The Thompson Center New Englander is a half-stocked, hooked breech, muzzleloading, caplock rifle with an option of mounting a 12 gauge shotgun barrel. It loosely corrisponds in appearance with an 1800's English sporting rifle. Rifle calibers, as mentioned, came in .50 and .54, both with the 1:48 twist rate. It was available in rifle form in both right an left hand. A single "key" secured the barrel to the stock, while the lock is secured to the stock with a single screw. It has a modern, adjustable rear sight, and a single, plain trigger.
It may have been called the New Englander because the barrel is round for its entire length, or because it could mount a shotgun barrel... or perhaps it was just the whim of the CEO of Thompson Center.
Any event that would permit a Thompson Center Hawken should allow the New Englander. They are good rifles, shoot round ball well, and are very capable of taking deer.
LD