T/C New Englander

[Boston Bill]

Hi All,
I found a T/ C New Englander in a lgs. Has some rust on a couple of places that is deeper than surface. Price tag on it is $150. Forgot to look in the bore because at the time I thought why bother. Can you all chime in with a range of prices with a good bore, bad bore or don’t bother. Or I can go back and check out the bore and take pictures.
Thanks to all in advance. BB

 

[adkmountainken]

for $150 i would jump on it worst case senerio is bore is no good send it to Bobby Hoyt to re-freshen it for $150 and your still ahead of the game!

 

[Boston Bill]

Cool, thanks

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hi,
Make sure the lock & stock is good, there are no replacement parts from Thompson Center. You would have to go with an L&R lock, which is not bad as they are really good and parts are available.
If the bore is good, but the outside is rusted, that is an easy fix. Carefully sand paper the barrel with 400 metal paper, then 600, then 800, always sanding from tang to muzzle, never sideways. I like using a piece of rubber, like a rectangular piece of tire as a sand paper backer. Wash with acetone, then brown, Then you will have a fine looking muzzle loader.
Shop for a Thompson Center .50 or .54 cal. barrel, then you have one of the very best combination guns you can buy.
You have a great find.
Fred

 

[nightwolf1974]

That was my first ML.... .50cal. New Englander!

 

[Eric Krewson]

I forget who bought out TC for all the parts, locks are available from them as well as a lot of other parts.

 

[Dave Marsh]

I forget who bought out TC for all the parts, locks are available from them as well as a lot of other parts.

Eric, The Gunworks bought them out. - The Gun Works Muzzleloading Emporium -

 

[Boston Bill]

I got it for $150 otd, just took off the tax. Oh well. The owner of the lgs gave me his very powerfull flash light and the bore looked pristine, as in maybe have never been fired. Pictures tomorrow. Just need to clean up some rust here and there on it. The wood is in real good condition, unlike the metal!

 

[Boston Bill]

for $150 i would jump on it worst case senerio is bore is no good send it to Bobby Hoyt to re-freshen it for $150 and your still ahead of the game!

I got a look at the bore and it is PRISTINE! I do not believe it has been fired.

 

[Boston Bill]

Lucky for me the butt plate has the worst rust on the rifle. The barrel and lock and hammer have some light surface rust that should come off easily with some steel wool. I will need a little elbow grease for the butt plate.
My question to you New Englander owners. The butt plate looks like it is browned? Doesn't really look blued to me. What do you all think?

 

[dragnetbill]

In the No. 15 T/C catalog the description for the New Englander kit guns touts that "All steel parts are completely finished and blued." All other models with the same/similar butt plate such as Renegade or Penn. Hunter are listed as having blued hardware. I have had a couple New Englanders in the past and recall the finish of the butt plates being blued, but, more matte like than the barrels. Also, that light surface rust is probably in the pores of the less smoothly finished butt plate doing its best to turn the bluing to browning.
Good luck with your clean up project.
Having the pristine bore is your key to not losing money on her if you should choose to pass her on.

 

[Boston Bill]

Hi dragnetbill. Thank you for the info! I did start to sand off the back side and it is looking a lot better. Maybe tomorrow night I will tackle the front side of the butt plate.
I am disappointed in myself. I discovered tonight that I missed the half cock notch hitting the sear ( is that what they call it in a lock? I will have to look into the nomenclature! ) when the trigger is pulled. Looks like I have some research and studying to do!
So when I take the barrel off I will check out the innards of the lock.

Also, that light surface rust is probably in the pores of the less smoothly finished butt plate doing its best to turn the bluing to browning.
I actually like the patina that the blueing has become but I think if I browned it I wouldn't like that color, not sure.

 

[dragnetbill]

Hi dragnetbill. Thank you for the info! I did start to sand off the back side and it is looking a lot better. Maybe tomorrow night I will tackle the front side of the butt plate.
I am disappointed in myself. I discovered tonight that I missed the half cock notch hitting the sear ( is that what they call it in a lock? I will have to look into the nomenclature! ) when the trigger is pulled. Looks like I have some research and studying to do!
So when I take the barrel off I will check out the innards of the lock.

Also, that light surface rust is probably in the pores of the less smoothly finished butt plate doing its best to turn the bluing to browning.
I actually like the patina that the blueing has become but I think if I browned it I wouldn't like that color, not sure.

Your welcome.
I'm not sure I understand what you are saying reference the lock; is it falling into the half cock notch when you pull the trigger? Take the lock out and take pictures and post here; someone more experienced than I should be able to help you with that.
As to finish/re-finish, I'm one of those guys that likes a little honest patina on a working arm like the New Englander; I'd just clean her up and then wax her or keep a thin layer of RIG on her.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I am disappointed in myself. I discovered tonight that I missed the half cock notch hitting the sear ( is that what they call it in a lock? I will have to look into the nomenclature! ) when the trigger is pulled. Looks like I have some research and studying to do!
So when I take the barrel off I will check out the innards of the lock.

Also, that light surface rust is probably in the pores of the less smoothly finished butt plate doing its best to turn the bluing to browning.
I actually like the patina that the blueing has become but I think if I browned it I wouldn't like that color, not sure.

Take the butt plate, and immerse it overnight into Evaporust. Rinse it off, dry it, then polish with oil and very fine emory paper. It will then be silver, so degrease it and apply some Oxpho-Blue. It should be back to where you want it.

As for the lock..., there is a part called the "fly" which drops into place when the lock is fully cocked. When you pull the trigger the fly prevents the sear from catching the half-cock notch. When you then take the hammer back to half-cock, the fly moves out of the way and the sear can engage the half-cock notch. It's the smallest part on the lock, absolutely teeny-tiny. It's not uncommon for a new to muzzleloading person to pull the lock, take it apart for cleaning, and lose the fly. I suspect that happened to your lock when the last owner had the rifle. (I'm pretty sure the TC lock has a fly iirc)

LD

 

[Boston Bill]

Loyalist Dave, thanks. I will definitely check out the fly situation. Sounds like that might be the problem.