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Stumpkiller

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All,

An employee has just bought out T/C from S&W. He's posting a bunch of videos on YouTube. Please comment how much we want traditional sidelocks. This may be an ooprtunity to get an affordable sidelock flintlock back into production.

 
In a recent video he stated that TC would be putting product into the market soon. Possibly before the end of this year. Initial production will be based on the Contender base and an inline ml called the thunder something or other.
 
Gonna be some sad faces when y'all see them Cera-Kote/brushed stainless/electroless nickel barrels in the camo/space-age patterned Rynite stocks. And "IF" they ever do offer a sidelock rifle in the future, by the time they were dropped from the catalogs the Hawken was already in the 800+ price range so if it happens it'll likely be cheaper to buy a Kibler or October Country or other traditional build gun.
 
TC sidelocks were never representative of a Hawken. Too light, too short, stock too straight, and the sights and are an abomination to traditionalist. The used ones have value only because they are no longer made, and even that is recognized only by people like us. The majority of American hunters want a scoped rifle that is of quality and convenience and effectiveness. They don't care about tradition or history. The motive that drives them toward muzzleloaders is the extra season. That's all good in my opinion. It doesn't make them wrong. So we ought not fantasize about TC coming back to what they were.
 
In a recent video he stated that TC would be putting product into the market soon. Possibly before the end of this year. Initial production will be based on the Contender base and an inline ml called the thunder something or other.
one video showed trailers of uncompleted bolt unmentionables that will give them an immediate cash stream, there are extra barrels for the single shot pistols, and they did indicate that there were plans for the ML designs later.

This is our chance now before the designs are finalized to give some input to get a more historically correct version instead of just turning up the noses like ritz snotty high school cheerleaders. Who needs gun banners when the purists among us do the same job?
 
Well, to me muzzle loading BP shooting is just that. Shooting a projectile from a front stuffer (I prefer a rock and only a rock-lock is legal in Pa. for hunting) at a target.

Now, what makes that work is fairly simple. A rock held in a lock that strikes a spark and powder goes BANG. The barrel flings the lead toward the POA and with a good seating in a wooden stock, the POI is close to the POA. Frankly, you can get that gluing a barrel into a chunk of wood and bolting on the lock as close as you can.

This past winter I built what I refer to as a "youth rifle" or a "rifle for a small framed person". Its "style" is borrowed from rifles of the past. The objective was to keep cost as low as possible, keep the shouldering and aiming of it as easy as a shotgun with minimal "cheek slap" and "low to none recoil", keep the caliber in the Pennsylvania legal for deer minimum (45 cal), and finally have the rifle look good and not cookie cutter.

My total cost in the rifle is $828. I made the RR tubes, side plate serpent, and butt plate from sheet brass, kept the stock at a half-stock (less costly stock) and already had the barrel rib. Put an L&R Manton lock (small size, that required much tuning) because of cost. I also made a hook breech (didn't buy it...for $100 it's much too costly) and put wedge keys in so the rifle is easy to clean.

If the kids gonna shoot it, he\she is gonna clean it!!

I ended up with this. Butt stock in the shape of a Trade Rifle with the front more looking like a Hawken design. The barrel is only 30" and caliber is .45 rifled.

A few had indirectly mentioned this is not a HC correct gun and offered no comments on its looks. For those who aren't into the historical perspective.....they absolutely love the looks and function of the rifle.

It fits the need, and that's more important that a select group calling it HC.

MHO.

AkibkWRl.jpg
 
Well, to me muzzle loading BP shooting is just that. Shooting a projectile from a front stuffer (I prefer a rock and only a rock-lock is legal in Pa. for hunting) at a target.

Now, what makes that work is fairly simple. A rock held in a lock that strikes a spark and powder goes BANG. The barrel flings the lead toward the POA and with a good seating in a wooden stock, the POI is close to the POA. Frankly, you can get that gluing a barrel into a chunk of wood and bolting on the lock as close as you can.

This past winter I built what I refer to as a "youth rifle" or a "rifle for a small framed person". Its "style" is borrowed from rifles of the past. The objective was to keep cost as low as possible, keep the shouldering and aiming of it as easy as a shotgun with minimal "cheek slap" and "low to none recoil", keep the caliber in the Pennsylvania legal for deer minimum (45 cal), and finally have the rifle look good and not cookie cutter.

My total cost in the rifle is $828. I made the RR tubes, side plate serpent, and butt plate from sheet brass, kept the stock at a half-stock (less costly stock) and already had the barrel rib. Put an L&R Manton lock (small size, that required much tuning) because of cost. I also made a hook breech (didn't buy it...for $100 it's much too costly) and put wedge keys in so the rifle is easy to clean.

If the kids gonna shoot it, he\she is gonna clean it!!

I ended up with this. Butt stock in the shape of a Trade Rifle with the front more looking like a Hawken design. The barrel is only 30" and caliber is .45 rifled.

A few had indirectly mentioned this is not a HC correct gun and offered no comments on its looks. For those who aren't into the historical perspective.....they absolutely love the looks and function of the rifle.

It fits the need, and that's more important that a select group calling it HC.

MHO.

AkibkWRl.jpg
I thought flintlocks were required only for the flintlock season
 
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