Reworking my T/C Hawken

I have a t/c hawken Kit gun that was used when I Got it and I've been thinkin' about re finishing the stock since the builder just did a rough job of it.
I shoot left handed and want to Know what everyone thinks about shaving the cheek piece down to give the stock a more streamlined profile. I'd like to remove it so it matches the profile of the right side of the stock but don't Know If it would look right.
What do you all think I don't plan on ever selling the gun so the cheek piece is just not needed.

If you're good with woodworking, should be fine...the stock is symmetrical in every other respect except for the cheek piece

Since the T/C is not a period correct piece in the first place it wouldn't matter IMO if you trim the cheek piece off to match the opposite side of the stock.
The entire stock may need to be striped and finished for the whole stock to some what match in color.
If that is what you think would make the gun more comfortable for you to use then go for it.

hi ho 54,

when you trim, be sure you trim for fit and not for looks. would be a bummer if you trimmed off the cheek piece and then the gun didn't fit.. :shake:

..ttfn..grampa..

I've trimmed the cheekpiece off of a couple of right hand rifles ...I shoot lefty...looks OK..Hank

Hank,
It's good to hear from another lefty who's done the same thing. I just thought in my mind that the cheek piece was just wasted wood, having shot right handed
guns all my life I don't know if I could even shoot one with a proper cheek rest. :haha: :haha:

hi ho 54,

missed the part about you being a left hander :redface: in my defence,, i am old!!

( i use that defence a lot) :haha:

..ttfn..grampa..

Grampa,

I understand, I ain't no spring chicken any more either.
And from the talk on here the T/C hawkin don't fit no body no how :rotf: :rotf:

If ya ain't gonna sell it... who gives a rats backside what it looks like? Make it fit you and have fun.

Josh

I had a .54 T/C Hawken once. It still is the only gun I ever got rid of. Kicked the plague off my teeth and brought tears to my eyes :shake: :shake: All my simpathies to the current owner.

You must have been shooting slugs in your .54???

I do not shoot many full power loads, but even with these under a patched roundball the recoil doesn't seem excessive to me. Less than my Remington 12 guage pump shotgun.

I have always attributed the softer felt recoil to the black powder which IMO gives more of a hard push than a sharp kick like smokeless guns make.
zonie

I made a few good deals on T/C Hawkins over the years because of the high cheek piece that kick the cheep bone. Most of them I take 1/4" off of so they don't hurt when shooting. The last one I got was a flinter and it became a mule ear.

I'm a lefty too. Like John Taylor I took a fair amount of wood off of the comb. Close to 3/8" I blended the cheek peice to fit the conture but left the rest. It shot like a completly different gun. I'll keep it until....well until I'm gone.....JJ

It would be nice if the stock had another 1/2 in drop to it I'm 6'5" and can shoot the gun well but I Find myself using the mountain rifle built by my brother(he was 6'8") because it fits me so much better.

Better yet ... sell the original stock and put a new lower comb replacement stock on it! :thumbsup:

Davy

I am currently finishing a T/C .50 cal. Hawken for my father, he bought the kit in '86 and didn't do anything with it. I have taken just over 1lbs of wood off, trimmed the cheek piece to look like a transition flint stock and really worked the forearm so that it is thinner and more pleasing to the eye, not the 2X4 look I have with my .54 T/C. I have also altered the trigger guard. Once it is finished I will put some pics on to show the finished product. I have carried around for a day, just for a test, and it feels more like you have a long rifle in your hands instead of a T/C.

I have tried to download the pictures of the completed rifle but to no avail. I did get them put on the muzzleloader magazine forum though.

runningbadger said:

I have tried to download the pictures of the completed rifle but to no avail. I did get them put on the muzzleloader magazine forum though.

Click to expand...

Did you use Photobucket? Solved the problem for me.

I saw the pictures you posted on the other forum, believe you did a nice job on the rifle. I bet your Dad will get a lot of enjoyment out of it.
:hatsoff:

Spot

Well I finally finished reworking my stock and found a beautiful piece of wood under all that dark stain.
here's the new profile

and here's the good lookin' wood

looks good..makes you wonder why they use the dark stain