# hawken with iron sights



## southernmason

Is anyone other than myself that hunts or just loves to shoot the old mountian man favorite


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## TreeFrog

I shoot the CVA St. Louis Hawken with iron sights.  It's got all the brass work (trigger guard, patch box, forend tip, etc.) but I love to shoot it.  I would eventually like to get one of those long brass scopes for it since they're legal now.


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## Nicodemus

I use em. Huntin`,  shootin`, and just for the pure fun of em.


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## nhancedsvt

where can you get the long brass scopes from? my dad said he wanted one and that may be a nice christmas present.


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## JustUs4All

I shoot a couple of Hawken like rifles.  I have a partiality for short rifles.  I have a TC Grey Hawk and a TC Tree Hawk, both open sites in 50 cal.  Musket caps insure good fire.  I do black powder season with first one then the other.  They are deadly to hunt with and great fun at the range and plinking with round balls.


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## Gunpowder

Shot a TC Hawken for years(since 1976) - changed sights to Williams peep rear - and blade front. Use a 6 o'clock hold and you can see where the bullet will hit. TC 370 gr maxi-ball in front of 100 grs Pyrodex - #11 cap - kinda kicks though. Worked for me - shot through every deer I killed with it.


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## Jason280

I've had one for about five years, and its my go-to muzzleloader.


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## leoparddog

nhancedsvt said:


> where can you get the long brass scopes from? my dad said he wanted one and that may be a nice christmas present.



Not cheap, but you can start looking here.
http://cwsutler.hypermart.net/BCA_Scope.html

Looks like they start about $250

I've been shooting a Hawken style rifle since the late 80's.  PRBalls rule!
Put two Patched Round Balls on top of each other with 80gr of FF for the double the fun.


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## iowa-boy

i have had my TC hawken for right around 25 years. i did change the front iron sight for one of the fiber optic fronts due to eyesight.


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## weagle

When they first instituted the extra season for muzzle loaders I went out and bought an inline and after a couple of successful seasons using it, I upgraded to a TC Hawken .50   The inline was plenty effective, but the Hawken is just more fun to shoot and hunt with.

Weagle


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## Jack Ryan

I love to shoot it.

I hate to clean it.


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## tv_racin_fan

Jack why do you hate to clean it? I prefer cleanin my BP firearms over my smokeless firearms. I have a two liter coke bottle with the top cut off and I generally put a bit of dish washing liquid in the bottom and fill it with hot water and clean em in the bath tub and then rub em down with bore butter. Being an ex army guy I clean my guns more than once and the second and third trips I use TC #13 or some other modern BP solvent and season with bore butter or crisco.

I built a CVA Hawkenish firearm back in the early 80's. Got some home brewed stuff to brown the barrel and really liked that rifle. Dang kid that lived nearby stole it and I never got it back. Few years back I got a Traditions Deerhunter flintlock, it's kinda Hawkenish as well. I will be aquiring a much better rifle when I can afford it but I have ever intention of killing a few deer with what I have. Got my son a CVA Bobcat, and even tho it is a rather cheapish cap and ball rifle I imagine it will do the job.


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## snuffy

*Hawkens*

Like Weagle said they are just more fun to shoot.
I have an inline but hunt with these.


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## jglenn

never could figure out why folks like the modern  front loaders...trandition is everything when your hunting with a smoke stack..

Had a TC Hawken made from a kit for years..... no scope... no fancy primers...no failures on deer


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## parolebear

I have a Traditions Fox River Fifty, sold by Gander Mtn many years ago for $49.99.  It is fixed sight and at 35-40 yds I can split hairs.  I hunt with round ball and black powder, standard caps.  It has killed 4 deer in 4 shots and never missed.  I did have a misfire but it was because I was too sorry to pop a cap that morning before the hunt (user error).

I have had inlines and high dollar cap guns but I always go back to my real cheap, real light standby.  I love my iron sighted basic gun.  I am getting so old that I have trouble with the old small iron sights and may be forced to move to fiber optics but an fighting it this year.  Have not hunted in about 8 years but plan to be there this year.  Got the Traditions out the other day and it never failed.


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## Flintrock

nhancedsvt said:


> where can you get the long brass scopes from? my dad said he wanted one and that may be a nice christmas present.



.
Try Dixie Gun Works


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## Hawken2222

I have a TC hawken 50 cal.  It is the only blackpowder gun I have ever owned.  It is also extremely accurate, and had put more than a few deer in the freezer.  
There is something special about walking through the woods with one of these type guns.


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## JustUs4All

Cleaning is no problem at all for mine.  I knock out the wedge, take out the nipple immerse the breach end in a 5 gal bucket of warm soapy water and have at it for a while pumping the water out the muzzle.  Clean the touch hole and the nipple, lube it up and drive the wedge back in.  Really it is easier than my modern rifles.
I just love these things.


