Stretching the distance- hawkens

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Denney84

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Hello all. Long time lurker here. I have always had a soft spot for the tc hawkens so when I went in to my local shop a few weeks ago, there were 2 hawkens setting there, one 54 one 50 so I bought both of them as they both look to be in good shape. Now comes my questions. I'm getting away from the encore as my GF has taken it from me (lol) and would love to test myself a bit with the old hawkens. Looks like I have alot to learn yet.
My grandfather had a 54 and a 45 cal that we shot some, but always with pyrodex and an unknown bullet.
Looking at some of the threads here has me wanting to set something up with a peep sight setup and stretch them out! This looks like it could be a very fun adventure and hopefully I can draw some muzzleloader tags out west in the future.
Now if I could find a GM lrh barrel or 2 🤣
 
Pretty good first post… you’ll have a lot of fun with the traditional side of things… guaranteed!

Now to dig around and see if I have any extra LRH barrels!
 
Man I'd love one of those barrels! Seems like I'm always a day late and a dollar short! Lol I've been looking at a Rice barrel as well but I will probably shoot these first and see what they are capable of. But man it seems like I'm a bit late to the game on some things!b😂🤣
 
The factory Barrels are EXTREMELY capable, they just need the Right components, and a capable shooter behind them :lewis:

STOCK 1:48 TWIST .50 Cal @ 500 Yards


STOCK 1:48 TWIST .54 Cal @ 500 Yards with a BIG WIDE Meplat Hunting Bullet
 
Oh yes! I've been religiously watching some of your posts on this. I've got to find some components and get to shooting! Need to dig out my grandfather's old molds and casting stuff to see what he has. I know that he had the maxi ball molds.
 
Was just looking at the tang sight options. My new 50 has the old TC tang peep on it but wanting to do something more adjustable. Has William's quit making the fp hawken? That was the one I kinda was leaning towards but I guess I wont get it ordered at the moment.
 
The 54 is the sultan of swat!!!

The .54 also has a “Different“ Recoil, that I am not crazy about (More Muzzle Climb) I MUCH prefer the .50 Cal for This sort of stuff. The .54 is an Awesome 200 Yard Elk Rifle, and is exactly what i will be carrying this Muzzleloader ONLY Cow Elk Season, My latest .54 GM LRH that is, I set it up specifically for Hunting :lewis:
 
Cleaned both a bit today. Man it just looks like theyve been treated well. Mostly just got the slight browning of bullet/ patch lube out of the barrels. Ordering a Lyman 57 and a globe sight for one of them if I can figure out which one to start playing with! Lol.
 
Cleaned both a bit today. Man it just looks like theyve been treated well. Mostly just got the slight browning of bullet/ patch lube out of the barrels. Ordering a Lyman 57 and a globe sight for one of them if I can figure out which one to start playing with! Lol.
The Lyman peep will do the job but I put a Lyman on one of mine and a Williams on the other. The Williams is definitely better but I know how hard they are to find (that’s why there is a Lyman peep on my .50)
 
The Lyman peep will do the job but I put a Lyman on one of mine and a Williams on the other. The Williams is definitely better but I know how hard they are to find (that’s why there is a Lyman peep on my .50)
Huh… what is it about the Williams that you prefer?
 
The .54 also has a “Different“ Recoil, that I am not crazy about (More Muzzle Climb) I MUCH prefer the .50 Cal for This sort of stuff. The .54 is an Awesome 200 Yard Elk Rifle, and is exactly what i will be carrying this Muzzleloader ONLY Cow Elk Season, My latest .54 GM LRH that is, I set it up specifically for Hunting :lewis:
I don’t believe I have any 54’s left around here. I know what you mean by muzzle climb. If the stock doesn’t fit right it can raise a knot on your cheekbone. Those heavy bullets, heavy charges are for 65 years old me, not the current vintage. I spent the afternoon shooting round ball from a 50 caliber High Plains Sporter and it’s just a sweetheart with 80 grains of 2 or 3f Swiss.
 
The Lyman peep will do the job but I put a Lyman on one of mine and a Williams on the other. The Williams is definitely better but I know how hard they are to find (that’s why there is a Lyman peep on my .50)

I'd love to find a Williams too. Just to have one of each to mess with more than anything. But I have yet to find one in stock anywhere right now. I'm still going back and forth between the 3 I have to set up. May just play with the 50 for now but I loved my grandfather's 54 and have 2.
 
Huh… what is it about the Williams that you prefer?
Lewis has a video where he describes exactly the reasons why Williams is a bit better than the lyman. To sum it up, the lyman has some slop in the elevation turret. I tighten the zero stop screw and that seems to firm it up but the Williams has no play in it at all. Also the fit and finish is nicer on the Williams. But….you can’t find those Williams fp hawkens anywhere so the lyman is definitely better than nothing
 
Regarding the Williams FP, I have also been looking for one for my 54 Renegade and sent an email to inquire to Williams near the end of August. Their COO replied and said they would be back in stock in about 6 weeks. Should be anytime…I hope!
 
Regarding the Williams FP, I have also been looking for one for my 54 Renegade and sent an email to inquire to Williams near the end of August. Their COO replied and said they would be back in stock in about 6 weeks. Should be anytime…I hope!
Awesome…I wish they had them about 6 months ago but oh well. Maybe if I end up getting a third TC Hawken/renegade
 
Bringing this back up as I just acquired a 50 cal LRH barrel! Hopefully I can find another hawken stock and hardware to put it together and find a tang peep setup! Looks like I'm gonna try and get some "I" bullet molds as well!
 
If I was going to regularly shoot Idaholewis's .54 caliber I bullet in a sidelock Thompson/Center rifle, especially if I was intending to try and hunt with it at long distances, peep sight or scope; then I would give serious consideration to shipping the barrel, perhaps the entire rifle, off to Levi Reed at LR Customs in Lapointe, Utah so that he could fabricate a .54 caliber, lead conical, MZ REX2 muzzle brake for it.
 
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