Thompson Center Hawken rifle 

His name was Jeremiah Johnson. He was looking for a Hawken gun, .50 caliber or better. He settled for a .30, but damn, it was a genuine Hawken, and you couldn't go no better.

My dad bought a 45 tc hawken in the late 1970s after watching Jeremiah Johnson. We spent many enjoyable,sunny, summer and fall days together shooting it.

"...it is a good rifle and it kilt the 2-liter that kilt me. Anyway, I am dead. Yours truly, Hickok45!"

When the movie Jerimiah Johnson came out I was young and impressionable. I bought myself a kit rifle for Christmas and I taught myself to shoot. 40 years later I own a bunch of black powder guns. I still like to shoot them.

I worked in the testing department for T/C Arms from 1973 to 1985. At that time they had a lifetime warranty. (Life of the gun no matter how many times it was sold) They really stood behind their product and they made high quality firearms.

I found this interesting because I was actually named after this rifle. When I turned 13, my grandpa gave me his .54 caliber Hawken. I treasure my Hawken and I think that the gun is a fantastic firearm.

I purchased a percussion TC Hawken .54 cal kit in 1990. It's a beautiful rifle and extremely accurate with a pure lead cast conical from a Lyman mold. I think it's about 425 gr. I find that I need to shoot it often (maybe 10 times (think heavy recoil) every week or so) for a few weeks to really "learn" the sights. I drew a cow elk tag in Arizona. Using the conical bullet with 100 gr of powder, it passed clear through the cow elk at 65 yards. I couldn't believe how effective it was! It motivated me to want to build a more authentic flintlock muzzleloader from a parts set (which I have yet to do). Apart from getting hit in the cheekbone from the TC stock, the traditional TC rifles are very well made!

I have watched this a few times. My Dad (27 years gone) had the .45 version, passed to my uncle and is now it's coming to me. My 12 year old son is as keen to shoot it as I am. Thanks for the great video.

I inherited my dad's Hawken thompson .50 call yesterday. He passed away after a long illness. I remember when I was a child back in 1981 helping him finish the stock on his kit. There definitely is something wonderful about these guns. It is a great practical gun and they are so fun to use. I am going to refresh dad's rifle and hopefully do something he never did with it....takedown a deer. Thank you for this video.

Such a gorgeous rifle! I was going through some old photos and my mom handed me a few old pics of my uncles out hunting and a couple pics of when my grandfather had hus rifles spread out on a bed. There were two rifles that really caught my eye along with a few shotguns. I knew yhey were muzzle loaders and I found out that one wad a Thompson Center Renegade and the other was a Thompson Center Hawken. The pic looked like it was the 70s early 80s and my granddad passed just before I turned 1. I have very little from him and when he passed the guns were a big argument. I think my uncle, who's a Vietnam vet probably got most of them and by now he probably gave them to his son. They're nice rifles and I really want to get them along with a Thompson Center Patriot pistol! I just love your videos.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

My grandfather gave my father that same rifle, just had a flip up sight for distance and a ghost ring. Never knew what it was until now. Thanks Hickok.

I was shooting one of these with Charlie Haffner Jr. today and thought of you and this video. Nothing like our old Thompson Center Hawken rifles!

In 1974 my cousin who was a skeet shooter won a T/C Renegade 56 Cal. smooth-bore in a raffle. He didn't have a use for it and sold it to me for $50. I used it deer hunting in Western Massachusetts for years, smooth-bores only were allowed back then. I later moved to Maine and bought a 54 Cal rifled barrel for it. I still use it. I bought one of T/Cs Cherokee kits in 32 Cal. for the kids to use. Picked up a 45 Cal. barrel for that one. Great guns and a BLAST to shoot.

harvested a lot of deer over the years with a hawken 50. Mine shot round ball better than maxi ball. I am now hunting with a TC Scout but still own two hawkens in 50 and 54. thanks for the video.

