Best Hawken 50cal for beginner

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I own both, TC Hawken, .50 cal and CVA Mountain, .45 cal. I love the TC and have been shooting it trouble free for over thirty-five years. In my opinion, the TC is much better quality than what you would find in a CVA/ Traditions rifle.

The CVA Mountain is a fun rifle to shoot also. It is very accurate. As has been said, the .45 cal takes a lot less lead. I consider that rifle a very good one. But the rifle I reach for 99% of the time is the TC.

My brother shoots a Lyman GPR. That is an attractive rifle also. I remember he had an issue with a couple of barrels, right from the factory. He ended up purchasing a drop in barrel from Green River (I think), and has not had any problems since.

Take a look at the TC Cherokee or Seneca rifles. They can be expensive. You might find one in either .45 or .36 cal. There are times I wished my .50 TC was .45. But I am more than satisfied with it being a .50.

 

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

If it were me, a 45cal I'd wait for something else. A 45 is cute for paper shooting but in Colorado, its only good for deer/antelope and then you have to use conicals to stay legal.

Even for target shooting a 54 or 58cal is more than serviceable.

Plus those big bores put a smile on every ones face at the range.

 

[necchi]

Would I be buying something that would be harder to sell if for some reason

Nope, not as far a caliber. Value is determined by condition/care of the rifle and the local market.
45 is alright, suffers in a stiff wind compared to larger cals, but fun to shoot.

 

[Bill Goins]

Still consider myself a beginner after all these years... Have never regretted getting my Thompson Center Hawken. A big plus in my opinion is that they have a pretty good customer service dept.

Best of luck in your search!

 

[Cowboy]

Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum and black powder. I've always wanted a Hawken 50 cal percussion rifle and have finally decided to purchase one. I would appreciate everyone's thoughts on the different brands and what I should spend. I like the T/C but they stopped making them and being a newbe, I do not want to end up buying someone's junk. Thanks in advance for your input.

It is best if buying something used to be able to lay your hands on it for a visual and physical inspection, and using a borelight to inspect the inside of the barrel. If you decide to buy a used muzzleloader from a gun auction, some of the things you might want to consider are: 1. Seller's Discription( Alot of times his discription will tell you if he knows anything about the product.) 2. Outer appearance( Look for rust,scratches,dings, on metal and wood. Look real close around the nipple area to include the nipple.) 3. Price ( If it seems that they are asking extremely low and it seems to be to good to be true, It usually is! If they are asking way over price, they usually don't know the going price or are just greedy) As to what brand to buy just starting off: TC, CVA, InvestArm made products. They all would make a great starter gun in your budget range. Gunbroker usually sells CVA Hawken rifles in new condition with box from 250.00 to 300.00 range. Track of the Wolf usually has a couple of TC Hawken types for sale. As far as what caliber to use? You stated that range work is pretty much what you are going to be using your muzzleloader for. I personally do not see the need to get anything over a .50 Caliber. For me, either a .45 or .50 is what I regularly shoot. Bottom line is to look for something well taken care of. Pay close attention to Sellers discriptions and price. If he doesn't mention bore condition, email him and ask him if any rust or pitting issues. If around nipple area looks like crap, probably the bore is going to look the same way. Everyone gave you good sound advice. Do a little research and pay close attention before jumping on anything. Hope you find what you are looking for. There are alot to choose from out there. Respectfully, cowboys1062. :thumbsup:

 

[Rattler]

Great response. I appreciate all the tips. Just in the last few days I have learned so much from these forums. Looking thru the auction sites I find a gun that sounds so good when I read the description, but when I examine the photos they tell a different story.I found a nice T/C 54 but being new I think I will stay with a 50 or 45cal.
I can see how these rifles could become addicting as I explore different options I find other models besides the Hawken that I like.

 

[Walks with fire]

It's not percussion but there is a real nice TC Hawken .45 flinter listed on our Pennswoods classifieds for the last week or so. Looks like a good solid rifle; wants $450 for it. The claims he took a lot of deer over the years with it. PM if your interested and I will hook you up to the classified ad.

I have .54 and .50 but if only one it would be a .50 but I only hunted whitetail's here in PA.

 

[Walks with fire]

I just looked on the Pennswoods classified again and there is a TC Hawken percussion .45 kit gun that is new in box and parts still in the original wrappers. He bought it 40 years ago and never touched it. $450.

The flint rifle was gone.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

45, 50, or 54 would be fine for a beginner. It is not the same intensity as jumping cf calibers. If I was new, I would decide on the one that I could most easily find pre-cast balls for locally. once you have a good idea as to what size works best in your rifle, then I would buy a lee mold as a redundancy. I never casted my own balls, but own molds because it is really comforting to know I can. you may also want to look at the ml seasons for the states you plan on hunting to help with your decision. PA for example has an extended season for flintlocks only.

