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Muzzleloader of the past.....

md1

Well-Known Member
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Nw
Hawkens still ruled king my 1st muzzy seasons...muzzy season was almost a comical struggle of misfire or worse no fire. I remember holding the barrel in a safe direction for minutes after just the cap went off....we've come a long way. Miss old times........ sometimes.......
 
MANY years ago I built a Thompson-Hawkin 50 cal flintlock. I've taken my share of deer with it but the learning curve have been a long one. They sure are fun to hunt with though.

feb 2011 water damage kict and bathroom 090.jpg


feb 2011 water damage kict and bathroom 085.jpg


If you are a true Black powder shooter, the best cleaning solution ever can be made from 3 common house hold items.

1/3 - Murphy's oil soap
1/3 - Hydrogen Peroxide
1/3 - Rubbing alcohol

K.Y.P.D.
 
My cap lock is a Thompson Center New Englander, it was a kit that my dad and I worked on and put together. Still enjoy shooting that gun, killed a couple deer with it.

I did get my dad's Thompson Center Hawken after he passed. Thing about that gun is he left it loaded out in one of our hunting shacks and had forgotten about it. The fall just before he passed he mentioned to me that he thought maybe he left it out there. Sure enough that spring I went out and it was there, a bit dirty from wasp nests above it and still loaded. Need to figure out how to get it unloaded safely now. I see a Hawken and I immediately think of him and how he loved that gun.
 
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My 1st inline was found in my grandfathers garage when they did the estate. It passed on to my garage. need to clean it up I guess. I remember the damn cap falling off while walking with this thing. Never did kill a deer with it. Not sure where the hawkin guns ended up....
 
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Just picked one up the other day. Percussion cap style View attachment 117502

looks familiar....
I'll be honest, I don't plan to shoot it. I wanted it just for looks. You can't capture some things in a picture. It still makes me smile when I look at it. I just keep moving it around until I find it a forever home. Maybe I'll just keeping it around and oiling it down. View attachment 117507
View attachment 117508
can't wait to see its spot when you find it

Ment to be shot Dave

It has been and it puts deer down.
 
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My cap lock is a Thompson Center New Englander, it was a kit that my dad and I worked on and put together. Still enjoy shooting that gun, killed a couple deer with it.

I did get my dad's Thompson Center Hawken after he passed. Thing about that gun is he left it loaded out in one of our hunting shacks and had forgotten about it. The fall just before he passed he mentioned to me that he thought maybe he left it out there. Sure enough that spring I went out and it was there, a bit dirty from wasp nests above it and still loaded. Need to figure out how to get it unloaded safely now. I see a Hawken and I immediately think of him and how he loved that gun.

You could start with trying a ball puller on the end of a ramrod.
Probably the safest way to start.

*** Great story BTW.
 
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I couldn't believe I found the breech plug tool for this old thing in a shotgun shell box from my youth. Then it came apart extremely easy. Think I need to shoot this thing again before cleaning and it gets hidden for over twenty more years. Are little caps hard to come by?