Thompson/center flinter

[Horace]

Can someone give me the details on the new vs the old style flint lock by TC I understand it is faster and maybe can be swapped out by TC. Help me as I am half informed (which means I am half uninformed)

 

[roundball]

Can someone give me the details on the new vs the old style flint lock by TC I understand it is faster and maybe can be swapped out by TC. Help me as I am half informed (which means I am half uninformed)

TC significantly redesigned the flint lock assembly, primarily the hammer & frizzen...plus they've redesigned the vent liner...overall, TC Flintlock rifles are now 100% reliable, the locks give long flint life, and ignition seems instantaneous...I have a few and shoot/hunt them year round.

TC doesn't have any sort of official "swap" program or anything...just their normal lifetime warranty...whenever I get an old style lock, I priority mail it to the attention of TC Service Manager Tim Pancurak, with a memo asking if there's anything he can do to make it more reliable, etc...I found it much more effective than just calling and trying to deal with customer service in general, so I'd suggest not wasting your time that way...just mail it directly to him...you'll get it back with appropriate parts replaced, or possibly even a complete new lock assembly...I've experienced it both ways on several occasions.

OLD STYLE LOCK ASSEMBLY

NEW STYLE LOCK ASSEMBLY

 

[Horace]

Hey roundball, where are you in NC. I am in Goldsboro!

 

[cayugad]

Roundball sure helped me out on this issue. When I got my flintlock it had the old style. You will note that the flint strikes about half way up on the frizzen if you were to set it at half cock. On the new style the flint will hit about 3/4 way up on the frizzen. Means you get more stike distance to the frizzen.

I really think the ignition on my Thompson Center Flintlock is excellent. Now I have to pick roundballs brain about shooting in the rain. I tried that last week and needless to say I need to work on that a little...

::

 

[roundball]

Raleigh

 

[Horace]

Glad to hear that I have an expert so near. Thanks for your info.

 

[Wart]

Now I have to pick roundballs brain about shooting in the rain. I tried that last week and needless to say I need to work on that a little...

I suggest you wear a wide brim hat :thumbsup:

 

I priority mail it to the attention of TC Service Manager Tim Pancurak
RB: I will be doing that in 2 weeks going to head back north for the summer ,my lock on my Hawkens is 30 years old and it time to update it,I seem to have some wear between the frizzen base ,with the frizzen in the closed position there seem to have a little gap and inreturn loose a little of my priming powder when charge. :redthumb:

 

[roundball]

I priority mail it to the attention of TC Service Manager Tim Pancurak
RB: I will be doing that in 2 weeks going to head back north for the summer ,my lock on my Hawkens is 30 years old and it time to update it,I seem to have some wear between the frizzen base ,with the frizzen in the closed position there seem to have a little gap and inreturn loose a little of my priming powder when charge. :redthumb:

I had one like that...sent a nice memo explaining it all to Tim...got a complete brand new lock assembly in return

 

[Horace]

Got my lock assembly back from TC. All I got out of the deal was a free flint and new flashhole liner. Returned with no comment. Apparently I did no hold my mouth right.

 

[Mak2go]

I have a line on a TC flinter here in Arizona. It's in a shop, and they're asking $360. Looks to be in good shape. Don't know what the rate of twist is, or the length of the barrel. I've never shot flintlock, but loved the heft and balance of this gun. Also liked the sights-- there was a bead front sight on it, and the rear sight seemed to be part of the set.

 

[roundball]

Got my lock assembly back from TC. All I got out of the deal was a free flint and new flashhole liner. Returned with no comment. Apparently I did no hold my mouth right.

Don't know why you sent it in, or to who's attention, but every one I've sent in directly to the service Manager as I mentioned above, as well as others who have followed suit, have always been taken care of.

You may very well have got it back with the new style hammer installed, which would have had a new agate flint in it's jaws, but you may not have realized it...at first glance you might not notice the difference in the hammers...I have old and new style lock photos posted around here somewhere which shows the differences when they're side x side

 

[Rebel]

Unless it is like NEW, $360 is too much to spend. You can find them for $225-$300 on the auctions all the time. :m2c:

 

[Horace]

Sent in to Tim Pancurak along with a nice letter, but it came back from Mike Giles.

The hammer has the notch on the back which I take to be the old hammer. I believe the new one has a rounded back.

I talked with TC before I read your (roundball) idea about sending it back and got a smart aleck who acted as if I had an IQ of 65. As a matter of fact he wound up hanging up on me after I took offense to his attitude. So I guess I am on their bad side.

 

[roundball]

Sent in to Tim Pancurak along with a nice letter, but it came back from Mike Giles.

The hammer has the notch on the back which I take to be the old hammer. I believe the new one has a rounded back.

I talked with TC before I read your (roundball) idea about sending it back and got a smart aleck who acted as if I had an IQ of 65. As a matter of fact he wound up hanging up on me after I took offense to his attitude. So I guess I am on their bad side.

That kind of attitude from one of their staff is what made me stop dealing with them using the normal procedures several years ago and I will only deal with the service manager.
They had sent something back to me like that...with an attitude...and I returned it immediately with a blistering memo to the service manager, told him TC either had a lifetime warranty or they didn't, and until they publicly announce that they don't, and that I expect my service requests to be handled accordingly, and not by some unprofessional wiseguy in the service department...never had a problem since.

So I don't know what you stated the problem to be in your memo, but if it was me, that lock would already be on it's way back to the service manager stating that it was still not 100% reliable and that I wanted it fixed correctly...or to just throw it in the trash and not return it to me again...it would be taken care of.

 

[Mak2go]

Thanks for the heads-up on what they're going for. That was my suspicion-- haven't seen anything yet in that shop at bargain prices. Half the fun is looking, anyway, isn't it? Maybe I'll have a better idea what I want after the Williams Mt Men rendezvous on Memorial Day.

 

[Horace]

Well, quite frankly, there may not have been a problem. I had bot the gun on the internet and it had the old lock and I was hoping to get it upgraded (I did not tell them that however. I simply hinted about a realibility problem). I will try it and if it is not 100%, it will go back.

 

[Rebel]

No problem, Just hate to see someone pay more than they should.

 

[Horace]

Just bot a very good TC Hawken flinter for $280, if that gives you any idea of price.

 

[cayugad]

I got lucky a while back. I found a T/C Hawkins .50 caliber flintlock on one of the auctions and ended up getting it for $175.00 . Needless to say when it came to the house and looked like it had never been shot I was so happy.

Roundball was kind enough to coach me through getting the lock updated, and with the help of him and many others on this site, I have been having a blast. I have learned more about flintlocks in 7 months then I had all my black powder life.

Watch the gun auctions. Look for T/C Hawkins and Renegades in flintlock. Sometimes you can really get a good deal on them. :thumbsup: