History Of T/C Barrels

When T/C started Making the Hawken. patriot and Seneca They had Douglas Barrel Co. under contract to provide barrels. a fledgling company itself Douglas welcomed such a lucrative contract. The demand for Thompson Center Muzzleloaders was so great the Douglas Barrel could not meet the demand. They had other contracts to fulfill. As a result an agreement between Thompson Center and Douglas Barrel set in motion the ability for Thompson Center to soon become America's Gun Builder. When in 1973 Douglas proposed to T/C to buy their own Boring mill and rifling equipment. Once Installed Douglas would sent one of their best machinists to teach Thompson Center employees how to produce barrels exactly as Douglas had for the initial 3 years of Manufacturing. I was that employee. By the 1974 Production run T/C was into production of their own Barrels. However, for a time Douglas barrels were still coming in order to fulfill the contract. By mid 1974 Douglas had fulfilled their contract. So, with T/C masterfully producing barrels that equaled those of the early rifles no contract was extended or renegotiated between the two rapidly developing businesses. All barrels before 1974 = Douglas Barrel Co. Barrels between early 1974 and mid 1974 + either T/C barrel or Douglas no real way to tell. Barrels made after June 1974 = T/C Manufactured. NO other company ever produced side lock muzzleloader barrels for Thompson Center.
This was written by Deester Bees on Facebook. He has a lot of T/C parts and I think he is making drop in barrels.
Nit Wit

Nit Wit, I looked on Facebook and there is a Deester Bees, but not the one you reference. Do you know any other way to contact him? Thanks in advance.

Often wondered over the years, not one T/C employee has ever posted here, nor offered to answer the many questions about the history of T/C.

Wonder why?

Deester Bees is sometimes on facebook Thompson Center Muzzleloader Enthusiast | Facebook
I hope the link works. Thompson Center Muzzleloading Enthusiasts. He is very knowledgeable about Thompson Center over the years. I think he is writing a book.

Good information @nit wit, thanks.

BruceHH said:

Nit Wit, I looked on Facebook and there is a Deester Bees, but not the one you reference. Do you know any other way to contact him? Thanks in advance.

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The same guy. try Mountain man Musket Co
Nit Wit

I would like to see paper trail, the Douglas barrel contract or something in writing. Too many opinions out there that are not supported. The sad part is documentation likely will never come from Thompson Center due to the fire; "ROCHESTER, N.H., March 28 -- Fire crews battled an explosion- punctuated blaze during the night at a gun factory complex in New Hampshire. Officials say the five-alarm fire destroyed three buildings at Thompson Center Arms and Thompson Tool Co., one of the largest employers in the Rochester area." It would be nice if someone came up with the contract on Douglas's end to put all other rumors at rest (Green Mountain, Sharon and others allegedly made barrels for Thompson too).

Thanks for posting this. Interesting history.

FishDFly said:

Often wondered over the years, not one T/C employee has ever posted here, nor offered to answer the many questions about the history of T/C.

Wonder why?

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More than likely they don't want to enter the fray and have to run the gauntlet of the internet, where you know they will get beat-up by the naysayers and detractors. You know if an actual T/C employee did come along, it wouldn't be long before he/she would be asked for written proof of employment, paystubs, photos, and sworn affidavit, in order to back up their words. I have a .45 Hawken I bought new in 1974 and it has the spade, and I have a .50 Hawken from about that same era and it has a circle surrounding an M. I've read on various forums that one or both are Sharon barrels. I don't really care either way, because they both shoot good enough for me.

nit wit said:

produce barrels exactly as Douglas had

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Very interesting time line. But, I do question the accuracy of the above comment. TC barrels have never been anything like Douglas. I still have my 1970 TC barrel and several rifles with Douglas. The bores and rifling are as unlike as can be. The TCs are very shallow grooved while Douglas have substantial depth on the grooves.

Gunny5821 said:

More than likely they don't want to enter the fray and have to run the gauntlet of the internet, where you know they will get beat-up by the naysayers and detractors. You know if an actual T/C employee did come along, it wouldn't be long before he/she would be asked for written proof of employment, paystubs, photos, and sworn affidavit, in order to back up their words. I have a .45 Hawken I bought new in 1974 and it has the spade, and I have a .50 Hawken from about that same era and it has a circle surrounding an M. I've read on various forums that one or both are Sharon barrels. I don't really care either way, because they both shoot good enough for me.

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You are probably right, that is a shame.

Rifleman1776 said:

Very interesting time line. But, I do question the accuracy of the above comment. TC barrels have never been anything like Douglas. I still have my 1970 TC barrel and several rifles with Douglas. The bores and rifling are as unlike as can be. The TCs are very shallow grooved while Douglas have substantial depth on the grooves.

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AAlready,it starts.

Buzz

Didn't anybody read the following written by Nit Wit "I was that employee" ?

"Once Installed Douglas would sent one of their best machinists to teach Thompson Center employees how to produce barrels exactly as Douglas had for the initial 3 years of Manufacturing. I was that employee."

You can't get anymore of a first hand account than that.

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot, folks!

chorizo said:

Didn't anybody read the following written by Nit Wit "I was that employee" ?

"Once Installed Douglas would sent one of their best machinists to teach Thompson Center employees how to produce barrels exactly as Douglas had for the initial 3 years of Manufacturing. I was that employee."

You can't get anymore of a first hand account than that.

WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot, folks!

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Nit Wit quoted Deester Bees. good enough for me.

deerstalkert said:

Nit Wit quoted Deester Bees. good enough for me.

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What I meant...A first hand account written by somebody who was there. Not that Nit Wit was that person.

Poor communication skills...just ask my two ex-wives.

i knew what you meant, what i meant is what you meant that nit wit meant.
i don't have any ex's but my wife thinks i am a great communicator. she agrees with every thing i say. "yes dear" is hard to argue with!

When it comes to names my memory fails me of course, but we had at least one other past T/C employee on the forum. It was not Deester Bees. This gentleman commented on the fire at the TC factory and what the fire actually destroyed. It didn't verify some of the urban legend's and he got beat up badly. That was probably his last comments on the forum.

Thanks
O.R.