RMJ Shrike or Kestrel?

nugent_crai

nugent_crai

Empire Outfitters
Dealer / Materials Provider
Joined
Oct 7, 2008
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If you had to choose one, which would you choose? Anyone have any experience with these? advantages, disadvantages?
 
Haven't handled either hawk but I personally like the Shrike. Just looks better to me with a shorter handle. It's the one I'm going to get myself (the shrike).
 
I own a Shrike and its great, I have only done a few things with it... punched the spike thru a few 2x4s, chopped thru some gallon and 5 gallon solvent cans, and performed the can opener trick to a sheet of sheet metal. I also own 1 waiting on the 2nd Vec Hawk... more traditional, feels ALOT better with all the weight in the head and the almost nil weight of the heft, craftsmanship and customer service is great as well. IF the weather holds this weekend I am taking my young daughter out for a day hike in provo canyon. The Vec will ride on my side and I hope to cause a few blemishes to the paint on the head.... The hawk probally hates being a virgin to wood/ work. The Vec may not say "tactical" or what not, but with the custom work he does this IS a traditional hawk remixed into a modern weapon.. reminds me of pugsley (the 30/30 lever, converted to black tac... which I hope to build one identical one day).

MINE:
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NOT MINE
AGAIGN NOT MINE, but I will build one. Meet Puglsey..
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This thing is BADASS! What is it? how do i get one? which would you rather carry with you in the woods? which would hold up better to hacking a building apart?

ps... thanks for your reply!
 
You can do that to a Marlin 336 if you wanted to. Some grey and black duracoat, the factory rail, a 60 dollar ATI plastic stock set and a marine tex texture job.
 
I have all three Strike, Kestrel and Talon

Hard to get Talon and kestrel

All are good but my fav between the 3 is the talon

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First, the levergun (sorry, the hijack has to come first, I must spend too much time ont he RAT Cutlery forum. . .).

I had a setup like that (had to sell it when I got laid off a few years ago. Mine was made from an 1895G .45-70 Guide Gun, non ported barrel. I mean, if you're going with a low capacity weapon, it might as well have some punch to it. I used an XS scope rail that went the whole length of the receiver and into the forward dovetail. At the back of it was a ghost ring iron sight. The front sight was replaced by an XS front sight. And I had a Leupold 4x scope on the rail. Do yourself a favor and don't use ATI stocks, they are an abomination. Put ona Wild West Guns kevlar stock. While shopping at WWG, pick up their Bearproof extractor and Trigger Happy kit. I also put on a Big Loop lever so my fat mitts could fit with gloves on. In the end, that rifle cost a lot of money, but it was one sweet boomstick.

OK, back to 'hawks. If you like the tactical ones, go for it. But let me suggest (or second the suggestion) for one of brother Vec's hawks. There's two reasons I prefer them to tactical hawks:
1.) The thin head on a tactical hawk means you really can't have a hammer poll. if you do, it's so thin as to be nearly useless, IMO. This is my prejudice, and if you like a spike it doesn't apply to you.
The reason I prefer a hammer, is in the tactical role, for one reason or another I may want to make a "drive by" attack, where I hit the guy and keep going. Maybe he has a friend, maybe I want to ring his bell because he has a gun and for whatever reason, I don't. For this kind of attack, if the spike (or even a thin hammer head) stuck in, I'd be screwed, either his buddy would do me in, or he could. With the hammer, I can ring his bell, or pretty much break any joint I hit and keep going. If I want to hook a weapon, a knee, or my favorite, the strike betweent he clavicles and drag him off his feet, a relatively short (heel to toe) bit like the Trail hawk will drive in with ease, I don't need a spike.
For camping, the hammer is useful for. . .get this. . .hammering. And if you want to hook into and drag logs, you can drive int he heel of the bit and do it that way.
Again, this is my preference based on how I like to use them.
2.) OK the second reason, and this is the big one, is balance. The all-metal hawks shift the weight away from the head and more towards the handle. On a hawk, IMO that is bad. Vec's handle, while he claims they weigh a few ounces, feel like they weigh nothing, even with a light Trail Hawk head on it. Almost all of the weight is in the head, and it really shows in the balance when you swing it
 
JParanee, why is the Talon your favorite? If you had to choose between the Shrike and the Kestrel, which would it be and why? Thanks
 
The Talan is longer and although it is harder to change direction with a longer hawk quickly you can choke up on it and hold it like a kestrel if you wanted to or hold normaly and get a very powerful blow.

I like the head of the kestral better than the shrike but do to availability of the Kestral you will probale find a shrike quicker to get your hands on. The Shrike is an awesome hawk and you will be very pleased with it so if I where to pick between the shrike and kestrel I would go with the Shrike

I have on order for about a year another kestrel and Talon I found all of mine on the second hand market. Like I said if and when these orders get filled they are already sold to friends. They are making the Shrike right now so that is your best bet unless you search the used market and find a Talon or Kestrel
 
The only one that I have thrown is the Talon and it does decent but due to the weight not being like a traditional hawk I believe there are much better throwers out there

My fav thrower is from Steve at Coalcreek
 
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