TC Hawken Hammer Issue

[peters_ham]

OK - again new guy. So learning a lot here.

So I am getting the TC 50 Cal Hawken ready for my first deer season here.

Been over my fireplace for 6 months since I bought the gun - took out once and fired three times. Couldnt hit a tree.

Anyways - I noticed that the hammer would not lock into place. Not in full position cocked - half or anything. Only would rest on the firing nipple.

So I worked the gun a bit - back and forth - setting and re-setting the triggers and started to hear some metal click noises - then after a few times she started to lock back in. Sorta seems ok but I am concerned now that she may not hold firm and could fire "on her own".

This gun is kit build from 78. How concerned should I be? Should I open it up my self and poke around in the trigger area?

Thank you for any suggestions. :bow:
Sean

 

[necchi]

Pull the barrel and set it aside,
Now remove the lock, clean it and oil it. Lock internals need ongoing care and lubrication.
It wouldn't hurt to remove the triggers and clean and re-oil those too.

Don't worry, nothing is going to go "flying" out into nah-nah land, they are made to be serviceable.

When ya got that done, clean the barrel before putting it back in. Oil get's old and gummy in just a few months storage, making sure the barrel and flash channel are clean and dry will help eliminate future troubles.

 

[dave524]

Had the same problem with a CVA Mountain Rifle years ago. Finally it came down to the trigger plate being inletted too deep.

 

[necchi]

That's typical of the CVA MR,
It seldom happens with the TC's, I'm pretty darn sure this is just a seized up/lubrication problem.

 

[Patocazador]

It seems to me that 30 years ago when I got my T/C Hawken, I played around with the trigger adjusting screw getting it lighter & lighter until the hammer wouldn't set.

 

[peters_ham]

OK thanks! I will give that a shot....not a gun guy yet so tinkering with a trigger setup seemed intimidating to me. I will try the cleaning, reset etc- thanks again.

 

[necchi]

It seems to me that 30 years ago when I got my T/C Hawken, I played around with the trigger adjusting screw getting it lighter & lighter until the hammer wouldn't set.

Yeah, that's a good point too,
be sure that adjustment screw between the triggers isn't too far in. Best bet is to back it way out until you have things working right.

 

[rafterob]

That's typical of the CVA MR

Chronic is more like it. I have had to shim my trigger plate twice now, first method cracked away. It has to be just right for everything to go off as it should. AT our silhouette shoot a couple weeks ago the set trigger would go off but not release the hammer. One shot was a delayed reaction, I heard the trigger release and hit the sear, but no hammer fall. Just as I was starting to bring the rifle down it went off. Took it all apart and it seemed to come down to debris in the triggers. Cost me a couple of hits and knocked me out of second place :shake:

 

[Alden]

It is similarly my experience, altough not a rule, that such issues are often the result of wood vs. metal. Inletting a little off in a particular spot... A lock screwed down just a tad too tight...

Bad lock metal-to-metal interfaces are usually pretty easy to see quite frankly...

PAK

 

[bubba.50]

while ya have the lock out, check the two screws in the little sideplate that holds the sear & everything in place. they're notorious for workin' loose in t/c locks & this lets stuff wobble around & not work right. luck & have a good'en, bubba.

 

[J.G. Terry]

Ditto on being gummed up. Had a Renegade that had been cleaned and stored. The yellow goop had solidified in the set triggers. Cleaned the trigger out and all works fine. Always start with the simplest cause and to the more complicated.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Friend that's a gunsmith has told me, and others, many times that 90% of his business is simple cleaning. Though he mostly works in the world of "moderns", it's still the same. Amazing what a little cleaning can do. My first thoughts when I read the initial post was:
1: Check set screw
2: Clean out innards

So, Senor Ham...start with the obvious and easy! have fun and good luck with your season! :hatsoff:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Good tips already said. Do not be afraid to remove barrel and lock. Those are normal maintenance procedures. Do clean the lock and lube. Check that sett screw.

 

[George T.]

So true and need to be cleaned and lubes every so often anyway!

Geo. T.

 

[Leatherbark]

The sear spring (coil) and it's plunger on this rifle is seized with rust where it slides in its pocket. Seen it a few times on T.C Hawken rifles over the years.

Bob

 

[galamb]

As has been suggested here in multiple replies, it's probably just gummed up, seized etc.

Once you get it all cleaned/freed up if you want to adjust the triggers it is a super simple process.

This is the procedure once DST triggers have been properly installed (in this case, factory installed).

Leave the hammer down (so fired position).

Back the little screw out a couple of full turns.

Set the triggers.

Slowly turn the screw clockwise until the triggers "fire".

Back the screw out 1 full turn counter-clockwise.

Try setting the triggers at all hammer positions -
hammer fully down, half-cock, and full-cock.

If it sets smoothly in all three positions then all is good.

If it's noticeably more difficult to set at half-cock the trigger is either installed too deep in the inlet(often caused by tightening the tang screw too tightly - so just back it off a hair)OR the front trigger bar needs to be filed down a bit (it wasn't finished properly).

If you do fiddle around to tune the trigger DO NOT fire the set trigger at half-cock position - it can severely damage or break the nose of the sear...

 

[Black Jack]

That's typical of the CVA MR,
It seldom happens with the TC's, I'm pretty darn sure this is just a seized up/lubrication problem.

I would respectfully disagree that it is typical of the Mountain Rifles. I own two CVA Mountain rifles and a CVA Pennsylvania longrifle, all with set triggers. Mine are factory guns and have never given the least problem with the trigger mechanisms, nor have similar guns owned by my friends who shoot them regularly. I would guess that the ones most likely to have a problem are rifles made from a kit. I've seen a lot of buggered kit guns due to less-than-perfect work on the part of the owner. After all, CVA offered many more kit guns than TC, so I can see how there could be many instances of this type.

 

[necchi]

I hear ya, got a MR myself, sweet shooter.
Those CVA double triggers also work great. I think what happens to a lot of them is they pass through so many hands and a lot of guy's out there think;
"It's a Gun, the screws need a lot of torque!"
They over tighten and end up crushing the wood left to support the triggers.
The damage comes from abuse, not the factory, :wink:

 

[peters_ham]

thank you - I can open the gun up now and not worry with you guys standing by to help if I screw up ! I will work on it today and report back :thumbsup:

 

[peters_ham]

The sear spring (coil) and it's plunger on this rifle is seized with rust where it slides in its pocket. Seen it a few times on T.C Hawken rifles over the years.

Bob

YUP that was it - sets now nicely BUT I am having some trouble setting the hair trigger....working on it now....