Which T/C to get?

[Hightekrednek]

Hey guys, this is my first post here, so I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Justin and I live in Chewelah WA. If you don't know where that is(and you probably don't) it is a small town about 45 miles north of Spokane.
I am going to start muzzleloader hunting next year, and I'm in the market for a gun. I have looked around, and I've decided to stick with thompson center. The guns that are available to me are, a 54cal hawken in near new condition for $225, a 54cal stainless new englander in excellent condition(it has some rust stain on the barrel) for $199, and a renegade in 50cal in excellent condition for $270. Which one of these is the better buy and are there any common problems with certain models I should know about? Thanks! Justin

 

[Rebel]

The Hawken would probably be the Best Buy. And the .54 is a good cal. I didn't know they made a Stainless New Englander though.

 

[renovato]

Hi Justin, welcome aboard!

That's a good price on the Hawken and they're fine guns. I'd grab it in a heartbeat. Great hunting gun and a heckuva lot of fun too.

Thompson has the best service in the industry should you ever run into a problem, but the guns are very well built and don't usually have any.

 

[Pittsburghunter]

I have a soft spot for origional Renegades :grin:

 

[ladysmithtrading]

Justin, I know where Chewelah is, hunt the Paseytin wilderness evry other year, although the 50 cal is a good all round caliber and has taken many Elk, if your going to Elk hunt, go with the 54! as a couple of my gear head buddies say, "theres no replacement for displacement!", dont think Id gor for a shiny barrel, the sun does OCASIONALLY shine in our fair state!

 

[Robert58]

Sounds like a good deal on the Hawken, that's what I shoot.

Glad to hear your joining the BP Trad. Club.

Robert

 

[Walks with fire]

I had a TC Hawkin years ago and it was by far the best flintlock shooter that I ever had. I wish I had never sold that rifle. I have too many now to buy another but if I was looking for a production hunting rifle that is the one I would get. I would also send the lock back to TC and get the newer lock for it. You will be impressed.

 

[Keppy]

Welcome to the forum. :hatsoff: You have picked a good forum for info. I don't have any experence with TC in ML's but have other firearms of there's. They have a great product. When I buy I make sure it fits me good. Thats the most important think. If I have to move my head around to see the sights it don't fit. The TC Hawkens doesn't fit me. The comb of the stock is to high. But it might be good for you. I have a 54cal but the 50cal will do well. Good luck to you. Let us know what you get. Hacksaw :thumbsup:

 

[MikeC]

I have a "cougar" hawkin and one of the original left handed renegades. The hawkin is a bit lighter, it's a toss up as to what feels better to you. My suggestion is buy both... :grin:

 

[Landngroove]

First, Welcome to the forum. You will learn a lot here, and have fun too! The .54 Hawken would be my first choice, and that is a good price, if it is in good condition. The .54 New Englander, ( I was unaware there was a stainless New Englander, although the GrayHawk is stainless, and similar to the New Englander.) is also a fine ML. I have both a Hawken, and a New Englander in .54, and they are very good shooters with a patched round ball. This is a win win situation for you, but I would go for the Hawken. The Renegade is a fine ML too, but I prefer .54 caliber, for shooting a PRB.

 

[Walks Alone]

Welcome to the forums. Very glad to see that as a new black powder hunter you are going to do it right too, tradtional. :thumbsup:

Yep, the 54 Hawken is the one if you can only get one. My current 54 is a Renegade 54/12GA switch barrel, but I did most of my BP big game hunting with 2 TC Hawkens - a 50 for deer and a 54 for elk. As already said, if you include elk on your game list, get a 54 over a 50.

WA

 

[Hightekrednek]

I have a "cougar" hawkin and one of the original left handed renegades. The hawkin is a bit lighter, it's a toss up as to what feels better to you. My suggestion is buy both... :grin:

I'd like to buy all 3, but my mom says no :nono: (I'm 17, and she keeps telling me that I have enough guns, oh well, I'm not listening :yakyak that would also cut into my reloading budget too much. I'm trapshooting competitively right now, and the ammo is starting add up to more than my shotgun's original cost! My mom just doesn't understand a man's unending need for more firearms.

 

[Hightekrednek]

I have always wanted to hunt with traditional muzzleloaders. I don't like inlines, the moment that formed my opinion on those things was a couple years ago watching a hunting show. Some guy shot a deer at over 200yds with a scoped inline, and then talked about the gratification that came from hunting with a "more primitive and challenging weapon" :bull:
Washington finally improved their muzzleloader regulations, no 209 ignition, no scopes, you can still use an inline if it uses a percussion cap on an exposed nipple. Not perfect, but it's much better than allowing anything with a ramrod.

 

[Robert58]

Competitive Trap; alright!!! Trap was my favorite shooting game back in the good old days. I had a Winchester 101 Pigion Grade O/U 12 ga. It's nice to hear a young man such as you, in the shooting sports as you are, is getting in to Traditional Muzzleloading. I wish there were more young men such as you coming up in this world today.

Buy that 54 Hawken, you won't regret it.

Good luck with the Competitive Trapshooting.

Robert

NRA Life Member
TSRA Life Member

 

[Slamfire]

I have to admit, I don't care much for the curved buttplates on Hawkens. The New Englander and Renegade both have shotgun style butts, and either would be a good rifle to have. Although I shudder to think of a stainless barrel in the woods. I imagine around Spokane you don't have a whole lot of close timber country to try to see through the underbrush, so a .50 would be just as good as a .54, until you draw an elk ticket. :winking:

 

[jim/wa]

i know where chewelah is shot a moose there 2 years ago lot of whitetail around there go with the 54

 

[Hightekrednek]

Robert58, Washington now has a trapshooting program through the high school, they pay your gun club dues and you just buy/reload shells. There is a pretty large turn out, 20 kids in our 250 kid school. I couldn't believe that the school would have anything to do with guns, but I'm not complaining!

 

[Hightekrednek]

I have to admit, I don't care much for the curved buttplates on Hawkens. The New Englander and Renegade both have shotgun style butts, and either would be a good rifle to have. Although I shudder to think of a stainless barrel in the woods. I imagine around Spokane you don't have a whole lot of close timber country to try to see through the underbrush, so a .50 would be just as good as a .54, until you draw an elk ticket. :winking:

In fact, the terrain around here is heavily wooded with lots of underbrush. You rarely see a shot over 50yds in the sections of the mountains that haven't been logged recently and post/clearcut reprod. The beauty of living in Washington is that you can buy an elk tag over the counter! Unless you want to hunt in "special elk" units.

 

[roundball]

"...I have to admit, I don't care much for the curved buttplates on Hawkens..."

It is interesting what we each see differently...to me the curved buttplate is the main 'signature' style element of a Hawken :grin:

 

[renovato]

Justin, that's fantastic! I'm glad to see schools supporting the shooting sports. So few do anymore. I'm glad of your interest also.

BTW, moms never understand the need for more guns. Mine still gives me a hard time about all the guns I "need" and I'm in my 40's! She also outshoots me on the pistol range still and she's in her 70's! :rotf: