Hawkins 50 cal barrel,maltese cross

[10_point]

I am new here, :surrender: so be patient. I just purchaced a thompson center hawkins 50 cal from a auction, It is overall great shape and i noticed a maltese cross stamped on the bottom of the barrel and it has a 5 digit serial no.59xxx, I was told it is cupped lands in the barrel. Is this a good thing or bad?? I need to get out and shoot it and see how it groups.Also one more question, ,,,, is the flint lock barrel stock the same as caplock stock , the reason i ask is i can get a real nice flint lock barrel for cheap and was going to pick up another stock and found a caplock stock and use that but am unsure if it the same, cause the one i see has a hump that is raised by the tang. so any info would be great.Thank you very much...

 

[don hepler]

I have read somewhere that TC early barrels were made by Douglas and Sharon. I have one with the cross on it and one with a spade stamped on it. I believe the stocks are inter-changable. I have flintlocks and caplocks, I guess I could try switching the locks and barrels to find out if no one else chimes in.

 

[10_point]

thank you for the reply, i was just curious if the barrel was different , does yours shoot and group nice? Just cant wait to get out and shoot the rifle.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have read somewhere that TC early barrels were made by Douglas and Sharon. I have one with the cross on it and one with a spade stamped on it. I believe the stocks are inter-changable. I have flintlocks and caplocks, I guess I could try switching the locks and barrels to find out if no one else chimes in.

The stories and rumors about who built TC barrels and when has been going around since the first TC 'hawken' hit the market. Sorting through all the stories it seems apparent that TC made their own barrels in the early days then later switched to Douglas and later bought from various suppliers. Personally, I don't believe it is anything to fret over. Wat works, works.

 

[don hepler]

I took the flintlock barrel and lock and put them into my percussion stock and they fit perfectly. The flintlock has the maltese cross and is a four digit serial number the caplock is a five digit serial number. I really can not see any difference in the rifling on my two guns. I have the round bottom rifling in two other custom rifles that I have but I can't see any difference in the accuracy. However my eyesight is not that good anymore, with open sights.

 

[mjulihn]

Yep, I had an early .50 cal TC Hawken with the same Maltese Cross proof mark on the bottom of the barrel. SN 21XXX, so a bit earlier vintage than yours. No idea who the maker was/is for these barrels.

 

[10_point]

I called thompson center up and gave them the serial no. and was told it was made in 8-1971,I just need to find the time to shoot it, would be nice to take a nice buck with it.

 

[don hepler]

I know what you mean, I'd like to get a deer with mine. I was having a very good hunting season this past year, so when late muzzleloading season came back in, I thought it would be the perfect time to shoot a doe with the flintlock. Long story short, I missed two does at close range, under 40 yds. I think I'm flinching off-hand and not at the range off the rest. Old time flintlock guy who used to hunt in Penn. said he had the same thing happen to him.

 

[10_point]

yes sir, i could amagine the flash and all from the flint lock going off, seems like you have to have steady nerves to avoid the flinch . Just have to have good follow thru. :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[Rifleman1776]

With practice you won't even notice the flash. Practice, practice, practice.