Author Topic: TC Hunter Rifle (Read 1802 times)

popplecop · « **on:** May 27, 2006, 12:25:33 PM »

I am picking up a TC Hunter with a 30-06 and 22-250 barrels. Anybody here have any experience with this model. Looked at the TC site but thats all Contendors and Encores. I am surethis is a Hunter not an Aristocrat. I do know it has that double safety. Either way any suggestions will be appreciated. I shoot Ruger No.1s and Savage 219s, but will try this.

Sourdough · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2006, 01:25:02 PM »

Are you talking about a TCR (Thompson Center Rifle)? They made it originally as the TCR-83. It had a set trigger, and a forearm that had a lever that flipped down and released the forearm. Then open the action and the barrel comes off. Easy to change barrels. Barrels ranged from 22 hornet, to 7MM Mag. Then they changed it in the late 80s to a single trigger, and I think they called that model the TCR-Hunter. Then in the early 90s they brought back the set trigger and called it the Aristocrate. At that time they also added the Magnum Conversion. You had to send your reciever back for the conversion. Then they also came out with the run of magnum caliber barrels. I own a TCR-83, with .22-250, .243, 7MM Mag, 30-06, .35 Whelen, .338 Win Mag, and a 12Ga with 3 1/2" chamber with removable chokes. I have been carrying this gun in .338 for the last three years during hunting season. The only thing I don't like about the gun is that it is hammerless.

Qaz · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2006, 02:13:35 AM »

Sourdough- Could you post a picture of your TCR-83? I have heard of them, but never saw one.

Qaz

popplecop · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2006, 12:29:30 PM »

Sourdough, Thanks for the info. Got the rifle today and it is the Aristocrat Model with a 22-250 bbl. and a 30-06 bbl. It has 2 different forearms that appear to be interchangeable. One is the lever like you describe and the otherhas a captured screw to release or fasten it to the bbl. Bases and rings on both bbls, now to see what I have available for scopes laying arpund. Thanks again, am anxious to get shooting it.

dodd3 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2006, 04:37:54 PM »

popplecop heres a pic of tcr 83 hunter and aristocrat imo they are the best guns tc made,the pic's are from a gun world annual 1986.
bernie

popplecop · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2006, 04:32:05 PM »

Thanks for the info. As soon as I can shoot them will give you a report. Wife has been in Intensive Care since Friday so this will have to wait. Thanks again.

IOWA DON · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2006, 05:23:18 AM »

I think they are great rifles/shotguns and have several and a numer of different barrels. However, I think that number one important thing with them is to free-float the barrel. That is, as the forend screw is tightened, the lug on the bottom of the barrel should contact the metal peice within the forearm and the wood should not contact the barrel. It is easy to do this and some of the forends I have appeared to already be made this way from the factory but some had wood contacting the barrel. If wood contacts the barrel point of impact will vary depending on tightness of the forend screw, not a good situation for a gun with interchangeable barrels. Also a guy named Norman Johnson (from Wisconson) who occaisionaly writes some very good articles for Varmint Hunter Magazine gave a very good recommendation. He said to be sure all the latch and hinge pine points of contact are well lubricated. The TCR action is very strong but somewhat flexible. Good lubrication will insure the action flexes the same way every time and will give better accuracy. With my .17 Hornet barrel I don't think the lubrication procedure makes much different in accuracy since a .17 Hornet hardly flexes the action. However, with my 6MM-06 barrel it seems to make a difference. Also, if the barrels are almost new it may take some shooting to get them smoothed out as some of the barrels were pretty rough. My .223 barrel was extremely rough when new and did not shoot well. It was difficult to get a cleaning patch through it. After a couple hundred rounds it smoothed up and shoots about 3/4 MOA.

popplecop · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2006, 07:48:20 AM »

Thanks for the info. The fore end that has the screw release is free floated, the one that is the quick detach style needs a little work. Did get scopes on both, but still haven't shot them. Now the temp is going to get in the 90s a few days, think I'll wait. I am anxious to shoot them and work with them. Most of my deer hunting is done with single shots already and the 22-250 shoud work for yotes.

IOWA DON · « **Reply #8 on:** June 15, 2006, 03:14:10 AM »

POPPLECOP - In your first message you said you use Savage 219's. When I was about 13 my dad bought a used 219 in .22 Hornet, basically for me cause he did not hunt. We put a Weaver B-4 scope on it. I got to use it a lot but ammo cost 14 cents per shot. The local hardware store would sell me 7 cartridges for a dollar. I got raccoons, a possum, a badger and a "chicken hawk" that had just killed a chicken. The hawk landed on an elecric pole 200 yards away to digest his meal. I also got a bunch of 13-lined ground squirrels for which my dad would reimberse me the cost of the cartridges. The gun would shoot 1-inch groups at 100 yardswith factory 45-grain ammo. The barrel had some very small pits in it when we got it and they continued to grow even though I regularly cleaned the barrel. Eventually the barrel looked terrible. I was at an auction a few years ago where there were several 219's, a .30-30 and a .22 hornet and I don't remember what else. All the barrels were pitted. Was there a problem with the metal in those barrels? I have two Savage Model 220 shotguns (like a 219 but with a shotgun barrel). Both are in 12-gauge and their bores are both bright and shinny.

popplecop · « **Reply #9 on:** June 15, 2006, 03:46:14 AM »

Iowa Don, Both my 219s have great bores. My Hornet was rechambered to K Hornet and has the Weaver base system for the scope. It'll shoot an honest 1.25 ins. at 100 yds, would probably do better if I'd tweak my handloads. The 30-30 has a Wms. Guide peep and a Hi Viz front sight. Never spent a lot of time on the bench with it, but I can hit the 8 in. gong offhand with just about any load I use. It is my favorite carry rifle in the thick stuff. Have killed a number of deer with it and all 1 shot kills. I just like SSs for hunting I guess. Also shoot a Sharps Borchart. Springfield 1888, Win. 1885 and a Ruger No.1 in 45-70.

IOWA DON · « **Reply #10 on:** June 15, 2006, 06:49:36 AM »

POPPLECOP - When I started reloading at 15 years old (now am 57) my .22 Hornet reloads using IMR4227 were not as accurate as the factory loads. However I was loading them to what the manuals said was 2700 fps. Then I read in one of Jack O'Conners books or magazine articles that the factory load I had been using was only actually producing around 2400 fps so I reduced the velocity and again got good accuracy. After the .22 Hornet barrel got extremely pitted I got a 12 gauge barrel that would fit it and lined it with a .22 centerfire barrel chambered for .22 Hornet. It also shot well. That is, it would shoot 1.0 MOA if the temperature was warm but 2 or 3 MOA during freezing weather. Explain that? I like the simplicity of a brake-over single shot and don't think only one shot is a significant disadvantage with a rifle. I can only think of one time I missed with the first shot and hit with a following shot. I think the TCR's break-over actions make them very practical hunting guns as it's very handy to open the action when crossing a fence or anytime you want to be sure have it essentially unloaded. Also, one has better access for inserting or removing a cartridge when the gun has a scope. The flexible action required full length resizing in the bigger cartridges so I don't think they are the best guns for shooting lots of ammo for target practice, but mine are used for hunting.