1" or 15/16" Small Game Rifle?

[oldwolf]

I am accumulating the parts I need to build a small game rifle using the T/C Hawken as the platform. I plan to buy a Green Mountain drop in barrel in .32 (wish they also had a .36). I might consider one of the Pacatonica River drop in stocks at some point, not now though. I have too many kids in college.

I’d like to use a .45 caliber T/C platform to save weight because I can use 15/16” barrels rather then the 1” that the .50 caliber and larger use.

Do any of you know if the weight savings is worth sticking to finding a .45 Hawken somewhere, or if that extra 1/16” it is not enough to worry about? Keep in mind that these barrels are 28” long.

 

[jercon]

All of the TC Hawkins I have seen are 15/16

 

[oldwolf]

Grizz - The .45's, not in production anymore, had 15/16" barrels I believe.

 

[ryoung14]

.45 AND .50 Hawkens are 15/16". .54 Hawkens and all Renegades are 1"....at least from what I've seen. .50s are common as dirt on the auction sites. You should be able to do alright.

Still, I'd imagine a 15/16" barrel bored .32 will be a mite heavy to carry. Should settle down nice for offhand shots. Let us know how you like it when it comes together.
Bob

 

[oldwolf]

I ran some of my own numbers and according to my calculations:

A .32 cal, 28", 15/16" barrel = 5.15#

A .32 cal, 28", 1" barrel = 5.94#

That's a pretty significant difference. :hmm:

 

[md2020]

Like he said, all TC Hawkins have a 15/16 barrel--if you really want a 36, Track of the wolf could fit a breech plug to a Green Mountain barrel for you, but all the othet cuts and mounting for sights, key wedge and rod thimbles would have to be done as well--would cost about $300..

 

[oldwolf]

.45 AND .50 Hawkens are 15/16". .54 Hawkens and all Renegades are 1"....at least from what I've seen. .50s are common as dirt on the auction sites. You should be able to do alright.

Bob

Thanks, didn't know that about the .50's. Yup, it'll probably weigh more than 8#.

What is a good price for a used Hawken? I'm thinking anything under $200 is OK.

 

[jercon]

If you can pick up a TC hawkins for under $200.00 it is a good buy.I just picked up a Thompson Center Cherokee with .32 and .45 barrel's for $300.00 but that don't happen ever day .

 

[roundball]

There are two sizes of TC Hawken stocks:

The regular size TC Hawken stock takes 15/16" barrels in .45 & .50cals;

The large size TC Hawken stock takes 1" barrels for the .54 & .58cals.

The Renegade barrels are all 1" regardless of caliber.

1" barrels from the Renegade and the large size TC Hawken stock are interchangeable.

1" barrels with tiny .32cal bores are very heavy.

I have a GM .40cal 15/16" x 33" Flint drop-in barrel in a regular sized TC Hawken stock and it borders on being hefty if still hunting for a long while.

 

[Stophel]

Either way, 1" or 15/16", a .32 gun is going to weigh a TON.

My first ML gun I built was a 42" .36 with a 13/16" barrel. It weighed 7 pounds and something (and all that weight was WAAAY out front :surrender: ).

I can imagine a 1" barrel in .32 even at 30 some odd inches would weigh quite a bit more than that. I would expect something like 9 - 10 pounds or more!

Now you all are gettin' me wanting to build a small caliber Tenn. type rifle again...

 

[jb shiner]

I had my 40cal. GM barrel that was 32in. cut back to 28in. The gun handles much better and will still shoot almost a one hole group at 50 yards.This was for a TC 15/16 barrel.

 

[flaming canvas]

My FTNW's 32 has a 7/8 by 32inch barrel, full stocked. It weights 8lbs 3 oz. Figure another half pound for a 15/16.