Question about TC Hawkens

[Mongo40]

Couple of questions actually, I've always loved traditional ML, especially Hawkens and rifles carried by the Mountain men, First gun I ever owned was a TC Hawken 50 cal, I always knew the sights were not traditional on it and that was ok but I've had a hankering for a more traditional looking Hawkens and really love the looks of the Lyman Plains Rifles, especially some of the kits I've seen some of you building, I don't plan on touching my TC my father bought me when I was 15 but I did pick up a used TC Hawkens in 45cal awhile back that is a little ruff but the price was right and thought it would make a good project, I saw a pick on here of a TC that reddog re-did and it looks a lot like a LPR, I know I need to chang the sites out to begin with but what else can I do to make it look more traditional also how far off is the TC Hawkens from looking like an old styled ML? One thing I did on my 50cal years ago was brown all the brass, liked the look of that a lot more than shiney new brass but most of the picks I see all the furniture seems to be iron, sorry to show my ignorance but not afraid to learn even at my age. Thanks guys.

 

[Swampman]

The Hawken Shop & October Country carry a nice set of iron furniture to replace the brass. It comes with a primitive rear sight that really helps the looks too.

 

[cowpoke1955]

Here is what Mark is talking about. It was on a pervious thread: http://www.octobercountry.com/products3.php?productid=115 . On the same thread someone else posted this from Tarck: http://trackofthewolf.com/(S(iii3j.../partList.aspx?catID=14&subId=153&styleId=632 . They have full and half stocks that are better shaped. Just a thought :v .

 

[Zonie]

"... how far off is the TC Hawkens from looking like an old styled ML? ...

Not very far off if you exclude most of the Plains Rifles that most folks think of.

The TC (and Traditions) do not look much like a true Hawkens but they do share a lot in common with some of the rifles that were made in California in the 1850-1870 period.

IMO, when TC decided to make their Hawkens they were more interested in building a rifle that had the spirit of the late 1800's and would have features that modern hunters would appreciate like moderate weight, adjustable sights and a fairly flat butt plate.
In this IMO, they succeeded.

 

[Mongo40]

Thanks for the info guys, I'd seen the stuff from October for changing it to iron, only thing I'd like different is a stepped down nose piece like the LPR has, In my limited opinion the TC Hawkens looks more like the trade rifles I've seen picks of on here than true Hawken rifles. Looks like the only thing missing from the kit from October is a bladed front sight. Again thanks for the info.

 

[cowpoke1955]

Check out this front sight from Track: http://trackofthewolf.com/(S(3od14...tId=14&subId=167&styleId=762&partNum=FS-CA-1I .

 

[longfowler]

T/c actually copied a half stock target rifle style commonly used in post civil war new england, and just used the hawken name for marketing. "hawken" has a better ring to it than "leonard" or "woodward".

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The Seneca was a close copy of a light New England hunting rifle, but the "Hawken" was supposed to have been designed by a T/C employee to resemble a generic 19th century half stocked rifle and was optimized for mass production--one reason why the stock is so straight. It allowed for more stock blanks to be gotten out of a given amount of walnut. I've not seen too many rifles from the supposed era that had such straight stocks with such high combs.

 

[Twowithone]

If your selling a T.C half stock why isnt there a patch box on their stocks.?

 

[roundball]

The Seneca was a close copy of a light New England hunting rifle, but the "Hawken" was supposed to have been designed by a T/C employee to resemble a generic 19th century half stocked rifle and was optimized for mass production--one reason why the stock is so straight. It allowed for more stock blanks to be gotten out of a given amount of walnut. I've not seen too many rifles from the supposed era that had such straight stocks with such high combs.

The original / early years of T/C Hawken design had the highly pronounced comb...in the 80's the stock design began changing to improve the automated manufacturing on duplicator machines.
I've accumulated several of the 70's style like the one in this photo:

 

[Teach]

I've used these sights on a T/C hawken, got them at Thegunworks

Here's a pic installed on a browned barrel.

 

[cowpoke1955]

Is that rear sight drift adjustable or do you have to drift the front sight?

 

[Tajue17]

drift the front or file the back,,,,, but with the october country sight that is in that kit does it have the screw mounts in it like the sight above,, or would oyu need to have the barrel dovetailed to install it?

 

[Teach]

As mentioned above, the rear is not adjustable,BUT , they make a rear adjustable,had one and it worked great right up to time the insert fell out on a trail walk :shocked2: forgot to mention these are called "Califorinia matched sights".

Cheers Teach