Information needed - TC Renegade

[JelloStorm]

Hey everyone,

My grandfather is getting ready to hang up his guns as he's getting older and doesn't hunt anymore. He told me he has a Thompson Center Renegade for me, but I really couldn't find any useful information online.

Were these previously made by TC and are no longer available? I believe it would be either a .50 or .45, but I haven't been given the gun yet to know for sure.

I would assume it's decades old, as I don't think he's bought any new guns for as long as I've been around, and I'm almost 30.

Any information you can offer would be very helpful. Pictures would also be great!

Thanks to anyone who can help!

 

[luieb45]

They used to be made by Thompson Center but Thompson center doesn't make any traditionals anymore. I believe they're only made in .50 or .54 caliber since they feature a 1" barrel across the flats so a .45 would make that a very, very heavy gun. I have a renegade as my main deer hunting gun and it shoots great :thumbsup:.

 

[JelloStorm]

Cool! Are they smooth bore or are they rifled?

 

[Macon Due]

Bryan
One of my first muzzle loaders was a T.C. Renegade.I bought it new in the 70's.It does not seem that the later ones were like mine? The one I had was stocked in very pretty walnut had double set triggers and was available in .54 cal. only.All blued steel ofcourse.
Macon

 

[luieb45]

They're rifled but thompson center made .56 smmooth bore barrels for it and I own one of them that is a drop in to my renegade stock but as soon as i find a stock, trigger, and lock set on ebay I'll make my smoothbore a complete different gun.

 

[DEWB]

I hadn't heard they quit making them. I ordered a flint renagade with 1-66 barrel from the custom shop a few years ago. That is the only way you could get one then. I know that S&W bought them, to bad if they don't make them anymore. Dew

 

[luieb45]

They haven't made a traditional gun for a few years. Even when they did make them they were like $700 so it would have been better to just buy a way fancier gun than the T/C Hawken.

 

[LRB]

The Hawken is still being offered, but .50 cal. only. At least my suppliers still offer them.

 

[Stony]

When did TC make a flintlock Renegade?

 

[Stumpkiller]

I've owned two T/C Renegades - both .54 percussion. The first was from 1978 and the second 1982 (still have the second).

There were .56 smoothbore and single trigger versions as well.

 

[StewartLeach]

Bryan:

I have two Renegades, a lefty in 54 cal built from a kit circa 1985, and a righty from a garage sale in 50 cal. Both are good solid performers.

TC used a compromise 1 turn in 48 inches rifling rate, claiming it would work well with both patched ball and conical bullet. My experience is they work best with conical bullets. I get particularly good results from the Lee Improved Minie bullets. The TC maxis are good too. The Power Belt bullets (door prize at at Hunter Ed instructor meeting) were a disappointment.

With patched round ball I find it necessary to drop the powder charge down quite low to avoid patches that windup all torn and burned up. If you want to shoot the round ball, try patching at least .015 inches thick. Start with a charge down around 40 grains of FFG, and fire five shot groups at 50 yards. Increase the charge in 5 grain increments. At some point, the groups will suddenly get bigger, and the patches will look like a rat had a fight with 'em. Drop back to the last successful charge.

Renegades are good, solid, reliable rifles. Works of art they are not, but then I don't want works of art when slip sliding around down southwest of Leadville.

Favor Center,

White fox, in the People's Republic of Boulder

 

[don hepler]

I have 3 Renegades, one is a flintlock, one is a caplock with tc barrel and the other is a caplock with green mountain barrel. They are all 50 cal. and shot patched round balls well, with 60 grains of powder,.490 ball,and .018 patch,wad over powder. suprizing to me was the flintlock shoots the best group and is the newest rifle with the quick load barrel.

 

[Pete44ru]

As posted, T/C Renegades were issued in .50cal (rifled), .54 cal (rifled), and .56SB smoothbore - the smoothbore as a complete sighted Renegade for deer hunting in those few states which (in the late 60's - early 70's) first allowed muzzleloaders for deer hunting ILO shotguns (NEVER ANY rifles, CF or muzzleloading)). My state was one of them.

Early Renegades had double set triggers, but AFAIK the latest one had a single trigger.

They were the same as a Hawken (lock/trigger/etc), with a heavier barrel and no brass buttplate, patchbox, nosecap, thimbles, or wedge estucheons - black furniture for hunting.

.

 

[JelloStorm]

Pete,

That's pretty cool. I'll have to keep that in mind should any parts ever need to be replaced. However, I'm hesitant to replace anything should my grandfather pass away as I'd rather keep it the way he gave it to me.

He also has two Kentucky long rifles that were all hand-made back in the 60's or 70's. I'll have to wait til they get handed down to me to get pictures, as I'm sure you guys can help me identify them.

 

[smoothy]

I have a 54 caliber Renegade in percussion I bought in 1982. It was a kit that cost $165 new. It is a no frills gun with steel furniture, unlike the Hawken that had some brass. The Renegade has a 26" barrel vs. the Hawken's 28". The Renegade shoots every bit as well as the Hawken and is a real thumper when using the maximum load of 120 grains (blackpowder or pyrodex) and Thompson Center's maxi-ball (can't remember the weight). I have taken mine hunting once (prefer flintlocks) and it performed very well. One of my sons now use it. Shallow rifling and relatively fast twist rifling (1:48) it is best with maxi-balls vs roundball. American made, accurate, whompum power, came out before the historical correct craze, which I am also part of. But I won't part with my Renegade. It will also be passed down and hopefully not be gone from the family for generations. Yeah, it's that good.