My "New" Lightly Used T/C Hawken

[Mauserfan]

Today I picked up my "wall hanger" T/C Hawken 50 caliber percussion ML.  It was in a gun shop near where my family and I rent a cabin to get away from the day to day.  The gun shop owner was selling it on consignment for a family who recently had a member pass away.  The story is that this muzzleloader sat over the family's mantle above the fireplace.  It has no rust and the bore looks brand new.  The serial number is in the 15,000 range and the barrel stamping is simply: Thompson Center Arms Rochester New Hampshire and Cal 50.  It has nothing about it being a Hawken.  On the bottom is a sort of Maltese Cross ahead of the breach.  Does anyone know who made these barrels and if the early T/C Hawkens were sold sans the ram rod spring?  I had a spare spring but even the rear rib screw is too short to hold it.  And this is the first one I have had with a screw locking the nipple in place.  I don't think it has ever been out.  Any hints on how to loosen the lock screw? 

Thanks, 

Jason

[bubba.50]

i have a hawken from roughly the same number range as yours & had an earlier one with 4 digit ser.# neither of which had a ramrod spring. a lot of early t/c's had no model name stamped on the barrel and it seems they kinda skipped around with it from time to time whether it had a name or not. the little screw on the side doesn't lock the nipple in(or shouldn't anyway). it is a clean out screw & another thing they kinda skipped around on. some of my guns have'em some don't. and most of the ones that do they're buggered up from someone tryin' to remove them. i've personally never seen the need to remove one. the maltese cross marking is thought to mean the barrels were made either by the douglas or sharon rifle barrel company. well, that's about all i got. two members here who can tell ya a lot more than i can are ladobe & 30HERRETT. luck to ya & have a good'en friend, bubba.

[Mauserfan]

Thanks for the info, Bubba!  You saved me from becoming one of the ones that buggers a cleanout screw.  I removed the nipple with a bit of grunt torque and dropped it into a little Ballistol to remove the crud.  I ran a couple of Ballistol patches followed by a couple of dry down the bore.  The only discoloration was from dust.  I am very proud of my find.  This is the cleanest one I have ever seen short of a store shelf.  I may have paid a bit much for it at $225 but my son and I will use it often.  Although I hate the way this had to come back into circulation, if the man lived his life as he cleaned this weapon he did alright.   

[bubba.50]

it's a matter of choice, i've just never seen the need to remove one. nor has anyone i know. only feller i ever personally knew that removed one was so he could dribble a few grains of powder in behind the ball he'd already rammed home. if ya believe everything ya read on the muzzleloading forums some do remove them time to time and a few claim they do every time they clean the gun.

and in my opinion, in the condition you describe $225.00 is a very good price.

luck to ya & have a good'en friend, bubba.

[P.A. Myers]

A cherry early T/C Hawken is easily worth $450. You can get Hawkens for less but they tend to be well worn. You scored. The original owner wants you to enjoy it.

             P.A.


I know its cheating but I thread the front ramrod spool hole and use a 1/4 set screw to firmly hold the ramrod. I never use the original wood ramrods I make my own from brass.   

[Mauserfan]

Great idea, P.A.!  We do have a great muzzleloader shop here in Central Arkansas.  I may run by there and see if Mr. Reber has any spare spools.  Then I can put the original aside.  This has plugged threaded hole on the center of the tang.  Anyone have any luck with a peep sight for hunting? 

Thanks,

Jason