First impressions and range report. TC Pennsylvania Hunter

[Confederate rifleman]

Ok. The previous owner knew what they were about! The muzzle work aids loading tight patches. The Lyman frizzen sparks well and when I took her to pieces, I found the tang was nicely glass bedded and " top" was engraved on the wedge.
The .490/.018 combo loads too tight for hunting. .490/.015 is very nice. Patched are almost reusable. The charge is my go to 70 grains 3f Swiss and I put an Ox Yoke .54/.56 wad over powder. Fired 10 rounds, with sight adjustment, and the smallest 3 rounder was 1 5/8ths and the largest 2 1/4. This was at 50 yards. Groups had 2 very close, sometimes cutting holes, and one shot off to the right.

Ramming is decently smooth. I suspect she was heavily JB'd as the bore is devoid of the usual tool marks. Very nice in a cut rifled barrel. I say cut rifled because I've heard that .01 rifling is too deep to button rifle. Has the cut look anyway.
The trigger is manageable, but heavier than I like. Must look to that...
Ran into Chuck Dixon yesterday. He liked my Pennsylvania Hunter. Said "They were the best rifles TC made."
Here's proof a rifle can be plain, but still be eye candy...

 

[deermanok]

Nice looking rifle.

 

[Matthew323]

Are you going to perform the Idaholewis single trgger, sear modification & polishing that he posted the thread on a couple of years ago?

Where he obtains a much better trigger on Thompson/Center single trigger rifles pull by modifying the lock, instead of the trigger?

 

[Confederate rifleman]

Tempted to give it a whirl. But might drop a line to Lewis and see if he still does it. I don't want to mess up my tumbler. Seriously, it has the best hammer fit I've ever seen on a TC factory lock.
I bet someone worked on it though. It has the old style hammer, but the agate is the proper distance from the frizzen at half cock, and it strikes at the half way point.
I wish I knew this rifle's history! Poor trigger aside, this was special to someone.
Hope she proves special to me too. She's very likeable...

 

[edmehlig]

Where in PA do you come across these deals?

 

[Confederate rifleman]

This particular rescue was at Boyer's in Slatington. My favorite " Den of Iniquity"...
Got my Renegades at Dixon's.

 

[Matthew323]

I always liked the Pennsylvania Hunter model rifles from Thompson/Center. My ideal Thompson/Center rifle would have the following features from various Thompson/Center rifles.

1.) 21" barrel length ** from the White Mountain Carbine

2.) 0.010" deep square bottom grooves with cut rifling ** from the Round Ball barrels @ the Custom Shop

3.) .58 caliber wiih a 1:48" rate of twist ** from the Big Boar rifle

4.) Treso, AMPCO, bronze alloy, screwdriver-slotted, touch hole liner with 1/4"-28 threads ** from Buffalo Arms Company

5.) Stock without cheekpiece ** from the Renegade/Renegade Hunter rifles

6.) Rubber recoil pad ** from the White Mountain Carbine/Big Boar rifles

7.) Doubleset triggers ** from the Hawken/Renegade rifles

8.) Flintlock lock ** modified and tuned by Brad Emig of Cabin Creek Muzzleloading

9.) Sling swivel stud mounted on forward ramrod pipe, and into the buttstock

10.) GrovTec, 1", steel, Q-D sling swivels (pair)

11.) Galco, 1", black nylon, RifleMann sling

 

[BCS]

Best round ball shooting rifle TC ever built!

 

[bronko220002]

Fine looking rifle. Looks to be a good shooter as well. Congrats on your purchase.