What's it for?

[Century to late]

What is purpose of this threaded hole that are on some TC barrels?

 

[andy52]

Forward mounting hole for a tang sight I'm thinkin'.

 

[TDM]

That would be my guess too.

 

[Century to late]

All my tang sights mount on the tang.

 

[64Springer]

I'm going with a chain and doohickie that protects the nipple.

The chain would be secured to the breech using the tapped hole.

 

[andy52]

easier to just tie a nipple protector to the trigger guard, that way it falls out of the way when removed

 

[longcruise]

I've seen that on GM drop in barrels.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Not sure, but it isn't a mount for a tang peep. That I am certain of. I'd guess it has something to do with machining the breech plug. I do know that you can get shotgun beads that fit the threads.

 

[longcruise]

I have five TC barrels in the house and only one has it.

Could probably fashion a peep sigt with a screw and a washer.

 

[smo]

Probably a peep sight as mentioned..

 

[Century to late]

Well now if that's it I'm all in for that. Thanks all!

 

[pacanis]

Screw in chamber flag so people can see the gun is safe.

 

[Mulemauler]

TC offered a scope mount that used the two rear sight holes to mount the front of the mount and the third on the breech to anchor the rear of the mount. With this mount no additional holes needed to be drilled and tapped.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

I can't believe that screw is for mounting a tang peep. It would prevent the barrel from being easily removed for cleaning. Now, those sights that SMO posted pictures of do look intriguing. Some years ago, I put a shotgun bead in one of mine. You just lined it up with the front bead and you sorta had a set of sights.

 

[dragnetbill]

I don't recall ever seeing or having a T/C sidelock with this hole, however, I just pulled out my T/C catalog #21 copyright 1994 and read about their Quick Release (scope) Mounting System. This consisted of a base (and base adapter for different models) that was mounted to the gun and then a tilt and spring ring assembly that snapped onto the base. This allowed you to move your favorite scope from gun to gun with only extra bases. Additionally it allowed you to remove the scope from your muzzleloader during your cleaning process.
Although the catalog doesn't mention the hole you have pictured, the pictures they illustrate with would indicate that Mulemauler is right on in stating that the hole in question and the factory rear sight mounting holes is how the system mounted.

 

[scott-wv]

Mulelauler is correct. I remember stocking and selling a bunch of these in the early 90's.
They where expensive in their day and was only sold for 3 or 4 years
Here's a picture from T/C catalog #19 from 1992.

 

[TDM]

Had not seen that before. Interesting.

 

[chorizo]

I recently pulled one of those scope mounts off of a renegade barrel I bought Front mounts into the standard sight holes, back into the hole on the breech plug.

 

[Century to late]

I think CVA had a similar scope mount but without the hole in the barrel.