TC Hawken

[richard123]

I recently purchased a TC Hawken .50 cal. flinter from a local gun dealer. Gun appears to be from the early 90's and never fired. I got it for a steal at $300 because flintlocks aren't really appreciated here in my home state of MO. As a kid growing up in a blue-collar town in NW PA during the 80's, no one could afford custom guns so T.C.,Lyman, and CVA's dominated the late muzzleloader season (flintlock only). In my neck of the woods, the TC Hawken was king. Anyway, I can't wait to return to PA next ML season and relive the 80's with my new TC. It's not a fancy, custom gun but it will sure be at place in those frozen, snow covered woods. My other point is- keep your eyes open as deals on these long, forgotten guns can happen anywhere at anytime...

 

[house]

Congrats on a great deal. Wish I could find a T/C flintlock. A fellow shooter had one at a shooting compition today and I thought it looked great. Real shooter today.

 

[roundball]

Excellent guns...enjoyed them for a good 15 years, and here's some information you might find useful.

Over the years, like most companies, T/C made improvements to just about every component that goes into the making of their lock assemblies. As a result the 70's/80's/early 90/'s locks had a never ending string of component improvements on many parts like tumblers, springs, hammers, frizzens, the geometry, etc.
Finally the Flintlock ignition improvements in general seemed to stabilized in the mid-to late 90's with some signbificant redesign, including a new hammer that is both taller and has a different angle of attack...and a different Frizzen.
Those improvements...along with the improved "hex well" vent liner completely rejuvenated T/C's Flintlock reliability and they lacked for nothing.

Where flints used to have short flint life and often shatter because of the old style hammer's too square / straight on delivery into the frizzen...as well as quickly eating a horizontal groove across the frizzen face...they no longer shatter and with the new style lock, it's not uncommon to shoot a couple of 50 shot range sessions on the same flint, where previously the flint life often averaged 20-25 shots in old style locks.

OLD STYLE T/C FLINT LOCK ASSEMBLY

Note severe "S" shape to hammer, and the "notch" in the outside edge of the hammer at about 12 o'clock right above the hammer mounting screw.
Also note that the old style hammer is quite short with the bottom jaw just barely clearing the fence...and the frizzen is case colored.

NEW STYLE T/C FLINT LOCK ASSEMBLY

Note the much more gentle "S" curve shape (and no notch), it’s much taller with the lower jaw clearing much higher above the fence, the frizzen is solid jet black color.
3/4" wide x 7/8" long Tom Fuller black English flints worked best for me on these medium sized locks of several I tried, averaging 60-80 shots rarely knapping, and more if they're knapped as they wear.

 

[chenry]

Who has the new style lock ??? Just picked up a50 ? Thanks in adv...

 

[roundball]

Don't really know any more...if I was looking right now I'd try the following order:

T/C Customer Service / Parts
Track of the Wolf
The Possible Shop
RMCSports
EBay
Gunbroker
Classifieds on various muzzleloader forums

Worst case, at least see if you can get the new style taller hammer assembly.
NOTE: You have to get the associated top jaw and top jaw screw with the new style hammer...the ones from the old style hammer don't fit / work on the new style hammer.

 

[don hepler]

New hammer and frizzen is all you need. I don't know who sells them.

 

[sleddman]

Look on Flea-bay. Keep checking. Several people have been parting out the old T/C's. By the way I'm from Missouri and there is a large following of flint where I am from. My choice of rifle is my own Kentucky longrifles. I have several older T/C's for the thick brush.

 

[Orthod]

Lots of Flinters in SW Missouri. The first deer I shot with a flintlock was north of Joplin near Asbury. Spent many Sundays shooting a flintlock behind Doug Hall's Shop south of Neosho or at Doug's house near Cyclone. It's been a few years but spent lots of time roaming the hills from Galena to Pineville.

Don't know any flinters here in the Northwoods.

