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Greetings from rural NY

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Joined
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Hello everyone.
My name is Joe and I live in rural central NY.

I got into muzzleloading with my dad back in the mid 1990s. Dad had a TC New Englander 50 he got in 1995 and one year later I got my TC Renegade 50. Dad passed a few years ago and my brother has his rifle. I still have my Renegade and it's still in nearly new condition. Both have taken a good number of game.

I hadn't taken my muzzleloader out in a few years due to having alot of complications using Triple 7 powder that I settled on when I couldn't find any traditional Goex FFG here locally. My 14 year old daughter has been bugging me to shoot the old Renegade and it has rekindled my fires a good bit. I recently was able to get a couple pounds of Pyrodex Select and a couple pounds of Scheutzen FFG, a pretty good pile of various maxi hunter bullets and some caps. Just waiting for more agreeable weather to get out to the range and make some smoke.

But that's not all. This fire my daughter started got me wanting to get maybe two more muzzleloaders, one for each of my kids. I have a son as well who is almost 18. I've always liked TCs traditional muzzleloaders and it gives me the sads that they are no longer made. Back in the day, dad and I used to thumb through the TC product catalog and sort of pipe dreamed about getting the flagship Hawken model. We never got into in-lines, just something about them that they offered zero appeal to us, still don't. So anyway, I started looking around GB and was shocked to see the prices that old TC rifles are currently bringing. After bidding on a couple of very nice specimens and losing out when the bid went significantly higher than I was willing to pay, I found that a local gunshop I've been going to for years (same shop dad and I got our TCs from 25+ years ago) had a seemingly well cared for TC Hawken 50 for sale. I went and looked at it and found it to in fact be in very good condition. Nice clean bore, external blueing including the underside of the barrel nearly perfect, just a couple nicks on the stock from honest field use. So I decided to pick it up, paid just over $500 OTD for it.

I think I'm going to strip and refinish the stock. It has a higher gloss to it than my Renegade, and it's a bit lighter color, almost a bit of an orange tint to it. I'd like a bit darker walnut color and a satin finish. I picked up the Birchwood Casey complete stock refinish kit and will be looking to do that when it's not so cold in my garage. I know it will diminish the value of the rifle but I didn't buy it ad an investment in terms of dollar value, but more of an investment in memories with dad and making new memories with my kids the way dad and I did.

Also, as best we can tell, this Hawken was made in the early 1980s. No extra barrel stamps as found on later rifles like my Renegade, only has serial number, company name and city/state and 50 Cal stamps. My dealer got this rifle from the individual who owned it since new, and it came with what we believe to be the 1983 TC product catalog, which is very interesting to thumb through to say the least.

So as all this was going on, I was discussing it in the muzzleloading section on the shooters forum which I've been a member of for a good few years. A friend over there referred me to this forum and I'm glad he did! While I was waiting for approval to join I was swinging by here daily and I have been very happy to see how much activity is here. Also wishing I found this place before I bought the Hawken, some of the prices here in the classifieds are terrific! I'll definitely be looking here when I'm ready to buy that third TC rifle. Almost thinking a White Mountain Carbine might be perfect for my daughter as she is kind of petite. But I can't make any moves on one just yet, my gun slush fund needs some recovery time.

Anyway, sorry for the very long introductory post here. Just wanted to give a little background. Thank you for allowing me to join the community, I really had no idea there are this many traditional muzzleloading enthusiasts. I thought I was one of the last dying dinosaurs that refuse to get on the in-line wagon.

I look forward to contributing to and engaging in this forum.

God bless y'all. 🙂
 
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Thank your Sir. I'm not far from Clinton. You may be familiar with Rome or even Camden? If so, I live just a few miles south of Camden.
 
Couple pics of my new-to-me Hawken. 🙂
 

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Didn't get around much, but I did visit the Oriskany battlefield as a kid doing living history.
That's 20 minutes from my house. There is alot of Revolutionary history in this area. Some French/Indian war stuff too. Back in the 1990s my grandfather took me on a ride touring his stomping grounds from his childhood in the Peterboro area, south of Canastota. He took me to a French/Indian war battlefield site in that area. I wish I could find it today 🙂
 
Welcome, from North Carolina! I have recently (in the last few years) gotten back into muzzleloading, and I am excited that you are excited!😎 Sounds like you and the kids are going to have a lot of fun!

‘Poet
 
Hello everyone.
My name is Joe and I live in rural central NY.

I got into muzzleloading with my dad back in the mid 1990s. Dad had a TC New Englander 50 he got in 1995 and one year later I got my TC Renegade 50. Dad passed a few years ago and my brother has his rifle. I still have my Renegade and it's still in nearly new condition. Both have taken a good number of game.

I hadn't taken my muzzleloader out in a few years due to having alot of complications using Triple 7 powder that I settled on when I couldn't find any traditional Goex FFG here locally. My 14 year old daughter has been bugging me to shoot the old Renegade and it has rekindled my fires a good bit. I recently was able to get a couple pounds of Pyrodex Select and a couple pounds of Scheutzen FFG, a pretty good pile of various maxi hunter bullets and some caps. Just waiting for more agreeable weather to get out to the range and make some smoke.

But that's not all. This fire my daughter started got me wanting to get maybe two more muzzleloaders, one for each of my kids. I have a son as well who is almost 18. I've always liked TCs traditional muzzleloaders and it gives me the sads that they are no longer made. Back in the day, dad and I used to thumb through the TC product catalog and sort of pipe dreamed about getting the flagship Hawken model. We never got into in-lines, just something about them that they offered zero appeal to us, still don't. So anyway, I started looking around GB and was shocked to see the prices that old TC rifles are currently bringing. After bidding on a couple of very nice specimens and losing out when the bid went significantly higher than I was willing to pay, I found that a local gunshop I've been going to for years (same shop dad and I got our TCs from 25+ years ago) had a seemingly well cared for TC Hawken 50 for sale. I went and looked at it and found it to in fact be in very good condition. Nice clean bore, external blueing including the underside of the barrel nearly perfect, just a couple nicks on the stock from honest field use. So I decided to pick it up, paid just over $500 OTD for it.

