New owner of a TC Hawken - once again.

[JBushnell]

38 years ago I stopped at Dixie Gun Works and spent my last dime on a TC Hawken 50 cal (I think it was something like $170, but could be wrong). Great little rifle, but a couple of years later traded it in on a beautiful Uberti .54 cal Santa Fe Hawken. I later sold that gun after I got married and $$ was tight. Fast forward...

Montana is likely to approve a "Heritage hunt" season (legislation pending) which will be for traditional MLs only, so it seemed timely to renew my interest in traditional muzzleloading.

I have been reading IdahoLewis' posts on his new LR Hawken / Rice build with great interest and have been searching for a TC Hawken stock to start a build (yes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery). This morning I stumbled across this:

Hawken with Green Mountian barrel: Thompson Center Hawken .50 Cal Blackpowder With Green Mountain Barrel - Black Powder Rifles & Muzzleloader Rifles at GunBroker.com : 892543946



I thought of contacting the seller to ask the twist, then thought "better buy it while you can." Looked like a fair deal to me, so I bought it. I believe this is a 1:28 twist?

Now to start searching the forum for a good bullet/load. I don't cast and have done business with Bullshop (thanks to Idaholewis), so will probably start with his bullets.

Any recommendations for the new/old sidelock guy? Thanks!

 

[michiganmuzzy]

1:28 twist. I think you got a great deal on a great rifle. My 50 LRH barrel should be arriving today. Im plaining on shooting some No Excuses 420? and casting some Lyman 395 Plains bullets. Probably starting at 60 or maybe 65gr of goex 2f just cuz i have a couple lbs of it.

 

[phalanx]

Love the 22in barrel! I looked at it on GB thinking it would be good for the swamps I hunt. Glad you bought it. Very nice.

 

[Saxtonyoung]

You done good . There were not a lot of 21" barrels made and that's a nice looking stock. Muzzy has given you some good options for bullets. I think you will be amazed at the wide range of bullets that LRH will shoot accurately.

 

[JBushnell]

Thanks everyone. I know when I open that package up I going to feel like a kid again

And again when I get a chance to shoot it...

 

[toytruck]

Be sure your Hawken is NOT loaded!
"The ramrod doesn't seem to fully seat" is a red flag to me. Be safe!!

 

[Idaholewis]

AWESOME Deal my friend!! Those Barrels FLAT OUT Shoot Anything i can do to help you along with it, Just shout

 

[bstorric]

I think you’ll find the sights to be the limiting factor on that hawken. It’s real tough to get a pinpoint aim on something with that front bead sight. I have a Williams peep and Lyman globe on mine and it made shooting longer range so much easier. The globe does limit your shooting hours (can’t really use them in low light). Just something to think about

 

[edmehlig]

You can always use that peep sight with a Red or Green fiber optic front sight. Can't beat it for hunting, but for Target shooting a Globe, sight is best.

 

[Rainorshine]

Nice looking rifle! Some years ago I bought a similar rifle at a gun show. Was the Green Mtn. Barrel supplied as original equipment on these rifles?

 

[mrhunterken]

Be sure your Hawken is NOT loaded!
"The ramrod doesn't seem to fully seat" is a red flag to me. Be safe!!

It doesn't seat in the stock, NOT the barrel.

 

[toytruck]

It doesn't seat in the stock, NOT the barrel.

Shouldn't have posted when half asleep...

 

[JBushnell]

Thanks, I did notice that about the ramrod. Which makes me think the barrel is not original but maybe the rod is? If so, I will make a shorter ramrod and keep the original rod original.

And good point about making sure it wasn't put away loaded. I'll check on that first thing

 

[brad502a]

i have the same rifle. i put it together years ago, pieced the stock together from ebay. That is where I learned that all hawken stock parts do not fit all hawken stocks, there is a generational difference. I shot the full bore hornady 350 and 300 grain bullets, FPB, well out of this rifle. Very quick and compact in a tree stand. I called it the SMAC. short muzzleloading assault carbine as a joke. I might want to be careful with that today.

 

[JIMYJAC]

Nice find congrats!
1

 

[Idaholewis]

For Jacketed, i would shoot these if you can find them? These were AWESOME Performers in my 1:28 Twist GM Barreled Sidelock

Shot from 1:28 Twist Green Mountain LRH

 

[brad502a]

Lewis do you remember what the loading pressure was like? Easy or hard.

 

[Idaholewis]

Lewis do you remember what the loading pressure was like? Easy or hard.

In my Bore they were Easy, I wouldn’t have Trusted them to Stay put on the Powder for Hunting. If i we’re gonna Hunt with these in that Particular Barrel I would have Knurled them between 2 Mill Files to get “Lift”

 

[brad502a]

Lewis thank you for the info

 

[JBushnell]

Thanks for all the information. I guess I should have mentioned that under the proposed law (Montana Heritage Hunt) I will need to use lead-only bullets. Link to bill below - received an overwhelming majority vote in the House so I expect it to pass through the Senate and be signed into law. If not, I will still be reunited with an old friend...

https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billpdf/HB0242.pdf