Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Gun Building and Repair => Topic started by: Hood on December 13, 2012, 06:55:52 AM

Title: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Hood on December 13, 2012, 06:55:52 AM
Has anyone here customized a Thomson Center Hawken?

I'm thinking of getting a stock from Pecatonica for my TC flintlock and was hoping to see some photos of some guns that others have changed. So please share pictures, thoughts, etc...

Thanks!
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: sse on December 13, 2012, 09:46:39 AM
I haven't but I know that some people do.  If I remember right, Track of the Wolf sells a lot of different items to embellish the basic T/C Hawken.
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Fletcher on December 13, 2012, 10:31:03 AM
I all needed was a barrel to shoot patch and ball better and I bought those from Fox River.
They drop right in and shoot great.  The stock barrel is 28" long with 1:48 twist - shoots ball OK
but conical bullets better.

The Fox River are 31" long and 1:60 twist - shoot the PRB with great accuracy out to 75 yds and I seldom shoot longer than that or have tried many targets.  The targets longer than 75 yds at Rondys and events are pretty
much a hope and a prayer for me - I do get a few
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Bigsmoke on December 13, 2012, 10:35:17 AM
No photos, but there are a lot of ways you can change it around.
The Hawken Shop in WA offers a kit to "Hawkenize" the T/C Hawken.  It consists of an iron butt plate, trigger guard, rear sight and nose cap.  I believe it is only available in 15/16 for the .45 or .50 cal rifles.  You can also get Renegade blued thimbles, wedge plates and wedge.  Then you can brass black the patch box and about all the brass is gone.  All that can be done for under $100.00.
Pecatonica does indeed sell replacement stocks for it, and I think you can go with either a full stock or half stock.
Green Mountain offers drop in replacement barrels in most any caliber imaginable.
L & R makes a replacement lock so you can go from coil spring to leaf main spring.  Another outfit offers a side slapper or mule ear lock.
Or, you could just go get/build a real Hawken style rifle in the first place.
Hope this give you some ideas on what you can do.
John
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: gunmaker on December 13, 2012, 05:41:34 PM
I haven't done a TC, I have done a few CVA rifles.  Changed over to full stocks.  Look at "trade type build"  on here.  TOTW sells 1/2 & full stocks for TC guns.  Their stocks are almost completely inlet & don't take much to get a good looking gun-----good luck, shoot us a few pic's when done.........Tom
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: pathfinder on December 13, 2012, 07:06:37 PM
Let's see,Drop-in barrel from green Mt.,Iron furniture from the Hawkin shop,Stock from Pecatonica,replacement lock from L&R. Screws and lug the only original parts left! LOL!

Like the "Original"Daniel Boone knife,handle replaced once and the blade twice,other than that,original!

I've worked on a few of them over the years,and with suprisingly little work,they can really be made into an attractive firearm. I feel the lock replacement is probably the best cosmetic upgrade you can do.
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: gunmaker on December 13, 2012, 09:21:48 PM
It's not Boone's knife pathfinder. It's Washingtons's hatchett, and I have it. Head replaced once & handle 3 times---otherwise ALL Origional...........Tom
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: pathfinder on December 14, 2012, 01:38:36 AM
Wish you would have shown it to me at my visit! Wife doesn't beloved you! LOL :lol sign
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: greggholmes on December 14, 2012, 03:03:58 AM
Im going to order the iron package from the hawkens shop

http://www.daytraco.com/Products/Four-piece-conversion-kit__F4.aspx

(http://www.daytraco.com/images/convkit.jpg)
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Bigsmoke on December 14, 2012, 10:59:45 AM
Gregg,
That is a nice kit.  I put the trigger guard and the rear sight on a Renegade once decades ago, back when the Hawken Shop was in St. Louis.  Made a big difference in appearance.  That and a 36" Douglas barrel and an iron nosecap and a homemade hooked butt plate.
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Sneakon on December 14, 2012, 11:25:31 AM
Replaced the stock and barrel on my TC Hawken.  Stock from Pecatonica because it has more drop than the original and fit me better.  Also does not have the patch box cut out.  Barrel from Green River for round balls.  Tarnished all the brass.  It is my big game gun.
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: greggholmes on December 15, 2012, 02:01:24 AM
Sad thing is, I live 7 miles (or less) from Whidbey Island. but its 120 miles round trip by car to the shop.

