Hawkin Identification

[Kris K]

I just got a T/C hawken from my brother he didn't want it anymore since he couldn't get it to shoot well. So he put it in his garage, and there it stayed for the last 2 years.

The serial # is K209661 any guess on the year.

Has the letter M stamped under the barrel where the wedge pin goes through.

The barrel dosen't say Hawken just "Thompson l Center Arms
Rochester, New Hampshire 50 CAL"

Put a T/C peep sight i had on it, and at 40yrds I put two shots with in a inch of each other but about 6" low, thats all the bullets I had time to shoot since I had to get back to work jsut wanted to see if it wold shoot.

It was chuck full of crap I've scrubbed, and scrubbed it. It has rust in the barrel I'm still getting patches with what looks like rust. I think it just might be dried up oil.

 

[Bucker]

gun

I always thought the K represented a kit gun? Did he build it or buy it from someone?

 

[Kris K]

Re: gun

I always thought the K represented a kit gun? Did he build it or buy it from someone?

He never said anything about building it, I'll have to ask him next time I see him.

He said he thought he got it in the 70's, but couldn't remember.

 

[sabotloader]

Kris K

The serial # is K209661 any guess on the year.

Has the letter M stamped under the barrel where the wedge pin goes through.

The barrel dosen't say Hawkin just "Thompson l Center Arms
Rochester, New Hampshire 50 CAL

K is a kit gun, a gun that someone put together from a TC kit....

The barrel! do not loose that barrel it is one of the better ones... Barrels stamped on the under side with a 'M" I believe were contract barrels from Montana Barrel Company and the ones with a 'spade' stamp were from Shilone Barrel Company... Both are outstanding barrels... a lot better than you might get today... IMO

Can not help you with the year - but it was back there....

 

[cayuga]

Right.. that K means the barrel came from a kit gun. And like Sabotloader pointed out, you have one of the old better ones. That is a keeper.

As for the rust, plug that nipple with a tooth pick if you can and then spray some brake cleaner down the barrel and let it sit. Do this outside though. Then get a good brass bore brush. Also I suggest a good range rod. If your are using the original wood ramrod, they had a habit of coming apart after being used to clean a rifle a lot.

Work that brush good in the barrel. Then give it a water bath. Once it is dry, get some JB Bore Paste. Oil the barrel first, then put a good tight fitting patch in the bore, smeared with that bore paste and work that barrel in nice long strokes. Ever twenty strokes, replace the patch and put some more JB in it. It will pull out a lot of the gunk in that barrel.

The inside might be pitted but that does not mean it is not accurate.
80-90 grains of powder and a patched roundball should shoot real well out of it. Good luck with your rifle.

 

[Kris K]

Right.. that K means the barrel came from a kit gun. And like Sabotloader pointed out, you have one of the old better ones. That is a keeper.

As for the rust, plug that nipple with a tooth pick if you can and then spray some brake cleaner down the barrel and let it sit. Do this outside though. Then get a good brass bore brush. Also I suggest a good range rod. If your are using the original wood ramrod, they had a habit of coming apart after being used to clean a rifle a lot.

Work that brush good in the barrel. Then give it a water bath. Once it is dry, get some JB Bore Paste. Oil the barrel first, then put a good tight fitting patch in the bore, smeared with that bore paste and work that barrel in nice long strokes. Ever twenty strokes, replace the patch and put some more JB in it. It will pull out a lot of the gunk in that barrel.

The inside might be pitted but that does not mean it is not accurate.
80-90 grains of powder and a patched roundball should shoot real well out of it. Good luck with your rifle.

I'll give this a try how many total stokes with JB bore past should do the job? Just in tell the patches come out clean?? I've never used JB bore past before.

 

[cayuga]

I bore paste my rifles twice a year whether they need it or not. JB does not lapp a bore it only scrubs it clean. I would do 100 strokes of the bore paste, clean the rifle barrel real good, and then try it. It will also smooth out any ruff spots in there. Be sure, after you have cleaned that bore with a good water bath and some more brake cleaner... oil that bore. The JB will take any protection that might have been down there and its open metal time.

Also it will remove lead, plastic, copper, and just bad fouling in general.

 

[Kris K]

I bore paste my rifles twice a year whether they need it or not. JB does not lapp a bore it only scrubs it clean. I would do 100 strokes of the bore paste, clean the rifle barrel real good, and then try it. It will also smooth out any ruff spots in there. Be sure, after you have cleaned that bore with a good water bath and some more brake cleaner... oil that bore. The JB will take any protection that might have been down there and its open metal time.

Also it will remove lead, plastic, copper, and just bad fouling in general.

Thank's i'll pick some up this afternoon, and give it a try.

 

[Kris K]

Finally got a picture of the Hawken. I've taken the old rear sight off, and replaced it with a T/C tang peep I had sitting around.

[/img]

 

[Kris K]

Also forgot to ask whats the max powder charge on this gun shooting conicals/round ball.
I have a Cabelas Sporterized Hawken that says not to exceed a certain amount of powder, but can't remember what it was figured it would be the same.

 

[cayuga]

If I remember right its 110 grains of 2f on the roundball and 90 on the conical bullets. Normally 90 to 100 grains is plenty.

 

[Kris K]

What kind of accuracy should I be looking for out of this rifle. I just got back from shooting, and with 80grs of Pyro P, and 385gr Great Plains I could only get 3' groups with it. It was a little windy, but figured not bad enough to affect the bullet at 25yrd. I still need to mess around with changing powder charges to see if that helps any.

Also shot it yesterday with round ball, and didn't even hit the target at 45yrds couldn't tell where I was hitting. I believe the barrel twist is 1 in 48 not sure but did't all the T/C Hawkens come with a 1 in 48 twist.

 

[cayuga]

What kind of accuracy should I be looking for out of this rifle. I just got back from shooting, and with 80grs of Pyro P, and 385gr Great Plains I could only get 3' groups with it. It was a little windy, but figured not bad enough to affect the bullet at 25yrd. I still need to mess around with changing powder charges to see if that helps any.

Also shot it yesterday with round ball, and didn't even hit the target at 45yrds couldn't tell where I was hitting. I believe the barrel twist is 1 in 48 not sure but did't all the T/C Hawkens come with a 1 in 48 twist.

Accuracy is not just the rifle, but the shooter. Now I am sure you are a good shooter. So we have to look at the load you were shooting. I am not a fan of Pyrodex P in the Hawkins and Renegades, although it will work. I usually shoot black powder or Pyrodex RS.

At 25 yards three inches IMO in not good enough. I agree with you. Try knocking the charge down to 60 or 70 grains of Pyrodex P and see if that helps. AS for the roundball, I would start with 80 grains of Pyrodex P and also shoot at 25 yards until you have your load developed.

On a T/C the barrel twist of the Hawkins and Renegades is 1-48.

 

[Kris K]

Thanks, I'm sure that some of the problem is me I haven't shot my muzzleloaders for a year so it's will take some time to back in to it. I have some Pyro select that I shoot out of my Omega that I haven't tried yet. I'll give the Select a try this next week.