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Three T/C rifles

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tom in nc

45 Cal.
Joined
Aug 20, 2019
Messages
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Here are two Thompson Center rifles that I have had for a few years, and the T/C Renegade I just bought yesterday.
My two "old" ones are identical except for the bore, one being a .45 and the other a .50. Neither has a model name on them, like Renegade, Hawken, etc. Both have brass on them, unlike the Renegade. What, besides two very good shooting rifles, do I have?
Thanks.
 
Nice guns; over a million were made and many are still in use today, the barrel stamp without "Hawkens" indicates an earlier gun, they don't have a "Black Powder Only" stamp either, we call these rifles "pre-warning". I don't know when they started stamping on the B/P warning but others here will know.

All of the records of the serial numbers pertaining to these guns were lost in a factory fire so dating them to exactly when they were made is impossible. There is a list of serial numbers and dates compiled by people's sales receipts that gives a general idea of the manufacture but I haven't seen it.

None of your guns appear to be kit guns, if they were they would have a "K" next to the serial number. I have a prewarning kit gun that was made sometime in the mid 80s.
 
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Nice collection, I've owned several T/C muzzleloaders including a couple I wish I'd never parted with. I still have a number of them around. Among my favorites is an early .45 cal Hawken, like the center gun in you photo it has the inletted barrel wedge escutcheons, so does the first I bought in about 1976.

You ought to be able to have a good time shooting those for years to come. The first I bought, 47 years ago, has fired thousands of rounds, it's still a good shooter.

I've no idea of your experience level with muzzleloaders but you appear to have three very nice guns so please don't be offended when I suggest clean them immediately after shooting. It breaks the hearts of dedicated muzzloader Shooter's when coming across otherwise fine guns that have been ruined by failures in basic maintenance.
 
I've been shooting black powder since the early 1970s. I have other guns besides the three shown. I have other rifles and some handguns.
 
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