45 Caliber T/C Hawkens, Anybody hunt w them still?

[BKS]

May pick up a T/C 45 Hawken today, just wondering if anybody still hunts w them?
Had a 54 years ago and like a fool let it get away.

[phonejack]

I do. Mine wears a Lyman tang sight. Helps for old eyes

[quilbilly]

Not the Hawken but I have both a T/C Cherokee and a T/C Seneca in 45 cal. which have the same twist. I will be out hunting with them again in a month and have been using them for deer for 20 years (both wife and I). A lot of venison has gone through my freezer having fallen to patched round ball from those rifles. They are both very accurate (2 MOA when my old eyes are working) at 100 yards with PRB. None of the deer have walked more than a few feet after being struck. The load has always been 55 gr of 3F Goex using an .010 patch and a .440 ball from an old T/C mold probably made for T/C by Lyman. I was out grouse hunting yesterday and had seven does in two groups walk right in front of me at 20 yards without seeing me and we have special doe tags for that location this year. Knocking on wood.

[BKS]

175667I just picked up two of them for 100.00 each. One is a lil rougher(wear) than the other but I think they are in great shape for 30-40 year old guns.
Ran patches through the bores and they feel smooth, the older one has obviously been used a bit.
I have two boys so I guess they just got another gun to get when I kick the bucket but I hope they have to wait a long time. Haha

[idahoron]

Mine has been hot rodded a bit but it is still a 45 hawken.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/2013%20deer%20hunt/Deer11small_zps20b123e5.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/2015%20deer%20hunt/2015%20deer%20hunt%2005_zpstzoitxmj.jpg


http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd294/idahoron/Antelope%202015/Antelope%2001_zpswbmbiaew.jpg

[725]

Wow, BKS. I wish I got deals like that! You did good. Now go out and have some fun.

[ktw]

I picked up two 45 TC Hawkens for my daughters to use at the local muzzleloader club shoots 8 or 10 years ago. Still have them. I haven't tried hunting with either of them.

I do still hunt with either a 45 flintlock or a 54 caplock (Lyman GPR).

-ktw

[pietro]

.

I prefer my much lighter (13/16" bbl & slimmer stock) .45 Seneca over the heavier-barreled (15/16") .45 Hawken, for hunting.

I've been using T/C MaxiHunter conicals in my T/C rifles, ever since I penciled a few MaxiBalls straight through deer w/o dropping them.


.

[mooman76]

I'd rather use a 50 myself but have hunted with a 45 Kentucky and would not hesitate to do so if that was my only choice. It is plenty capable to do the job if you do your part on deer size game that is.

[BKS]

Where can you buy the maxi-hunters? I found the maxi-balls at Track of the Wolf.
Any other recommendations?

[jjarrell]

A .45 is plenty for deer with either ball or maxis. Don't let anyone tell you different. Get to know your rifle and practice enough to shoot it accurately. It will put meat in the freezer.

[tradbear55]

I hunt with a .50 cal T/C Hawken. Absolutely love this rifle, just wish it was a few pounds lighter. Really wears you out when you have to do a lot of hiking with it.

[pietro]

Where can you buy the maxi-hunters ?



.45's: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/247276/thompson-center-maxi-hunter-bullets-45-caliber-255-grain-lead-hollow-point-lubricated-box-of-20

.50's: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/969718/thompson-center-maxi-hunter-bullets-50-caliber-275-grain-lead-hollow-point-lubricated-box-of-20


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[koger]

I have 2, one of the original ones, Douglas barrel, and a newer one, both shoot roundballs great, or the TC maxi, put either one in the shoulder or lungs of a whitetail, you will have short blood trails!

[Hanshi]

I think I may hate you, BKS, never had that kind of luck, myself. Those are very nice rifles, by the way. Those are magnificent deer/antelope, idohoron. I've killed too many deer with prb in three .45 rifles to ever doubt the .45 round ball's efficacy. Never had one get away or go very far, either. Got complete pass-throughs with 65 grains of 3F and a .440" ball. Maybe if I hunted moose with my .45 I might "consider" a Maxi but not otherwise. I've now decided on 60 grains of 3F as my .45 deer load, it gives me 1700fps from a 36" barrel.

