Frankenrifle T/C

[Banjoman]

Warning: This post may not be for the faint of heart, real gunsmiths, gun builders, TC collectors or snobbish curmudgeons.

I went in to the local gun shop today to pick up a leather strap. While I was there, the owner offered me this Thompson Center Renegade 50 caliber for $150. I thought, shucks, it’s worth that in parts.

When I got home I realized the barrel had issues I didn’t feel like dealing with today such as badly rusted bore, buggered up crown and a stuck nipple which refused to budge. Oh, it will someday, just not today. At first I thought I’d bought a parts gun until I remembered an old TC Hawken barrel with no sights which had been stashed away in the back of the cabinet for years. Other than almost being a smooth bore, the Hawken barrel was in much better shape. So I took sights and other parts off the Renegade barrel and put them on the Hawken barrel which went right in the Renegade stock after I shortened the under rib. Since the rifling is purty much gone I think this will be a .50 caliber percussion shotgun. I also replaced the ugly yellow, plastic looking ram rod.

 

[VA Hawken]

Well, from what I can see, I'd have snapped it up at the same price.

 

[longcruise]

Get that buggered barrel bored to 54 or 58. Then ya got somethin.

 

[Hermit Tim]

Yep you couldn't go wrong there. Heck, you could have sold the complete stock on fleabay and made a quick hundred bucks. But I'm glad you did what you did with it. Looks good to me. Now you could send both barrels to Mr. Hoyt and have a couple other options. Say, a .58 rifle and a slick little twenty gauge...