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Work order — Thompson/Center Hawken

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: medium.

Shop difficulty: Tier 2 of 3

Hooked breech and a single wedge make the barrel easy, but the coatable job goes into the percussion lock with its strongly compressed coil mainspring (needs a coil mainspring vise) and fly for the double-set triggers, plus the set-trigger assembly that must be re-adjusted. Moderate. Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~30 min, rebuild ~45 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• Coil mainspring vise (TOOL-VISE-COIL or similar) — Compressing the T/C coil mainspring to strip the lock
• Nipple wrench — Percussion nipple
• Breech plug wrench — Hooked breech plug
• Fitted gunsmith screwdrivers — Lock bolt, tang and trigger-guard screws in the wood

Watch for:

• The lock’s coil mainspring is strongly compressed and needs a coil-mainspring vise; improvised pliers are the novice mistake. (both; Track of the Wolf)
• Set-trigger engagement is set by a screw in front of the rear trigger and must be re-checked after the trigger assembly has been out. (reassembly; Thompson/Center Arms)
• Thompson/Center limits owner disassembly to wedge-and-barrel removal. (both; Thompson/Center Arms)

Tools

• Marked ramrod — Verifying whether the bore is loaded. Mark it at the muzzle with the bore known empty.
• Nipple wrench — Removing the nipple for cleaning and for clearing the flash channel.
• CO2 discharger or ball puller — Removing an unfired charge without firing it. A ball puller screws into the projectile; a CO2 discharger blows the charge out through the muzzle.

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Remove any percussion cap from the nipple.
   Warning: Removing the cap removes the ignition source. It does not unload the rifle.
3. Insert your marked ramrod down the bore and compare the mark against the muzzle.
   Warning: If the rod stops short of the empty mark, the rifle is loaded. NEVER look down the muzzle to check.
4. If the rifle is loaded and you do not intend to fire it, remove the charge with a ball puller or a CO2 discharger.
   Warning: If you cannot remove the charge, the rifle remains loaded. Store and handle it accordingly and get the right tool.
5. With the bore confirmed empty, remove the nipple with the nipple wrench and confirm the flash channel is clear.
6. Remove all powder, caps, and projectiles from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Field Strip

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and confirm the bore is empty with the marked ramrod.
2. Remove the nipple with the nipple wrench and clean the flash channel.
3. Remove the lock retaining screw or screws from the side of the stock opposite the lock.
4. Lift the lock assembly out of its mortise in the stock as a unit.
   Warning: Do not disassemble the lock itself — the mainspring is strongly compressed and requires a mainspring vice.
5. Remove the tang screw and the barrel wedge or keys, then lift the barrel out of the stock.
   Tip: Note the orientation of wedges and keys.
6. Clean the bore with hot soapy water, flushing through the nipple seat, then dry completely and oil.
   Warning: Same-day cleaning. Black powder fouling rusts a bore overnight.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

No manufacturer statement of materials or finish is recorded. Identify each part's material before choosing prep and cure.

4. Reassemble

Reassembly

1. Set the barrel into the stock and install the barrel wedge or keys and the tang screw.
2. Set the lock assembly back into its mortise and install the lock screws, tightening them snugly.
   Warning: Do not overtighten screws into a wooden stock.
3. Install the nipple, confirming its flash channel is clear.
   Warning: A blocked flash channel causes misfires and hangfires.
4. Perform the function check.

5. Torque

No manufacturer torque values are recorded for this firearm.

Notes: The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: "Re-install the breech plug, making sure that you have lubricated all of the threads with an anti-seize lubricant like T/C's Super Lube." (Safety & Instruction Manual, T/C Hawken Muzzleloading Rifle (10-30-2010), PDF p. 40) "The pin should fit snugly, and may have to be gently tapped into position for full engagement." (Safety & Instruction Manual, T/C Hawken Muzzleloading Rifle (10-30-2010), PDF p. 41)

Fit or check on rebuild

• Set-trigger engagement re-adjusted; single-stage pull and set pull both safe — T/C sets the triggers at the factory with the screw in front of the rear trigger.
• Hooked breech fully seated in the tang slot before the wedge goes in; wedge snug — T/C: heavy resistance means the hooked breech is not seated.
• Breech plug threads with anti-seize — T/C asks for anti-seize on refit.
• Lock half-cock and full-cock notches hold; lock seated in its inletting without binding; screws not overtightened in the — Entry reassembly warning on wood screws; a lock that binds in the inletting will not fire.
• Sight re-zero — Sights come off for coating.

6. Function check

• Verify the bore is empty using a marked ramrod before each check.
• Confirm the hammer holds at half-cock and full cock.
• With the hammer at full cock, engage the safety if fitted and press the trigger. The hammer must not fall.
• Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer should fall cleanly.
• Confirm the nipple or breech plug flash channel is clear by firing a cap or primer with the muzzle pointed at something light — grass or leaves should visibly move.
• Confirm the ramrod moves freely down the bore and seats against the breech.
• Confirm the lock is securely seated and its screws are snug.
• If the rifle has set triggers, confirm the set trigger sets and releases correctly and that the rifle can also be fired unset.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Sources

1. Thompson/Center Hawken Owner’s Manual — Thompson/Center Arms primary
2. Safety & Instruction Manual, T/C Hawken Muzzleloading Rifle (10-30-2010) — Thompson/Center Arms primary
   https://tcarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TC_Hawken_ML_Manual_10-30-2010.pdf
3. Track of the Wolf parts search: mainsprings (Coil Mainspring Vise, TOOL-VISE-COIL; Mainspring Vise, TOOL-VISE) — Track of the Wolf primary
   https://www.trackofthewolf.com/parts/search/1?search=mainsprings&PageSize=100

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.