Need ideas TC Hawken sights

I bought a TC Hawken flint kit a few years back for like $150, built it and i love the rifle. These guns are obviously not a great representation of a Hawken, but its a good shooting gun and it was my first muzzleloader.

I could pickup a better hawken styled rifle but i feel like its time for a makeover. New sights, some stock modifications, browning the steel etc. I'm saving my pennies for a Kentucky rifle.

My biggest gripe about this gun is the sights. bulky ugly adjustable rear sight and a clunky front sight.. the front is simple enough to swap out with a blade, But the rear of the barrel has been drilled and tapped for the rear sight.

This is my dilemma, the 2 holes are right under an inch apart. I'm wondering what the more experienced builders and BP guys would do. obviously I dont want it to look out of place, though what could look worse than what came on it?




Ive seen some rear sights from TOTW with long bases some more than 1" meant to be cut to fit, so im not sure if it would look odd or not. Ive tried to think of a way to fill one of the holes maybe with a machine screw filed down, not sure if it would stand out or not, and if it would take a browning solution the same as the barrel

Thats enough rambling, just looking for some options, I'm looking forward to working on this rifle again

I don't know the part numbers or anything but, the hawken shop, the gunworks muzzleloading emporium & i'm sure others, have a fixed buckhorn rear sight for T/C guns the has predrilled holes to fit their standard hole spacin'.

Cut a shallow dovetail between the two holes and install a simple fixed sight. Use filler screws for the holes. That way the original sights could be re-installed if ever desired. I bought my first Hawken in 1974 and made a long flat base rear sight that utilized the T-C hole spacing. My second Hawken, I just used a Marbles semi- buckhorn sight, the type with the elevator blade in a long base, and dovetailed where the sight would cover the holes. The front dove tail is a standard 3/8", and I used a Marbles 1/16" gold bead front sight. That set up doesn't look that much out of place for a late percussion half stock.

A small piece of lead can be hammered into the holes for a filler. Otherwise look up "The Gun Works" website.
http://www.thegunworks.com/custprodgun.cfm?ProductID=906&do=detail&Cat2Option=yes

Easiest, best, and best looking I've found is this one from The Hawken Shop.

Terrible picture of a great sight. It's not finished and not pre-drilled. But there are a couple of dimples in the right spots to show you where to drill your own holes. Takes about 15 seconds. Best and cheapest "accessory" I've ever bought for a TC.

There is an adapter available that fits the screw holes on your barrel and has a dovetail in it. I prefer wick's solution, but if you have never cut a dovetail before I recommend you have it done or practice on a piece of scrap barrel.

Making your own sights can be a fun and inexpensive endeavor.

thanks guys, ive considered the screw on replacment sights available, but have never seen them on a rifle. the one from gunworks has 3 predrilled holes so I would prefer something else.

you dont happen to have a picture of the Hawkenshop sight installed do you Brownbear? The next question would be what screws to use, and will they take to browning like the barrel?

Driftingrz said:

you dont happen to have a picture of the Hawkenshop sight installed do you Brownbear? The next question would be what screws to use, and will they take to browning like the barrel?

Click to expand...

Sorry, I don't. And I'm on the road at the moment a long way from the rifles. Don't recall the screws I used other than they were mildly dome headed and took the browning just fine. Odds are I got them from Brownel, but that's still a guess.

thanks for the reply, ill do some browsing and see what i come up with

I believe the screws are 6-48's.

TOW has a sight that isn't a traditional Hawken type sight, but it does have a dovetail mount and a long forward portion that would cover the front might be positioned to cover the front hole if you cut the dovetail right at the rear hole. I don't know if this will come through but I'll try to include the link here: http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/880/1/RS-JAEG-2 I've made a couple of my own rear sights using a piece of angle iron, hacksaw and files, takes a while but you can wind up with what you want. Stew.

First off, make a 3/8"-7/16" wide dovetail that's close to the rear tapped hole.

