Thompson Center factory repairs ?

[Finnwolf]

Ya know Sproul, if I didn't have such a lousy history with T/C guns, I'd probably be inclined to at least try the gun and see if it goes off but I've had too many problems with T/C to even try anymore.

They have great customer service - caring and responsive but they haven't been able to ship me a product in 20 years that has met my expectations. And it's been one problem after another. Many of the guys I started out with who also had T/Cs are out of the sport entirely or shooting Italian guns, those willing to part with the cash have custom guns.

You go down the list and I've had 'em all - locks that ate flints, frizzens too soft to spark, frizzens that look like washboards after a few sessions at the range, roundball barrels that don't shoot as well as the 1:48 barrels they replaced, mis-placed vents, cracked stocks, barrels that have to be swabbed after 2-3 shots or you can't load 'em without a mallet. Took the fun out of many a range session for me and cost me several deer I worked hard to put in range.

This is really me giving them one more chance before I break down and buy that foreign made gun just like I had to finally buy a foreign made truck after swearing I never would.

T/C's customer service came through again yesterday, offering to pay the freight back and make the gun right and I'll give them that chance one more time.
Something tells me the folks in the shop are going to let me down again because that is just how it has always gone for me with T/C. Difference is, this will be the last time for me.

 

[sproulman]

let us know, your pics were great info, i never looked at my vents for over 40 years when dad bought us our first t/c flintlock.

here is site that tested VENTS.

blackpowdermag....i cant for some reason get it url on here,will not let me

i read about guy that sent in a 1-48 twist that would not shoot a roundball very good.

t/c gave him new 1-66 twist.

i may keep my 1-48 twist if the 1-66 is not very good.

 

[Claude Mathis]

let us know, your pics were great info, i never looked at my vents for over 40 years when dad bought us our first t/c flintlock.

here is site that tested VENTS.

blackpowdermag....i cant for some reason get it url on here,will not let me.

www.blackpowdermag.com :thumbsup:

 

[Finnwolf]

Appreciate the article Sproul, it is similar to Larry's article in the current edition of Muzzleblasts that Mykeal talked about.

Larry tested the vertical position of the vent and found little difference in ignition. He also tested where the powder was positioned in the pan and found the closer to the vent, the faster the ignition. A surprise to many of us and something I'll be experimenting with at the range.

He didn't really test the horizontal position of the vent however and that is the problem I perceive with my new T/C Hawken. The combination of the vent being so far left of pan center AND a bit low is more than I can accept in a flintlock rifle of any quality. I admit is is a percieved problem because I have never even fired the rifle, nor will I until the vent is properly positioned.

Someone may next prove that horizontal position of the vent is irrelevent to ignition but I have not see any proof to support that. I believe the index card in Larry's experiment that shows the spectrum of the pan's flash clearly shows the densest part of the flash is in the center of the pan and diminishes with distance from the center.

At this stage in my life, I am no longer willing to waste hours of effort at the range or in the field trying to make a rifle shoot the way it should shoot to begin with.

 

[mfwing82]

I am getting sick waiting for my 54 renegade to return from t/c they said they would replace lock and anything else it may need we shall see some day? I hope this does not turn into a nightmare already seems too long for a repair

 

[Geraldo]

T/C's customer service came through again yesterday, offering to pay the freight back and make the gun right and I'll give them that chance one more time.
Something tells me the folks in the shop are going to let me down again because that is just how it has always gone for me with T/C. Difference is, this will be the last time for me.

Let me get this straight. They took your 13 year old rifle that needed a stock replacement, and in return you talked them into sending you a brand new different model with a custom shop 1:66" barrel, they're paying the return freight because you suspect an ignition problem, and you're still not happy?

To me it doesn't seem as though they owed you anything but a new stock. Had you taken that option instead of talking them into a different rifle, the placement of the touchhole wouldn't be an issue.

 

[Finnwolf]

Well you got a piece of the story. You'll have to go back and read the whole thread. I'm not gonna bore everyone else by repeating it.

Bottom line is I bought a new gun 13 years ago that has never worked well. One thing after another has gone wrong and I've had the thing back to NH several times. They don't make the model anymore so when the stock cracked they could not replace it so they gave me a new stock and barrel to fit it because my barrel doesn't fit a hawken stock.

If you would have been happy with that, I should've just sold the gun to you.

 

[Geraldo]

If you would have been happy with that, I should've just sold the gun to you.

Send me a PM when you get it back and we'll talk about that.

I realize that you're unhappy about the situation, but I'm not sure Lyman would even talk to you about warranty issues a decade and a half later. As for customs, I've had a couple and they have quirks as well. I still have a two pistols I bought quite a while ago and there is no chance of contacting the builder if something goes wrong it's on my dime.

 

[Finnwolf]

Will do. Most retailers sell them for a touch over $700. It'll be interesting to see what you're willing to pay for it when it comes back.