The Thompson Center Hawken was my first muzzle loading experience as a kid at summer camp in '77. Our rifle instructor brought in his personal piece and gave an impressive presentation. Great memories of that rifle and that summer. Thanks :)

Perhaps I missed it, add to your wonderful commentary, rifling depth, lands and grooves, shallow for conicals and deeper for round balls, the merits of thick vs. thin patches, ball diameters (.490 ball w/ thick patch vs. .495 ball w/ thin patch) etc., keep the videos coming, ...from another older woodsman and gun lover in NC

Great video! I shoot a TC Renegade in 50 cal. My favorite rifle. Like the Hawken but with iron furniture. As you demonstrate, they are well made and a lot of fun.

Finally Hickok! So glad you reviewed the Hawken! Love mine!

I finally found one at one of my local shops. I managed to wrangle up the Thompson Center Hawken in .54 and a Traditions St. Louis Hawken in .50. Thank you for all the information that you impart to us.

Absolutely love Octagon Barrelled rifles and just listening to you talking about ur past. Sounds a great life HICKOCK45 👍 👊 Good Job 🔫

My papaw had one and I remember the first time I shot it. It was the gun I’ve always wanted. Two years later it was stolen and I’d give anything to have one today. To me, there’re the most beautiful guns out there today. The smell of the powder being burnt and just the shear force you feel from it. Truly a amazing gun that will ever hold it own place in time! PS: I’m so sorry yours was stolen. Must have broken your heart. I’m glad you’ve found another one! Your videos are great!

Somebody risked burgling the Hickock place, very brave or Stupid!!

I had a Traditions Hawken about 20 years ago and loved it, I would love to have a Thompson Center Hawken. Great video!!!!

My grandpa just passed down me 2 of his Thompson Center .50 black powder rifles.. and I am a hunter and so was he so the one has the iron sights off his Remington 700 on it, it’s the shooter and the other has never been fired and has all his personal engraving on it and a nicer stock. He built them himself and was a professional engraver.. he doesn’t do any of that anymore.. but they are beautiful rifles and mean the world to me.

Love my TC .50!!! It was given to me and I have used it for hunting 4 years now and every deer I have hit has dropped less than 4’ from impact!! 💥💨🦌

Lots of info, love it! Thank you for all you do! Love you guys!

Thanks for the video hickock. The only thing my dad failed at in my opinion whith raising me was showing me the black powder guns he had and never shooting them with me . Im doing my first black powder shooting today and i apreciate that rifle you are shooting. I can see the history and love you have for it. We watch to see you enjoy yourself. Thanks again to all your " staff"

M wife at the time in the late 70's bought me a .45 cal Hawken kit and i still have it!! I love the feel and lines of the rifle, feels sort of like a good levergun. and it is VERY accurate!

I began shooting black powder/muzzleloaders in about 1982. Still do. They are great guns which help shooters develop or improve their marksmanship and shooting skills. I think the movie you're thinking about is "Jeremiah Johnson" (Robert Redford), which was based on a couple of books about John "Liver-Eating" Johnson, born John Jeremiah Garrison Johnston (c.1824 - January 21, 1900). He was a mountain man of the American Old West and his story is fascinating. Thanks for making this video! -- Old Matt

First time I've seen this video on the Hawken. Interesting that you had a burglary just like I did in 2019 while on vacation, they stole my gun safe with 13 guns in it. The LEO's found the safe in the back of a store at a shopping center. It had been cut open by a grinder on three sides and peeled open. The crooks then then took the remains of the safe to the shopping center and dumped it. My T/C Hawken50 that I'd made from a kit while on active duty in the navy in 1980 was not in the safe, it was laying on a desk next to the gun safe and the crooks left it. I placed more value on it than most of the guns in the safe. I guess they took a look at it and decided it was too good looking to be a real gun, either that or didn't know the value of it and just left it because it was BP. I'm just glad they did. It is a fantastic shooter and I have a great time with it every time I go to the range. My only regret in the whole incident was that when the crooks ground the safe open the black powder and smokeless powder, total 4 lbs that I had stored in the safe, didn't explode from the sparks made by the grinder they used. Would have been perfect justice. The embarrassing part of the theft was just days before the burglary my next door neighbor (a retired state trooper) came to me and wanted to know if I had room in the gun safe to keep his 2 guns. He and his wife were moving into an assisted living apartment and wasn't allowed to have weapons of any kind, and he just needed to keep the weapons safe until his son came down from out of state and picked them up. I said sure, I'll just put them in the safe. They will be perfectly safe there. Nobody will ever be able to break into it. Ha, made a complete fool out of me.

