New to me T/C Hawken

[hrfunk]

Hi all. I've been lurking here for a while and I thought I'd finally introduce myself. I'm a life-long hunter/shooter and I've been interested in black powder firearms since I was a kid back in the 1970's. When I first started deer hunting with my dad, I remember some of his friends using muzzleloading rifles. Of course the only kind available in those days were traditional style, in-lines were at least a decade away. At that time, I thought those rifles were extremely cool. The coolest of the lot to my eyes was the T/C Hawken. I really liked the overall look and feel of that gun, and I am also one of the folks who likes the shiny brass furniture. Since that time I've acquired many firearms. One thing or another though always seemed to take priority over a traditional muzzleloader. Until last August, that is. Finally, after more than 30 years of wanting one, I purchased my own T/C Hawken from The Log Cabin here in Ohio. It is not a brand new rifle. Based on the fact that it has a pre-QLA barrel, I suspect it was manufactured in the mid 1980's. Still, it is in very good condition and the price was far below that of a new rifle. I absolutely love shooting it. With either patched round balls or maxi-balls, it will keep it's shots in 2-3 inches at 50 yards. I only shoot it with real black powder, and I've never had a miss-fire of any sort. In about nine hours I'll be heading out into the woods with the Hawken for the the first day of Ohio's last weekend of deer-gun season. Y'all wish me luck.

HRF

 

[gearheart]

Best of luck. :thumbsup: "it is a good gun, It kilt the bear what kilt me"

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Good luck with your hunt!
I grew up in central Ohio, born in Jeffersonville, and we had good hunting of rabbit, pheasant, quail and squirrel but I never saw a deer. Today I understand that situation is reversed, small game is scarce and deer have become a nuisance.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Welcome to the forum. Remember to clean and oil the gun well and it will last a life time! :v

 

[ebiggs1]

Go ahead and get to know your “new” gun and after awhile, we will introduce you to the dark side of flintlocks. It sounds like you are a candidate. I bet if you try one you will be hopelessly hooked and for good.
Oh, and, BTW, welcome to black powder!

 

[1sgt]

Welcome to the forum HRF. I read here mostly and have learned a lot. I like the shiney brass too. I have several TC Hawkin rifles. 32 cal, .45 cal .50 cal and .54 cal. All are fun to shoot, accurate and reliable. Good luck on the hunt.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

It sounds like you've got yourself a good rifle. I've been shooting my TC Hawken for well over thirty years. The only bit of unpleasantness I had with it was a bad cup of coffee.

You should enjoy your rifle.

 

[Jim/OH]

Yes, Joe, I live about 7 miles north of Jeffersonville, and Phesants & Quail are about all gone, some rabbits, still plenty of squirrels, more Turkey and deer are thick.. I looked out my window last night at bed time and saw 6 or 7 deer not 50 yds. from the house on the snow in the moonlight. My barnlot looks like cattle have been running around there with all the deer tracks. Today is the last weekend of gun season, looker out today and not a deer in sight. Hard to think something that big can dissapear like that. :thumbsup:

see ya, Jim/OH :hatsoff:

 

[hrfunk]

Thanks for all the kind words. As fate would have it I didn't see a single deer this morning. This is despite seeing two in the field next to my house last night around 11:30. Still, I enjoyed being in the woods with my new rifle (I would have enjoyed it more if the temp. had been higher than 13 degrees!). I'll give it another try tomorrow morning. Also, I'd like to ask a quick question. I know black powder fouling is very corrosive and it needs to be cleaned out of the bore as soon as possible. But, does leaving unfired black powder loaded in the rifle pose any problems? When I came in from hunting today, I removed the cap from the nipple, but I left the powder and bullet loaded in the rifle. Do I run any risk of barrel rusting or any other problems by doing this?

Thanks,
HRF

 

[roundball]

Dry powder does not cause problems like powder fouling residue does.
However, bringing a cold loaded gun into a warm house can cause condensation to form...like when you set a cold bottle of milk from the fridge out on a table and you can almost watch the water droplets start forming.
This moisture can also condense 'inside' the bore and contaminate the powder, causing ignition problems next time you go to fire it.

My personal belief and approach is that after a hunt is over, I pull the load, dump the powder, wipe the bore clean, and take the gun into the warm house to dry out over night...then load fresh again for the next hunt.

 

[zampilot]

I leave all my hunting rifles in the truck, never bring them inside=never having to worry about condensation wetting the powder or freezing up my bolt/semi-auto deer rifles.

 

[zukeeper1]

I use musket caps for hunting , no matter what , the gun will fire

 

[hrfunk]

Well, today wasn't my day either. Didn't see a thing. At least I still have Ohio's muzzleloader season coming up in a couple of weeks. When I got him I discharged my rifle and gave it a good cleaning. What is the consensus on using T/C bore butter as a rust preventative in the bore after cleaning?

 

[William O.]

It is a lousy rust preventative, use a good gun oil sparingly and you won't have any problems.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Well, today wasn't my day either. Didn't see a thing. At least I still have Ohio's muzzleloader season coming up in a couple of weeks. When I got him I discharged my rifle and gave it a good cleaning. What is the consensus on using T/C bore butter as a rust preventative in the bore after cleaning?

IT ISN'T! SO DON'T USE IT AS SUCH!

After a good cleaning & drying, I use Birchwood-Casey's Barricade (formerly Sheath) to soak the bore with wet patches til the oil squirts-out the nipple, then place muzzle-down on a paper towel. The rifle takes what it needs and the rest just drips out onto the paper toweling. At the range, a dry patch, a cap at the line, load-up and fire away! Always goes BANG and never any ignition problems.

Bore butter in the ignition pathway is a real MESS, and causes missfires & hangfires!

Dave
NRA Distinguished Expert ML Rifle

 

[bramble]

I too have a TC Hawken, and for deer it seems to work well...very well. Good luck
bramble

 

[Billnpatti]

T/C Bore Butter is fine as a bullet and patch lube but that is all. It sucks as a rust preventive, it has no rust preventive additives at all. Use a patch dampened with Birchwood Casey Barricade or Ballistol to prevent rust after a good thorough cleaning with hot soapy water.

 

[mykeal]

I've been shooting my TC Hawken for well over thirty years. The only bit of unpleasantness I had with it was a bad cup of coffee.

I've never actually used my rife to make coffee. I can see how that would happen, however. You might want to switch from Ballistol to Barricade - less of that 'acid' taste, I imagine. Or perhaps the pine scented Bore Butter... :rotf: