T/C Smoothbore 56 cal?

[brew]

Today I was kindly given a,never fired, Thompson Center 56 caliber Smoothbore to be used as one of the many prizes at this years Southern Vermont Primitive Biathlon and winter shoot.[url] www.svtpb.org[/url]

Has anyone ever heard of this gun or know anything about it? I can't imagine T/C would have made many of them. It looks like a traditional T/C Hawken style gun. Incidentally its a percussion.

 

[rabjr]

Used to be THE gun around here in the 70's early 80's when we was a smoothbore state. Do a search, theres been a few posts of people using them recently.

 

[bucktales]

I'm curious myself as there is a clean Renegade .56 in a local shop here.

 

[Gemoke]

two of my friends have them their great shooters

 

[walruskid1]

shoot a .550 prb real good! do a search on the forum for load info. many opinions and good data here.

 

[bigbore442001]

Today I was kindly given a,never fired, Thompson Center 56 caliber Smoothbore to be used as one of the many prizes at this years Southern Vermont Primitive Biathlon and winter shoot.[url] www.svtpb.org[/url]

Has anyone ever heard of this gun or know anything about it? I can't imagine T/C would have made many of them. It looks like a traditional T/C Hawken style gun. Incidentally its a percussion.

When Massachusetts and Rhode Island first established their separate muzzleloading seasons,it seemed that the game department people were anti rifled barrel. Both of our states have been shotgun only for deer for probably one hundred years or more. So with the suspicion of anything rifled, they mandated that the only legal muzzleloader for deer would have to be a smoothbore. So TC took their .54 caliber Renegade and took out the rifling, thus the 56 was born. Many people in this state and RI bought them to take advantage of the newly created season back in the early 1970's. After a while, the fish and game departments allowed rifling so they fell out of favor and out of production.

 

[brew]

Now I get it!
Thank you for this info.
Do you think anyone will be pleased to win this gun?

 

[bigbore442001]

There seems to be a small cult following of the 56. I will once in a great while see someone in the woods with one.

 

[bucktales]

I think they would. Lots of options can be had with a GM barrel for a Renegade.

 

[roundball]

I think they would. Lots of options can be had with a GM barrel for a Renegade.

Agree...having a 1" Hawken or Renegade stock is about more valuable than any one barrel

 

[shootemup]

My son and I have been very happy to own ours. My son took his first squirrel with one of these a few years back.

The .56 is a great little gun that can be used for just about anything, although I wouldn't recommend it for waterfowl or turkey.

Like Swamprat said, there have been several recent discussions about this gun on the forum, recommended loads and such.

Whoever donated this to you gave a great little muzzleloader. :thumbsup:

Spot

 

[brew]

Thanks for your input.
It was donated by Phil Ackerman of Ackerman Arms in Pownel Vermont.
Phil is a good guy dedicated to black powder guns.
In fact I believe he will be the Booshway at this years North Eastern Rendezvous held in East Arlington Vermont in July.

 

[squirejohn]

I've seen a few of these at smoothbore matches and would assume, being a caplock, that it would be desired by those wanting to take advantage of a "loophole" in most smoothbore matches.

 

[brew]

This is where the "No Rear Site" Rule comes into effect.

 

[longfowler]

I don't think anyone will want it, so I'll take it off your hands no charge...LOL!

 

[brew]

Better bring your A-Game Mr. if you want to win this gun. I plan on making it a prize for one of the shootouts. :wink:

 

[pab1]

Well all this talk about the .56 Renegade pushed me over the edge. I have been eyeing one for a while at a local shop but after this post decided to pick it up today. This is my first smoothbore. What is the maximum size game you guys recommend with shot from this gun? From the TC manual, I see the velocity is low with a prb compared to my rifled .54 GPR. Is a .550 prb at 1300 fps adequate for deer?

 

[roundball]

Well all this talk about the .56 Renegade pushed me over the edge. I have been eyeing one for a while at a local shop but after this post decided to pick it up today. This is my first smoothbore. What is the maximum size game you guys recommend with shot from this gun? From the TC manual, I see the velocity is low with a prb compared to my rifled .54 GPR. Is a .550 prb at 1300 fps adequate for deer?

Or...since you already have a good .54cal rifle, why not use the smoothbore with shot loads for various small game...all you need is some fast Goex 3F, .58cal Oxyoke prelubed wads, a bag of hard/magnum #6s, some circle fly .28ga over shot cards, and go after squirrels, rabbits, crows, turkeys, skeet targets, etc, etc...they're a ball
:thumbsup:

 

[pab1]

I was thinking of possibly using the .56 SB for some pack-in deer hunts where I may be in a wilderness area for a week or more at a time. If I tagged out early or have no luck with deer, I could use it for grouse, squirrel and bunnies.

 

[plumberroy]

I have wanted a 56 t/c smooth bore for years every time I find a decent one something comes up where the money is needed else where or Something get in the way I think it would be a fun gun to hunt with as far as 1300fps at under 60 yards that would be plenty
Roy