I love my Thompson center hawken in .45. It’s a real tack driver. Bought it used 18 years ago. Taken some deer with it during Georgia’s primitive weapons seasons through the years

Best rifle ever I have mine I got for my 12th birthday in 1976, And she still shoots and scores just like the sweetheart has she is.

I picked up a TC Hawken at a pawnshop for $125 a few years ago, looks unfired. Nicest rifle I own.

It is 11:52 in Korea I have to go to bed soon but your video is very funny and nice so I dont want to sleep haha have a good day sir!

I built a TC .50 cal Flintlock from a kit back in the early 80's. Great rifle, lots of fun to shoot!

I just got one of these in.50 this weekend at a gun show. It's definetly my new favorite gun to shoot. Black powder is awesome

Good morning sir, Happy Thanksgiving

“Of sound mind and two broke legs”

I have one NIB I bought back in the early 90’s. It’s a fifty caliber. I thought I would get into black powder shooting. I guess I still can. Thank you sir for showing yours in operation.

I have a 54 Cal TC Hawkin and just love it. Useing the 530 ball it will shoot into the 10 ring at 100 yards. As always a great video, thanks again.

Very cool firearm. You are a very cool dude. I love your videos!👍🇺🇸

Good Morning from Germany ! have a nice Day

Im an Englishman whose just got into Black Powder shooting, got my first revolver (remington pattern in steel) 6 months ago. After seeing, this, I just ordered one! An Investarm one from Italy not a US made one unfortunately. Its lonely over here being a BP shooter, not many people here to talk to and get tips off, but I just love these vids and I'm soaking up as much knowledge as I can!

I built mine from a kit in 1986. You are so right about wanting one after you shoot one. Black powder is addictive.

S&W bought Thompson/Center and discontinued production of the best U.S. made replica black powder firearms in the world. Why?

i have the same in 45. cal from 1971 and i love it. greetings from germany

I used to read my dad's Popular Mechanics magazines and they would have articles about muzzle loaders that you could buy as a complete firearm or as unfinished kits you could put together yourself. That's what got me into firearms.

Dad bought me a .50 cal kit in 1976. I built it in wood shop at school! Still have it. Shoots like a dream.

I have one of those. Inherited from my father. Haven't been able to bring myself to shoot it yet, it's been 13 years since he passed.

That's When T/C Thompson Center made great guns. Bring back the cap lock and the Flintlock. Owned by S&W now. All they make are inline front stuffers.

We bring out our TC Hawkens every Thursday for a history lesson at our Calif guest ranch range. This is by far the most popular event in our week long shooting program. The T.C. Hawkens have been flawless for 25 years of shooting weekly at our range - and the guns still look drop-dead beautiful. I wish all of our other firearms were as good looking and reliable. Thanks for the overview -

Hello Hickok. I just had a friend offer me a Thompson "Renagade". I have never shot black powder but plan to take this rifle to PA this year for white tail. Can't wait. As always, thanks for the informative review. I have come to depend on you for accurate and insightful information on all things firearms related. Keep up the great work. MV.... Cookeville.

