45 TC Hawkin

[bigted]

Got to go shoot it today after doing some stock work.

Took the hated cheek piece off and lowered the comb so my cheek won't be battered from now on. Have done the same on my 54 Renegade. After smoothing the wood down to 220 grit i began watering it till all the whiskers were lifted and smoothed. About 5 or 6 coats of boiled linseed oil and finished up with ballistol she was ready for a range trip.

I had some .454 boolits i wanted to try in the 48 inch twist 45 cal 28 inch barrel. The one that turned out on top was my Lee minie hollow base. Lubed with SPG and sized to .454 i loaded them on 50 grains of old E 2Fg powder for a shake down.

At 35 yards rested on the pickup bed i was able to keep all the pure lead minies in a tight 3/4 inch group ... all 1 solid hole for a shot count of 7 boolits.

Very easy shooting load and next time i will shoot some larger loads of powder to see how they go.

Stock fits VERY well and i am very pleased with both the stock work as well as the discovery of such a fun powder/boolit/stock fitment settup.

[725]

Any chance for a picture? I wish I could post pictures but I'm (old) technoresistant and just can't figure it out.

[bigted]

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This carving down of the comb height and removal of the cheek peice. Made all the difference in my personal fitment of this rifle. Next step i think is a 54 cal ball barrel of around 30 or 34 inch. As comfy as this is i can see putting more range time with it. I also have a long Leatherwood Malcolm scope id like to try on it too.

[OverMax]

Having a cheater peep mounted will undoubtedly enhance target shooting as will a future planned scope.
Having two Renegade 54s. I wouldn't mind following suit. But I haven't got the courage to try. (re-shaping their stocks.)
One Renegade of mine has a T/C factory made Rd Ball only barrel. Shoots pretty darn good. Much tighter groups than its twin can do with its 1 in 48 twist.

[Fly]

I love the finish with the linseed oil. Did you use any stain?

Fly

[bedbugbilly]

Someday, someone will look at that rifle and say, "What the heck? This must be a rare TC limited production! LOL

Excellent job and I'll bet it makes all the difference in the world. Enjoy! You did a great job!

[Motor]

My brother took a large whitetail doe with his TC 45cal Hawkins Friday afternoon. His was a "K" gun (kit). He's had it for many years. He uses 70gr FFg black. He calls it his 45-70 ;)

Motor

[725]

Very pretty stock. Well done.

[Buzzard II]

Well executed work on a nice piece of wood! This looks like something I should try.

[bigted]

Nope on the stain. Just the wood that factory TC put on it. I was very surprised at getting the factory varnish off and on watering it to remove the whiskers i found this killer figure.

Taking no chances of losing any figure i just began hand rubbing the linseed oil into the wood.

Thanks for all the kind words. Started out to just get er comfy to shoot ... LOL. Did that fer sure.

[Fly]

I love a oil finish if the wood has the figure as yours. My problem in building kit guns I never get that nice of stock.

Fly

[bigted]

Think im bout ready to tackle a tow kit or maybe a tvm. I have a ball tinkering with guns and have always wanted to tackle a upper end kit of sorts and try my hand

[Buzzard II]

I keep looking at the photos of your firearm. It looks great!

[TCLouis]

You have one nice piece of wood there!

I need to get back on my 45 Cal projecst.

All kinds of projects need doin' and here I sit on my duff.

[okshooter]

Would you mind explaining/showing how and what tools you used to get the cheek piece off? I am the second owner of a poorly executed kit gun and have wanted to try a redo.
Yours looks great.

[bigted]

Sure, i simply took a big rough rasp to it after attaching it in a padded vice. I kept at it taking a close watch to not take too much off before beginning with the 80 grit. Moving down to 120 grit only after reassembling the rifle to ensure it indeed was "there". Then with the 220 grit to smooth all the previous sanding marks out. I took an old 2x4 end and used it as a sanding block to ensure i didnt get small uneven ripples.

To check myself i hand rubbed water into the wood and took a hair drier to dry it and then more 220 to smooth the "hair" off. Repeated this several times until no "hair" raised after drying.

After allowing it to COMPLETELY dry i began rubbing in the boiled linseed oil. I would heat the stock with the hair drier before applying the next coat. In between every 2 coats i buffed it with the crumpled 220 grit.

Pretty easy actually. No rocket science involved.

I say just dig in and go slow. I take lots of breaks and study it for a couple minutes. If anything i take too long doing things. If i am not sure i study and wait till i am sure before taking any more wood or metal off. Easy peasy.

[pietro]

.

Nice job ! :2_high5:



I once did much the same thing to the buttstock of a Browning Model 78 single-shot, so I could see the iron sights I mounted on it's tapered octagon barrel.

The scooped-out/lowered comb looks a bit odd, but function certainly comes first.


:bigsmyl2:


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[Eddie2002]

That's pretty, nice job on the refinish. I've refinished two or three front stuffers but have never come across such nice grain as your's. I usually end up with one of the stocks that is made out of white wood like beech and end up staining it walnut.

[Buzzard II]

This should be a sticky.
Bob

[tranders]

That turned out very nice.

[Mac118]

The wood grain is unusual compared to the other TC walnut stocks I've seen over the years. By removing the cheek piece did it also lower the height and have any effect on sight alignment?

[Buzzard II]

Any feedback on loads for the .45 T/C? I'm interested. I have both a cap lock and a rocklock I want to try out. Both T/C. Thanks.
Bob