T C Rifle Salvage
Today I had a big work day at Duelist's Den, but I' made time to shoot a T/C Hawken that I bought awhile ago.
I needed this rifle as an article photo-prop, and I bought it cheap. Which means that it had issues...no wedge or ramrod. I fitted a wedge and made a new ramrod and photographed it for the Mountain Man movie guns article.
I few weeks ago I decided to get it shooting again...boy what a project! The nipple was rust welded into the bolster. When I finally got it out, the nipple's touchhole was completely rusted solid...had to re-drill the touch hole for the full length of the nipple.
Naturally the threads on the bolster were a rusted mess. I used a 1/4 x 28 tap to chase the threads clean.
Bore had a lot of rust. I ended up giving it a Naval Jelly treatment, then 0000 steel wool and penetrating oil to clean everything out.
Today I just wanted to function test it to make sure it goes off, and that the nipple stays in. I'll check accuracy another time...I may decide to buy a better barrel on eBay...we'll see.
As an Update, I did end up totally re-barreling the rifle.
