t/c flinter 50 cal.

[lonewolf5347]

Well, you know there are times when are trying to kill time after dinner I thought I take a look at the t/c and give it a check over since I last shot it.
Well here is what I found I did notice a small gap between the barrel @ tang must of been there since the gun was restock by t/c,but never really notice it.What lead me to this was a small hair line split or lift in the wood were it meet the front of the triggerguard.I did remove the tang and with a dremel tool did remove a little wood so that the trigger guard would seat freely instead of being forced in the wood housing.Now I notice that t/c placed a strip of hot glue before seating the rear tang.
My question really is on the small gap between the the rear tang and the barrel,once the barrel is fitted into the stock ,wedge pin installed should there be any gap?
The gap is the size of a dollar bill in clearance,would there be a safety issue I should be concern with.

 

[roundball]

First, I'm not a gunsmith.
I have a number of TC Hawkens and have opinions:

1) There should be no gap between the back end of the breech plug and the face of the tang;

2) If the space exists evenly, vertically up and down the full height of the breech plug and the tang face, either the tang needs to come forward or the barrel needs to go further back.

3) If the space only exists along the top quarter or half of the relationship between the breech and tang face, the hot glue pad may be the answer.

The hot glue pad under the tail of the tang was either put there to raise the tail of the tang up to be flush with the surrounding inletted area;
...or...it was put there to raise the tail of the tang in order to pitch the top edge of the tang face forward to close up that gap along the top edge.

If there is any play whatsoever between the barrel/breech and the tang face, I would think it should be fixed before shooting.

PS: And if it was me, knowing how well TC stands behind their products with a lifetime warranty based upon doing similer things for me, I'd spend $10 and UPS it to Tim Pancurack, TC Service Manager, with an explanation memo.
If history is any teacher, they'll replace the stock assembly due to the crack...and they would also fix (replace) any barrel/breech mating problems at the same time...all at no charge.

 

[lonewolf5347]

Thanks RB for that reply: Like I said before it must of came that way when they refitted the stock last year but I never seen it before.

 

[Zonie]

IMO There is no safety issue. The barrel breech plug is hooked into the tang and cannot go anywhere without removing the barrel wedge and rotating the barrel up.

I know you cannot see the entire barrel/tang joint while it is in the stock but if the gap is the same from the top flat down to the place it disappears below the wood of the stock what you might be looking at is just an unseated barrel. By that I mean it is "forward" from the tang.

The barrel hook and the tang are not really precision pieces and sometimes the barrel will sit forward until the first shot is fired. That can move the barrel back to close the gap.
To check to see if this is the problem, take a wooden block or board and place it on the muzzle. Seat the butt on a rug. Take a hammer and give the block of wood a good whack. If that closes the gap, then my above guess is correct and if it were mine, I would ignore it.

If this doesn't close the gap, it may be the hook on the breech plug holding the barrel forward. This might occure if there was not enough wood removed behind the tang. To check that you might candle black the rear of the hook and reinstall the barrel. Then remove the barrel and look at the candle black on the hook. It should look like it did before you put the barrel back into the gun and show no signs of being touched.
If it does looked like it touched the wood in the bottom of the tang hole remove the tang and use a 1/4 inch chisel to remove a little of the wood so the barrel hook cannot hit it. By the way, if this is the problem, repeated firings might cause the stock to crack in this area.

If the gap is wide at the top flat and gets closer where the side disappears below the wood, the tang is not seated or inlayed into the stock correctly.
In this event, I would write T/C and tell them what you've found and ask if they can fix it.

 

[lonewolf5347]

I just got off the phone with t/c I have to say there customer service is outstanding.The gunsmith who repairs there black powder line did state there is no safety issue with my gun,as far as the small gap between the rear tang and barrel.I did also mention that the trigger guard had lifted a small grain of wood ( seem to be forcing the trigger housing)there reply was if you are not satisfied it can be return for a new stock.I also ask about the hot wax stip under the tang ,his reply is a new company in colorado are making t/c stock now and applying the wax so that the tang will sit flush with the wood.
Zonie you hit the nail on the head

THANKS RB FOR YOUR REPLY

 

[JesseJames]

I have all tc's any problem send them back and they will fix. My friend bought a hawkins would not shoot for beans. I said lets send it back, but first let me file a nick on the barrel to see if we get the same one back. Brand new barrel and you talk about shooter. That was the second one that I knew of.

 

[roundball]

Same here...been with TC Hawkens almost 15 years...if there's a hint of a problem, I don't live with it...either call and discuss and they'll send the replacement parts, or send it to them and they take care of it completely at no charge.
TC has given me a complete new stock with all furniture, a new round ball barrel, installed the improved percussion breech plugs on two barrels with a complete reblue, given me a new percussion lock, given me a half dozen complete new redesigned flint lock assemblies, and at least a couple dozen various replacement frizzens, tumblers, sears, screws, etc...can't beat their lifetime warranty service.

 

[lonewolf5347]

RB I may be interested in purchasing another barrel for my t/c.My question to you is have you ever purchase a 1 in 66 barrel from Fox Ridge and how do they shoot?
I called RAE DESROSIER this morning and mention your name in regards on a t/c barrel 1 in 66 complete for the hawkens.There price was not bad $190.00 plus shipping @ the lifetime warranty.A Green mountain runs about $155.00 ,the difference of $35.00
I also today did call Tim Pancrach there service manager explaining the problem I found yesterday (gap between the rear tang and barrel)to see what his thoughts were.He explain that the new stocks being now made by another manufacture in colorado have been a issue for sometime time,they are seeing this gap more often even with new rifles.

 

[roundball]

I have several TC 1:66" round ball barrels (from Fox Ridge) in .45, .50, & .54...a set in percussion and a set in flint...they're all tack drivers...couldn't be more pleased.

PS: On the surface, a GM barrel seems a little cheaper but GM's thimbles are black not brass, and the ramrod is a black one with chrome tips, so if you want it to drop-in and match a TC Hawken, you'll spend another $40 for a set of brass thimbles, and a more traditional looking ramrod (brass, etc).

Then there's TC's lifetime warranty and the TC name for higher resale value...so the $35 difference is offset several times over.