I think I'm going to strip and refinish the stock. It has a higher gloss to it than my Renegade, and it's a bit lighter color, almost a bit of an orange tint to it. I'd like a bit darker walnut color and a satin finish. I picked up the Birchwood Casey complete stock refinish kit and will be looking to do that when it's not so cold in my garage. I know it will diminish the value of the rifle but I didn't buy it ad an investment in terms of dollar value, but more of an investment in memories with dad and making new memories with my kids the way dad and I did.

Also, as best we can tell, this Hawken was made in the early 1980s. No extra barrel stamps as found on later rifles like my Renegade, only has serial number, company name and city/state and 50 Cal stamps. My dealer got this rifle from the individual who owned it since new, and it came with what we believe to be the 1983 TC product catalog, which is very interesting to thumb through to say the least.

So as all this was going on, I was discussing it in the muzzleloading section on the shooters forum which I've been a member of for a good few years. A friend over there referred me to this forum and I'm glad he did! While I was waiting for approval to join I was swinging by here daily and I have been very happy to see how much activity is here. Also wishing I found this place before I bought the Hawken, some of the prices here in the classifieds are terrific! I'll definitely be looking here when I'm ready to buy that third TC rifle. Almost thinking a White Mountain Carbine might be perfect for my daughter as she is kind of petite. But I can't make any moves on one just yet, my gun slush fund needs some recovery time.

Anyway, sorry for the very long introductory post here. Just wanted to give a little background. Thank you for allowing me to join the community, I really had no idea there are this many traditional muzzleloading enthusiasts. I thought I was one of the last dying dinosaurs that refuse to get on the in-line wagon.

I look forward to contributing to and engaging in this forum.

God bless y'all. 🙂
greetings
 
Hello everyone.
My name is Joe and I live in rural central NY.

I got into muzzleloading with my dad back in the mid 1990s. Dad had a TC New Englander 50 he got in 1995 and one year later I got my TC Renegade 50. Dad passed a few years ago and my brother has his rifle. I still have my Renegade and it's still in nearly new condition. Both have taken a good number of game.

I hadn't taken my muzzleloader out in a few years due to having alot of complications using Triple 7 powder that I settled on when I couldn't find any traditional Goex FFG here locally. My 14 year old daughter has been bugging me to shoot the old Renegade and it has rekindled my fires a good bit. I recently was able to get a couple pounds of Pyrodex Select and a couple pounds of Scheutzen FFG, a pretty good pile of various maxi hunter bullets and some caps. Just waiting for more agreeable weather to get out to the range and make some smoke.

But that's not all. This fire my daughter started got me wanting to get maybe two more muzzleloaders, one for each of my kids. I have a son as well who is almost 18. I've always liked TCs traditional muzzleloaders and it gives me the sads that they are no longer made. Back in the day, dad and I used to thumb through the TC product catalog and sort of pipe dreamed about getting the flagship Hawken model. We never got into in-lines, just something about them that they offered zero appeal to us, still don't. So anyway, I started looking around GB and was shocked to see the prices that old TC rifles are currently bringing. After bidding on a couple of very nice specimens and losing out when the bid went significantly higher than I was willing to pay, I found that a local gunshop I've been going to for years (same shop dad and I got our TCs from 25+ years ago) had a seemingly well cared for TC Hawken 50 for sale. I went and looked at it and found it to in fact be in very good condition. Nice clean bore, external blueing including the underside of the barrel nearly perfect, just a couple nicks on the stock from honest field use. So I decided to pick it up, paid just over $500 OTD for it.

I think I'm going to strip and refinish the stock. It has a higher gloss to it than my Renegade, and it's a bit lighter color, almost a bit of an orange tint to it. I'd like a bit darker walnut color and a satin finish. I picked up the Birchwood Casey complete stock refinish kit and will be looking to do that when it's not so cold in my garage. I know it will diminish the value of the rifle but I didn't buy it ad an investment in terms of dollar value, but more of an investment in memories with dad and making new memories with my kids the way dad and I did.

Also, as best we can tell, this Hawken was made in the early 1980s. No extra barrel stamps as found on later rifles like my Renegade, only has serial number, company name and city/state and 50 Cal stamps. My dealer got this rifle from the individual who owned it since new, and it came with what we believe to be the 1983 TC product catalog, which is very interesting to thumb through to say the least.

So as all this was going on, I was discussing it in the muzzleloading section on the shooters forum which I've been a member of for a good few years. A friend over there referred me to this forum and I'm glad he did! While I was waiting for approval to join I was swinging by here daily and I have been very happy to see how much activity is here. Also wishing I found this place before I bought the Hawken, some of the prices here in the classifieds are terrific! I'll definitely be looking here when I'm ready to buy that third TC rifle. Almost thinking a White Mountain Carbine might be perfect for my daughter as she is kind of petite. But I can't make any moves on one just yet, my gun slush fund needs some recovery time.

Anyway, sorry for the very long introductory post here. Just wanted to give a little background. Thank you for allowing me to join the community, I really had no idea there are this many traditional muzzleloading enthusiasts. I thought I was one of the last dying dinosaurs that refuse to get on the in-line wagon.

I look forward to contributing to and engaging in this forum.

God bless y'all. 🙂
The Kuyahorra Valley Rangers are in Poland, NY and have a couple of shoots annually. A nice group of BP shooters with interests the same as yours. Look them up!
 
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