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## GAbuckhunter88

My dad and I both shoot them, I started when i was about 13 and never even considered an inline. I love my TC hawkins


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## TreeFrog

Here is another one:
http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/productdetail.aspx?id=920160S

This one you replace the whole barrel and the scope is already attached.


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## Jack Ryan

tv_racin_fan said:


> Jack why do you hate to clean it? I prefer cleanin my BP firearms over my smokeless firearms. I have a two liter coke bottle with the top cut off and I generally put a bit of dish washing liquid in the bottom and fill it with hot water and clean em in the bath tub and then rub em down with bore butter. Being an ex army guy I clean my guns more than once and the second and third trips I use TC #13 or some other modern BP solvent and season with bore butter or crisco.



Yeah. That's why.

I have a two liter coke bottle with the top cut off and I generally put a bit of dish washing liquid in the bottom and fill it with hot water and clean em in the bath tub and then rub em down with bore butter.


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## godogs57

Hand raised! I have a Hawken 54 caliber, Renegade 54 caliber and a Seneca 45 caliber...love 'em all. The Seneca stole my heart though...sort of the equivalent of a 4 weight fly rod in a world of graphite worm rods, so to speak. It is super light weight and beautiful.


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## Muldoon

You mean like this?



FlPerc by Sharps Man, on Flickr

Yeah....I use 'em real regular like! They ain't wall-hangers!


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## NCHillbilly

Muldoon said:


> You mean like this?
> 
> 
> 
> FlPerc by Sharps Man, on Flickr
> 
> Yeah....I use 'em real regular like! They ain't wall-hangers!



Sweet rifles! The top one has a Leman trade rifle look, love that style. The plains rifle on the bottom has the lock on the wrong side, though.  

Inline scoped plastic muzzleloaders have no soul.


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## frankwright

I have always enjoyed shooting those rifles. I had a cabela's Hawken and a Lyman Trade rifle and right now I have a Trade Rifle Flintlock but I haven't got confident in shooting it yet.

I would hunt with nothing but the Hawken style gun for rifle hunting if my eyes weren't so bad. I am limited to about 40 yards with iron sights. Thinking of trying this rear sight.
http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/rear-sights/bullseye-rear-sight-prod27265.aspx


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## Darkhorse

Muldoon said:


> You mean like this?
> 
> 
> 
> FlPerc by Sharps Man, on Flickr
> 
> Yeah....I use 'em real regular like! They ain't wall-hangers!



A couple of very nice looking Hawkens there Muldoon. I would take that LH Percussion if given the choice as I'm a southpaw and don't currently own a percussion.
I have had a couple of Hawkens in the past but now shoot flint longrifles. Shoulder problems in my right (support hand) shoulder no longer allow me to shoot the heavy straight barrels of the Hawkens. But the swamped barreled longrifles are still doable.


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## Muldoon

*Southpaw!*



Darkhorse said:


> A couple of very nice looking Hawkens there Muldoon. I would take that LH Percussion if given the choice as I'm a southpaw and don't currently own a percussion.
> I have had a couple of Hawkens in the past but now shoot flint longrifles. Shoulder problems in my right (support hand) shoulder no longer allow me to shoot the heavy straight barrels of the Hawkens. But the swamped barreled longrifles are still doable.



Same here as my left eye is Master eye! The Caplock is a GRRW build and is really accurate....along with the flintlock as well! Flinter made by Tom Watson in Georgia. I've had no trouble shooting the flinter even though it's on the wrong side for me!

God Bless America!


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## Roadking65

I also own a TC Hawken and took 2 very nice bucks with PRB's! First Musket kills ever for me!


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## Muldoon

*I've got this hankerin.....*

to put a PRB through a gobblers' head and today I found out just what kind of 'hold' it would take to make it work. Shot this from 50 yards. Higher shots were before I learned just what kind of fine bead to take and then the rifle shot 9 rounds into one ragged hole!



Untitled by Sharps Man, on Flickr


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## Darkhorse

If you could get one to hold it's head still your good to go. Personally I go for the body shot with a PRB. I've shot 2 with a .54 prb through the body and the damage is much less than you'd expect.


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## Muldoon

*Hold still*



Darkhorse said:


> If you could get one to hold it's head still your good to go. Personally I go for the body shot with a PRB. I've shot 2 with a .54 prb through the body and the damage is much less than you'd expect.



Darkhorse

I've seen old gobblers come in to a call....see a decoy and stand still just looking for a full minute or so without moving! Maybe one day I'll find one that's stupid!


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## LOVEMYLABXS

Have had my Hawkins for around 40 years and have no itch to get or hunt with anything else.


