TC Hawken

[Jetmech]

Found this .50 TC Hawken at a not so local gun shop for $200. Decided to add it to the family in hopes of it becoming a practical deer rifle for the upcoming season.

It bears a lot of scars from former use or abuse but I’ll test it’s accuracy before investing some refinish effort.

Anybody here hunt deer with a Hawken?

 

[Duk]

Yes with 50 cal and a 54

 

[Jetmech]

Yes with 50 cal and a 54

Will round ball get the job done or do I need to consider conicals?

Typical range and conditions for me (using unmentionables) is 50 to 75 yards and 80 pound whitetails.

 

[TechMoron]

A roundball & about 70 grains or so of powder will get-r-did on a whitetail at those ranges.

 

[Phil Coffins]

My wife hunted with a 50 using round ball and 70 grains of powder. All her deer were dead in one shot regardless of angle.

 

[Tasbay]

Have a look at my post from earlier today (A bit of time with the GPR). I only shoot round ball and have no issues as long as you keep the distance reasonable. Have a couple of T/C Hawken`s, love them. From what I have seen our Reds are considerably bigger than your Whitetail. This one is just a Spiker.

 

[Jetmech]

Have a look at my post from earlier today (A bit of time with the GPR). I only shoot round ball and have no issues as long as you keep the distance reasonable. Have a couple of T/C Hawken`s, love them.View attachment 333847

Plenty of evidence in these replys that round ball is working. Pictures are appreciated.

I have a Renegade purchased new in 1982. Thought it would make a good hunting rifle but shoots way right and sights are horrible.

I think the Hawken is the rifle I should have bought back then, seems easier to hold steady off hand and I prefer the sights.

 

[longcruise]

TC 50 and deer go together.

 

[Tasbay]

Down here it took me about 30 years to acquire two .50cal T/C Hawkens , one Flint & one percussion. The last one I saw sold here was a couple of years ago, Percussion .50, it sold for around $1800us ($2000 Kiwi). Pretty sort after.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I swore off TCs when the last one I bought new had the lock installed with hot melt glue from the factory because of a bad lock inlet, but they have a way to creep back into one's life so I now have 2, a stock .50 from a kit and a .54 with a GM barrel.

This was with the .50, round ball and 75 gr of 2F, I hit a little high at 75 yards, broke both shoulders, I had to run him down and put a finish in shot in his neck.

 

[Jetmech]

I swore off TCs when the last one I bought new had the lock installed with hot melt glue from the factory because of a bad lock inlet, but they have a way to creep back into one's life so I now have 2, a stock .50 from a kit and a .54 with a GM barrel.

This was with the .50, round ball and 75 gr of 2F, I hit a little high at 75 yards, broke both shoulders, I had to run him down and put a finish in shot in his neck.

I swore off TCs when the last one I bought new had the lock installed with hot melt glue from the factory because of a bad lock inlet, but they have a way to creep back into one's life so I now have 2, a stock .50 from a kit and a .54 with a GM barrel.

This was with the .50, round ball and 75 gr of 2F, I hit a little high at 75 yards, broke both shoulders, I had to run him down and put a finish in shot in his neck.

View attachment 333878

Eric, is it possible to slim down the stock and wrist of the Hawken some without weakening the wrist?

I think I saw a post from you where you had some experience refinishing and altering the stocks.

Jeff

 

[Phil Coffins]

They can be trimmed down a good bit. This is one with the wrist lengthened and made smaller with a more rounded shape. The butt and forearm are worked down as well.
IMG_0835 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0836 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[The Crisco Kid]

The main complaint I have with the TC's is the bulky stock. Phil fixed that nicely! All it needs now is some more conventional looking sights!

 

[Jetmech]

They can be trimmed down a good bit. This is one with the wrist lengthened and made smaller with a more rounded shape. The butt and forearm are worked down as well.
IMG_0835 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0836 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

They can be trimmed down a good bit. This is one with the wrist lengthened and made smaller with a more rounded shape. The butt and forearm are worked down as well.
IMG_0835 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0836 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

They can be trimmed down a good bit. This is one with the wrist lengthened and made smaller with a more rounded shape. The butt and forearm are worked down as well.
IMG_0835 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0836 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

That’s the look I was thinking of, if I’m going to refinish to eliminate the dozens of scrapes and dents I might as well slim the wrist, lock panels etc.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I rasped the flutes out of the comb and the blended cheek piece into it. Flattening both sides of the butt eliminating the rolled over wood to the butt plate.
IMG_0818 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Eric Krewson]

I put both of my TCs on a diet, there is a lot of extra wood that can be removed.

This one has a drop in GM barrel, it is a .54.

I reworked the cheekpiece as well.

The stock I bought looked good on the outside but was a wreak on the inside with stripped screw holes in the tang and oil soaked and cracked wood at several places that I repaired.

I went with bushings and changed the tang screws out with tang bolts.

 

[longcruise]

I went with bushings and changed the tang screws out with tang bolts.

I like that. Might consider that for mine.

 

[deerstalkert]

i was just slumming on Ebay, TC Hawken locks are SELLING for $250 and up. you stole that one.

 

[Smokepoler]

Round ball for deer and conical for Elk. I killed an Elk in one shot with 50 cal Hawkin with 100 grains under a conical bullet in Colorado. My buddy scored an Elk on the same trip.
If your TC Hawkin has three screws in the tang you can mount a Lyman 57 Peep without drilling. I also use a Lyman 17 front globe sight for target shooting but the bead front sight work well with the peep also. If your eyes are young you will do fine with the sights that came with it.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

Great rifles. I've dotted many a eyes with my .50 cal TC Hawken. It's perfect as of now. Zero misses and zero wounds. Enjoy your rifle.