Serial Number Dating a T/C

[Geraldo]

I like the idea of being able to ballpark dates, but there is another issue that hasn't been discussed. Firearms go from the factory to distributers and then to shops. There's no saying how long they sit at the distributer's warehouse, or how long they sit on the shelf before purchase. As an example, if I posted the SN of a Remington 700 I bought new, you might think that had some correlation to the year of manufacture, yet I had looked at that rifle sitting in the rack for years before I bought it (IIRC it had two-three inventory stickers on the back of the tag).

So I think the bottom line is that to get ballpark dates that are fairly accurate we would need a fairly large sample.

 

[tg]

"Maybe everyone who has a TC Hawken that was purchased new could post the serial number. We may not be able to determine a specific date of manufacture but we should be able to narrow it to a small date range.'

My dad bought his new in the early 70's he doesn't remember the year but the serial # is 88931

 

[vidego]

I was given a .45 Hawken (though Hawken is not stamped on the barrel) a couple of weeks ago, by a friend who said it belonged to her grandfather, who bought it in the early 70's. #54319

 

[graphixman]

New member here...so hello... :thumbsup:

I picked up a T/C Hawken .45 cal. recently and it's SN is 333XXX.

Judging from the previous posts, it might have been made in the late 90's?

Nice rifle, shoots straight, also looks great hanging on the wall with brass hangers next to my Traditions Trappers pistol.

Shame that T/C moved it's manufacturing, as Rochester, NH is 10 miles up the road from me.

 

[lorren68]

I have a dumb newb question, Does it mean a Kit gun if the serial number starts with a K

 

[cynthialee]

I have a dumb newb question, Does it mean a Kit gun if the serial number starts with a K

yes

 

[BrianL]

Yes, the 'K' signifies a kit. There will also be a 'K' stamped into the barrel channel of the stock of a kit gun. Of course you can mix and match barrels and stocks so they may not both have the mark if they have been switched at some point.

 

[graphixman]

From what I have read in the forum here and elsewhere I'd say yes.

 

[ebiggs1]

Of course you can mix and match barrels and stocks so they may not both have the mark if they have been switched at some point.

This is a good point. Almost every part from TC guns fit almost every other TC guns. Plus there are after market parts that fit. Given this fact and the fact people can't seem to leave things alone, it is really a guess as to when one was made and/or how for that matter.
Of course there are untouched examples but TC lost all, at least most, of the serial number records.

No matter what, however, I consider a gun with a "K" any where on it, to be less valuable at resale.

 

[cynthialee]

Depends on who did the kit.
I have seen some kit guns that look like a stoned teenager with a couple of rusty tools made the kit and others I have seen made by a master hands that I would trade any 3 of my rifles for.

 

[gearheart]

I bought one of those. :rotf: After one winter of stripping, re inletting the lock, filing the barrel and browning it, and refinishing the wood I'm no longer ashamed to be seen in public with the old thing. The bore was immaculate btw and that justified the rest of the bother. :grin:

 

[sqqy14]

Another dumb question...Many people won't give the whole serial number on here, 53XXX for example. Are the first two digits the only ones that might signify a year of production? It's not your social security number...devulge possible stolen mechandise? Just asking.

Bob

 

[graphixman]

Just personal information you don't want out in cyberspace. If you have a description and serial number of a gun its real easy for someone who doesn't llike you, to file a stolen gun report with the police and they will confiscate the weapon, and possibly arrest you.

It would probably cost more in legal fees to fight it and get it back than the weapon would be worth.
Think of how many scammers that are out there and what would happen if only a fraction of the guns listed were reported stolen if they all had the serial numbers listed.

I realize the internet is not the only way to obtain a guns SN, but it is so easy just to not let others know what they are. In a nutshell nothing good could ever come from posting a guns SN, only bad. So why do it?

 

[?mark]

I recently purchased a T/C Hawken .50 cal. that was bought new in 1972 and the serial number is 65xxx, in the barrel inlet on the stock is date of 10/24 and the initials SB. Thompson Center started production of the Hawken rifle in 1970. I also have a Renegade .50 cal. that was custom built for a friend of mine by his relative that was an inspector at Thompson Center in '92. This one has "RENDTCP" ink stamped into the barrel inlet. Somewhere in his affects is an original receipt. It doesn't have a price because employees weren't allowed to show their cost but his signature is there and could be connected to the RENDTCP. the serial number on this one is 36xxxx It's possible that The 10/24 is October 24th 1972, and the builder or inspector had the initials S.B.. I wonder if some where there may be a list of employees. It is believed that my deceased friends relative went with smith and Wesson to Springfield, Massachusetts. I wrote to Rochester, NH chamber of commerce hoping they could shed some light on this. Question is did the first gun produced, which was the contender, start at 1,000 and all guns of all types numbered sequentially from there on or did each first gun of different styles also start at 1,000?

 

[?mark]

Just personal information you don't want out in cyberspace. If you have a description and serial number of a gun its real easy for someone who doesn't llike you, to file a stolen gun report with the police and they will confiscate the weapon, and possibly arrest you.

It would probably cost more in legal fees to fight it and get it back than the weapon would be worth.
Think of how many scammers that are out there and what would happen if only a fraction of the guns listed were reported stolen if they all had the serial numbers listed.

I realize the internet is not the only way to obtain a guns SN, but it is so easy just to not let others know what they are. In a nutshell nothing good could ever come from posting a guns SN, only bad. So why do it?

if there is only the first two digits they would be phishing for the last digits and since all that information is lost in a fire they would have to file multiple reports on multiple numbers until they hit on your number, that would raise a red flag even in the most remote law enforcement office.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I have a TC Hawken 50 caliber kit I built many years ago. I think I finished it around 1975-1976. I bought it new from a local gun shop, probably in 1975. The serial number is K50XX. I tried to find a bill of sale, but no luck. I do know I bought parts for a flint long rifle a few years after the TC and the invoices I have for it are 1980, and I had shot the TC for a number of years before that.

 

[?mark]

I have a TC Hawken 50 caliber kit I built many years ago. I think I finished it around 1975-1976. I bought it new from a local gun shop, probably in 1975. The serial number is K50XX. I tried to find a bill of sale, but no luck. I do know I bought parts for a flint long rifle a few years after the TC and the invoices I have for it are 1980, and I had shot the TC for a number of years before that.

All my kit guns start out with a "K" that's probably how they could tell kit guns from factory guns for warranty reasons.

 

[RobRBraron]

I like the idea of being able to ballpark dates, but there is another issue that hasn't been discussed. Firearms go from the factory to distributers and then to shops. There's no saying how long they sit at the distributer's warehouse, or how long they sit on the shelf before purchase. As an example, if I posted the SN of a Remington 700 I bought new, you might think that had some correlation to the year of manufacture, yet I had looked at that rifle sitting in the rack for years before I bought it (IIRC it had two-three inventory stickers on the back of the tag).

So I think the bottom line is that to get ballpark dates that are fairly accurate we would need a fairly large sample.

That was exactly what I was thinking. Was a CO-OP farm store in Kansas back in the late 70's had a T/C Hawken that sat on the shelf for at least five years.

 

[roundballman]

I have a 50 cal T/C Hawken I built from a kit back in the 1970's. I don't have records of the date of purchase but I believe it to be in 1974. #K161xx

 

[Templar32nd]

I think it might help if we were to also consider the "Pre Warning" rifles in the list. It may help in narrowing the dates down