My 40 Year Old T/C Hawken

[thom2]

I bought my .50 cal T/C Hawken brand new, back in 1970 at an Ace Hardware that had a pretty good sporting goods.

I've taken a lot of whitetails with the ole boy going old school.
Iron sights, 90gr of FFFG black powder and a patched ball.

It's still in great shape. I've been wondering how much BETTER or WORSE it is compared to T/C new Hawkens.

[bronko22000]

Thom - I believe about the only difference is that they improved the lock a bit. I have 3 Hawkens, one that was purchased in the early 70s.
Check the prices on the brand spankin new T/C Hawkens. It will make you cringe.

[cayugad]

The new Hawkins are excellent quality like the one you have. I have old Renegades and would not part with them for anything.

[Ruger-Redhawk]

I have a old Hawken and a old 54 cal Renegade about the same age. The Hawkens I still have the original barrel for it. It has a I believe the Green River barrel and the Old Redfield International sights on it. A friend who used to buld muzzleloads did the barrel swich for me. He did a great job on it. Made a bracket for the International sights. I forget how long the barrel is but it's allot longer then the original barrel. It uses a T/C Hooked breech. I haven't fired it in over 20 years. Just the sights today are very expensive.


My Renegade after many years of hard use the stock cracked. T/C sent me a new stock basically a new gun everything except for a new barrel and ram rod. I installed the new stock. Going to sight it in a month or two later I noticed the new stock was cracked again and had never been fired. This time I sent the complete rifle back. So my old Renegade has a new stock with the recoil pad. I'm much rather have it the way it was originally.

For a side lock it's hard to beat a old Hawkens and Renegade.

[coastmloader]

I got my Hawkens in Mid 80's and still hunting with it. All original. Has accounted for alot of deer. Been playing around with a Genesis for the last 3 years. Finally going to take it out but the Hawkens is my all time favorite!!

[keyshunter]

I have a old (pre QLR) TC Hawken flintlock. It came with a pretty color case hardened frizzen that wore out quickly. I called TC and they sent me a black frizzen that was worthless. Then they sent me another that was a little better. We have a Pa. Hunter that is almost as old. That frizzen is still original, and sparks just fine. Obviously, there was some variability in hardening. Finally, I fitted a Lyman frizzen to the old Hawken and it sparks great, even with the older lock geometry.

Other than that, it has been a very good shooting flintlock. Back in those days, they used really nicely figured wood in the stocks, and fitting was excellent.

[Pygmy]

I have a .50 cal. T/C Hawken that I bought in 1973...

It's all original except for the ramrod ( broke the original wooden one and replaced with fiberglass) and I put a T/C tang peep sight on it and removed the open rear sight. My old eyes work better with the peep.. I still have the original sight in my gun cabinet..

I killed deer for years with PRB and 80 or 90 grains of 2f blackpowder or pyrodex...

About 8 years ago I was taking it on an elk hunt and wanted to shoot a heavier bullet than the PRB.. After some experimentation I settled on a 460 grain NoExuses conical and 80 grains of 3f triple 7.. This combo loads so easy and shoots so well I now use it for a deer load also...