I have one.. mine .50 caliber. Mine was bought 1972 and I don’t think .54 was available. I was a hunter, and lived on farm where I was permitted to shoot. Had a special vest made that permitted organization of powder, mini ball, primer. Standing and shooting at random targets (1/2 gallon milk carton) I could reload and hit five shot in under 5 minutes. From the bench, 100 yards, all day on a half dollar sized pattern. In the fall of 1973..I think..i hunted the allusive Wapiti on the Flat Tops in the middle of Colorado. On day two I happened on a group of elk,with a 5 point in the middle of his harem. Got ready, set the trigger, and when the girls got out of the way I shot, he dropped.. 90 yards.. then the work began...ugh.. a little over 300# of deboned elk went into the freezer.

Happy Thanksgiving Mr H and John...

Thanks for the video. I was just given a 70s era .50 version that was owned by an uncle. It's a heirloom quality gun for sure.

I always wanted a Thompson Center Hawken muzzle loader. I have a Thompson Center Encore muzzle loader an a 7mm08 rifle barrel conversion for deer hunting. Awesome muzzle loader Hickok45 an keep the great content coming Sir.

Just picked up a TC Hawkens 50 for $100 in Tulsa! Great shooting gun.

Just got mine today ironically 50 caliber - $360 with $30 straight to my house.

Hi Hickok, thanks for sharing! The TC rifles are great quality and last forever if you tend them properly. I found one at a firearm auction for $170.00 and it appeared to be unfired. I have found that I get groups of about 3" at 100 yds and with my 62 year old eyes that is fine indeed! Thanks for all your videos, you keep me informed AND entertained... and you are absolutely correct, Life is Good!

Lots of fun. I have a CVA 50 cal muzzle loader I have used since 1991. I have taken a few deer with it but mostly like you, have much fun just target shooting. It consistently shot 6 inch groups at 100 yards. For hunting I had 240 grain 44 caliber hollow point bullets in a plastic sabo sleeve. This was a really an effective hunting Bullet.

One thing I have learned over the years is, when one group swears by something another will swear at ;)

"You've come far, pilgrim, to have so much hair and so many who would take it.

Got my first buck with a TC Hawken, .50, in 1971. One of the first ones. After that, couldn't afford buckskins, so I showed up to rendezvous in a chamois car polishing rag (Pep Boys, IIRC), and a bootlace loin cloth, with possibles bag and powder horn. Horseback. (I was way off into Boone Caudill and "The Big Sky"; little cabin in the mountains, no car, couple good horses, no electricity or running water, same as now, hehe). That shook em up a little, and shootin' mostly nekkid had its competitive effect, as well.There's more than one way to win a match.That rifle is six feet behind me to this day. For many years it was all I had, got pretty good with it, and took all kinds of game. Best groups was with a soft brown powder rumored to have been salvaged from government 45-70 rounds, 60gr and .490 round ball patched with a piece of Six Pack camper curtain off my friend's new Power Wagon, powder was a dollar a pound, with lead a quarter. Now I'm using various bored cannon to scratch that muzzle loading black powder itch. A Navy Arms .58 Buffalo Hunter started it in '68, the Hawken perfected it, and now the cannon are just for pure fun. Ever get out to the northern Great Basin, drop by. We can choot some howitzers and Napoleons.Deer and elk in the yard.Life is indeed good.

I bought one in 95 or 96 exactly the same in 54 cal. That was my first blackpowder rifle and I have loved it ever since.

Shot a deer with one of these this morning, what a coincidence! Love your videos!

All ways put a smile on my face

1976 or so I purchased the plainer Renegade from midsouth for $124.13 I remember well,all this high schooler had. Still a great rifle although retired now to a wallhanger. Accounted for many bucks in Virginia. Had to use lead ammo,370 gr. maxi ball was a hammer! Today I shoot a Savage smokeless but the old one could still get the job done. Enjoy your videos.

The movie Jeremiah Johnson has always been one of my favorite movies and I always wondered how he loaded his rifle and how it worked thanks for the history lesson very interesting

That's funny, I just finished watching Jeremiah Johnson and then started watching this 😂😁

I built mine from a kit, .50 caliber.

I love learning the history of these older firearms from Hickok45!

A friend has a Hawken his dad built from a kit many years ago. The barrel is finished in plum brown for an antique-look and the figuring in wood stock is beautiful.

