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If T/C Would Have Made a Northwest Trade Gun...

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pab1

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If T/C had made a NW trade gun... it may have looked like this.

Like their Hawken, it would have represented historical guns without being an accurate reproduction of any gun. It would have had the general characteristics of original guns. Yes, they did the .56SB but being a percussion gun with a set trigger and decorative T/C trigger guard it doesn't quite seem like a reproduction of a trade gun to me. This flintlock Renegade with a 33" Green Mountain .62 cal smoothbore barrel, L&R lock and single trigger would fit the bill.

Some things that would improve its "trade gun" appearance would be a larger trigger guard and a brass serpent side plate. I've looked at reproduction serpent side plates but they are too large to fit the flat on the Renegade stock. A full length stock would improve its appearance. Someday I might break down and pick up an accurate reproduction of a NW trade gun. Then again, I'm pretty happy with this gun. :thumb:

..62 Smoothbore Flintlock Grouse Hunt 095.JPG


.62 Pattern Test Corn Meal Grouse Hunt 131.JPG


T-C Trade Gun, RMC Liner, Trade Gun Book 087.JPG


T-C Trade Gun, RMC Liner, Trade Gun Book 092.JPG


..62 Smoothbore Flintlock Grouse Hunt 192.JPG


Blue Grouse with .62 Smoothbore Flintlock 018.JPG
 
I like that gun and the work you did on it, I bet you will not find another Renegade that looks just like that one. It seems to do the job judging by the success that you have had grouse hunting with it. Nice looking gun
 
I like that gun and the work you did on it, I bet you will not find another Renegade that looks just like that one. It seems to do the job judging by the success that you have had grouse hunting with it. Nice looking gun
May I ask where you got your barrel.thanks
If T/C had made a NW trade gun... it may have looked like this.

Like their Hawken, it would have represented historical guns without being an accurate reproduction of any gun. It would have had the general characteristics of original guns. Yes, they did the .56SB but being a percussion gun with a set trigger and decorative T/C trigger guard it doesn't quite seem like a reproduction of a trade gun to me. This flintlock Renegade with a 33" Green Mountain .62 cal smoothbore barrel, L&R lock and single trigger would fit the bill.

Some things that would improve its "trade gun" appearance would be a larger trigger guard and a brass serpent side plate. I've looked at reproduction serpent side plates but they are too large to fit the flat on the Renegade stock. A full length stock would improve its appearance. Someday I might break down and pick up an accurate reproduction of a NW trade gun. Then again, I'm pretty happy with this gun. :thumb:

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may I ask where you got your barrel.thankyou
 
Now that is neat!

I like that gun and the work you did on it, I bet you will not find another Renegade that looks just like that one. It seems to do the job judging by the success that you have had grouse hunting with it. Nice looking gun


Thank you both. I've had this gun since 2008 but only took it out a couple times. I had only shot round ball out of it. Lately its been calling to me though. I've had it out more in the last few weeks than in the previous 14 years combined. I also started trying shot in it.


May I ask where you got your barrel.thanks

may I ask where you got your barrel.thankyou



Its one of the drop in barrels Green Mountain used to make for T/C guns. I had a few over the years including another .62 percussion barrel and a .32 percussion barrel. With a 1" width that .32 was heavy!
 
I have a 56 SB Renegade with the plain trigger guard & single trigger. Like you, I thought it might be a “trade gun ish) arm. More so if it were flint but alas it’s percussion, though later trade guns were percussion.


I wish my .56SB's had the Hunter single trigger setup. Both are double trigger with the T/C trigger guard. Here they are next to the .62 before I "purdied" it up. The extra barrel is another .56SB. I'd like to find a T/C flint breech plug for it. I've thought about having it bored out to a .62 cal also.

Renegades and GPR's 011.JPG
 
I wish my .56SB's had the Hunter single trigger setup. Both are double trigger with the T/C trigger guard. Here they are next to the .62 before I "purdied" it up. The extra barrel is another .56SB. I'd like to find a T/C flint breech plug for it. I've thought about having it bored out to a .62 cal also.

View attachment 161752
Is the lock on the flintlock the original lock, or a replacement lock?
 
Pecatonica Longrifle makes full lenght stocks for Thompson Center Hawkens. Their stock has a little more drop to it. Remove the check rest and shape it back like a boat paddle, you would have stock to fit your Renegade Trade Gun. You could ask them not to inlet the buttplate or trigger so you could use a T/C single trigger or better yet make your own trigger, trigger guard and buttplate. That would free up your current stock for the 56 project. Plenty of good books on the trade rifle and the pecatonica longrifle semi inlet full lenght stock makes a good project before one attempts a custom build.

