Tony welcome to the forum and the sport of muzzleloading.. you are going to really enjoy yourself. You have a great rifle by the way. Never underestimate the T/C Hawkins. It was one of the premire rifles of its day off an assembly line.
1. What do I first need to do with the weapon?
I am very sure it is not loaded but how can I verify. I know I should have verified this when I received. Feel pretty stupid on that. The ramrod will go into the barrel leaving about a half inch of the ramrod sticking out of the barrel.
Some of the after market barrels that replaced the hand eating wooden ramrods do stick out a little more.Put on a cleaning jag on the end of the ramrod. After all you're going to have to clean the rifle anyway. Then take a cloth patch and spray or dip it with some gun solvent. Now make sure the rifle is cocked. In fact if you can, remove the nipple from the rifle. Start working that patch down the bore. Work it in short strokes of about three inches. As you work closer to the breech.. can you hear air coming out the nipple port? If you can, that is a very good indication the rifle is not loaded. So now go ahead and wipe out the bore with solvent.
Inspect that solvent patch for rust, bore butter, grime, or anything else. At this point I would pull the wedge pin and give that rifle a boiling water with dish soap bath. And let that thing soak in the water a little. What I am trying to do here is remove any bore butter, packing oils, etc. As you water bath that boiling water, it will float out the top of the barrel. Be sure to wear gloves or you will burn your hands.
After you have water bath soaked the barrel. Take some more boiling water. Carry the barrel outside and lean it against something like a railing, etc. Now pour more boiling water down that bore. That will rinse out all the other nasty stuff in there and after the water runs out, because of the heat, will almost dry the barrel.
With the barrel still hot, run some alcohol patches down the hot bore. This will pull out any more water in there. Now some dry patches. And finally put some quality gun oil on a patch and swab the bore of that rifle. Now let the barrel cool. As it cools it will draw that oil into the pores of the metal and protect itself.
2. What powder? load amount? cap? bullet?
Black Powder 2f or 3f, Pyrodex RS, Triple Se7en 2f or 3f, any thing but pellets. There is no use in putting pellets down that rifle. Since you're starting, try the Pyrodex RS. It is dirty, but consistant. Also get some .490 roundball. And some .015-.018 patch material. You can get pre lubed patches or you can by 100% cotton pillow tick at Wal Mart and some bore butter, and lube your own. You can also make a number of other patch lubes at home that will work as good as bore butter. I've used about every thing you can think of as a patch lube. I personally use moose milk. Its a mix I make at home. As for the amount of powder, start with 80 grains of RS and work from there. Start shooting groups and get used to it. Also buy some quality #11 caps. CCI Magnum caps, Remington, or RWS if you can find them. So not buy CCI standard caps. They will disappoint you.
3. Is there a 209 conversion kit for a side hammer?
There are gimmicks out there. But you do not need them. Prepare that rifle properly before firing it, and that #11 cap will work every time.
4. What other ML supplies do I need to get?
Black powder rifle supplies
DECIDE ON THE KIND OF POWDER[/b]
Pyrodex
Triple Se7en
Goex
Black Mag3
American Pioneer Powder
in loose form[/ul]
[/b]
TOOLS NEEDED[/b]
[/b]
See through powder measure
Cleaning jag
Cleaning mop
Patch worm
Bore brush
Short starter
Capper/de-capper
Loading jag for the projectile
Nipple pick
Breech plug removal tool – socket set with long extensions works also[/ul]
CLEANING SUPPLIES[/b]
Isopropyl alcohol 91%
Car windshield washer fluid
Bore butter or lube for conical bullets
Gun Oil – Birchwood Casey Sheath, REM OIL, Breakfree CLP
Q-tip safety swabs
Cleaning Patches
Bore Solvents[/ul]
Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber
Butch’s Bore Shine
M.A.P. – Murphy’s oil soap, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide[/ol]
PROJECTILES[/b]
[/b]
Conicals
Roundball and patch[/ul]