 

[Cowboy]

Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum and black powder. I've always wanted a Hawken 50 cal percussion rifle and have finally decided to purchase one. I would appreciate everyone's thoughts on the different brands and what I should spend. I like the T/C but they stopped making them and being a newbe, I do not want to end up buying someone's junk. Thanks in advance for your input.

Went on a little search to see what I could come up with. On GunBroker there is a very nice Investarm Hawken .50 Caliber, brand new in the box. They started the bid at 349.00 and no one has put a bid on it. There is about 22 hours left before the auction ends. I own one of them and like it alot. A very solid well built rifle. My investarm Hawken is just as good as both my TC Hawken's in fit and finish and accuracy. This one they have looks like a pretty nice one and in my opinion well worth the money. It wouldn't hurt to take a look. Respectfully, cowboys1062 :wink:

 

[Gene L]

I've owned both T/C (in .45) and Lyman Great Plains rifle in .50.

The Lyman is more honest to type, and mine is really well finished.

If you're shooting paper, it doesn't really matter what the caliber is. A .50 is as fine as a .45, I don't see any difference or advantage of one over the other.

T/Cs are probably more widely available and they're good rifles, just not particularly true to type. Whatever that's worth. I like iron furniture and I've been nothing but happy with my Lyman.

I've also got a semi-chunk gun, a custom made (make that home made, but not by me) that's a .40 caliber and looks Hawkenish, had brass on it but I'm in the process of switching it out. A .40 caliber is very popular with paper shooters, of which I am one.

 

[mooman76]

50 is the most common caliber now adays. It doesn't really matter if you are going to just be punching paper. If you run into a deal, get it. How far do you plan to shoot? Some of the smaller calibers shoot good too but struggle a little more out at 100y because wind effects them more. $5 was one of the more popular calibers years ago when I first got into MLs. I wanted something bigger and there weren't as many choices. I finally got a 58 and then some years later wanted to go smaller for some plinking and wouldn't you know it, the smaller calibers are getting harder to find now. Just changing times.

 

[coloradoclyde]

The cheapest gun possible is the best for a beginner....Beginners make all kinds of mistakes...They strip threads, break rods, stick balls, rust bores, screw up sights etc....They even make the mistake of spending a lot of money on a gun that they end up not liking. :2

 

[Cowboy]

The cheapest gun possible is the best for a beginner....Beginners make all kinds of mistakes...They strip threads, break rods, stick balls, rust bores, screw up sights etc....They even make the mistake of spending a lot of money on a gun that they end up not liking. :2

Hey! I've done all that! :rotf:

 

[coloradoclyde]

You and 50 million other people.... :grin:

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

They even make the mistake of spending a lot of money on a gun that they end up not liking.

"not liking" now, there is no escaping it, it might be 10 years from now and then that t/c creeps its' way back into your conscious and it brings you back around. face the music Rattler: you are hooked :wink:

 

[CTShooter]

I acquired my first muzzleloader sort of by accident.

I was expressing my desire to try muzzleloading with a fellow shooter, and he pulled a dusty old box off a shelf.

He informed me some years ago it was given to him, he was told to give it to someone that would finish it.

In the box was a 70's vintage T/C Hawken kit. Minus instructions and a couple of small parts, but I learned a lot.

That was in 2008, my rifle now has hundreds of rounds down range, has introduced a number of people to muzzleloading and got me a first place at a local match.

Get something you like, and then learn to shoot it. Experiment with loads, patch thickness, different brands of ball. You can get some serious accuracy out of a PRB.

 

[Cowboy]

That is a nice story! I like it. I also like the fact that it not only brought you over to muzzleloading but was also an introduction to others as well. Bravo Sir! Respectfully, cowboys :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[MSW]

if you can shoot one before you buy, that's a great thing ... some factory made rifles (at your budget, you're pretty much stuck with whatever come off an assembly line: I couldn't even buy the parts, much less assemble them, for what you have to spend) have very different stock geometry. If you buy a rifle that doesn't fit, that doesn't have a good length of pull or drop at comb, or is a "cheekslapper," you will never really bond to it, and you'll never learn to shoot it well.

my go- to fifty cal is a beat up Thompson center flinter... wouldn't change a ding or bump... three and a half decades, and it still shoots straighter than I can hold it. let my buddy try it a while ago and it beat his face up pretty bad: he ended up with a Lyman, which he likes very much.

you should get a copy of Dutch Schoultz' method (here's a link: http://www.blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/) this will set you back about the same as a pound of powder, and will save you a lot more in frustration, wasted powder and wasted ball. If you follow his instructions, your groups will shrink - he guarantees it!

free advice ; doubtless worth the money! :grin:

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

interesting