Laminated stock Thompson Center Hawken

[Mulemauler]

Sasquatch, Unicorns, Nesse, in the world of mythical creatures one that has eluded me for decades is a TC Hawken with laminated stock. On many forums and around campfires stories of them would come up but many did not believe they really existed. A few pictures would emerge once in a while but those who claimed to have actually seen or handled one were usually dismissed. Even among those who believed they were real could never produce any hard facts or numbers.

One story said that there were only eight made as prototypes and another more likely story says that a thousand were made for a large chain store promotion then discontinued, another story says that they were never a production item but could be special ordered from the custom shop. It has remained one of the most elusive pieces to complete a TC collection.

I would love to have the real story but the fact is that I have bought and sold literally hundreds of TC's and had never actually seen, let alone had one, until now. This one came to my shop as part of an estate sale. It is really much prettier than I thought it would be. The woods chosen for the laminate are pleasantly contrasting. Other than the stock the other parts are pretty much typical of all other TC Hawken rifles. Now that this one has been captured I can move on to other mythical creatures.

 

[VA Hawken]

Thats a very nice rifle! I've never seen one in captivity.

 

[centershot]

OK, finally, I'm a believer. I never thought these really existed........maybe squatches are real too!

 

[necchi]

another story says that they were never a production item but could be special ordered from the custom shop.

That was always my understanding, I seem to remember searching the old Fox Ridge Outfitters pages one time about the laminated stocks, they where quite expensive at the time

 

[Duk]

There quite expensive now just picked one up on an auction site

 

[waarp8nt]

Never seen one in the wild, glad you posted pictures! Thanks!!

 

[wiscoaster]

Very, very nice. Looks like something Boyd's Gunstocks would make as an aftermarket replacement stock (I have several, fitted to "unmentionables"). But for Hawkens they don't. Maybe they should. That stock really spiffs it up.

 

[Big Tom 52]

All I can say is --very nice !!

 

[TechMoron]

A feller on Graybeard's used to spout that "there's only 8 in existence" at the top of his cyber-lungs & argue you to death if you contradicted him. If there was only 8 ever made seems kind'a unlikely that three of those 8 would'a made it to my best friend's house here in the hills of southwest Virginia. LOL

By the way, nice gun.

 

[New Hampshire]

Very nice, and it looks like you found one in perfect condition. Let me know if you feel that rare animal should be returned home to New Hampshire.

 

[OldNo7]

Gee, I'd like to have one in GRAY to complement my TC Hawken Cougar's SS hardware.

Old No7

 

[WV_WenderMan]

Sasquatch, Unicorns, Nesse, in the world of mythical creatures one that has eluded me for decades is a TC Hawken with laminated stock. On many forums and around campfires stories of them would come up but many did not believe they really existed. A few pictures would emerge once in a while but those who claimed to have actually seen or handled one were usually dismissed. Even among those who believed they were real could never produce any hard facts or numbers.

One story said that there were only eight made as prototypes and another more likely story says that a thousand were made for a large chain store promotion then discontinued, another story says that they were never a production item but could be special ordered from the custom shop. It has remained one of the most elusive pieces to complete a TC collection.

I would love to have the real story but the fact is that I have bought and sold literally hundreds of TC's and had never actually seen, let alone had one, until now. This one came to my shop as part of an estate sale. It is really much prettier than I thought it would be. The woods chosen for the laminate are pleasantly contrasting. Other than the stock the other parts are pretty much typical of all other TC Hawken rifles. Now that this one has been captured I can move on to other mythical creatures.

Wow! Nice rifle! Great find! Good luck finding the stainless steel cousin!

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

Sasquatch, Unicorns, Nesse, in the world of mythical creatures one that has eluded me for decades is a TC Hawken with laminated stock. On many forums and around campfires stories of them would come up but many did not believe they really existed. A few pictures would emerge once in a while but those who claimed to have actually seen or handled one were usually dismissed. Even among those who believed they were real could never produce any hard facts or numbers.

One story said that there were only eight made as prototypes and another more likely story says that a thousand were made for a large chain store promotion then discontinued, another story says that they were never a production item but could be special ordered from the custom shop. It has remained one of the most elusive pieces to complete a TC collection.

I would love to have the real story but the fact is that I have bought and sold literally hundreds of TC's and had never actually seen, let alone had one, until now. This one came to my shop as part of an estate sale. It is really much prettier than I thought it would be. The woods chosen for the laminate are pleasantly contrasting. Other than the stock the other parts are pretty much typical of all other TC Hawken rifles. Now that this one has been captured I can move on to other mythical creatures.

wow. never heard of them. that is a pretty sight to see. thanks for pics

 

[yellowhammer]

Do you notice a weight increase w/the laminate?

 

[Duk]

Do you notice a weight increase w/the laminate?

No i didn't I'll weigh it when i get back home (i drive truck and I'm on the road)

 

[Muddly]

I've got one too. Superbly set up and ACCURATE!
Mine is noticeably heavier than a regular walnut stock.
There's nothing provable with T/Cs since the fire destroyed all records.
I've heard that they ordered 2,000 stocks, built a few rifles and sold the stocks through Fox Ridge. I saw a copy of a magazine ad for them ONCE and haven't been able to find it again. These were made in the '80s, but I've not seen them in a catalog.
I don't want to get into a p#*:*;g contest about this, but the laminates are the rarest T/C Hawkens. One curious thing about mine is the blue assembly tag under the triggerguard. I've seen white, tan and yellow before, but not blue.
They are head turners though. Expect curious looks and " oooh"s. They may not look quite right, but they are ever so cool.
At least they're wood!

 

[SDSmlf]

One curious thing about mine is the blue assembly tag under the triggerguard. I've seen white, tan and yellow before, but not blue.

That assembly tag under the trigger guard is actually a shim that TC used in later production years to accommodate poor inletting. The shims and a little bit of hot glue can be found on most later production TC guns. Actual pretty sad.

 

[Muddly]

A numbered shim... Matches the stock, buttplate and patch box too. I'd say more than a shim.
I too have seen hot glue and plastic wood. The monster of mass production...

 

[SDSmlf]

A numbered shim... Matches the stock and patch box too. I'd say more than a shim.
I too have seen hot glue and plastic wood. The monster of mass production...

I peeled those colored number shims out of more than a couple dozen TC stocks, plus confirmed with TC customer service at the time they were there to minimize manufacturing ‘variations’ as they wanted to call them (they didn’t want them returned and paid the shop a flat rate fee per stock that a customer complained about for us to ‘repair’, and we used Acraglas). Call them what you want, maybe even build a display case for your collection these ‘more than a shim’ shims, and then you can refer to these factory installed shims of a rainbow array of colors with or without numbers printed on them as a sign of ‘excellent manufacturing’, don’t you agree? Or maybe not? And just a coincidence this all occurred right before the TC traditional guns were dropped by Smith and Wesson.

 

[Muddly]

A bit bitter aren't we?
No need to take offense.