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## godogs57

FYI: check out Buffalo Arms for bp items...great folks to deal with.

https://www.buffaloarms.com/


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## Jack Ryan

tv_racin_fan said:


> Jack why do you hate to clean it? I prefer cleanin my BP firearms over my smokeless firearms. I have a two liter coke bottle with the top cut off and I generally put a bit of dish washing liquid in the bottom and fill it with hot water and clean em in the bath tub and then rub em down with bore butter. Being an ex army guy I clean my guns more than once and the second and third trips I use TC #13 or some other modern BP solvent and season with bore butter or crisco.
> 
> I built a CVA Hawkenish firearm back in the early 80's. Got some home brewed stuff to brown the barrel and really liked that rifle. Dang kid that lived nearby stole it and I never got it back. Few years back I got a Traditions Deerhunter flintlock, it's kinda Hawkenish as well. I will be aquiring a much better rifle when I can afford it but I have ever intention of killing a few deer with what I have. Got my son a CVA Bobcat, and even tho it is a rather cheapish cap and ball rifle I imagine it will do the job.


Was that sarcasm?



> I prefer cleanin my BP firearms over my smokeless firearms. I have a two liter coke bottle with the top cut off and I generally put a bit of dish washing liquid in the bottom and fill it with hot water and clean em in the bath tub and then rub em down with bore butter. Being an ex army guy I clean my guns more than once and the second and third trips I use TC #13 or some other modern BP solvent and season with bore butter or crisco.


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## Muldoon

frankwright said:


> I have always enjoyed shooting those rifles. I had a cabela's Hawken and a Lyman Trade rifle and right now I have a Trade Rifle Flintlock but I haven't got confident in shooting it yet.
> 
> I would hunt with nothing but the Hawken style gun for rifle hunting if my eyes weren't so bad. I am limited to about 40 yards with iron sights. Thinking of trying this rear sight.
> http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/rear-sights/bullseye-rear-sight-prod27265.aspx



Go to Walmart and get a couple pair of their cheap glasses and try out! Sometimes it will only take an increase in diopter of 1/2 to make things work!!


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## leoparddog

Muldoon said:


> Go to Walmart and get a couple pair of their cheap glasses and try out! Sometimes it will only take an increase in diopter of 1/2 to make things work!!



I agree with Muldoon - look at some glasses.  If you have access to an eye doctor, visit him/her and talk to them.  I have one set of eye glasses with different lenses in each eye.  One for my dominant eye lets me see the front sight clearly, the other is for long distance vision.  If you're older than 50 cataracts may also be coming into play.


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## Muldoon

*Vision*

If you use your vision correctly for shooting and using barrel sights....it's impossible for the eye to focus on more than one object at the same time! The rear sight is used basically for correct alignment (right/left) and the front sight is the one that must be seen clearly! The bull or whatever is the shooters target should be a slight blur...not seen clearly! If the shooter is seeing the target clearly at shot break.....that isn't correct!


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## leoparddog

Exactly right Muldoon, but if both the front and rear sights are a blurry mess, getting a correction for your aiming eye and the focal point for the front sight helps a bunch.  Yes the target is a bit fuzzy with that eye, but it really does help and with handguns too.


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## Muldoon

Those scopes are as useless as teats on a boar hog!!

Stay with the irons!


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## Darkhorse

I made simple peep sights for my rifles and it's the best thing I've done for my shooting. I don't want to shoot a muzzleloader with anything but open iron or peep sights. But my eyes got to the point I couldn't shoot with any kind of accuracy. These simple peeps could be fit to any traditional rifle and are inconspicious compared to many sighting systems used to combat older age and old eyes.
This is a link to a post about these sights from a year or so ago.
http://forum.gon.com/threads/peep-sight-for-older-eyes.895225/

The rear sight is small enough to be hardly noticed at all.

And shooting a gobbler in the head is doable.


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## pdsniper

I love my Hawken it was hand made by a friend, it has a tiger maple stock pewter tip and but plate and Stirling silver wire inlays and tack work on it It has Iron sights but been using a little halo graphic sight since my glasses are always fogging up when I where my balaclava when its cold


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## frankwright

I do have shooting glasses for pistols that allow me to see the front sight clearly and the target slightly less clear but we are talking 18" from eye to sight. 
On a rifle it would be 40+ to the front sight.
I already wear progressive glasses so I am long past picking up cheap readers

I will do some more experimenting. I would hunt a lot more with a muzzle loader if I could see the sights better. I have tried a peep and it helps some.


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## pdsniper

My problem is not seeing the sights it's that my glasses fog up all the time I wear a Under armor Balaclava to hide my face and be better camoed but my dang glasses fog up tried anti fog did not seem to help


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## frankwright

I have heard a product called cat cr*p works well. Guys I know use it on their close fitting shooting glasses that are bad to fog.


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## pdsniper

where do you find it, I hope it don't smell like it lol


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## frankwright

Amazon or Walmart.com official name is EK Cat Cr*p Lens Cleaner. It has no smell, at least not like it's name.


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