Made in America

[Sean Gadhar]

Found a TC kit ( hawken) says " made in America s# k274510.

Would that mean. American barrel??

 

[Trot]

I may be wrong, but I think all TC Hawkens were American made, lock, stock and barrel.

 

[necchi]

It's a simple stamp made to designate rightful bragging. :idunno:
The "K" designation means it is/was a kit gun, the K can also be found in the barrel channel of the stock and/or in the lock mortise. Sometimes it's really hard to see in the wood.
There where kit's that had no "K" designation at all and some that had a clean barrel, or a clean stock.
It had to do with their warranty, factory made had a lifetime, but not the kit guns.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

I guess I just was just making sure I wasn't walking on some coveted (pre 64 Winchester ). Type of deal

 

[Rifleman1776]

I guess I just was just making sure I wasn't walking on some coveted (pre 64 Winchester ). Type of deal

Interesting comparison, Sean. The TC 'not-really-a-hawken-"Hawken" ' has been on the scene from about 1970. It has been one of the most cussed and discussed American firearms in modern history. It has been reviled and shunned by purist and wannabe ml purists all that time. But, the reality is many folks never would have begun participating in the traditional ml game had it not been for the 'hawken'. I believe it has truly taken a place in history of firearms in America. One day they may be highly desired and valuable collectors items. Currently they still have a place as shooters, particularly for the entry level. Personally, I see them as component rifles for target shooting, not reenacting. You can put high quality locks on the. And better barrels with sights and make very competitive shooters from one for a reasonable amount of money.

 

[Alden]

The TC 'not-really-a-hawken-"Hawken"... has truly taken a place in history of firearms in America... I see them as component rifles for target shooting, not reenacting. You can put high quality locks on the[m]. And better barrels with sights and make very competitive shooters from one for a reasonable amount of money.

So, to be clear, in your proffered discredit of the T/C Hawken vs. a gun that never actually existed, if you replace the lock and barrel (including its sights) it might make a decent gun worth the money. Question about that:

Do any of you anti-T/C Hawken parroting people ever expect to be taken seriously by anyone who has even half a clue!?

PS: no-one's really "reenacting" with a Hawken anyway.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Actually, replace the modern sights and what TC made looks a lot like the New England half stock! :wink: Not exactly, grant you, but more alike than anything made in St.Louis!

 

[Alden]

Yeah, Wes, we've heard all the arguments for years gone by and since no two Hawkens, including original ones though not made by either or both of the brothers, in existence are the same, that is to say they're all custom, there is no single "Hawken Rifle" not to be like. They have a point based on averages but need to feel above average, are compelled to defend their emotional and monetary investment at the expense of others, and so attack them with inane exaggeration and minutiae.

 

[Ken Cormier]

My best friend who got me into m/l back in 1976 has a TC Hawkeny. He don't care a hoot about pc/hc just shooting. Has won quite a few matches with it. Nothing but a good shooter IMHO.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Once more, this time in crayon

TC kit says, made in America
Would that mean an American made barrel??

Is Trot right when he says

I may be wrong, but I think all TC Hawkens were American made, lock, stock and barrel.

??

I thought they went over seas for the barrels some place along the line. But I could be wrong & am not sure same as Trot.

Anyone know, were they ALL American made, lock, stock and barrel?

 

[necchi]

I'm pretty sure they are. I can't say that I've ever heard Thompson Center went over seas for anything.
CVA did,, well they always where importers, it was just the CVA Mountain rifle that had a few hundred fully made in the USA then they imported just the barrel blanks and assembled them here so they could say "Made in USA".

TC used several different barrel suppliers as well as their own machines, but again I'm pretty sure they where all stateside.

Nothing special or collector value about a K designated TC,, matter of fact around here when we find TC's for sale the K will drop the value.
It's a regional thing,, some areas have a lot of trad arms in the market,, around here and down in the south east there are lot's of trad ml's available

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Thanks necchi

I may well have had the CVA's Mountain rifle. Mixed up.

This kit is sitting on a shelf, I worked out the guys code on his price stickers long ago :wink: So I know when He got it in. When 2 months is up he cuts price on just about anything. I will most likely be able to get him to cut his price 25% $300 right now. So I set the date on my phone & will go look & see if it is still there when 2 months is up. :idunno:

 

[dikman]

Sounds like a good plan, Sean. Could be a nice rifle if the price is right.

Necchi, from my researching so far, I thought that the original (prototype) CVA mtn. rifle had a Douglas barrel, and there may have been a couple more so made, but all the rest used barrels made in Spain.

 

[No Deer]

Once more, this time in crayon

TC kit says, made in America
Would that mean an American made barrel??

Is Trot right when he says

I may be wrong, but I think all TC Hawkens were American made, lock, stock and barrel.

??

I thought they went over seas for the barrels some place along the line. But I could be wrong & am not sure same as Trot.

Anyone know, were they ALL American made, lock, stock and barrel?

My brother worked for T/C in the early 80s (he ran the machine that cut the Renegade stocks). They made everything in their shop in Rochester, N.H., lock, stock and barrel.

 

[longcruise]

Pretty sure you are looking at a TC there, given the K serial number. Don't recall CVA or any of the other kit makers putting a K into the serial number of the kits. If it's still in kit form, there should be no knock on the value because of kit status. There often is a knock for finished kits because most guys did a fast and careless job of it.

I see good used TC Hawkens both kit and non-kit for sale pretty often for around $250, sometimes less. Even a poorly finished kit can be redone into a nice gun.

 

[Captjoel]

Gosh you guys never heard the slogan "T\C, baseball, hotdogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet"! Even though I have run the gambit (gauntlet) of the incurable muzzleloading black powder blood disorder, which has taken me from Thompson Center to Frederick Sell.....I still hold the T\C side lock close to my heart. Kind of like a first girl friend, who's kiss will always be remembered and compared too. :v

 

[Black Jack]

Dikman, you are correct. The earlier CVA Mountain Rifles had USA made barrels. Owner Dave Silk procured them from a variety of domestic sources including Douglas initially.
The TC Hawken should really be viewed as a fine quality rifle on its own. It was never intended to be a replica of any original example, although many purists take umbrage at TC for using the name Hawken. There were so many TCs made that they were largely responsible for the rebirth of muzzleloading, probably just as influential in that regard as the authentic Hawkens.

 

[necchi]

If it's still in kit form, there should be no knock on the value because of kit status. There often is a knock for finished kits because most guys did a fast and careless job of it.

Truth that, and as you go on to say even a poorly finished kit can many times be redone.
It doesn't matter a lot now-a-days with TC's warranty slowly falling apart after the Smith and Wesson acquisition,
But the Kit gun's where not fully covered under the warranty as the factory made guns where and that was another factor that could be used to dicker down the price.

If I wanted another TC gun and found a kit still in the box it'd be easily worth 250,
Sean's got the right idea, 300 is a bit on the high side,,
Problem with me is the Hawken just doesn't fit me, big time cheek slapper, but I do have a fondness for the Renegade.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

I'm thinking of the wife she had a good time at ft. bridger & at some point will want to have " her own" M/L If I can pick it up at $225 I will then build/assemble it for her.

 

[Billnpatti]

My T/C Hawken was my first muzzleloading love back in sometime around 1970 or 1971. I lovingly built mine from one of their first kits. All parts were really good quality and my T/C is a good shooter. I now have acquired several more since then but I still take it out and shoot it from time to time. And I still think it is a sweetie. :thumbsup: