Thompson percussion rifles

[vince-m]

How do'es everyone feel about the Thompson made rifles? I have had 3 different thompsons , renegade, hawkin, new englander and only really hunt and target shot with them. I gather that some do not like them and would like to know why.

Thanks ya'll

 

[Dillon W.]

I had a Hawken in 50 caliber once. The barrel was ruined when I got it. Honestly at the time I didn’t know any better. I wound up giving it to my dad and he has plans to rebarrel it. Overall I really liked the rifle. The fit and finish was fantastic and I liked the crisp lock and trigger. I now have a Lyman GPR in left hand, finally something that fits me , and it’s not nearly as nicely finished as the Thompson but feels good and shoots wonderfully. I think with a good bore, as in not a pitted rust pile, it should be a really great rifle.

 

[ppg1949]

I have eight muzzleloaders. Of the eight, three are T/C's. A 54 & 56SB Renegade and 50 New Englander. The 56SB is a single trigger. I like them all but usually use the 56SB as a shotgun. I think their quality is top shelf. Resale value seems to proves this out. My next T/C will be a Hawken in 45 caliber, if I can find one I can afford.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I have a couple of TC Hawkens and like them. One is a kit gun I put together 40+ years ago. I think the one thing some do not like about them is they are not historically correct for a Hawken. In fact with the coil spring lock they are not something that would have been normal in the 1830-40 time frame. They also have a relatively shallow rifling and fast twist to be able to use both round balls and bullets. Having said that, they introduced many people to muzzle loading and continue to do so with a traditional type muzzleloader. New ones haven't be available for a number of years.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

How do'es everyone feel about the Thompson made rifles? I have had 3 different thompsons , renegade, hawkin, new englander and only really hunt and target shot with them. I gather that some do not like them and would like to know why.

Thanks ya'll

My first purchased percussion rifle in the 70's is a TC 50 cal Hawken. For the money then, (I think about $250) it was a deal. It has never given me anything but good shooting. I would guess some do not like a TC Hawken because the rifling is button installed versus cut rifling. We had a guy at the club who would bring a TC to the range and take it out of the cardboard packing box and kick butt. They are good gun for the money in my opinion.
Flintlocklar

 

[vince-m]

I have been shooting muzzle loaders since 1974 and have always thought of Thompson as a better rifle as say a cva . I have always that hunting with muzzleloader ment percussion or flintlock and no scopes. Anyway I will shoot my renegade hunter and just enjoy what time I have to hunt and shot.

 

[hanshi]

My experience with T/C is very minor. Many years ago I bought a .50 Hawken and thought it was a very nice rifle and saw no downside to it. The fact is wasn't H/C was irrelevant to me since it was well built and nicely finished. I sold it eventually for some reason I can no longer recall.

 

[TNGhost]

I think they were/are a nice rifle for the price and a step above most of their contemporaries that were imported.

I think the resaon many don't are for them is they don't strictly conform to historical correctness

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Have a T/C Hawken (Pecatonica restock) 50. cal Hoyt did the barrel with a recut. Shoots fantastic now.
And also a New Englander in Rynite stock had it since 1994 and never had to do anything to it.
Drives tacks because it was taken care of. I think the OP thinks that some do not like them and some people do not.
The Locks were so so from the beginning and required a little reworking to get them working decent. Heck the frizzen on mine is a reworked Pederosoli frizzen but the gun fires everytime.......good frizzen and a good flint and black in the pan are key factors for any Flinter working right...barrels just sit there with the charge in it so...
The other problem are parts for the locks now.....rare. Some guys still build around the barrels though..thats if its in good shape and was taken care of.....just my 2 cents.....

SM

 

[user 31257]

I’ve got a bunch of T/C Senecas and Cherokees and some more modern ones that I won’t mention by name and I enjoy them all. The only T/C rifle that I once owned and hated was a White Mountain Carbine.

 

[user 34300]

I wore one out while a teenager. I have worked on several since.

The good: The barrels were very good. The rifling was less deep than modern made patch ball barrels and this was good thing. They shot balls and conicals very well.

The bad: The stock on the Hawken is too high in the cheek for iron sights, it will bruse the cheek of many guys. The stock design overall was to chunkie, weird looking, and it had zero historical basis. The cap locks worked OK. The original flint locks were pure junk. All of the steel parts were rough castings. The construction practices were strictly modern, screw on thimbles that stick up from the rib, screw on trigger guards, for instance.

The breech plugs were indexed by brute force instead of fitting them. That caused the threads to be compramised on a few guns. It also left a gap between the internal shoulder and the plug snout on some guns. That created a fouling trap. It also caused some guns to grab cleaning patches. TC did not understand the importance of fitting the breech plug properly.

Overall they were a "price point gun". They worked. They were priced low without taking the quality cheapness so far as to make the rifle problematical. I would put CVA and Traditions in taking the quality cheapness too far.

There are lots of TC fanboys out there. That is great, have fun, that is why we enjoy the hobby. I woud argue that many of them would raise their standards if they were educated on what a quality rifle actually is. Some do not care and that is fine too. TC made a reliable rifle.

 

[Crow-Feather]

I have had various T/C's over the years. I now have a 5 digit SN Kit flint gun #19xxx and an older Seneca 45 percussion. They both shoot tight groups and always go bang. The older flint kit has a 7/8" barrel and is quite heavy. I did like the guarantee. It did save me a bunch of dollars over the years when something broke.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Have a T/C Hawken (Pecatonica restock) 50. cal Hoyt did the barrel with a recut. Shoots fantastic now.
And also a New Englander in Rynite stock had it since 1994 and never had to do anything to it.
Drives tacks because it was taken care of. I think the OP thinks that some do not like them and some people do not.
The Locks were so so from the beginning and required a little reworking to get them working decent. Heck the frizzen on mine is a reworked Pederosoli frizzen but the gun fires everytime.......good frizzen and a good flint and black in the pan are key factors for any Flinter working right...barrels just sit there with the charge in it so...
The other problem are parts for the locks now.....rare. Some guys still build around the barrels though..thats if its in good shape and was taken care of.....just my 2 cents.....

SM

I understand Lyman frizzens are a great fit on the T/C. I have not seen it but have heard it often.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I understand Lyman frizzens are a great fit on the T/C. I have not seen it but have heard it often.

Hey Crow, yes, I fitted a frizzen from a Kentucky Rifle from Taylor and Company.
Took about 4 hours,,,slowly and several beers. I should have been a Dentist.
Sparks like mad of course the proper fitting flint is a must.
Did thirty shots today and did not even have to wipe the flint down.
Like I stated those old T/C locks you have to fudge with them but once something like a tumbler wears out the whole thing is toast and the rest can be parted out to those still using them.
Then one can move on to a RPL lock..but that a whole different story......stay well.

SM

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I wore one out while a teenager. I have worked on several since.

The good: The barrels were very good. The rifling was less deep than modern made patch ball barrels and this was good thing. They shot balls and conicals very well.

The bad: The stock on the Hawken is too high in the cheek for iron sights, it will bruse the cheek of many guys. The stock design overall was to chunkie, weird looking, and it had zero historical basis. The cap locks worked OK. The original flint locks were pure junk. All of the steel parts were rough castings. The construction practices were strictly modern, screw on thimbles that stick up from the rib, screw on trigger guards, for instance.

The breech plugs were indexed by brute force instead of fitting them. That caused the threads to be compramised on a few guns. It also left a gap between the internal shoulder and the plug snout on some guns. That created a fouling trap. It also caused some guns to grab cleaning patches. TC did not understand the importance of fitting the breech plug properly.

Overall they were a "price point gun". They worked. They were priced low without taking the quality cheapness so far as to make the rifle problematical. I would put CVA and Traditions in taking the quality cheapness too far.

There are lots of TC fanboys out there. That is great, have fun, that is why we enjoy the hobby. I woud argue that many of them would raise their standards if they were educated on what a quality rifle actually is. Some do not care and that is fine too. TC made a reliable rifle.

Many of use do know what a quality rifle is all about. For some of us like myself its having something thats ok but functions to a reliable standard come deer season and target shooting. Before I would even consider building a high end rifle I have to get out of the State that I live in. Such desires are not allowed here.
Most would be limited to available kits and only through FFL dealers.
Sigh! Someday I shall be free......

Best Sm

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I’ve been shooting a TC Hawken .50 cal for well over forty years. It is my favorite, go to black powder rifle. I even prefer it to my modern rifles. The rifle fits me like a comfortable pair of boots. It is absolutely reliable and has never let me down. Absolutely no complaints.

 

[mooman76]

I only have one but no complaints.

 

[user 47816]

I have owned several TC percussion rifles, renegade, hawken and a new Englander. Shot a few deer with them also, my brothers all used Remington 870 shotguns. They laughed at my single shot smoke pole until I shot a large buck with it. That little new Englander was way more accurate than their pumpkin ball slingers.

 

[flntlokr]

I put about 10,000 rounds through a TC hawken, before the barrel just wore out, and would not shoot a group. Put a GM barrel on it, and back in business. Never a problem with the lock or any other part. My son has it now. I also have a couple of Senecas as loaners, and no probs with them either. Cant be beat for the money. All the tcs are percussion. I would still be shooting them if i hadnt gone all flinty a few years back.

 

[Muddly]

I have a Hawken ( factory laminated stock) .50 percussion and a spare barrel. Spooky accurate with unmentionables and Hornady 385 grain Great Plains. At 50 yards she put 5 into a group that I can hide under a quarter.
I have a Renegade ( my favorite sidelock) that started as a .50 flint with a slightly pitted bore. Sent that to Mr Hoyt and its now a 54 with a 1-54 twist. Found another .50 flint barrel and a Sharon ( spade mark) .54 percussion. Sub 10k serial number on that one. Working on a ball load for the .54 cap.
HC is nice if you ENJOY lugging a 10 pound rifle over the river and through the woods. I do not.
TC's are good honest rifles that with decent care will give years of good service.