[bob208]

well in the beginning early 70"s a .45 was a lot of gun. then I don't know what happened but every body had to have a .50. now a .50 is considered a small bore barely able to take down a deer. got to have a .54 or bigger.

me I use a .45 under hammer. at 100 yds. 60 gr. 3f a round ball will go through a deer side ways.what more do you need ?

[bubba.50]

Where can you buy the maxi-hunters? I found the maxi-balls at Track of the Wolf.
Any other recommendations?


several sellers on gunbroker have them. a lot are in the T/C boxes of 20 but one, a small independent bullet maker has a50 count for about 20 bucks.

[johnson1942]

if you do this you will greatly increase the potential of that gun. get a cheap 250 grain flat nosed 451 pistol bullet mold and cast out of pure lead some bullets. resize them to .440 diam. doa a dry wrap of number nine paper 2 wraps. fold over the ends on to the base but no big lump their. use 100 grains of your favorite powder and place that bullet over a 60 thousands thick fiber or poly wad and sight in at 100 yards. i did that with the same gun as yours and got 1 inch consistant groups. way more powerful that a 45 round ball and a lot easier to load and shoot that those maxie and minis what ever they are. wipe between rounds. sold the barrel to koger as i had a 36 inch 50 cal barrel 1/28 twist made for that gun. its simple, easy and does it ever shoot. suddenly it becomes a good deer gun and not a iffy one.

[koger]

Listen to Roger, I still have that barrel, he swaged me some slugs, and it shoots the lights out, better than I can at 100yds!

[OverMax]

Bought mine years ago from Fox Ridge Outfitters. They were a direct outlet store before there closing for special ordered T/C products. The stores products were T/C Custom Shop made. Had the 45 cal barrel NIB swapped out prior to my receiving the rifle with a T/C Factory Round Ball only barrel not many here know exist. Don't recall the cost difference for the swap. Been well over 30 plus years I've had and hunted with the rifle. Little 128 gr patched ball from that Hawken has knock quite a few Minnesota deer to the ground over the years having broken spines_ lower neck breaks_ and back of the head shots. Quick humane kills. Rifle is sighted in for 100 yard. But I seldom have to shoot beyond 75 yards out of my above ground deer stand. Any who. Like no other rifle when shooting P-Rd ball. 45 cal has little felt recoil. More like a gentle push to its shooters shoulder similar to a 410 shooting 2-1/2 shells. Have a G/Mtn stainless Quick Twist for the 45 but I seldom shoot it and never have hunted with it. No need too. Little patched 45 ball has never let me down. (knock on wood)
The reason I bought the 45 verses a 50 cal. I wanted not to be like everyone else >50 cal this and 50 cal that. The only 50 cal I have is T/C's Hawken rock lock just another safe queen of mine.

[barnabus]

is there considerly less recoil with a 45 vs 50?

[Edward]

Depends on weight/type of load (ball ,conical )and gun .I am not using either of my 1 inch barrel in 45/50 as that TC Hawken does not come with wheels .Spent the day with a 15/16 TC Hawken 50 cal today ,1-48 twist and shot most everything I cast and ended up with a .490 RB .Tomorrow will try .495 RB and then start all over with the .45cal barrel 1-48 twist in the same gun Do not know if I will beat todays group with the .45cal but I am certain it will be with less recoil:castmine:

[mooman76]

I wouldn't go as far as to say considerable less recoil but it is less and noticeable with equal powder charges.

[OverMax]

I never found it necessary to go beyond a 80 gr charge of Gorex 2-FFg. 3-FFFg doesn't preform as well in my estimation. My rifle doesn't like it I guess.
Have a pre-measured Charger for my 45 that's cut to measure a 76 grain charge. Very accurate ball shooter 45's are. Mine is close to 1900 fps. and near a 1000 lbs of energy at muzzle.

[Good Cheer]

Like Hanshi was saying; only difference is that my load in the seventies was 65 grains with the Japanese "Kentucky" I bought at a drug store just north of I-10 out east of Houston.
Cracked like a bullwhip, the shaft of fire coming out of the barrel would put a Pasadena flare stack to shame and little animals lost their heads.
Living near the wildlife preserve was some kind of fun.