Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots T/C TCR

Found one at the lgs today. 3 bbl set, 223, 243, 7mm mag. Double triggers. Does this make it an 83? Few marks on the reciever, 4 digit s/n, hard to tell what model. I have a contender, though I am mainly a ruger #1 guy, the limit of my t/c experience. Always thought these were interesting, a kipplauf would be kinda cool, and I have wanted a 223 single shot. I understand factory and tooling burnt and that the safety is odd, don't know much else. Nice shape, a few dings on stock, metal great..They want 899 for rifle+ extra bbls. Likely a good price? Things to watch for?

I have owned a few of these and always thought they were the classiest looking single shot available. The safety is a PITA, never understood why they felt the need to over engineer it. The price sounds very reasonable for the rifle and extra barrels. The ones I've had were built to very close tolerances and reloading was sometimes tricky, requiring small base dies for one I had.

You want to make sure the receiver says "Magnum" on it if you plan to shoot the 7mm Mag barrel (which I do NOT recommend, due to weight). Some of the Aristocrats had really nice wood. If this one is a double trigger model, I suspect its an Aristocrat. Also the forearm will have a lever instead of the flat head screw that the hunter models have.
I always thought this was one of the most handsome rifles and have owned a few over the years but have never had one that just shot lights out. It could be the shooter and not the gun though...

Thanks. Yes, must be the aristocrat. Nice wood and the lever. Magnum would be stamped externally? (Something about a 2 pc locking bolt being retrofitted? I will have to look. I think no scope bases. I suppose I could trip the 7mm barrel if it isn't a magnumized action... I also think tgat there may be no scope bases, which may be an issue...they seem hard find. I will want to shoot and hunt it...I will really need to look at the safety, it sounds goofy to operate. Neat looking rifle, though...

You can find scope bases online but there isn't a good selection of bases. An idea is to get the gunsmith Warne base and have it shaped to mount on your TCR. The barrel can be used for a new barrel. The secret is to use the monolug and thread a new barrel on. It's done.

...and, I guess you disrecommended shooting the magnum just due to overall rifle weight and not whether or not magnum retrofit was completed?

Be good to weigh it, kind of a chunky little thing...

Thanks, interesting stuff...

From Midwayusa.com


scope base:
Weaver Top-Mount Scope Base #405 Gloss

Product #: 552288 Manufacturer #: 48105 UPC #: 076683481054

Weaver Top-Mount Scope Base #405
List Price: $11.45
Our Price: $9.99
Available
Finish: Gloss Black
Material: Aluminum
Style: Weaver
Compatible With: Thompson Center TCR
Piece: 1

I think there's 2 reasons. 1 is that if the frame is not a magnum, it may not be safe. 2. I think the 7 Mag in such a light rifle would kick like the hammer of Thor.

Thanks again. I will report back. Wheels are really spinning...may seem like an odd tool for the purpose, but I backpack hunt blacktails. There are lots of grouse and mtn quail about. I have a 257 tcu contender carbine barrel, been fooling with the idea of finding a 28 ga contender bbl for a lwt combo that would allow me to hike for birds after killing my buck. The tcu is a bit light for the sometimes long shots on trophy animals, so I've been dithering. Now a 20 ga barrel on the tcr....loonie-ism is fun...

I always wanted to get a TCR and slim it down like AJ Renners Germanic stalkers http://www.rjrenner.com/ruger-no.1.html get a classic barrel for a 7x57 or 6.5x55 and then go stalking with it. I think it would make a good back packing rifle or rifle /shot gun combo.

Hell, at that price I might be tempted myself...

Might not too.

I cut off a Weaver #405 base even with the mono bloc, to eliminate the front overhang, and milled a new cross slot. Results allow for proper eye relief with a Leupold 2-7x33 in QRW rings:

That's a good mod.

Magnum.. mine says " - MAG - " on the bottom between the T/C logo and the serial number.

I always loved the concept of the TCRs. But I always hated how they feel. And the DST and/or extra safeties were real deal breakers!

I always REALLY loved the concept of the Contender Carbines. But I always hated the way they look. But I always liked the way they feel, when they have an actual carbine length barrel (my friend has a 26" custom .223 with the ergonomics of a posthole digger....).

