Reeder Custom Guns - Hey look what I snared...

Always wanted to play with one for an extended time. Hawes, made in Germany in the late 50’s-early 60’s. When all the cowboy and westerns were the rage in that glorious post-war period, a cheap to shoot full size Colt copy. Frame mounted firing pin (.22 RF caliber) and a type of transfer bar system. This was cheap and looked fun. A friend is bringing it to me Friday!

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Both given to me by an uncle when I was 14....

hy hunter was working for Interarmco(CIA) when he went on his own. Both several streets apart in Alexandria Va at the time I remember.

Was born in 1925 and grew up in Southern California. He had wholesale and retail gun shop and a bumper re-chrome shop. He was active in real estate in Southern California and Hawaii. He was acquainted with a number of Hollywood celebrities and was known as the gun dealer to the stars. At times, it is said, he partnered in business ventures with John Wayne, Howard Hughes, and the Shah of Iran. In the 1950s he had Hy Hunter's American Weapons Gun Shop in Burbank California. Two well-known pictures are of Carbine Williams in his gun shop in 1952 and presenting Audie Murphy with a pair of Great Western sixguns in 1955. He was the final owner of Great Western Arm. "GREAT WESTERN ARMS COMPANY" by John Dougan and Jim Hoobler

It sure seems I have seen one or two sometime in the past.

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ARE ALL MARKED HAWES: A 2-1/2" .22 AND 3" .357 SHERIFF'S MODELS AND A 5" .22 "SINGLE-SIX"

remember some of the cheap pot metal derringers had Hy Hunter on them.

.22 AND .22 MAG DA & SA SMALL GUNS
FRONTIER SIX-SHOOTERS IN .357, .44 MAG, .45 COLT
.22,.32,.380 SEMI-AUTOS
.22 DERRINGER

until I found something on it. It was the derringers that I saw.

HY HUNTER AND YE OLDE HUNTER? HY HUNTER SEEMS TO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BASED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I REMEMBER THE YE OLDE HUNTER ADS FROM VA IN THE MID-1950s.

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the same as contracted bu Herter's. Only the quality adjusted a bit for economy. I noted Hawes marketed a gun that looked just like the odd Powermag I own too.

GOT CROSSWISE WITH THE FEDS. HIS SECRETARY WAS ROSEMARY HAWES. AND HE NEEDED A NEW NAME FOR HIS COMPANY.

here in Jacksonville AR. He was there at work when the feds busted in hunting the CEO. It was a shame. Something over serial numbers and no guns to go with them, a silly sham and what a price to pay.

I think they were focused on a .30 Carbine copy and that little .380 Pony auto at the time. John's not much to tell stories, you have to kind of drag them from him, but he has some.

Hawes! That's great!

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