But you don't have to wait. I still have the gun here waiting for T/C to send me a pick up tag. Since you indicated you'd be happy with it as is, PM me your offer.

 

[mykeal]

It'll be even more interesting to see what you think this POS that you can't stand to have around for 13 years, has never worked right and has given you nothing but trouble all those years is worth. I'll bet it becomes one fine gun all of a sudden...

 

[Finnwolf]

I think you're a bit confused. The POS was the PA hunter. Now that the lock's been replaced, the barrel has been sent back and the stock is cracked, it doesn't exist anymore. So the gun with the lifetime warrantee lasted 13 years.

Yes, Im guilty of sticking with it and giving T/C every chance to make it right under their own rules 'cause I wanted to own an American made gun.

The gun I'm dealing with now is a brand new hawken flintlock with a brand new 1:66 twist barrel

 

[sproulman]

little of topic.

i bought a BERETTA URICKA FIELD 12 GA.

it was 1,000 dollars new.

i had a hardtime removing forearm of stock, it was defective. :cursing:

so, i sent it in for repairs.

cost me 20 dollars on shipping.

2 months later,it came back with a new forearm stock on it.

guess what.

the wood was lighter than the butt stock of shotgun. :cursing:

i was as mad as h.

it looked terrible.

so, sent it in again, another 20 dollars and 2 more months.

got it back ,stocks matched.

then i looked on barrel and someone used a razor blade to cut my wrap off gun. :cursing:

i was ready to kill someone. :cursing:

my new barrel with a cut 2 inchs long in it.

well, back to beretta again and 2 months wait again.

back it came and they just reblued the spot.


so, its not only T/C at times on things but almost every company now.

they are worried about their BONUS money and how fast they can retire with big pensions and golden parachuet packages. :blah:

 

[Geraldo]

It'll be even more interesting to see what you think this POS that you can't stand to have around for 13 years, has never worked right and has given you nothing but trouble all those years is worth. I'll bet it becomes one fine gun all of a sudden...

It appears that he wants to make a profit on TC's generous warranty service.

 

[sproulman]

no, i dont think he is like that.

having the vent off center would bother a person that wants it right. :wink:

1 of mine is same ,oh boy, i was mad too. :cursing:

but when roundball said it does not matter, i am happy camper and also jack at t/c says its no problem too unless its covered by lock.

i know guy that sent his stock in after 20 years.

the screw hole bro out.

they sent him a new stock.

me, one of mine has same problem, i just used teflon tape to tighten it up.

why dont i get another stock FREE.

the new walnut is not as nice as the 1970 walnut on guns. :thumbsup:

 

[sproulman]

if you are not happy with that gun,if others here dont want to buy it, drop me a PM.

 

[Finnwolf]

Thanks for the offer and for having my 6 but I was counting on selling the gun to Geraldo at a huge profit.

Seriously, I'm giving T/C another chance to make the gun right. I stuck it out with all the flaws with this gun for many years because I was like you - just adapt, learn, try to make the gun shoot.

Then I heard folks here singing the praises of their T/C's driving tacks, never misfiring, shooting all day without swabbing, getting a hundred fifty shots out of a flint. I started to wonder why none of my T/C's would do that so I started investigating. I got advice to send it back and they'd make it right. So that's what I've been doing and doing and doing...

It's coming back to me one more time and if it ain't right, I'll probably part it out on Ebay like Mark Lewis stated. I'll use what I get for it to buy a GPR or to buy L&R parts, a GM barrel and a fancy maple dropin stock. Either way, I'll have the shooter I've been missing all these years.

 

[mfwing82]

I finally got my rifle back. I was hoping for a new style lock to be installed but they found nothing wrong with old one (either did I) they said they checked barrel, lock and triggers and recrowned the barrel . I am not sure what they mean by that ? but in my original letter to them I had mentioned that I was planing on putting on thompson fiber optic sights on it which they did for me at no cost so I guess the long trip to the factory was worth it . I am happy got to go shoot it now

 

[paulvallandigham]

Nothing mysterious about re-crowning a barrel. The crown is at the muzzle, and it needs to be "squared" to the bore of the rifle for best accuracy. It also needs to be smooth, so that when the bullet, or PRB is released from the muzzle, the crown allows the projectile to be released at the same time all the way around the 360 degree arc. Otherwise, the ball will be pushed by gases away from the line of sight.

Apparently, when T/C inspected the barrel, they didn't like the original crowning that was done on your barrel, and fixed it.

Just for point of reference, Target shooters- far more concerned with precision accuracy than most shooters ever need to be-- want an 11 degree angled crown on their barrels, because time-lapse photography( High speed ) has shown this is the angle at which gases expand out around the base of a bullet as the bullet separates from the muzzle. Some claim that using such an angle on their crowns improves the accuracy of their barrels.