Author Topic: after 20 years of gathering dust  (Read 1204 times)

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Offline smokeeater3302

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after 20 years of gathering dust
« on: December 22, 2009, 03:13:20 PM »
after 20 years of gathering dust this deer was taken with my dad's muzzleloader a T/C Hawken .54 and a patched round ball 
I would like to thank my grand father
for a man that couldnt read or write he
taught me so much and forgot more than I
will ever know

Offline Semisane

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2009, 04:47:10 PM »
Congratulations Smokeeater, but NO FAIR on the post.  DETAILS!  WE WANT DETAILS!   ;D  How far was the shot?  Where was the hit?  What powder and how much?  Did the ball pass through?  Dead right there, or ran a little after the hit?

Man, that Hawken has some beautiful wood on it.  If you're done using that gun you ought to sell it to me.   :D
CLICK ON ME: .
Link to... highchairstands@cox.net

Offline smokeeater3302

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2009, 05:33:36 PM »
I stalked to about 18 yds for the shot , and it was a complete pass through . The shot was at a very wierd angle and there was absolutely no need to track I hit in the neck . That was to only shot that I had . The gun is covering the entrance wound .
I was using 75 grains of american pioneer powder with a homemade round ball I dont know
what grain it is . As far as the wood on the gun goes , This was a kit gun from back in the 70's
my grandfather finished it and gave it to my dad when he graduated HS . I have several other ML
but after my dads stroke he said that it would be nice to see this one take just one more deer
I was happy to make that happen. I made dad a very nice hand carved frame and an 8x10 of this pic
I would like to thank my grand father
for a man that couldnt read or write he
taught me so much and forgot more than I
will ever know

Offline teamnelson

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2009, 06:16:50 PM »
Very nice!
held fast

Offline mirage1988

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2009, 06:25:18 PM »
Thats pretty cool smokeey!

(wish I had memories like that with my old man.)

Offline necchi

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2009, 07:41:38 PM »
Cool story and nice job,,the guns a keeper fer sure. Gotta love that .54
And that IS some nice wood,,I don't think grandpa use the factory stock, Take a look when ya clean it,,they embossed a "K" on the bottom of the barrel channel and inside the Lock mortice,,it has to do with their warrenty work.
found elsewhere

Offline Ron T.

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2009, 02:02:37 AM »
A very heart-warming story, Smoky...

You are a good & respectful son... and Grandson (I noticed your tribute to your Grandfather).

How refreshing & gratifying it is to find that some of our young people still have a great respect for their "roots" and still honor their Dad and Granddad as you do.

Congratulations on fulfilling your Dad's request... it probably meant more to him than most people will ever know.  The fact that you not only fulfilled your Dad's request, but hand-made a picture frame and framed the picture for him as a momento that he can see and enjoy for the rest of his life speaks "volumes" about your excellent character and integrity.

Your Dad and Granddad have a fine son and Grandson...   ;)


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."  - Thomas Jefferson

Offline JBlk

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2009, 02:34:00 AM »
Congradulations on your first blackpowder deer.You probably don't realize it yet but you have been exposed to something that will probably remain with you for life.The more you use that old smokepole the more you will be impressed with its application.The next thing that you wil discover is that you simply must own a couple of more in different calibers and the first thing you know you will have a whole arsenal composed of backpowder weapons.

Offline smokeeater3302

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2009, 04:06:41 AM »
I took this gun apart and looked inside the barrel channel their is no K that I can find
 So maybe you are right about it not being factory wood . Thank you for teaching me that
little fact . As far as the other ML's I have these T/C 's from .32-.58 and they are just like the
one that is in the pic .  what is the wood that this stock is made of ? would it be curly maple? All of these guns serial numbers start with K does that make them a kit gun? Again , I think that my grand pa put all of them together . Thank all of you
for the nice comments that you have given me . I think that this deer means more to me than
my first . I know it isnt the biggest , but I feel that any animal that you harvest is a trophy .
I would like to thank my grand father
for a man that couldnt read or write he
taught me so much and forgot more than I
will ever know

Offline necchi

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2009, 04:57:54 AM »
  what is the wood that this stock is made of ? would it be curly maple? All of these guns serial numbers start with K does that make them a kit gun? Again , I think that my grand pa put all of them together .

Yup, looks curly to me,,they've been available from several suppliers for almost as long as T/C started making them. here's a link with photo of one to compare,,course the cost has changed a mite through the years, looks like Grandpa admired fine wood. A graduation gift is special, no doubt he went the extra for after-market wood.
http://www.longrifles-pr.com/thompsoncenter.shtml

And yes the k prefix means kit gun. In the hands of someone with a bit of skill they can be better fitted than factory.
 T/C will still honor a lifetime warrenty on the lock and trigger mechinisms but not the barrel, some of the older models had a slow twist,,, a 1-60 and not the 1-48.
You got a .58 ! :o, that'll be a true Keeper,, they are  highly sought after even today,, better pull'm off the shelf and give'm all a bit of TLC, a little oil and polish..ya know?
found elsewhere

Offline Ladobe

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2009, 06:51:35 AM »
First up, that deer doesn't look twenty years old to me, nor all that dusty.   ;)

Nice take and story though.

As said, TC used the "K" to indicate a kit firearm.   Mostly as part of the serial number on the barrel, sometimes on the stock stamped either in the barrel channel or lock mortise.    But both the barrel and stock were not marked on each firearm necessissarily, and I know of examples of bonafida kits where the stock was marked and the barrel wasn't.    Kind of a whatever was on the stock parts shelf at TC at the moment when they had an order to fill for a kit thing.

In the earliest days of TC's Hawken model much higher grade wood was commonly used both on factory finished rifles and kits.    They called it select grade American walnut, but often it was closer to AAA select or even some were exhibition grade with awesome 100% coverage of figure and curl.   Since what I can see of the grain on your stock looks more like walnut than maple to me, I'd guess it's one of those walnut stocks from that period that has some figure.

"As far as the other ML's I have these T/C 's from .32-.58 and they are just like the one that is in the pic."
They can't all be the Hawken model if from the factory.   The Hawken model was not offered in everything from 32-58 by TC, ever.   


 
Evolution at work. Over two million years ago the genus Homo had small cranial capacity and thick skin to protect them from their environment. One species has evolved into obese cranial fatheads with thin skin in comparison that whines about anything and everything as their shield against their environment. Meus

Offline necchi

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2009, 07:49:02 AM »
Could be he's got a Seneca or Cherokee in the mix, I forget wich one has the patch box

as far as;
 "Since what I can see of the grain on your stock looks more like walnut than maple to me, I'd guess it's one of those walnut stocks from that period that has some figure"
 True, it's tough ta tell by the photo
found elsewhere

Offline Skunk

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2009, 08:01:22 AM »
SmokeEater,

Great Story and Picture. Big Congrats!! You did your Dad and Granddad proud.
Mike

"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" - Frank Loesser

Offline smokeeater3302

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #13 on: December 23, 2009, 08:08:25 AM »
they may not all be Hawken, I was refering to the wood and the patch box , along with the brass furniture . I guess that I should have made that a little more clear . Each have the same  cosmetics
but all of the sn#  begin with a K .When I get home I wil look at them a bit more closely  I am glad that I have found this site . You guys have tought me somethings about a few of my guns that I had no idea about thanks for the support and the info .
I would like to thank my grand father
for a man that couldnt read or write he
taught me so much and forgot more than I
will ever know

Offline DennyRoark

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #14 on: December 23, 2009, 10:58:37 AM »
Quote
First up, that deer doesn't look twenty years old to me, nor all that dusty.  

ROFLMAO!

My first Hawken wasn't burnished with a K on the stock.  Also, it had a pitch pocket in it and developed a crack there and they replaced it with a factory stock in 10 days.  Barrel was a 4 digit K.  That looks like fiddleback walnut to me.  If it came in the kit, wow!  I saw a factory Cherokee (stock only) on an auction a couple of months back that was 100% fiddlebacked and it went for $800.  Your rifle sure is a beauty!
Denny Roark
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Offline Forestclimber

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #15 on: December 23, 2009, 01:26:30 PM »
Some of the old T/C's had nice wood.  It was the luck of the draw.

Offline Bladeforger

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #16 on: December 26, 2009, 03:10:59 PM »
Good job!!!
I'll be a big fan of 54 caliber in PRB until I find something better to shoot--and I ain't looking too hard. 

Your powder load is just about a full case from a .45-70, by the way, in case you were looking for a good field measure.

And, of course, I'll bet you won't let it set around gathering dust another 20 years now!!!
Keith

Offline smokeeater3302

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #17 on: December 28, 2009, 10:52:30 AM »
no I think that I will use it more often than that . The gun did me right and I think that it is what I am going to use in the up coming late winter season . The place that I hunt only offers a shot of about 75 yds
I know that I can hit a clay target at that distance if the wind is right . I look forward to the future , I wonder what the .58 would do . This isnt my first ML deer , but it sure is the one that means the most . Several have fallen with an Inline and saboted bullets , but I was never really happy with the performance of those loads . I think that I have found something that works .
I would like to thank my grand father
for a man that couldnt read or write he
taught me so much and forgot more than I
will ever know

Offline alleyyooper

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #18 on: December 29, 2009, 11:57:47 AM »
My 50 cal hawkins was a kit rifle I recieved for Christmas 1976. The barrel does have the K serial number begining but there is no K in the barrel channel nor the patch box.
In 2003 I shot a whimpy racked 6 point with my dads center fire deer rifle. I wrote a story about it that was published in the Nov 2004 issue of Michigan Out of Doors. I never told dad about the story and wish to this day I would have as he passed in June 2004.

That whimmp rack means a lot to me, much more than some of the bigger ones.

 ;D  Al
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Offline Glanceblamm

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Re: after 20 years of gathering dust
« Reply #19 on: December 30, 2009, 01:53:18 AM »
Quote
First up, that deer doesn't look twenty years old to me, nor all that dusty.

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

I believe that the published weight for that .490 round ball is 175gr but mine usually come out around 177gr

I have never used the powder you mention (mine is goex FF and 80gr for deer) but I rekon that you were in or around the 1,800fps range. Seems like I have had a lot more bang-flops than other locals here using shotguns and I think the extra velocity is the reason for this.

My 81' vintage T/C came with an American walnut stock. It gets just a few drops of linseed oil rubbed into it (to include the barrel channel) after most cleanings.

Congratulations on the deer!