What Muzzleloading Stuff Did You Do Today?

user 49399 · Jul 30, 2021

Got disappointed with my Thompson Center Hawken again today.

I bought this rifle used several years ago and have never been able to shoot it accurately. I’ve tried every combination of powder/patch/lube/bullet known to modern man and nothing works for me in this gun. At 25 yards the best I can do is about a two inch group. At 50 yards it’s anybody’s guess what’s gonna happen.

After many years of frustrated shooting sessions I think there are two problems with this gun. One is the funky trigger guard. I can never get a grip that feels right and changing my grip also changes where the butt stock ends up. Since it’s crescent shaped I put it in the area between bicep and tricep like my other guns with crescent shaped stocks but the sights never line up right.

And that’s the other thing. Even though the rear sight is fully adjustable, it’s as wide as a hog trough. The round front sight looks as big as a basketball and I can never seem to line it up evenly like I can the blade sight on other guns.

I could change the sights and trigger guard but not sure if it’s worth the trouble.

ord sgt · Jul 30, 2021

Prepared my T/C Hawken, .45 calibre, for use at the rifle range tomorrow. My R/P club sponsors a day just for the ladies. Women On Target, an NRA program gives the ladies a chance to get hands-on live training fire with all manner of firearms, including muzzle loaders. A good friend and I show the women how much fun black powder firearms can be.
We have been doing this type of instruction for several years. After the event is over and during clean-up of the range, we get feedback from the event coordinator. Not surprisingly, it seems that the women declare that the black powder portion was the most fun.

ord sgt · Jul 30, 2021

Banjoman said:
Got disappointed with my Thompson Center Hawken again today.View attachment 87450
I bought this rifle used several years ago and have never been able to shoot it accurately. I’ve tried every combination of powder/patch/lube/bullet known to modern man and nothing works for me in this gun. At 25 yards the best I can do is about a two inch group. At 50 yards it’s anybody’s guess what’s gonna happen.

After many years of frustrated shooting sessions I think there are two problems with this gun. One is the funky trigger guard. I can never get a grip that feels right and changing my grip also changes where the butt stock ends up. Since it’s crescent shaped I put it in the area between bicep and tricep like my other guns with crescent shaped stocks but the sights never line up right.

And that’s the other thing. Even though the rear sight is fully adjustable, it’s as wide as a hog trough. The round front sight looks as big as a basketball and I can never seem to line it up evenly like I can the blade sight on other guns.View attachment 87452 View attachment 87453
I could change the sights and trigger guard but not sure if it’s worth the trouble.

If you are too much disappointed with your T/C, put it up for sale. I'm sure someone here on the forum will gladly take it off your hands.

Robby · Jul 30, 2021

Finished up an eastern Tennessee .45 rifle today, should complete assembly and hit the range tomorrow.
Robby

user 49399 · Jul 30, 2021

No doubt that someone would buy this Hawken. I have other guns that didn’t cost as much but are absolute tack drivers. I might decide to try to trade it for a flintlock someday. I prefer flintlocks anyway.

deerstalkert · Jul 30, 2021

Banjoman said:
No doubt that someone would buy this Hawken. I have other guns that didn’t cost as much but are absolute tack drivers. I might decide to try to trade it for a flintlock someday. I prefer flintlocks anyway.

you find someone with flintlock's that will trade for a TC hawken. i have three i'd trade!

mark_fare · Jul 30, 2021

I made some paper cartridges for my Brown Bess musket from a kit I bought from Jefferson Arsenal. I was going to try shooting them tomorrow, but it is so dry at my local range that those paper cartridges are too much of a fire hazard.

COTNTOP · Jul 30, 2021

Walked into a gunshop and a 54 cal TC (Renegade) I think followed me home. Rifle looks unfired, has a double trigger with black furniture and no patchbox so I guess it is a Renegade.

mushka · Jul 30, 2021

I have a 54 cal TC Hawkin that I didn't like the curved buttstock, didn't fit right. I took the crescent butt plate off and ground and sanded the butt flat and screwed an old plastic shotgun butt plate on the gun and trimmed it a little so it looked good. No more problem with them pesky pointed butt plate problems with that gun.
Been that way for 32 years.

excess650 · Jul 30, 2021

I took my .45 rocklock out to the range for some exercise. Loaded with ffg rather than fffg, it shoots consistently, and I can ring the 5" gong at 100 yards when I can see it.

satwel · Jul 30, 2021

I completed the final fitting of the lock on an India Pattern Bess that I'm restocking. It's a repro I bought from a former re-enactor. Shoots great, but the tropical hardwood stock it came with bugged me. I picked up a nice walnut blank several years ago and I'm finally getting around to rebuilding the musket with the proper wood. So far so good.

nkbj · Jul 30, 2021

Molding more of those classic styled fifty bore minies.
The rear lube groove is less deep than the others; good design.

Jay Templin · Jul 30, 2021

dave951 said:
Getting prepared to tomorrow for another round of instruction at Camp Raven Knob. Loading ammo, packing guns, gathering target materials

I took our troop (528) to Raven Knob in 2018. It was awesome, even if everything IS uphill both ways! My son and I actually climbed the knob. Wasn’t sure my fat ol’ butt was going to make it...
Jay

Scott · Jul 30, 2021

Snuck my new tc Hawken into the house while my wife was away.

Glenn A. Smith · Jul 31, 2021

PathfinderNC said:
Since the previous thread was shut down (locked) by our new moderator, I thought I would start one up again, as per the suggestion.
So, let's get this thread going again, and share your muzzleloading related adventures of the day!

Worked on the lock to Pedersoli Shotgun. Read some threads on ML forums (Commented on a couple).

Lawdawg98 · Jul 31, 2021

Cleared up some light rust in the bore of my Hawken. Now it’s bright and shiny.

oldwood · Jul 31, 2021

Kansas............Now the leather butt plate is very interesting. Anyone questioning correctness will be challenged by the question , " When the leather rotted off , and the tacks are pulled out , the settler/frontiersman , did he just keep using the gun as it is?" Yup! Good job on the engineering , Gotta love practical solutions......................oldwood

Thomas.bill92 · Jul 31, 2021

Processing some old x ray shielding, might take the .36 frontier rifle out this afternoon.

Thomas.bill92 · Jul 31, 2021

Ended up bringing out the White Mountain Carbine. Love this little rifle.

Bassdog1 · Jul 31, 2021

I went through all of my powder supply and vacuum sealed most of it in individual packs and packed it in a heavy duty plastic storage box and stored in an outside shed. Trying to keep minimal amount in my shop in case of fire

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