and Wilbur were very close friends. Tom was the former mayor of Mechanicville, I think during the early 1960's.

Now I don't know anything about rifles but I do know that many of those rifles that Wilbur made, my Uncle Tom in fact did the woodwork (?) or engraving (? ) or whatever it is you guys call the wooden part of a rifle. Wilbur did the rest of it, the barrel or whatever.

When my uncle Tom died my father, his brother, was still alive. About a week after Tom was buried I noticed several rifles in our house in Schuylerville that weren't there before. My father told me they were Tom's rifles and that he and Wilbur Hauck had made them. I knew they'd be worth something someday but unfortuneately I didn't try to claim them.

That house was sold recently and before I moved out last summer I checked all over for anything I wanted to take. Even looked in the attic...If those rifles were there I definitely would've taken them.


Wilbur was quite a man. He actually built his own yacht and flew for the Brits in WW II. My mother's still alive today and she and my father used to go on rides on that yacht with Wilbur during the 1950s.

Wilbur had a short fuse. He kept a shotgun behind the bar and was known to let a few fly inside the bar if he you really pissed him off. He never aimed it anybody, always away from people.

Luckily for me, when Wilbur found out I was Tom Nolan's nephew, I could do just about anything I wanted and it was okay with Wilbur.

Wilbur died under some very murky circumstances. There was an investigation but the police couldn't prove anything. A good friend of Wilbur's once told me that he had been robbed and beaten up after he had closed the bar one evening. His friend even knew the punks involved. Very sad way for such a great man to die.

That's really all I know about it.

Mark Nolan
Mechanicville NY

I have read some posts about these rifles lately and I truly enjoyed your input into the "mystery" of these rifles. I'll bet you wish you'd "known then what you do now", but don't we all! Thank you for some very interesting information, only known by a very few. Interesting stuff!

Thanks, Ed

The Hauck single shot actions were machined in Hauck's shop. Don Hamilton had at least one unfinished action and a lot of parts and the machinery and jigs and tooling. I couldn't say if he did the trigger castings or not. I had a 2R Lovell SS that was extraordinarily accurate. Had a 12x Unertl on it. One of the many firearm trade regrets over 30 + years in the business. Can't keep 'em all (at least thats what my wife says...)

Mark Nolan, are you any relation to Judge Tom Nolan?
DPD

He did say that Tom Nolan was his Uncle.....

That Tom Nolan is Deceased(Mark Nolan's uncle). This Tom Nolan is a NYS Supreme Court Judge.(and an avid shooter)

Stevewildcat,
This past weekend at a Gun show in Saratoga Springs NY A dealer had a Hauck SS in 25-06 with a 20x Lyman Super target spot. I have his contact info. Get back to me if you want the land line #.
The Dehaas book you may find on abebooks.com
I tried to contact you via the email on your profile page but not possible.

Sportclay,

Sorry it took so long for me to spot the posting about the gun show in Saratoga springs - I would much appreciate the name and address of the dealer with the Hauck 25-06. You can send it to me directly at Steve @gesc.com. Many thanks Sportclay!