Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Scope a TC .50 cal. Hawken

Has anyone in the muzzle loading community put a scope on a
Thompson Center .50cal. Hawken rifle.
I have an earlier model that does not have the barrel tapped
for a scope mount.
Does someone make an aftermarket scope mount?
Thanks, Joe

[quote=vferguson3006]Has anyone in the muzzle loading community put a scope on a
Thompson Center .50cal. Hawken rifle.
I have an earlier model that does not have the barrel tapped
for a scope mount.
Does someone make an aftermarket scope mount?
I don't know of any that don't require drilling and tapping.

One I recently restored had see-thru’s on it, so can be done easily if drilled and tapped. To me, they look out of place. I’d be happy to mail them to you if you’d like. They might be buggered a little bit as I had to drill the mount screws to get the dam things off.

No, I have tried see-thru on centerfires, they suck, you are right totally awkward.
I don't want to drill and tap this barrel, my eyes are somewhat shot at 73yrs. the rest of me
gets up and goes with little problem. Maybe someone makes fiber optics that fit
this model.

Joe

if you have a 3 screw tang , I would and do use a good tang sight. my eyes are old but I can still shoot peeps pretty good.
I don't know of any type of after market setup for scoping a Hawken. D&T seems the only way to scope.
I have a Cabela's stainless Hawken that is d&ted for a p rail. my other Hawkens are not D&Ted so I just stay with a Peep for continuity.
Going bear hunting with one this weekend.

I have a set of offset scope mounts for an octagonal barrel, but you have to d&t 4 holes. No way around it. It's a traditions performance firearms mount, no longer made. A Lyman SML57 peep should fit, require 1 hole in the tang, and be a darn sight better than the original.

Several of my family members bought Hawkens and Renegades when Tennessee started a muzzleloading deer season. Almost all had the barrel drilled and tapped for scopes. Some used see-thru rings and others opted for standard rings. The ones with standard rings had to bend the ear on the hammer to clear the scope bell. I put a pistol scope on mine instead and used the rear sight screws to mount the base, so no extra holes had to be drilled. Recently I replaced the pistol scope with a peep sight that mounted on the rear sight screw holes. I like it, but haven't had it to the range yet with the Covid shutdown.

I had some TC fiber optic sights on mine for 1 range session and took them off.

The front sight glowed so much it was hard to shoot anything smaller than a 5-6" group at 50 yards.

I went back to the originals and now I just make sure to keep the front brass bead polished up w steel wool.

I have one with leupold quick detach rings. I think that is easiest way for cleaning. It sits up high to clear the cock/flashpan.

Same problem with red fiber optics. Green is better, but I don't like them at all for any kind of precision. For all intents and purposes, they are plenty good for deer out to 75 or so. Shot one at 110 this year. Worked well enough.

I put fiber optic sights on mine years ago. They've worked very well for me, are a huge improvement over the originals as far as visibility in low light and I've killed several deer with them. As for precision, not much is needed to kill deer within the effective range of my Hawken and my preferred load using patched balls. My longest shot on a deer with it was 80 yards and the sights worked fine for that. I can shoot inch and a half groups at 60 yards with the setup.

You can mount a long eye relief scout type scope to the factory sight holes. T/C sold a base for their Lobo scope with the rail on the bottom. Leupold also sold a base (#31606) that I think fit the sight holes. You can find them on ebay. You could also buy a piece of flat bottom Weaver rail and drill to match the sight holes.

Glad I'm not the only one that has that trouble.

Willams makes a barrel sight set that uses the existing holes and front dovetail. I used that, but replaced the open blade with a peep blade, and used a Skinner blade on the front end. The improvement for my old eyes over the issue sights is significant.

If only a scope will make you happy, one of the economy TCs or maybe some others will be easier and not all that much more expensive than the price of drilling and tapping, plus the end result will be better, especially if sabots may be in your plans at some time. The Impact I picked up for my son's elk hunt last year is light, accurate, and has a good trigger. $300 for a camo Weathershield model.

Pedersoli adjustable lollipop aperture. It slides in a steel sleeve in the stock, and it can be removed. Current barrel sight is a fold down marbles sight, so it can be folded or co witnessed.

Can you shoot me a pic of your front blade Pappy?

I have a set of Williams Firesights on my turkey gun and have the ghost ring rear, really like how it works.

Hadn't thought about the Williams on the rear.