I have not had much luck with finding breech plugs lately, you make get a flintlock breech plug from www.thegunworks.com it's where I found my last one. TOTW was out last time I checked.
 
track of the wolf may have the breech plug

Pecatonica Longrifle makes full lenght stocks for Thompson Center Hawkens. Their stock has a little more drop to it. Remove the check rest and shape it back like a boat paddle, you would have stock to fit your Renegade Trade Gun. You could ask them not to inlet the buttplate or trigger so you could use a T/C single trigger or better yet make your own trigger, trigger guard and buttplate. That would free up your current stock for the 56 project. Plenty of good books on the trade rifle and the pecatonica longrifle semi inlet full lenght stock makes a good project before one attempts a custom build.

I have not had much luck with finding breech plugs lately, you make get a flintlock breech plug from www.thegunworks.com it's where I found my last one. TOTW was out last time I checked.


Good info!
 
The subject gun, and the photo of @pab1 shooting it, sort of remind me of this old drawing:

Rindisbacher.png
This is believed to be a self-portrait of Peter Rindisbacher (1806-1834), a young Swiss artist who lived in the Red River area of Manitoba, from 1821 until his untimely death due to cholera. I like how the drawing shows both puffs of smoke, from the ignition of the priming as well as the main charge. The gun appears to be a fairly short-barreled flintlock halfstock. Considering the presence of the Hudson's Bay Company in that area during Rindisbacher's time, I would bet it is a British gun, and from what I have read, I think the Canadian plainsmen and hunters generally preferred smoothbores. Rifles were more of an American thing. He appears to have a buffalo powder horn with some ornamental carving on the butt. I don't see a shot pouch, but a coat like that might have some big pockets for carrying a few balls, wadding, and maybe some extra flints.

Good thread, pab1! You have some nice kit.

Notchy Bob
 
Thank you @Notchy Bob! Great pic and info! That's interesting.

Even though none of my gear is historically accurate I love playing with it.

This is a great book on trade guns if anyone is looking for more info on them. The article Smoothbores on the Frontier by Charles E. Hanson Jr in The Book of Buckskinning IV is full of great info on the history of smoothbores/trade guns.
Indian Trade Guns 002.JPG
 
pecatonica got their sample renegade stock from me back in2012. i got a .62 smooth from a member here. VA did me a left knee replacement, so i built a flinter. t/cs perc. n flint mortice are same. took all the renegade iron n browned it as the barrel was brown. the barrel had gotten 7 turkeys in wis. now it has 3 more to add.. you can take the smooth .56 n turn it into flint. saw the snail off weld up hole, file octagan flats back. drop in stock. install lock, scribe top n bottom of pan find center then move up 1/32 centerpunch. pilot drill then finish n countersink, tap 1/4-28 install stainless flash hole. have done 6 m all went off first pan load. 58gr 3f,over powder card 28ga wad with piston cut off 1 1/4 oz #6 1/2 fiber wad olive oil soaked, not dripping. squirrels dont like the load. the stock from pecationa was mid grade maple n full length. the welding used hi-nickle rod it wont blue or brown.
 
If T/C had made a NW trade gun... it may have looked like this.

Like their Hawken, it would have represented historical guns without being an accurate reproduction of any gun. It would have had the general characteristics of original guns. Yes, they did the .56SB but being a percussion gun with a set trigger and decorative T/C trigger guard it doesn't quite seem like a reproduction of a trade gun to me. This flintlock Renegade with a 33" Green Mountain .62 cal smoothbore barrel, L&R lock and single trigger would fit the bill.

Some things that would improve its "trade gun" appearance would be a larger trigger guard and a brass serpent side plate. I've looked at reproduction serpent side plates but they are too large to fit the flat on the Renegade stock. A full length stock would improve its appearance. Someday I might break down and pick up an accurate reproduction of a NW trade gun. Then again, I'm pretty happy with this gun. :thumb:

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Very cool ....I hope to be making NW trade guns for much cheaper price than I have to now as plank / scratch builds . Still hardly " cheap " but at the same price as a Pedersoli version of the NW gun , approx. 1400 bucks . Thats my big project for this year . Nice set up you have there ...
 
Love that book .....
Thank you @Notchy Bob! Great pic and info! That's interesting.

Even though none of my gear is historically accurate I love playing with it.

This is a great book on trade guns if anyone is looking for more info on them. The article Smoothbores on the Frontier by Charles E. Hanson Jr in The Book of Buckskinning IV is full of great info on the history of smoothbores/trade guns.
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