Thompson Center Barrel

[hawkenman]

I was just given a Thompson Center flintlock known as the "Firestorm Model". The gun had been left loaded with real black powder for about five years, needless to say the barrel is toast. Is it possible to obtain a replacement barrel? The lock and stock is in good condition.

 

[renovato]

You can get a replacement barrel, but you might try cleaning that one out good first. I've salvaged several seriously rusted guns and they ended up shooting just fine even though they still had some pitting in the bore.

Wrap some steel wool around a brush and oil it up really good. Run that back and forth in the bore. Every dozen or so passes, change to fresh steel wool and oil. That'll get most of the rust out. If it's still rough you can try lapping the bore with compound. You can get valve grinding compound from the local auto shop or use specialty lapping compound from places like Brownells. Just resist the temptation to chuck something in the drill and spin it in the bore unless it's a smoothbore. It'll waste your lands in no time!

 

[kevthebassman]

If that don't work, call TC's Fox Ridge custom shop. 1-800-243-4570 They'll take good care of you.

 

[2172]

Plink is right...I've done as he suggests, and it works..in one gun, I had to soak a patch in Naval Jelly and leave it in the gun overnight to get the rust out, but the gun shoots fine now...Hank

 

[buttonbuck]

I would suggest a bore light, they sell these very small disposable lights as fishing "bobber lights" I think bass pro and cabellas sells them but you may find them in any sporting good store. They last 25 hours, they are smaller than 22 caliber but advertised as 25 caliber, they also have them from flintlocks inc. that way you can see if the metal in the breach is eaten up by the powder charge that was left in there, good luck you will appreciate that gun when it is shooting, if not I suggest cains outdoors in West Virgina they may have a green mountain barrel for it. I ordered the 62 cal smoothbore love that barrel.

 

[buttonbuck]

having looked at that the picture of the gun a newenglander barrel may fit. but it would have to be fitted with a flintlock breach or get a percussion hammer?

 

[colmoultrie]

While you're at it, it might be nice to get a maple, cherry, or walnut replacement stock as well, unless the combination of flintlock and plastic stock makes your heart go pitty-pat. You have a lock and other furniture that could be the basis of your own custom piece on a shoestring!

 

[hawkenman]

Thanks guys for the info., I cleaned it with steel wool and Liquid Wrench and got all the rust out. Inspection of the bore showed seven or eight pitts about an inch long and a one eighth inch deep, too deep to polish out.So I guess I'll call TC and try to get another barrel. This gun is not even close to my Hawkens but it is fun to shoot and a good teaching firearm.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Don't give up on it, until you have test fired the gun. You will be surprised at how well guns even in poor shape can shoot.