[Stevewildcat]

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!!

 

[sportclay]

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. Phone number removed*. 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 Phone number removed*. 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.

 

[Stevewildcat]

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.

 

[MarkNolan]

Wilbur Hauck

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

 

[Tnhunter]

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

 

[sportclay]

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

 

[Tnhunter]

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.....

 

[sportclay]

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.

 

[Stevewildcat]

Hauck Single Shot Rifles

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!

 

[pauldriscoll]

Gentlemen, , my name is Paul Driscoll and Ive been chasing Wilbur's guns since about 1990 Yes I am the guy from Ca. now in Colorado who worked for the Chart House. I have everything Wilbur left behind at the time of his death. Not only gun related I have his shooting cloths, boat registration from the Stardust and many family photos. Mr Nolan I have the original patent papers signeg and stamped by your uncle Tom Nolan and something you would appreciate ... the bar room shotgun you spoke of . Given to me by his daughter Joan. If any of you out there would like me to help you find a serial # or just chat a bit about his guns .... feel free to contact me at any time Paul Driscoll *Phone number removed

 

[Dixiejack]

Wow!! This has been an interesting thread. I hope it stays active. I have always admired the Hauck single shots.

 

[michael219dw]

I like Hauck rifles too, not to much information on them. I have a 219Donaldson Wasp he built on a 1949 Winchester md. 70 action beautiful workmanship, also a falling block in 257 Roberts. As I am getting up in age I sold my lifetime gun collection to a big national gun dealer they did bid on thr Hauck rifles as they did not know anything about them nor did they bid on a Charlie Johnson rifle. They think they are experts andI know they are fools.

 

[fred243]

Wow!! This has been an interesting thread. I hope it stays active. I have always admired the Hauck single shots.

Have you seen this before ? If not you'll like it

Falling block single shot breech action

 

[Dixiejack]

I've seen photos of the Hauck action. Somebody came out with a falling block action in the middle 1980's that I believe was built similar to the Hauck action. I bought one and remember it was rather massive for a single shot action. I had a 2" X 30" barrel blank, bored and chambered in .32-40, made and installed. It weighed around 20 lbs. It was a poor boring and chambering job and wouldn't group worth a hoot. I finally sold the action and stock (no forearm) to a bench shooter in I believe Ohio. Seems like he bored and chambered it in .40-65 to shoot bench rest with like I was trying to do.
The action was built like a bank vault--no play in it at all. Fine work.

 

[medbill]

Dixiejack are you thinking of the Wickliffe falling block? Wickliffe 76 Rifle

I was good friends with the late Don Hamilton and I remember he talking about a fellow from CA who bought up all his Hauck rifle stuff. Don told me if I ever saw a Hauck rifle that i liked to grab it. Well I was lucky enough to stumble onto a .270 Win a while back. Still need to get to the range with it but it should be a dandy of a shooter. The craftsmanship is all there from what I can see. Nice caliber too! Glad to see I am not the only one out there on the hunt for these. Although I will call it good now that I have one so don't worry guys.

 

[Stevewildcat1]

Action that looks like a Wilbur Hauck action

Dixiejack , I think the action you were referring to in your November 2013 post was an action built by Mark Matteson of Canajoharie, New York. He had purchased Hauck's patent rights when Hauck left the gunsmithing trade. It is similar to the original Hauck action but by no means identical. There is a product review of the Matteson action written by Frank deHaas in what I think was the ASSRA journal somewhere around 1987. The review discussed the original Matteson variant on the Hauck, about which deHaas was not too complimentary, as well as the second version of Matteson's action, about which he was more lenient. I have recently seen one of Matteson's original actions and it certainly is heavy and quite different internally from Hauck's actions. The action I saw was fitted with double set triggers as were most of Hauck's actions. While Hauck's actions carried his stamped ID on the upper left side of the receiver ("W J Hauck, Arlington, VT"), the Matteson action I saw had a very light stamping on the bottom of the action, around the trigger guard, identifying the action as one by "Matteson FA, Canajoharie, NY, Hauck Patent". Hope this helps.

 

[valkyrierdr]

Hauck Rifle

I recently picked up a rifle at an auction and am trying to find out what it is. Someone said it may be a Hauck.
I don't know anything about Hauck rifles and cant find a picture of one to compare it to. It is in .25 Krag.
It is beautifully made and is in excellent condition. If I could get ammo for it, it wouldn't be for sale. It is the finest made rifle I have ever owned.
If anyone could help me identify this rifle it would be appreciated.

5 minutes after I posted this i found a picture of a Hauck rifle and mine isn't one.

Thanks.

 

[itmburl]

Wilbur J Hauck

I have just registered to this forum to respond to the article Mark Nolan has posted. I knew Wilbur from 1966 until he died. Wilbur was a great and talented man. He died of natural causes period. Nothing about his death was murky as Mr. Nolan stated. I know Mark and I knew his uncle Tom. Night and day between each other. Tom, being a straight up nice guy. I'm sure if anyone else that knew Wilbur read the post that Mr. Nolan wrote would agree with what I have said. I could go on about who was on Wilbur's boat when it was operational, but not many ever rode on it. The boat, like anything else Wilbur built, was a complete masterpiece. He started building it ( I think) in 1955 and finished it sometime around 1960. The boat was 36 feet long with a clipper bow and a wider than normal beam. It had twin 1955 Oldsmobile engines, purchased new for the boat. The boat was beautiful. In 1955 with the engines he purchased, he also bought a new 1955 Oldsmobile, black and turquoise. The boat was black, turquoise, and mahogany. Beautiful.
Joan, if you ever see this and disagree please get in touch with me.
Don Burlingham

 

[Tim B]

Gentlemen, , my name is Paul Driscoll and Ive been chasing Wilbur's guns since about 1990 Yes I am the guy from Ca. now in Colorado who worked for the Chart House. I have everything Wilbur left behind at the time of his death. Not only gun related I have his shooting cloths, boat registration from the Stardust and many family photos. Mr Nolan I have the original patent papers signeg and stamped by your uncle Tom Nolan and something you would appreciate ... the bar room shotgun you spoke of . Given to me by his daughter Joan. If any of you out there would like me to help you find a serial # or just chat a bit about his guns .... feel free to contact me at any time Paul Driscoll *Phone number removed

 

[Tim B]

Hi Paul, I live in upstate Ny and have been trying to research a Hauck bolt action rifle I have. It is a bolt action in cal. 22-250. I believe s/n is 442A stamped on left side of receiver. Wondering if you could help me shed some light on this beauty. I tried calling phone number listed on this thread but no answer and no mailbox set up so not sure if phone number still valid. I would appreciate any help you may be able to give me. Thank you. Tim B.