After much fuddling around, including a period of trying to get to like Contender pistols with almost-carbine barrels ("Super 14," etc.). they came out with the G2, which was about as good as the concept was going to get. So I got one. Then I got another. Then I got an MGM 28 VR barrel to go with my .357 Max "Super 16" carbine. Then I got an MGM .410 VR barrel to go with my MGM "match grade" "Super 16" .22 LR. Now I'm wondering what caliber(s) to get next....

It IS fun being a loonie!

And you CAN kill upland birds with that 28 barrel, if you can find one--done California quail, blue grouse, and chukars. The .410 I keep on the gun and loaded with Winchester 000 buckshot loads for "things that go bump in the night". And cottontails with birdshot.

That's good.

I need to go back and look again...too much work...

7mm Mag is far and away the most common spare barrel you run across for sale. I guess for obvious reason.

12ga slug barrels must be fun to shoot too. I'm tempted by them now and again, but the last thing I need is another slug gun and I know my one and only forend won't fit it.

I haven't hunted with mine near as much as I'd, possible only a couple times. One shot at game, and the silly safety didn't effect or bother me in the least. Though it was a shot with a little bit of time, not like I jumped the deer and made a snap shot. I've read of people crazy gluing the "first" safety in the depressed position.

At $900 I suppose you could look at it as buying three barrels and getting the gun for free. Or buying two barrel and a gun and getting a barrel you don't want for free.

I still kick myself about my .243 barrel. Had it NIB for 15+ years with no gun. Finally sold it on auction for $200, then a year or two later, bought a rifle. The story of my life.

That is a pretty good price.....hard to beat. IIRC the difference between mag and non mag is a stiffer spring in the locking mechanism and a pin on the barrel lug which prevents a mag barrel from closing and locking up on a non-mag receiver. Don't know if the locking block is the same. A mag spring could be installed in a non mag receiver and the pin removed or cut off.
7mm mag TCR barrels go for as little as $150 and could be used as a donor monobloc for another caliber barrel.....if you can find a 'smith who can/will do the work. Other calibers go for $275 and frequently well north of $300.

I know of one 20 ga rifled barrel installation on a reverse engineered monobloc, but the smith that did is semi-retired and not interested in doing another conversion. Rifled 12 ga TCR with Hornady SST slugs does kick....slip on limbsaver recoil pad helps.

I would love to have a TCR, I wish i could find one at a decent price, 243 or a 223.

Those are really good calibers for the light package of a TCR.

tag...

Fondled it again, safety ain't that bad, kinda weird. It is definitely not a magnum. I believe it is gonna be a birthday present to myself next week. Now if I can find a smith that works on barrels for these, since I shouldn't shoot the 7 mag on it and it is apparently least valuable of all barrels...

Seems like a 6.5x55 or 7x57 would be ideal...

It is interesting- perhaps it is case head diameter on mag cartridges that causes the issue with frame/lockup re backpressure? Chamber Pressure should be the same, 308 case to mag case, right? I recall that issue with contender frames- 223 based cases fine, 473 diameter a no no...

Merry Christmas everyone!

A long time ago I had a TCR aristocrat in 7mm mag. It was my first centerfire rifle. Bought it because it was darn good looking and I wanted a "deer rifle."

I think 7mm mag is too much for that action. If you buy that set, I'd stay away from the 7mm barrel.

I didn't know much about break action single shots back then. I only shot factory ammo but opening the action was often stiff. I think the primer was sometimes protruding slightly back into the firing pin hole and locking up that action. I'd have to use a lot of force to open the action "briskly". Then it would rebound against stop. Eventually I bent the forearm frame a little.

I bought a new forearm and a .243 barrel and used that several years. It worked fine. Eventually I wanted the pretty aristocrat forearm to work so I sent it and the 7mm barrel back to TC. They fixed it but It would still lock up with 7mm so I sold it.

They are pretty rifles. Nice blueing and wood. I really liked the set trigger. The safety never bothered me. It's a little different but not hard to get accustomed to.

I've seen them for sale occasionally. They are still darn good looking, but now I know good looks isn't everything. But at that price... I'd buy that set you found in a heart beat.

