[Tebassco]

Does anyone have a manual or more info on this rifle? Bought at yard sale and i am anxious to fire it but have no info and T/C is dragging but about getting me any manual or info. Thanks in advance!!!

[arcticap]

What would you like to know, loading information?
What caliber is it?
Most New Englanders are a 1 in 48" twist designed to shoot either patched round balls, conicals or sabots.
They also made a smoothbore shotgun barrel for it. Some used threaded choke tubes and some shotgun barrels had fixed chokes.
I'm assuming that yours is percussion which uses an #11 cap on the nipple.
Have you cleaned it yet and made sure that it's not loaded?

[Tebassco]

Yes, i have cleaned it and checked. You have answered some of the questions already. How much powder/Pirex? Yes it is 54 cal. Thanks

[Tebassco]

Any idea what years these were made?

[Curator]

Congratulations, TC-New Englanders are great guns! I have one and have bought another 8 for our local Boy Scout camp. My .54 seems to shoot best with a .535 round ball and .015 pillow-ticking patch, with 60 grains of FFg black powder. .530 balls load a bit easier but you give up a lot of accuracy.

Be sure to take the nipple out every time you clean the gun and clean and grease the nipple threads before re-installing it. If you don't you'll never get it out again. Another special tip---be sure to pop a couple of caps on the unloaded gun before loading it after any kind of storage. Oil will run down into the flash channel and prevent the gun from firing if you load it with out clearing it first.

[Loyalist Dave]

A great all around gun. Reminiscent of an English sporting rifle. I have one and got one in left hand for my dad the south-paw.

Yes, I like 70 gr of 3Fg, since 60 grains is the minimum for deer in my state, and since all my other rifles like 70 grains of the same granulation, I just use the same measure. I find the T/C Maxi-Hunters shoot great, but for a good session at the range, .530 round ball with .015 ticking does a good job too.

When you replace the nipple, go easy on the lube on the threads, If you get too much on them, then pop some caps to completely dry out the breech, you run the risk of heating up the lube (depending on the brand) and it running down into the breech area. Just a touch of lube on the nipple threads if you please. :)

I recommend you get a smooth bore barrel too, if you find one available.

LD

[arcticap]

This model was made for many years, and the latest ones had a Rynite (plastic) stock. Not sure when they were discontinued, but it wasn't too many years ago.
And TC still honors the lifetime warranty, just send it in and they will usually fix it for free.
How much did it cost you? Used ones usually cost about $175 here.
Starting load is often 1 grain of volume for every caliber number, then increase it by 5 grain increments until you obtain the best accuracy at the distance that your shooting, so .54 caliber is about 54 grains.
If using Pyrodex P instead of the larger Pyrodex RS granulation, you can reduce the volume by 10%.
If you ever decide to try 777, then reduce the volume by 15%.

[Tebassco]

Thanks for all the info guys!!

[arcticap]

I found a TC Sidelock Manual that's available on a PDF file:

http://www.tcarms.com/assets/manuals/current/Shooting_TC_Side_Lock_Black_Powder_Guns.pdf

[Tebassco]

Thanks so much!

[RugerGuy]

I didn't open the manual articap gave you but I remember reading mine. I would strongly consider what T/C recommends regarding the Natural Lube 1000 that they sell. Stuff works great inside the barrel and to keep the nipple and outside finish from rusting. I'd also suggest since your just starting out replacing your #11 nipple with a musket one. Only cost a few dollars more but gives you a hotter spark.