Then make a rear sight that has the upright that has a notch covering the rear hole and a long, decorative finial that covers the front hole. Voila!...the 2 tapped holes are no longer visible.

Make a new front sight w/ a blade....and the conversion is complete.

I've had the same TC Hawken for quite a few years and it still has the factory sights....never felt the need to replace them...but if I did, I'd do it as explained above.....Fred

BrownBear said:

Easiest, best, and best looking I've found is this one from The Hawken Shop.

Terrible picture of a great sight. It's not finished and not pre-drilled. But there are a couple of dimples in the right spots to show you where to drill your own holes. Takes about 15 seconds. Best and cheapest "accessory" I've ever bought for a TC.

Click to expand...

That looks like the best option, IMHO. Not expensive, looks "right" and should be easy to install. Don't fret wat others might think. It is yer rifle gun, do yer own thang and enjoy.

The stock drop a the comb is high to work with those high sights. IF you put lower sights you will have to lower the comb. That looks weird because you have no nose left at the grip comb point. Also the but plate will be high. I have remodeled a couple of TC hawkin rifle and this is the one issue you can not really fix.

If you add a poured pewter nose cap, entry pipe, set new thimbles in to the rib, solder the rib to the barrel, cut the non-sense off the trigger guard, and pare down the wood in in general, inlet the wedge escutcheons, then, the rifle almost looks the part.

I would not try to make a hawken out of it. More like a half stock target rifle. Add a lollipop rear sight and a globe front. Do the other stuff I mentioned, it will look better. Glass bed the barrel, it will help accuracy.

The TC Hawken pictured below has a lower comb....as much as the buttplate return would allow. But, as you can see, a lot of wood was removed from not only the comb, but also the cheekpiece and all over the buttstock.

This rifle was a "cheekslapper" but w/ the wood removal, is now a pleasant shooting rifle which would tolerate a lower rear sight....Fred

The comb is low enough so that I can sight down the bbl. This was done for the "stock crawlers" who when going forward w/ their cheek, actually raise their line of sight. ....Fred

I really like the stock color and the shape of the cheek piece.

What stain did you use to darken the wood with?

I used a hand mixed walnut/mahogany stain that is no longer made. It actually looks better on maple. Bought a quart of both the walnut and the mahogany.

This stain was what John Bivens used when he wet sanded the Permalyn sealer finish....this "Super Stain" made by the Wampler Chem. Co of WV penetrates the sealer, so if when wet sanding, the wood lightens in color, the stain is applied and more sealer on top of it. Did a few LRs using the "Bivens System" of wet sanding w/ the sealer and it achieves the smoothest finished surface possible. I no longer do it because of the excessive hrs.

Thanks for the compliment on the cheekpiece....a whole lot of wood was removed to produce it.....Fred

"Thanks for the compliment on the cheekpiece....a whole lot of wood was removed to produce it.....Fred"

Normally I do not like as Zonie would say "frinkling with things, changes to the original work/manufacturer, but I do like your changes that you have done.

I like your color on the stock and the comb shape.

I really like the very early Hawken locks with the very straight up hammer, works well in very cold weather when cocking.

I ordered several Hawken stocks years ago, one was a very early period stock, very similar to your work.

I see some future work based on your picture.

Thanks, you do nice work and enjoy what you post.

If you are planning on browning the barrel anyways, I'd screw one of the existing base screws into one of the barrel holes and file it smooth to the barrel. Then have a 3/8ths dovetail cut centered over the remaining hole. The installed rear sight will cover it. I did this on mine, and when it's browned you can't see the plugged hole. With a standard 3/8ths dovetail the skies the limit on sight choices. I'd suggest one of Andy Fauthree's "California Sights" that Don at Treso is putting together a batch of any time now. They look traditional, but are adjustable for both windage and elevation with a tiny allen wrench. Makes sighting in a breeze.