Hawken auction

[user 31232]

Have to wonder if sometimes there's a "cousin eddie" jacking up the bids!

 

[Vikingman1981]

Viking, don't regret your decision. If you had gone to $250, that other guy would have bid $300. Seems there are always folks that will overpay. You decided what it was worth to you and stuck with it. You'll probably have less regrets with that approach. Keep looking!

I had that same thought...he would have kept bidding higher. Thanks for your response. I have always liked the way they look and could care less about authenticity and not being a "real/true" Hawken at least at this point. Perhaps someday I will want a more authentic Hawken.

 

[user 34300]

It comes mind that people, like me, who don't think much of TC's do not say exactly why. So lets do a little comparison of a high quality lock vs a low quality lock. The wonkie looking one is a TC from 1975. It started as a flintlock. The frizzen was case hardened only. I was a poor sparker and extremely unreliable. When the frizzen case broke through it was a non sparker. The cock geometry was wrong, it ate flints. So, I converted it to cap. In other news every part was cast. There was little to no finish work. It uses a coil mainspring. The bridle is made on a punch press. The fly wore out. The sear return spring is a coil and plunger arraignment. The plunger is poorly located relatively to the sear arm. The tumbler is loosie-goosy in the lock plate. None of this is traditional, shows any pride, or is a good idea. I suspect the TC people were not ML people or even gunsmiths. They made it using modern ideas that were not well researched. It is not a quality lock.

The whole TC rifle is like this. Non-tradtional construction details to save money is the theme. Some of the caplock patent breeches had to little metal in the lock plate area. They blew out. Some of the breech plugs were overtightened and the threads stripped off. That causes catastrophic failure. The stocks have to little drop because they skimped on lumber. More drop requires a bigger plank. The rib is screwed on. The thimbles are screwed to the rib and barrel. They have big ugly holes for the screws. They also sit high on the rib making the ramrod sit proud, very ugly.

On the other hand the Kibler lock is a masterpiece. IT is made by CNC. All parts fit like a Swiss watch. The design is traditional. There are no rough cast parts or springs folded from sheet stock. Yes, the cock is cast then machined, the last time I checked. The springs are also CNC. All the steel is appropriate for the job. IT is all appropriately heat treated. IT sparks like crazy. Flints last a very long time. It is as reliable as any caplock I own. This lock is as good as any ever made. IT is a quality lock.

Overall are caplock TCs reliable, accurate, and safe? Yes they are. That is not a high bar. I have no desire to own another TC flintlock, it was junk.

If I am paying out premium prices I expect a quality product. When a TC flintlock is going for $300 and a Kibler flintlock is going for $300 I have to wonder why anyone would do that. The TC lock is absolute junk in comparison.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3348929985...syOGCyWOtgSInVGWGFHk1q/A==|tkp:Bk9SR-7a9o-UYg
https://kiblerslongrifles.com/colle...kit-gun-base-price-950?variant=32247970005110