4778 Monkey Hill Rd
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
Phone 360-679-4657
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Bigsmoke on December 15, 2012, 10:07:21 AM
Gregg,
Sounds like a convincing arguement that  you need a helicopter.
John
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: greggholmes on December 15, 2012, 08:23:37 PM
Im more into fixed wings. If they where closer to the water id just run over there in the boat
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Hood on December 25, 2012, 07:41:23 PM
I really would like to see some pictures.

I'm not sure if I should go with curly maple or maybe walnut stock....
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Sneakon on December 25, 2012, 09:51:30 PM
Tomorrow in the daylight I'll try to take/post some pictures of the walnut stock I used.
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Hood on December 27, 2012, 07:43:31 AM
Thanks!

Looking forward to them...
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Sneakon on December 27, 2012, 01:52:02 PM
Including multiple photos in a post is not very easy for me to figure out so here is one of the TC Hawken I replaced the stock (walnut from Pecatonica) and barrel (Green Mountain).  The others can be seen in the Firearms Gallery.
(http://www.traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/forum/gallery/image.php?album_id=7&image_id=5519&sk=t&sd=d&st=0)
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Sneakon on December 27, 2012, 01:53:32 PM
and...the work is not nearly on par with the master gun makers on this forum, but it is an example of what a ordinary hack can do.
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: sse on December 27, 2012, 01:55:29 PM
Looks very nice...the dulled down brass is a plus.
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Hank in WV on December 27, 2012, 05:40:23 PM
That's looking pretty good Sneakon. Is that stock a pre-carve or from a blank?
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Sneakon on December 27, 2012, 09:25:51 PM
The replacement stock from Pecatonica is pre-carved and pre-inlayed.  However, there is still allot of fine detail finishing work necessary to fit the barrel and all the other pieces back together.  I managed to get everything in place enough so that the gun works fine, but a fine piece it is not.  The project gave me a real appreciation for the real gun makers in the world and a real appreciation for the pieces they make.
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: 45.70 on December 29, 2012, 10:18:16 AM
Nice looking work, I know what you mean about appreciating a real gun makers skill.  There are some true artist here at the TMA. :oops:   If you add the steel parts from the hawken shop, please post some more pic's and words of advice.  I've been looking to add the kit to my rifle and blacken the patchbox, but I'm kinda afraid it may be beyond my skill level.
Garry
Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: Stryker on January 09, 2013, 10:21:20 PM
Quote from: Hood
Has anyone here customized a Thomson Center Hawken?

I'm thinking of getting a stock from Pecatonica for my TC flintlock and was hoping to see some photos of some guns that others have changed. So please share pictures, thoughts, etc...

Thanks!

Yep...

Title: Re: Customizing a TC Hawken?
Post by: shootrj2003 on January 10, 2013, 12:27:02 AM
pathfinder actually made a point ,,I clarify it from my point of view,I have a renegade,I love it,but it is not hc  I was going the same route  and finally figured if I did all the changes I would end up with a bunch of parts that I would have had to build into another Renegade! So I kept the Renegade making do with some minor cosmetic changes and bought a Lyman for a more hc appearance and  a slower twist for patched ball which I tend to use more than the big conical s the renegade likes to throw. And I still kept my Renegade. I will get to a true custom someday.
Oh right now I have a tiger stripe maple stock I'm insetting for the Lyman,which I have not even shot yet! Which means I will have a walnut stock that will need a barrel...... And a lock...and....
See how it goes?