A little gift from my wife...

[Dr Mordrid]

I love black powder arms, so much so I hunt in our primitive weapons season.

I have several originals, but of course they can't be shot because of their age and value. As such I've acquired several replicas to serve that duty. One was a .50 Hawken that unfortunately suffered fatal damage (don't ask).

My darling wife being the way she is decided to surprise me with a gift; a brand spanking new Thompson Center Hawken rifle in .50 caliber (see attachment). Walnut stock, bright solid brass fittings and it hits like a sledgehammer.

[Strahd]

I know nothing of guns, but that one's beautiful.

[Dr Mordrid]

You should see it up close; case hardening on the receiver (metal mechanism), brass you could use as a mirror, smooth as silk action etc. That said it definitely kills on one end and maims on the other, meaning it kicks like a jackass despite weighing almost 10 lbs

Comparison: your typical deer rifle, a 30-30, shoots a 120-170 grain bullet. The Hawken's mimimum round is 180 grains and it can shoot up to a 500 grain bullet at almost the same velocity of the 30-30 shooting a 170 given the proper powder charge.

In other words: these things hit like an out of control SUV and are fully capable of dropping a large bear, bison, moose or large boar with one shot.

[KRSESQ]

My friend Steve had one of these years ago that he was very proud of. Octagonal barrel, brass appointments and everything. I think he fired it twice.

Kevin

[Dr Mordrid]

Mine will be used regularly, every time I go to the range and hunting. As mentioned we have a primitive weapons big game season plus I can down-load it for smaller game.

Part of the fun is watching the other range shooters do WTF!? rubbernecks when I let off the first shot

[Evildead666]

It looks like a flintlock ? How do you load-unload such a thing ?

[ZokesPro]

It looks like a flintlock ? How do you load-unload such a thing ?

There's a push rod just beneath the barrel.

@Doc: What a beauty!

[Dr Mordrid]

It looks like a flintlock ? How do you load-unload such a thing ?

Actually it's a caplock muzzleloader;

It has a stainless steel nipple on which you place a metal cap. You load the powder charge and bullet in the end of the barrel and ram it home with the ramrod, which is brass on both ends and hickory in the middle. The hammer hits the cap, it goes bang and the flame passes through a tube to the charge in the barrel which goes BOOM!!

To unload you first remove the cap (safety first!) then attach an extraction screw to the ramrod, which has interchangeable tips. This you turn into the end of the bullet and pull it out (it's coated with a semi-solid lubricant). That or you perforate a tree stump.

Aiding accuracy is the double-set trigger (notice two of them?). You pull the rear one first which turns the front one into a hair-trigger - just 6 oz. (adjustable) of pressure sets it off. If you use the front trigger alone the pressure required is about 3 lbs.

In close quarters I use the blade sights, but for longer shots the Creedmore vernier sight is a better option (this one's on a Sharps carbine). Note the adjusting screw on the Sharps trigger, which is very similar to the one on the Hawken. Also note the case hardened receivers coloration. The Hawkens is very similar in color.

The appeal of these guns over modern ones is very similar to why some people like driving '57 Chevy Bel Air's or vintage European sports cars instead of a 2008 JellyBeanMobile

[Evildead666]

Thanks for the info.
Its pretty close to flintlock usage, but in a more modern way, with the metal caps to fire the charge, instead of a pile of black powder...a lot safer too