As I understand the monobloc arrangement, the barrel shank is pressed in and either pinned or spot welded in the monobloc. Either method can be "disabled" and the barrel pressed out. I have heard, second hand mind you, of a fellow who replaced the welds with set screws and made it into an interchangeable barrel system. Dunno about that.
The barrel shank is a very tight fit and inserting a replacement would require freezing the barrel and heating the monobloc in order to press the barrel in.

IowaDon on Graybeard Outdoors(original version) has had a few done but I don't know if his gunsmith(s) are still with us. Deaconllb on Graybeard has been frustrated trying to find a currently working "smith to do a barrel swap. I believe gunsmiths with precision machinist skills could do the job, but there is little interest because if something goes south, replacement parts are not available. A barrel swap from a .530" to a .473" base cartridge would require making the extractor leg a little longer by welding buildup and machining to the smaller cartridge base diameter.


From another web site: "The magnum barrels required a magnum receiver as both were different to the rifles chambered for standard rounds. Magnum barrels had an extra pin in the face of the breech that fitted into a groove in the locking bolt for additional strength. Magnum receivers were stamped T/C MAG on the bottom of the receiver behind the barrel pivot pin. Standard barrels for both the M83 and M87 would fit the magnum receivers but not vice versa."

Check to see if the 7mm barrel will fit the action. If there is a pin in the way and the barrel won't close and lock up, try to purchase without the mag barrel, or bargain the price down and either sell the mag barrel or have the pin removed and handload the mag cartridges with reduced charges to 7 x 57 or .280 specifications.

Let us know how it works out.

Doing custom searches on Gun Broker and Guns International for "TCR", "Thompson 83" and "Thompson 87" will give you an idea of prices and various receivers and barrels that are available. Doing a search on Gun Broker completed listings may give you an idea of what the barrels are actually selling for.

there were interesting small runs made by the custom shop, 7x64 Brenneke ive seen but anyone have experience with it?

Curious if there's anyone still around doing barrels, I believe most people stopped because the supply of blocks/donor barrels as well as demand disappeared. Now I think most of those people have retired or passed on. The man who built my barrel is no longer with us.

Well...went back, got a good deal and bought it...now for bases and scopes...

weaver 405 fits it just right

I may have a Weaver 405 around here...

That would be cool, but looking at the midwayusa site as recommended- the 405s are available and less than $7...

shipping and tax will be that much...

Any of you TCR guys know the size of the mounting screws attaching base to receiver on these?

^

6x48

I have a couple of oddball TC bbls, one a TCR in .22 hornet and the other a Contender .256 win Custom Shop.
If anybody is interested, PM me.

PM sent re: TCR barrel

Sounds like a good price! Ive always wanted one. A very classy looking single shot.

Listed a Redfield type base w std Leupold rings in classifieds.
Bought the base for my dad and he never used it.

I just picked up two 83’s a 7RM and a 7-08 at auction. Haven’t had one for years

Still got the roached .22 hornet bbl. Is of pinned type.
If somebody wants the monoblock or have it rebored.
Wonder if it could be redone to .350 Legend.

I bought an Aristocrat 83 in 22-250. Have added a 22 Hornet, 7mm-08 & 222 Rem bbl. May have gotten a little carried away with my barrels.

How tricky is it to separate the monobloc for a re-barrel?

I would assume the pinned version easier.
Suspect a bit of interference fit too.

You are a man who really could use a combination gun. Mine is 12 ga. over 7x57R and if I were going with you, it would be coming along!

Good idea on the combination gun. I'd like to have one.

Regarding a 28 gauge, Match Grade Machine offers shotgun barrels for Encore and G2 Contenders. This would be a great option for you if the TCR idea has issues.

Digging around I found a Redfield scope base and rings for a TCR.

Those bases are a pain to find LOL
In general, not just when I misplace.





Still have the roached Hornet bbl. Need to dig it out and see what scope base/ rings on it. Think maybe it had a Tasco World Class lightweight setup.

A cut-off, re-slotted (and much cleaner looking without the front overhang) Weaver 405 base allows for the quick and easy exchange of already sighted-in scopes, while maintaining zero:





It also allows the Leupold Vari-X IIc 2-7x33 to be mounted rearward enough for good eye relief.

I dont run quick detach scope systems.
Have cut several Weaver base overhangs on other rigs though.

anyone ever find a gunsmith able and willing to work on these set triggers?