 

[good ole boy]

Guys used to send their lock back to T/C and say it isn,t sparking well and if you had the old style lock they would send you the updated version for free.That was before the S&W buyout and before they stopped makin f/locks.I also heard they might not even honor the warranty anymore and stopped producing replacement parts. :td: I am not a happy camper cause I was once one of their biggest supporters,not anymore. :shake:

 

[30coupe]

Track of the Wolf has this replacement lock:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/759/1/LOCK-LR-03-F

 

[Don Steele]

I sent a 1970's vintage T/C Hawken flintlock to S&W just last Summer. It had a broken frizzen. Within a week, I had a brand new (new-style) lock at my front door...FedEx, No Charge.
Given all the chatter on this and other forums regarding the possibility that S&W was not supporting the T/C warranty, I took the time to make a phone call. In that call, I spoke to a very pleasant lady who told me they did support the warranty and who gave me her name to put on the box as "attn. to" so that my broken lock didn't get lost in the shuffle. She emailed to me a return authorization and prepaid shipping label. The entire transaction took about a week, at zero cost to me.
Others may have had different experiences..this is mine. Not one I "heard about".

 

[Rifleman1776]

flintlocks aren't really appreciated here in my home state of MO.

Huh???
Tell that to Ray Miller (RIP), Jim Turpin and dozens of other master builders. To say nothing of the many hundreds (thousands?) of flint shooters in the show-me state.
To stay on topic: Congrats on the rifle. Enjoy.

 

[richard123]

Sorry...I probably should have narrowed it down to my neck of the woods (St.Louis area) where the in-line MZ is king. The shop I bought the TC from carries several semi-custom guns and a few manufactured guns, mostly T.C.s and Lyman's, and offer them at decent prices because they just aren't in demand (again, in this neck of the woods). That said, I believe I got my TC Hawken for a steal...

 

[Hawgeye]

I sent an email to S&W in October of last year asking about service or warranty on the old style locks of the TC line. This is their reply.
"Dear Customer,

Unfortunately with the discontinuance of all side lock models we no longer provide these services Robert.

If further assistance is required please reply accordingly.

Sincerely,

Alison
They did say they would sell me replacement parts if they had them, but unfortunately, they were out of stock. My timing never has been good.

 

[Sam Stephens]

I also just got a old unfired 50 , and will need to find the new hammer and frizzen , if anyone finds the best place to purchase please let me know...

,,,,Sam,,,,

 

[White Oak]

I just contacted TC Thursday by e-mail about the same issue. By Saturday I was e-mailed a form to fill out and send back with shipping info and a brief description of the problem. Should be receiving an e-mailed pre paid shipping label within 5 days. I did include the fact that there was a safety issue involved. In their reply they mentioned that if this was not a warranty issue they would notify me of repair costs. I have no idea how this will shake out but you can bet I will post the outcome.
Take care,
Ed

 

Contact me about TC Hawken flintlock

 

[White Oak]

As I said above TC e-mailed a shipping label. The gun was picked up at the house by Fed X. I was asked to again provide a brief explanation of the problem and enclose it with the gun. My intentions were to send only the lock but TC wanted the entire gun. Hey, they paid the shipping and insurance. The gun was gone a total of 11 days. She came home today. Good as new. My original complaint to TC was that the lock seemed to hesitate to fully engage in the full cock position and trigger pull was very heavy. This I saw as a safety issue. I suggested that if the lock was defective I would appreciate the updated lock. I did not receive the new style lock but the frizzen was changed. My old one was case hardened and this one is coal black. Also received a nice new flint. All said, I was very happy with the way S&W handled the issue. Not sure they could have upgraded the lock if they wanted to. Who knows what is available for replacement parts.
Take care,
Ed

 

[kopfjaeger]

I started hunting with a flintlock in 1975, and it was a thompson center also. I'm also from Pennsylvania ( southwestern pennsylvania ). Nothing like the snow covered woods in the flintlock only season.

 

[good ole boy]

So true as that is also my passion.