Does anyone know about a T/C New Englander
I recently picked up a Thompson Center New Englander .50 cal front stuffer and I was hoping there was someone here who could tell me a little about them. This poor thing is rusted and pitted all over the barrel, lock, and hardware with very little bluing left. Looks as though it was shot a few times the stuck in a closet without being properly cleaned up. Bore looks amazing good considering it's outward appearance. This one appears to have been a kit. The stock, although in good shape, looks somewhat unfinished as far as shaping goes. Any place where it's inletted, like where the lock and trigger guard fit in, they set in way below the edge of the stock. So does the tang receiver where the barrel hooks in, very deeply recessed. I plan on doing the necessary shaping to level things out and put a few coats of Linspeed or Tru-oil on it to gloss it up.
My main question is, I know it's a 1:48 RH twist, will this thing shoot saboted bullets or is the twist too slow? I know that the 1:48'ers are a "combination" twist able to shoot both patched ball and conical's but I didn't know about sabots.
I assume FFG would be the best powder since it's larger than .45cal. Can FFFG be used? I have several revolvers and a .45cal rifle and have plenty of that. What would be a safe starting and max load using patched ball? I'm thinking 50grns start and 90-100grns max?
I'll try to post some pictures when I start working on it.
Any info is appreciated.
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first time shooting a success!
Well I finally had the chance to shoot my New Englander yesterday. I was only able to try it a 25yds but it was right on using patched ball over 50grns of FFFg 777 powder. I could not ask for better results! I also tried it with 60grns and 70grns to see how it reacted. There was a little change with 60grns only raising the POI about 2" at 25 yards but when increased to 70grns the POI raised just over 12" at 25 yards with windage staying the same. Very impressive for a $50 rifle that look like **** when I got it. The barrel was blued at one time but had almost nothing left of it so I opted to just polish it up and leave it in the white for now. It was full of pits and had to draw file it to clean it up enough for polishing. I draw filed and polished the lock plate and hammer as well. I think it came out ok. I plan on refinishing or I should say finishing the stock. This one musy have been a kit and the stock was never finish shaped or sanded. Now that I know it's a shooter it will be a little more fun in doing that.
Sometime this week I'll try it a 50 & 75 yards and see how it does. I'd also like to try it with either some conicals or sabotted bullets. If I can get it zoomed in with them I'll definitly have a reason to use it this next deer season.
Thanks all for the info on this thing. Dominick
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50 yard trail with 240 grn & sabots
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it will be fun and it is easy to clean with the hooked breach, as for if its a kit does the serial number start with a K , if so it was a kit
FLINTNFIRE, Yes, this one is indeed a kit, unfinished as it is. That's ok, it gives me the chance to finish it the way I want. It is very easy to clean. Much easier than my .45 Kentucky.
I took it out this evening and shot it at 50 yrds using .429" 240grn lead hollow points in sabots over 80grns FFFG 777. It shot as well as I could see at that distance as you can see. I did have to adjust the windage by one click and the elevation down two clicks. It even did well shooting PB's at that distance.
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You just learned a valuable lesson about your rifle, and may or may not realize it, but because the windage didn't change only the elevation at 25 yards, it will most likely hold true at 50 or 75 yards as well, and is the sign of a really good barrel. I have had some guns that the windage would not change a bit with increased or decreased powder charges, and I have had some that would. Greater distances will give you a better picture of what your gun will do, but it looks as if you are off to a great start.
Boerrancher, I have to say, this one sure turned out to be a great shooter inspite of its appearence when It got it. Like I said, I did have to adjust the elevation DOWN which kinda surpirsed me. I thought I was going to run out of down adjustment before I got it adjusted. I tried reducing the powder charge to 70 then 60gnrs but it didn't make much of a difference. T/C suggested a starting load of 80grn so I didn't want to go too far down with the saboted boolets with not knowing if it would cause any goofy pressure problems.
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There are a million possible combinations to try in order to find out what the gun likes best. Always remember the journey is half the fun.
I hope I don't have to try all of those "million possible combinations" before I find a good one ,but your right, it will be be fun for sure.:-)
I didn't use a rest when shooting this time so Iv'e still got some work (FUN) to do.