If you were given a TC Hawken barrel, what would you do with it?

[Dirigo]

A friend just gifted me a TC Hawken percussion .50 barrel with rib and breech plug installed. I'm thinking of building an iron mounted rifle out of it. Been looking at stocks, etc on ebay and they seem to run $100-$250 depending on what comes with it, and how proud the seller is of it. There is one on now for $250 complete except for the barrel and lock, but I don't need the brass hardware. TC locks seem to start around $80 ish.

It seems complete rifles are going for a bit less than $400 on GB

TOW has some nice stocks at $200.

Are TC locks ok, or would I be better off getting and aftermarket lock and trigger? I'm not a fan of the stamped 'scroll work' on the lock plate either.

I'm using it as a training vehicle to learn on to hopefully reduce my chances of making my $1000 PR Hawken kit into a $300 rifle, but I don't want to spend $400 on parts to hang on this barrel either. What would you guys do? I'm out of work for 12 weeks shoulder surgery, so I'm trying to gather this stuff on the cheap,

Thanks

 

[poker]

If youre short on funds, just do your $1000 kit, paying attention to detail as you go. You could sell the tc barrel and gain funds, rather than spending 3-400 to turn it into a rifle that you couldnt get your funds out of it if sold. Now if you wanted 2 hawken style rifles, then by all means, have at it.

 

[Dirigo]

Not short of funds, I am just looking for opinions from guys who've been there. I've never been accused of having only one of anything relating to guns... It's looking like I'll be into it for around $200 if I order everything from TOW except lock and stock. The experience gained would be a large part of it for me. Having a rifle that I built and like would be a bonus, even if I couldn't get out of it what I had in it.

A couple questions I do have...

Is the TC lock descent, and if so, would a long double set trigger plate from L&R work with it?

If I end up buying an aftermarket lock, is there one that is the same size or larger that would work with a pre-inlet TC stock?

 

[bubba.50]

You could just send me the barrel so you can quit agonizing over what to do with it?

 

[bubba.50]

But seriously, If you could stumble on a stock from one of the 'Hawken Custom' guns from TC's Fox Ridge Outfitters custom shop it would fill all your wants except it would still have the scrollwork on the lock. they had all iron furniture & no patchbox. Downside is they're sorta rare & go for a bit of coin when you find one for sale.

 

[bubba.50]

As for TC locks the only issue I've ever had with them is sometimes the two little screws that hold the bridle will work loose & let things wobble around inside.

 

[bubba.50]

And for the iron replacement kits to replace the brass, Two friends have used them. one said it was just a locate screw holes, polish, and blue. The other said the same except he had to do a lot of filing to blend the buttplate to the stock.

 

[bubba.50]

And, the RPL lock has a leaf spring that requires a bit of work in the lock inlet for clearance.

 

[necchi]

ALL, of what bubba.50 said.
Relax, do a little more research,, don't jump in until you test the water.
It's a common TC barrel, not the base of a custom build.

 

[Barry Strickland]

Dirigo, Since you are more or less going to go to a practice type of building before you go to your desired $1000 kit I would suggest you go ahead and build up a rifle with the TC barrel. It will give you some practice before you tear into a more expensive kit.
There is nothing mechanically wrong with a TC lock they have lasted for over 50 years now.
The only thing wrong with a TC Hawken is the drop in the stock is not enough for me. Other people love them.

You might also look at this replacement stock, Thompson Center Fullstock and Halfstock, Pecatonica River Long Rifle Supply
There are a lot of options out there just take the time to explore them.
I have been building for 50 years now and the one bit of advise I would share is "don't get in a hurry!"
Barry

 

[sportster73hp]

There is always the option of carving your own stock either from a precarved or a plank then you can use the parts you like .

 

[Eric Krewson]

I found a NOS Renegade kit barrel in the white for $65 on eBay, no sights or under rib, a fully decked out stock that was really beat up for $60 that I steamed all the dents out of, refinished and put an L&R RPL lock on it (not an easy task). I had $420 total in the gun when finished. I never shot it and sold it to a friend who never shot it, it is still pristine. I asked my friend in a round about way if he wanted to sell it, he said "definitely not".

