Rawken accuracy question

[Banjoman]

Some of you good folks may recall that I assembled (not built) a Thompson Center rifle from a Renegade stock and a Hawken barrel which I call the Rawken. The bore was a little rough but I’ve been able to get good accuracy out of worse barrels before. I tried every thing I could think of, but the best group I could get was about 6” to 8” at fifty yards with 60 grains Scheutzen 2f, spit lubed cotton patch and a Hornady .495 round ball.

So, I got to wondering about something that you folks may be able to help me with. The wedge key for this stock and barrel combination is very tight and requires some force to get it in. It’s tight! Could this be affecting the barrel harmonics and hindering good accuracy?

On my ’real’ Thompson Center Hawken, the wedge key goes right in snugly with only a slight amount of finger pressure. This gun shoots 2” groups or better at 50 yards if I do my part.

Also, I’m confident my loading and shooting techniques are fine because I have several other muzzleloaders that I get tight groups with at 50 yards and one at 100 yards.

Thanks for your help.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

Sounds like you may be on to your own solution. Open up the slot in the barrel tenon until it is similarly snug to your other barrel. Test it.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[LME]

Make a temporary wedge from wood, plastic or anything that fits but not to tight to try. Then if it works Do as ADK Bigfoot recommended and open the slot a tad. It may be the problem but I have shot a few M.L. that had tight wedges and they shot well? If I were you I would use a patch over the charge then my patch and ball to see if the patch stayed together. It will elimate one avenue you want have to go down if the patch stays together?

 

[OldMaineWoodsman]

A Renegade stock is for a 1" barrel. The only T/C Hawken 1" barrels were in .54 caliber. While the wedge key may seem tight, there will almost certainly be some sort of play between barrel and stock.

 

[Banjoman]

I’d thought about but hadn’t tried a patch over the charge. Something to try next time.

Thanks.

 

[TechMoron]

With the 15/16ths barrel in the 1 inch stock you're putting a lot of binding pressure right in the middle of your barrel by compressing it to fill the 1/32nd inch gap. This combined with the gap under and along the sides of the barrel likely makes for some poor barrel harmonics. Might try inletting the tang a bit deeper so the barrel lays flat in the channel and a little bedding of some kind along the sides to prevent lateral movement.