i'll go with the consensus: get them both, and you won't be at all sorry. if, however, you fail to purchase the Renegade, i'll personally go to West- by- God and tell all your buddies that you eat instant grits and that you drink fancy imported beer. :rotf:
seriously- that's a wicked good price on some very good rifles: the stocks alone are worth that. i like the idea of getting them, picking the one you like, and telling your wife/girlfriend/significant other that the other one is for them and you're working up the best load for it.
the Renegade does come with double set triggers, which can be fired set (pull the back trigger until it clicks and the front one becomes about a five ounce let- off) or unset (front one fires at about three and a half pounds). if for some reason you don't like the feel of the factory originals, you can take 'em out and replace them with a set by R. E. Davis which are said to be about the best available. FWIW, i'm happy with mine, so i spent the money on powder instead and i think that you should, too. as best i know, the trigger assemblies are not interchangeable between the Renegade and the Hunter, but i will defer to Roundball, who is the expert on all things Thompson Center. A good clean up will do wonders for a questionable barrel: often what you see is flash rust, and there's a wealth of information on that problem (and how to avoid it) here on this forum.
don't worry about a sketchy looking nipple: the nipple is an expendable part and will wear out with use, so get a few new ones and replace it when it starts to go. (again, i defer to Zonie or Roundball as to the best way to analyze nipple wear: i don't shoot that much percussion, being addicted to rockbanging and proud of it.)
welcome to the muzzle loading world.
(to paraphrase Yoda, once to the blackpowder side turned have you, forever will it dominate your shooting.)
good luck!
