New to muzzleloaders need help identifying a tc muzzleloader

[SDSmlf]

I’m going to see if I can find someone I know who has more knowledge to verify it for me! Until then I’m treating it as if it was loaded

It’s never a bad idea to treat every gun like it is loaded. Plenty of unfortunate incidents occur with ‘empty’ or ‘unloaded’ guns.

 

[Joembaker87]

I’ll look the book up! A guy that is like my adopted dad lives in Crowley not to far from you next time I’m up for a visit I’ll bring the gun with me and pay you a visit if your up to it!

Well thats strange? The book I posted the link to just sold. Hmmm... I hope the OP was the one who bought the book. If not there are at least 4 more copies on ebay for sale

 

[Joembaker87]

It’s never a bad idea to treat every gun like it is loaded. Plenty of unfortunate incidents occur with ‘empty’ or ‘unloaded’ guns.

Yes sir being former infantry I have seen my fair share of morons that made that mistake including one of my best friends lol. That and it was drilled into me from an early age!

 

[Reds]

Congratulations on a Great Find!!! Another thing to watch for and I know you are just getting started are the two Moulds Thompson Center made to cast your own roundballs and maxiballs. I’m not sure of the twist rate of your barrel. I’m thinking 1/48 and as others have stated before,you get a little more recoil shooting the maxiball”a cornice”. I personally have only shot maxiballs out of my TCs but have recently started to try out roundballs. It’s a what do you like kinda thing as a lot will only hunt with maxiballs yet roundballs will kill just as well. Oh well the neat thing is whatever you shoot another facet of the cool factor is doing it with projectiles that you made. My first elk was taken with a gun like yours but in .54 caliber. I was in a bar in the early 90s and the loud guy in there was talking trash about this muzzleloader he just got that wasn’t worth a crap. So me and a few beers spoke up and said”I’ll give you a hundred bucks for it. That turned into my favorite bigbore that I have! The maxiball used to take that elk was cast by me and I can remember what a feeling of accomplishment once I walked up to it!

Here is an owners manual that covers all of TCs muzzleloaders. It has load data, handling instructions, cleaning information and all there recommended load data. You may be able to find one sometimes on here, eBay and even on Gunbroker. It a great read to get started. Have fun as I know you will enjoy this .45 very much but just remember you have been bitten now It won’t be your last!!! Hope all this helped, Reds

 

[Splitear]

My first Muzzleloader was a TC Hawken in 45 caliber. I bought it used in early 1980's. I shot a .440 ball with 60 grs of powder. Really enjoyed that gun until Flintlock fever struck me. Now I am reverting back to cap locks don't know why. I guess maybe because I bought 4500 caps

So you’re the guy that’s hoarding all the caps

 

[Reds]

Here are the two load charts from the book for your .45 If you need anything else from the book let me know,Reds!

 

[Reds]

P S I never load the max!!!

 

[flconch53]

So you’re the guy that’s hoarding all the caps

Actually I bought them from a wholesaler to resell at a fair price at gun shows etc. But if nobody buys them I got some shooting to do

 

[Splitear]

Actually I bought them from a wholesaler to resell at a fair price at gun shows etc. But if nobody buys them I got some shooting to do

I’m just joshing, enjoy them

 

[Reds]

Here are the cleaning pages. Remember these are Thompson Centers instructions and they did want you to use there products. Some do some do not. I actually do but that’s me and I have tons of it from years gone by. I know you can still find the #13 bore cleaner and the natural lube. Some like it some don’t!!!

 

[Boatncamp]

Congratulations and welcome the club of muzzleloaders!
As previously mentioned, be sure to check to see if it is loaded or not with the ramrod. Also, never dry fire it as you will damage the nipple and possibly the hammer and internal lock components.
The accessories that you received are worth well over $50 alone. Is there powder in the flask? You have an adjustable powder measure, it works by swiveling the funnel out of alignment and then loosening the screw and moving the inside up and down, there should be marks showing the different amounts of powder, tighten to repeat the load. It is recommended that always load from the powder measure and not straight from the flask. You have a nipple wrench (the T-shaped piece) which will help in cleaning the gun to remove the nipple. There is also a capper which stores percussion caps. There is a slide that you use to push one into the fingers at the end when ready to cap. It helps as the caps are small and easy to drop. Are there any caps in it currently? I think I can speak for everyone here that in as much as you live in MO where real black powder is available we would suggest that you use it. For those of us where storage regulations make it difficult synthetics are all that is available. Enjoy! For many, a TC Hawken was what started us down this path!

 

[Reds]

It’s Big Brother is listed in our classifieds right now!! Work a deal and then you will have Two to Tango!

 

[TC Tommy]

It could be a first year Hawken but I find one clear way to tell. Here are a couple of my early stocks, one is a first year and the
other is a following year or two. They look alike with the high comb, inlade lock screw washer, and smooth inlaid escutcheons.

But the best way to tell if the stock is a first year is to look at the nose cap. The first year only has one screw in it between the
barrel channel and the ram rod tube. The thinnest part of the stock and was prone to cracking so the following years had two.
I have a couple of these stocks and have been meaning to do post on the changes TC made over the years but for now, these.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Joembaker87, you may find this collection of notes from the departed Dutch Schoultz interesting. He spent a number of years collecting information on shooting and developed a method to obtain accuracy from a black powder firearm. While there are many variants to his method starting off using his "Black Powder Accuracy" system is a good way to start. I think his notes are still available and the $25 is a good investment.

https://blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com/

Knowing how to get and keep your rifle accurate will keep the interest high.

You did get a good deal on that T/C Hawken.

 

[Hawk54]

Nice rifle. I have a TC Hawken .50 I bought brand new in 1977 and it has a five digit serial number. That one must be early seventies. I think TC made the first Hawkens in 1970. For hunting with my .50 I used a maxi ball and 90 grains of 2F.

 

[Joembaker87]

But the best way to tell if the stock is a first year is to look at the nose cap. The first year only has one screw in it between the
barrel channel and the ram rod tube. The thinnest part of the stock and was prone to cracking so the following years had two.

View attachment 311228

Well then I have a first year stock because I just have one screw in mine! Thats pretty awesome to know!

 

[burlesontom]

I’ll look the book up! A guy that is like my adopted dad lives in Crowley not to far from you next time I’m up for a visit I’ll bring the gun with me and pay you a visit if your up to it!

I would love to meet up with you and talk guns. I can probably give you a few pointers. And I have two copies of that Sam Fadala book I linked to and you can have one of them. Its a little worn but the information is all there. I can also fix you up with some round balls and 200gr Lee REAL bullets too.

Yes bring your gun. I would love to see it.

 

[Old E]

It could be a first year Hawken but I find one clear way to tell. Here are a couple of my early stocks, one is a first year and the
other is a following year or two. They look alike with the high comb, inlade lock screw washer, and smooth inlaid escutcheons.

View attachment 311226


But the best way to tell if the stock is a first year is to look at the nose cap. The first year only has one screw in it between the
barrel channel and the ram rod tube. The thinnest part of the stock and was prone to cracking so the following years had two.
I have a couple of these stocks and have been meaning to do post on the changes TC made over the years but for now, these.

View attachment 311228

Guess mine’s 1st Gen too?

 

[exPAtriate]

Score! Great pickup!!!