Thompson Center PA Hunter Match Rifle?

There is a "TC PA Match Hunter" .50 caliber caplock up for auction soon. I've never heard of such a thing, but it has a peer rear sight and a globe front sight, plus set triggers. Looks like an overgrown New Englander (it has an octagon to round barrel) that somebody slapped peep sights on. The barrel is too long to be a New Englander though...

Anybody familiar with these?

LD

I have a couple regular PA Hunters but I never saw a PA Hunter Match rifle. I looked for years for one. Post a pic if you can; I would really like to see it. I often wondered if the came in flint?

That sounds like one of the early ones (half round & half octagon barrel) and probably is in 1-in-66" twist, which is the twist for cast roundball shooting. The early models also had a roll stamp of "Round Ball-Twist 1:66" on the barrel. I bet that one was made in late 90s or so, as they were discontinued in 2004 or thereabouts.

They came with a single trigger in an oversize trigger guard, as based on the New Englander, for shooting with gloved hands. T/C did this model for PA deer hunting as their regs used to require cast RB only and open or 'V' sights, but PA has since changed their laws.

Later models allegedly could be had in 1:48" twist., or so I'm told, and they switched them to full round barrels.

PA Match Hunters were really good shooters, but some prefer the feel of the Hawken models in their arms or at the shoulder, for a hunting gun.

Myself I've seen a T/C that couldn't be tuned to shoot well!

What this is is most likely would be a Pa.Hunter with the addition of a tang sight and a seller who wanted an impressive description to bolster interest and price.

Toomuch
-------
Shoot Flint

the Pennsylvania Hunter was basically a White Mountain Carbine with a 32in roundball barrel. as stated it was designed to appeal to hunters in Penn & other places who were restricted to roundballs for their huntin'.

the Pennsylvania Hunter Match came from the factory with the target sights installed. I guess in an attempt to appeal to a broader market. never seen or heard of one with double-set triggers though.

luck & have a good'en, bubba.

I thought the Pa. Hunter was a flintlock to hit the Pa. market, due to our Second (rocklock only) Season, which is the 2 weeks (or 4 depending on WMU) starting the day after Christmas. :hmm:

Did they even make one in percussion? :idunno:

I agree with "Toomuch", probably a sales ploy.

I thought so too....

Actually, though, I found out it was once a factory rifle offered from TC. OH, and the information passed to me was a little off..., it does have a single trigger. Otherwise it is a peep sighted, roundball barrel with a 1:66 twist rate. (Should've had a double set trigger if they used the word "match" in the model name - imho/hbc).

I'm not much of a caplock guy these days, but I might go to the auction for other reasons, so if it is going cheap..., I might bid on it. Supposed to be "as new"... so I will look at the bore...

LD

The older TOTW catalogs used to have those since they carried the TC product line in the past. A call of Email will probably get you all the 'skinny' on those longer TC guns. After clunking the gears of an oil starved mind, seems like there was a version of those with a peep sight on it but can't recall which one, at least not with any certainty!

I have a PA Match rifle from TC. It has a 31" barrel with a 1/64 twist for round ball. It does have a rear peep sight and a closed
front sight. You have a choice of different sight replacements for the front sight. I bought it new in one of the last years they were made. I have heard that some did covert the single trigger to a
two set trigger system. I believe back then you could have TC convert it in their custom shop. I will try to post a picture of my rifle.

Here is a picture of my Pennsylvania Match rifle percussion.

That is one ugly front sight. :td:

excess650 said:

That is one ugly front sight. :td:

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Maybe ... it's a Lyman #17A type on a tall base.

I have no dog in this fight, but my local 'toy' store has a mint for sale ...

That is how the rifle came from T/C. It has a screw on front piece that you can easily change the sight picture. Actually it works pretty slick

The Lyman front sight is really a good sight. It keeps the sun off the front sight, and still allows you to change out the inserts for different sight pictures. I use them with open sights as well as the TC Peep or the Lyman 57 peep.

Rat Trapper said:

The Lyman front sight is really a good sight. It keeps the sun off the front sight, and still allows you to change out the inserts for different sight pictures. I use them with open sights as well as the TC Peep or the Lyman 57 peep.

Click to expand...

And Lee Shaver makes a set of fine inserts for the Lyman globe sights. The biggest reason people settle for less than stellar accuracy from muzzleloaders is that the sights aren’t up to the task. Assuming the shooter can shoot well.