At the battle of Antietam they found twenty four thousand rifles still loaded, twelve thousand had more than one load in it, six thousand had three or more loads and one rifle had twenty three loads in it.

Like if your an OG! I've been here since 25k about 5 years ago!

I just purchased a Thompson/Center Renegade off Gun Broker for $300 (along with a whole bag of black powder paraphernalia including caps, ball starters, and conicals). It’s nuts what you pick up these fine rifles for! I really appreciate the fact that -with virtually any firearm I’ve purchased or intend to purchase- I can count on you having a video that covers it.

Just got one of these rifles. Just moved to Donelson. It’s just as cool to hear all about the local history and Charlie Haffners range as it is to hear about the rifle itself.

we need slight of hand pro on this one

Does it take glock mags?

My father bought one of these last year in 45 cal for 75 bucks from a gun shop ! i love it !

I have a .50 caliber I purchased in the early 1970's. Really fun to shoot. I goes nicely with my Pedersoli 45/70 Sharps. Love old guns.

Does Hickok own stock in Carhartt? Lmao great video!

Big mistake for tc to discontinue the sidelocks

Man oh man! How did I miss this video?! I’ve had mine for about 20 years and I absolutely love it!

Bought one at a gun shop for $350. I brought it home and down the muzzle, packed against the breech, were 2 cleaning patches that were left for God knows how long. Cleaned it up, and the thing shoots like a dream. One of my favorites.

I own two. A .50 and a .54. Both with a 1:66 twist

Thankful for so much! Including our rights to bear arms!

That's the first rifle I ever shot at 7 years old. I'll never forget it. It's now mine and my dad built it from a kit.

Beautiful rifle I bought mine as a kit back in 1976 it is a .45 caliber. refinished the stock a couple years ago. Need to shoot it again. Thanks for the video.

Careful, so you don't shoot your foot again

He reminds me of Stan Lee.

Great gun I worked for TC back in 1971 72 and they did put a lot of work in them I was in the stock shop Great to work for .

New cap and ball shooter here.I have 2 of the old CVA .50cal Hawkins,Pietta 1858 NMA,and the 1860 Pietta Colt Army coming next week.Want to say thank you for your videos and info sir.Loving your channel!

I was excited when i saw "Thompson". Now im not

About 38 years ago I bought one of these in 45 cal it came in a kit form and I finished it off. I did the barrel in the brown colour can't remember what that finish was called. I loved that rifle such fun to shoot. My Father owns it now. I would love to spend the day with you and John one day maybe when I kick this stupid cancer in the ass I'll make a trip to the U.S. I really enjoy your knowledge. Our gun laws suck in Australia. I'm so jeleous of you guys. All the best 🔫

I bought mine in October of 1974. 50. cal percussion, with two bullet molds (.490 round ball and a 370 grain maxi-ball). All for just over $140. I have harvested tons of deer with it since. Great gun.

Hickok45 is so right about paying attention when loading! I shot a ramrod down range when I got distracted talking to a buddy while shooting the exact same rifle. Load was 120gr ffg 360 gr conical plus ramrod and it kicked like a .50 BMG. Thank GOD the rifle held together and Thompson for making a great product. Only use a long range-rod now with the end painted orange to depth check if anything is still in bottom of barrel. Yep I know we are all human.

That was enormous fun Mr.H, a thousand thanks from the old country Sir, Gus, London.

Recently won a Thompson Center Hawken .45 Cal on an auction site. To my surprise it had never been shot and the original owner only watched the flint spark against the frizzen. I paid $250.00 for the mint condition beauty and was so much fun at the range. I am going to hang it on the wall tonight next to my Kentucky percussion. I'm addicted, and owe you many thanks for introducing me to the Black Powder world.

Bought mine in 1971 fresh out of the Marine Corps. Fine shooting rifle. Also have a New Englander that is a fine shooter as well. I like the peep sights on the New Englander. Thompson made some fine smoke poles!