T/C Hawken Rebarrel.

[mauser182]

I just picked up a T/C Hawken in .50 cal for $50. The problem is the bore has a good amount of rust. Is it worth it to spend a couple hundred dollars to re-barrel it? The rest of the parts look fine.

 

[54ball]

Try cleaning it first. Steel wool or Scotchbrite on a jag and it should clean up some. Sometimes you can get good accuracy from a rusty bore.

First make sure it is not loaded. then check the nipple and nipple threads.

 

[yadkin]

What 54ball said try the steelwool first(0000)fine.

 

[yadkin]

OH yea I forgot, What a deal man I can't ever get a break like that, good luck on the clean up.


Chef

 

[ebiggs1]

Well let's think about it. :hmm:
A good, in working order not beat up TC Hawken is worth $250, give or take a few bucks. A really nice one is in the $300 range.
You have $50 bucks in a beater that wasn't cleaned or cared for. So you have around $200 you could drop on it and still be in the green. :thumbsup:
Thompson Center does not warranty neglect or abuse and they shouldn't be expected to. So, you may be all on your own with this one. :shocked2:
Clean it up, maybe refinish it and see where you are, But even that is eating into your $200 budget limit! :grin:

 

[cynthialee]

you could have the barrel turned into a smooth bore and get a drop in barrel that is rifled
then you have two guns/one stock

 

[Sperit de bois]

Clean the barrel then go shoot it,,you might be some surprised at how it shoots.If it is a junker then go the next step..I have Traditions 45 cal that is a truck gun,goes in behind the set just in case,and it shoot just fine,,good thing is, it's so ugly nobody would steal it.
or check with T/C and just buy a new barrel and save all the work.

 

[nkbj]

you could have the barrel turned into a smooth bore and get a drop in barrel that is rifled then you have two guns/one stock

That sounds like a fine idea. Could probably get the smooth bore reaming done for a very good price.

 

[7MAGMIKE]

I just bought a TC Hawken for $250.00. It was in pretty good shape, the barrel had some rust but I cleaned it up (came out pretty good but the bluing looks more brown but I like the look). The stock is great with very good condition brass. I would simply try cleaning yours then shoot it and see what it will do. So far I am very happy with mine at the range shooting PRB's with 70gr of Pyrodex. I think you got a great deal, I would have been ecstatic with what you got.

 

[Dphar]

I just picked up a T/C Hawken in .50 cal for $50. The problem is the bore has a good amount of rust. Is it worth it to spend a couple hundred dollars to re-barrel it? The rest of the parts look fine.

If its been shot with perchlorate powder and looks rusty its not usable with BP (this happens before the pits get really bad) and if it looks rusty you paid more than its worth. The only reliable fix is rebarrel.
People buy these things. They shoot them with an aggressively corrosive powder, then they think they can clean like it was BP. Then the pits start (not even red rust but dissolving the steel at the molecular level) there may be some rust evident. This with cleaning and oiling BTW.
If its left fouled for a few hours, driving home from range/hunting, having a beer or two before completely cleaning the barrel will not last a year with with the corrosive substitutes unless in a VERY dry climate and even then it will be pitted. Worse if its wet with some cleaner (Hoppes #9 original for example) before driving home and then cleaned, it can seriously damage a bore in just an hour or two. Overnight and the bore is likely toast.
BP can be bad but it requires actual neglect to really screw up a bore with BP.
As I have stated in the past I ran into this a lot when working for maker(s) of BPCRs years ago. People would send new guns back that they had frosted the bore in a WEEK or less and then wanted the "defective" barrel replaced. People would come for a tour and I would tell them we did not recommend "Brand X and now and then someone would say "but I have used it for years with no pitting". If they had the gun with them (often they were going or coming from matches). If the did I would look at the firearm. I never looked at one that did not exhibit some pitting. One a Ruger OA was seriouly pitted and had been re-blued OVER the pits. How the owner could not see this I still don't know.
Dan

 

[TennesseeJed]

Clean it and shoot it a few times to see how it does. I've bought a Hawken and a Renegade that were rusty, after a good cleaning the Hawken shot surprisingly well. The Renegade may be headed to Ed Rayl or Bobby Hoyt for a rebore to .52.

At that price you didn't go wrong. I've bought GM replacement barrels in .40 and .58 and both were money well spent.

 

[redneck]

send it to bob hoyt he rebores . he can do it in a smoothbore up to 58. or rifle 54. 85 for rifled 50 for smooth bore. hes done 2 for me so far, excltwork and fast.

 

[dc7x64]

I have a very new T/C .50 barrel a little over a year old and has had nothing but "black through it,shot under 100 times, killed a deer with it last year. It is complete with sights,ramrod,thimbles and nipple for incredible low price of 100.00!

 

[Idaho Ron]

I just picked up a T/C Hawken in .50 cal for $50. The problem is the bore has a good amount of rust. Is it worth it to spend a couple hundred dollars to re-barrel it? The rest of the parts look fine.

You stole that rifle. 50 dollars is unreal. The great news is you got everything you need to make the gun of your dreams. If it were me I would use the old barrel for a tomato stake. I would order a Green Mountain barrel. If you like the PRB thing they got you covered. If you want a Far Speaker you can make a Hot Rod Hawken like this one of mine.

It is a fast twist paper patched bullet shooter.
SO it depends what you want the rifle to be. You cold re bore it. Or you can customize it and make it something that is uniquely yours.

Good job on the find. Ron

 

[Argo]

Check out E-bay. There are a lot of differant brands Hawken barrles on there & going pretty cheap.

 

[gl1200a]

7/8 or 1"?

 

[JSTRAW]

I was in the same situation with a bad bore. I got this particular T.C. Hawken for a song. I redid the stock and brass. I shot it a good bit but the best it's tired ole neglected barrel would do resembled a shotgun pattern instead of a group. I gave it to Bobby Hoyt in May and told him no rush. I got it back in mid-August I believe. He bored it for 54 cal. PRB. Today I tried it out finally. 70 grains FFF Goex with a pillow ticking patch. At 45 yards it was cutting 1 big hole right in the bull. I never touched the sights from where they had been as a 50 cal. The patches look great and if this wouldn't kill a whitetail with a good hit, I will through my Hawken down and run. It speaks with authority and handles perfect. Also it was way cheaper than a new barrel.

 

[stronics]

From what I gather Green Mountain no longer makes drop in barrels for the TC. I bought one last November and aparently got one of the last. Some dealers may have one in stock, worth a try.
Their website doesn't list them like they used to.
David

 

[izzyjoe]

the Green Mtn barrels are all but gone, i was looking to buy one but nobody has them in stock any more. so much for that! so now i'm going to buy somthing else.

 

[cynthialee]

you are breaking my heart here...

I just found out about the Green Mountain barrels earlier this year. I was gonna get my family to buy me one for christmas.