help with Thompson/Center flintlock
- Thread starter svanbru
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prolly get better help here http://www.thehighroad.org/forumdisplay.php?f=12
... which, coincidentally, is where we are now. 
Before you do anything with it, make sure it is not loaded. Put the ramrod down the barrel and mark lightly with a pencil at the muzzle. Then lay the ramrod along the barrel and line up the mark. If the end isn't reasonably near the breech, you may have a loaded rifle.
Chawbaccer
Member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2005
- Messages
- 1,865
Unless your gun was made from a kit, it will have TC's lifetime warranty too.
Scoupe
Member
Your best bet is to find someone locally who shoots BP and go out with them a time or two to get the hang of it. It's not hard to do, but there are some extremely important safety factors involved when working with BP and its substitutes.
Cabela's sells "Starter kits" for BP shooting and is a good place to start accumulating the extra gear needed.
Cabela's sells "Starter kits" for BP shooting and is a good place to start accumulating the extra gear needed.
You will end up with a bag full of paraphernalia and will learn beaucoup about shooting by getting familiar with a flint powered rifle. An old purse is in fact a good possibles bag for the budding flint shooter.
Besides patches and balls - get Thompson 50 cal patches and Hornady or Speer round balls to begin with - patch lube is Thompson or CVA or you can use another brand.
Sawn Flints are expensive from Thompson and prone to failure. You can get proper knapped flints from Track of the Wolf.com for a cheaper price and better quality 3/4" wide should fit the T/C. Get a straight piece of wire about the size of paper clip wire to probe the touch hole, you'll need to do that often. Carry a dry rag to wipe down the pan and frizzen as the BP residue is hygroscopic and will turn greasy from humidity inhibiting ignition on further shots. Get a ball screw for pulling the charge. You will ram a ball down at least once with no charge under it. Trust me on this. The little pan charger is nice and 3F powder or mash up some 2F (carefully) for the pan. A horn or flask and a powder measure will round out your minimum requirements.
To clean the gun, remove the ramrod, pull the barrel wedge(s) and remove bbl. Immerse in a bucket of hot water and use ramrod with patched jag to pump water up through the touch hole. When crap is loose dump water from bbl and allow to dry from its own heat if possible or place in warm oven 200F for a few minutes. Run a few greased or CLP patches down to rust proof gun and clean rest of gun as necessary. CLP rags are as good as any.
Enjoy your piece of history.
Besides patches and balls - get Thompson 50 cal patches and Hornady or Speer round balls to begin with - patch lube is Thompson or CVA or you can use another brand.
Sawn Flints are expensive from Thompson and prone to failure. You can get proper knapped flints from Track of the Wolf.com for a cheaper price and better quality 3/4" wide should fit the T/C. Get a straight piece of wire about the size of paper clip wire to probe the touch hole, you'll need to do that often. Carry a dry rag to wipe down the pan and frizzen as the BP residue is hygroscopic and will turn greasy from humidity inhibiting ignition on further shots. Get a ball screw for pulling the charge. You will ram a ball down at least once with no charge under it. Trust me on this. The little pan charger is nice and 3F powder or mash up some 2F (carefully) for the pan. A horn or flask and a powder measure will round out your minimum requirements.
To clean the gun, remove the ramrod, pull the barrel wedge(s) and remove bbl. Immerse in a bucket of hot water and use ramrod with patched jag to pump water up through the touch hole. When crap is loose dump water from bbl and allow to dry from its own heat if possible or place in warm oven 200F for a few minutes. Run a few greased or CLP patches down to rust proof gun and clean rest of gun as necessary. CLP rags are as good as any.
Enjoy your piece of history.
thanks
Thank you to all replied to my thread . Your replies were a big
helo.
I called Thompson and an owners manual is in the mail .
I made sure it is not loaded and i think i can clean it now.
I just need to spend some money to get the stuff i need.
Thanks again.
Svanbru
Thank you to all replied to my thread . Your replies were a big
helo.
I called Thompson and an owners manual is in the mail .
I made sure it is not loaded and i think i can clean it now.
I just need to spend some money to get the stuff i need.
Thanks again.
Svanbru
- Status
