My first muzzleloader was a Thompson Center Hawkin kit that I built while I was in college and it was a blast. After I prepped the barrel I sent it out to have the blueing done and because I was working weekends in a cabinet shop the walnut stock was polished with the best hand rubbed oil and wax finish you could imagine. The sights sucked and the 1/48 twist barrel didn't shoot anything particularly well compared to today's guns but I took a few deer with it and it now hangs over the door in my cabin.
