TC 56 caliber, why 56? why not something smaller?

Newly O’Brian · Sep 10, 2024

So, why did TC pick 56 caliber for their smooth bore caliber?

Were they the RIFLED barrels that didn't pass QA, so they reworked them to smooth bore 56 to save them? (Reamed out the bad rifling)

Johnny Too-Tall · Sep 10, 2024

If that was the case they could of bored them to 58 caliber like the big bore rifle they made. 56 smoothie TC Barrels everyone I ever seen has been 1" barrels.

snakebit · Sep 11, 2024

No, they were mostly marketed for Massachusetts. When they adopted a ML season, the think tanks said no "rifles". Those 56 smoothies are surprisingly accurate.

nhmoose · Sep 16, 2024

They used the blanks for the .58 cals that did not get to the rifling stage, same blank so easy peasy for them.

flconch53 · Sep 18, 2024

nhmoose said:
They used the blanks for the .58 cals that did not get to the rifling stage, same blank so easy peasy for them.

The other reason may be is that 28 gauge is much closer to 56 than 54
My 28 gauge measures .556

nhmoose · Sep 18, 2024

They were not making 28 ga anything in the hawken, renegade platform or any other platform they did however make 58 rifled. GM did the same thing in replacement barrels not sure how many they did but I sold one when I had my barrel supply company

cynthialee · Sep 18, 2024

As already stated years ago the Massachusetts market needed a good smoothbore for hunting.

I own one of these smooth rifles and they are a great gun. Inside 80 yards they are rather accurate and you can load it for turkey or varmints.
If I could only have 1 gun in my safe, I would pick my TC Renegade in .56 smoothbore. Versatile, and accurate, good gun all around.

Flint62Smoothie · Sep 18, 2024

Yup, unrifled 58 bores made expressly for Mass.

I once had one and put 4-shots through the same ragged hole from a bench @ 50-yards. Told my Dad, he was with me ... but he didn't believe me .. and yet it was he who taught me 'how to' shoot, LOL!. Then I told him I'd intentionally hold 1" low on the next shot ... and PRESTO ... it hit 1" below the other group! Alas, done in the age before cell phones and who knows where that target is nowadays ...

If anyone is interested, I'll be soon posting 3 or 4 for sale, none over $300, some 56s to be used as is, others as candidates to be rifled to be 58s by Bobby Hoyt.

longcruise · Sep 18, 2024

I thought they made some 56 in 15/16"??

Billy-by-gosh · Sep 18, 2024

longcruise said:
I thought they made some 56 in 15/16"??

I still have a .58 rifle from InvestArms, and it's only 15/16" across flats.

smokeum54 · Sep 18, 2024

Billy-by-gosh said:
I still have a .58 rifle from InvestArms, and it's only 15/16" across flats.

I've got a few of those, nice handling rifles.

I always thought the 56 smoothie was neat but never had one. Years ago 2 of my old club members each bought one for deer hunting with a smooth bore, you should have seen their faces when I told them Nebraska has a 62 or bigger smooth bore requirement.

kelljp · Sep 19, 2024

My 56 SB taught me that rifling doesn't have as much to do with accuracy as I always thought.
With the right patches mine shoots very tight groups. As stated before if it came down to keeping just one gun to use it would be my 56 SB.

Cliffdweller · Sep 19, 2024

snakebit said:
No, they were mostly marketed for Massachusetts. When they adopted a ML season, the think tanks said no "rifles". Those 56 smoothies are surprisingly accurate.

Indeed sir they are!!!

kelljp · Sep 19, 2024

The question about why they didn't make them in a smaller barrel in the first entry got me thinking.
Over the years I have made the acquaintance of a former TC employee 's son that inherited all his father's TC guns. About a year ago he ask if I would be interested in any of them. I was and did buy what he offered.
He still has several that he is on the fence about selling, one of which is a smooth bore built on a Senaca barrel. He said his dad told him it was built for the locals in his Massachusetts town. I have not found any documentation about this junior smooth bore, but have no reason to not believe him. Hopefully I'll get up there and verify it maybe even buy it.

Shawrco · Sep 19, 2024

The 56 flintlock I have is rifled. Didn’t know when I bought it that most 56 calls nowadays are SB. Fortunately there are places to get .550 RB, haven’t ordered a mold for it yet.
I plan on getting it tuned up for deer season soon, so I’ll get to see how accurate it is.

Cliffdweller · Sep 19, 2024

Also try a .562 unlatched RB you'll be pleasantly surprised.......

Shawrco · Sep 19, 2024

Cliffdweller said:
Also try a .562 unlatched RB you'll be pleasantly surprised.......

No leading?

Cliffdweller · Sep 19, 2024

Shawrco said:
No leading?

None that I’ve found.

Shawrco · Sep 30, 2024

Cliffdweller said:
None that I’ve found.

Ordering some 562s today to try out... thanks for suggestion.

smo · Sep 30, 2024

FYI..

Be careful loading an oversized ball in a smoothbore…especially bare.

There’s no rifling for the patch & ball too squeeze into.
Thus you just created your next thread or you’re off down the search feature road…

How too remove a stuck ball?

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