 

[Dirigo]

I looked at the PR replacement stocks, I like that they have maple and no cap box. I'm kicking around available options until I get what I want. I'm in no hurry, It'll be a few weeks before I can do much work on it anyway. I'm looking at the RPL lock over the TC lock. Eric, what was the issue with the LPR lock? I didn't scroll down far enough to find the TC RPL lock on my first trip through TOW.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Sell it

 

[bubba.50]

I'm not Eric but, the leaf spring on the RPL lock is much wider & requires quite a bit more work on the lock inlet for clearance.

 

[Rawhide67]

My 2 cents, noting that the barrel is percussion, TC percussion locks are good/reliable in my experience. Flints are a little finicky.

If you just want something to shoot without a gun build, you might consider finding a TV hawken in 45 that is shootable. The 50 barrel will drop right in. 1 gun, 2 calibers.

Watch out for TC 54 hawkens, I believe they had a different barrel channel.

 

[kje54]

A friend just gifted me a TC Hawken percussion .50 barrel with rib and breech plug installed. I'm thinking of building an iron mounted rifle out of it. Been looking at stocks, etc on ebay and they seem to run $100-$250 depending on what comes with it, and how proud the seller is of it. There is one on now for $250 complete except for the barrel and lock, but I don't need the brass hardware. TC locks seem to start around $80 ish.

It seems complete rifles are going for a bit less than $400 on GB

TOW has some nice stocks at $200.

Are TC locks ok, or would I be better off getting and aftermarket lock and trigger? I'm not a fan of the stamped 'scroll work' on the lock plate either.

I'm using it as a training vehicle to learn on to hopefully reduce my chances of making my $1000 PR Hawken kit into a $300 rifle, but I don't want to spend $400 on parts to hang on this barrel either. What would you guys do? I'm out of work for 12 weeks shoulder surgery, so I'm trying to gather this stuff on the cheap,

Thanks

Basically do what you want. If you never get your money back out of it then what's the problem? Build it for your enjoyment. I have a couple of firearms I've refinished that I may never get the money out of them that I put in but I enjoyed doing it.

 

[longcruise]

I looked at the PR replacement stocks, I like that they have maple and no cap box. I'm kicking around available options until I get what I want. I'm in no hurry, It'll be a few weeks before I can do much work on it anyway. I'm looking at the RPL lock over the TC lock. Eric, what was the issue with the LPR lock? I didn't scroll down far enough to find the TC RPL lock on my first trip through TOW.

I would go with the TC lock and a stock from Pecatonica. The rest of the parts would be selected to suit your taste with the caveat that they would work with the stock.

With a basic stock, a free barrel and the rest of the parts you would not be very deep $$ into it. If you don't plan to keep it, you can probably/maybe make a buck or two.

If you plan to keep it, then go for a round ball 54 rebore to boot.

Sure is easy to spend other people's money.

 

[waarp8nt]

You've received a lot of good advice!

Do you plan to blue or brown the hardware?

I have removed the finish on a couple of T/C locks by disassembling them and soaking in white vinegar. The engraved T/C lock looks somewhat different in the white in my opinion or if you prefer, you could blue, brown or leave it in the white and let it age on its own. Your choice to make it match the new hardware of the stock. The T/C percussion locks give little trouble. You could save $100 or more if you used it.

Not sure your skill level, but you could fairly easily make a single trigger. I've done it once, made blocks to fill the T/C inletting holes in the stock that didn't match up to my trigger. No advice on what to buy as a replacement trigger.

I have 2 Pecatonica stocks. One in maple and one walnut. Just waiting for me to work one them. The walnut is inlet and the maple is barrel channel and ramrod only. They are both good stocks in my opinion.

Some hardware offered as a kit or individually;
https://thehawkenshop.com/Products/Four-piece-conversion-kit__F4.aspx
Hardware kit, T/C lock and plain maple Pecatonica stock you could be under three hundred.

Yup, easy to spend other folks money for sure

 

[Eric Krewson]

This will give you an idea of what I considered a "nightmare". Moved the barrel back almost 1/4" to get the pan in the right place, I had to cut off a little of the under rib to move the barrel back, had to re-drill the lock bolt hole because the TC one didn't line up with the L&R socket on the bridal. Had to grind off the back of the hooked breech to accommodate the new lock bolt and had to grind down the side of the barrel to get the lock flush with the barrel as well as fill the gaps in the lock mortise where the lock plate was too small. Almost forgot, I had to remove a tremendous amount of wood for the lock internals. The stock was a percussion stock that I changed over to flint.