traditional scope

[chez48]

I have a TC Hawken that I put together from a kit 20 years ago.  New York has since legalized scopes. The gun still shoots well and I would like to  use it still.  Is there any place I can get a scope that would look similar to the ones I saw at the Gttysburg battlefield.  I believe the troops used scopes on their sniper rifles even then.

[kevin]

well the only place that comes to mind for a scope and being sort of traditional, only for the civil war era I believe Dixie Gun Works sellls them and mounts are extra its a brass tube and of what power it is I also am not sure if the mounts will ork on octagon barrels hope this helps out some.
                                                   Kevin

[Super Rat]

Scopes were used in the war, but remember they were used for long range shooting. At muzzle loader hunting ranges of 100 yards or less I don't think a scope will be of any advantage. The traditional scopes especially have a narrow field of view which will be a disadvantage at close range.

I am glad however that you want to use something traditional, rather than slapping on a 4-12X Leopold!!

If you are having vision problems, consider using a ladder type peep tang sight, such as the ones on a Sharp's rifle. They look neat, or "at home" on a ML, and you can enlarge the peep quite a bit to make up for loss of vision. Even with a large apature a peep will still be quite accurate. The rifle will certainly handle better than with any kind of scope, especially the old type that runs almost the full length of the barrel.

Again, if your vision is normal, I don't see any advantage to using a scope for shots under or at 100 yards. Open sights are faster, work when they are wet or fogged up, and are much harder to break or knock out of alignment. Open sights don't get in the way like a scope either.

Good luck.

[KING]

:-D I have one of those.It is originally made by Tasco,and is of 4 power.  It is able to be mounted on an Octagon bbl,and makes for a real interesting converstion piece.  When the scope stays put,it is outstanding...notice when I said the scope stays put...................went to a peep sight on the rifle..............stay safe......King

[Mel Taylor]

Chez,

A couple of years ago someone who used to post on one of the Shooters.com boards sent me a picture of his (T/C -?) Hawken on which he had mounted a Weaver 6 power scope made sometime in the 1950's or 1960's. He was in his late 60's or early 70's and while he still could, and did sometimes, hunt with open sights, was feeling more and more need for the aid of a scope.  

I think this was a K-6, 6X32 or 6X40 scope. I t was long and slender compared with a lot of today's scopes and while it certainly wasn't traditional, it really didn't look that bad on his Hawken.

I think he said he had picked it up at a gun show fairly recently for thirty or forty dollars.

I don't remember exactly how he had it mounted but I do remember that he hunted in New Mexico where scopes are permitted and Colorado where they are not and the scope could be easily removed for Colorado hunting.

Mel

[Grump]

Try out a Lyman reciever peep style sight. TC makes a couple styles that will mount with no modifications(very little). It worked out well for my vision problems.Do a search on Merit sight arpetures. Lots of good info on how your eye focuses on a target. I strongly recomend this product.