Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots TC aristocrat

Came across one today in 223. Looked brand new 795 with a Leupold scope. Man was that tempting.

Give in to temptation.

I happily paid $900 for my TCR 83 Aristocrat with two barrels in 2015, and I’m certainly pleased with its .223 performance @ 200 yards:



Expect some to badmouth the cockamamie safety. But, learning to deal with it is not so difficult as to justify passing up enjoyment of the otherwise outstanding handling characteristics.

Had this gun about 10yrs ago. Heavy bbl with set triggers and a Leupold 4-14 with AO. Damn was that thing accurate.
Great rig. Wish I still had it. For that price, it would be fun.

My TCR87 with the 24" 223 barrel does pretty well at 100 yds too.

Damn that's nice. Enjoy!1

Have the TCR 87 with 222 Rem , 243 Win , and a 35 Whelen custom shop barrel. That gun has been used a lot.

I have heard really good things about these rifles. I always wanted one, but didn’t get one before the building burned down that held all the machinery, arts, and wood - at least I believe that is what occurred and why T/C stopped them.

At that point I didn’t want to buy into a “dead end”.

The fire had nothing to do with TC discontinuing the rifle, Slow sales did it in . It was ahead of its time when it was introduced. Makes Handi rifles, CVA scouts and Henry single shots look like crap.

You're right about that. It's among the most handsome single shots I've seen. I have one with several barrels and can't seem to want to get rid of it.

They do look good.
Had a .22 hornet and 223 bbls.
The forend attachment for one bbl was off center, quite noticeable the pivot ears at receiver
Lug issue, forend centered at receiver w other bbl.

TC half assed stuff across the board LOL

I'm going to sell a couple of my 22 centerfire barrels that I'm not shooting, due to having other rifles in those calibers. 22 Hornet and 22-250 will go on auction block.

Handles as good as it looks:

Considering inflation and how crazy all gun prices have gone, even for far lesser quality firearms, that's a damn good price.

I would buy that one and then find another complete rifle in 243 or 308 preferably 308.

I have a 7mm-08 barrel and I think its about perfect for that platform.

Enabler

I never was all that interested in single shots so I never paid much attention. I didn’t even know they made those. I am interested now and they seem really scarce. I’ve never even seen one in real life but they look like a poor man’s Merkel. I would love to handle one.

For you guys that own one of these, would it be possible to use locktite to permanently disable the safety's safety so as to turn these guns into normal crossbolt safety-type guns?

The safety is a non issue!

The safety can be an issue to a new shooter trying to learn how to take it off for firing.

The safety has an extra button, and it only works in one direction! Even Kansans mastered button technology a few generations ago OSU..
I'd bet ANY new shooter today operates a smart phone blindfolded. Maybe that's the problem?

The main complaint is a 2 button safety mechanism. I personally don't have an issue with it but others have initially, according to their gripes.

Yeah. I wanted one of these rifles for years until I finally got my hands on one and discovered the safety has a safety. It has to be the oddest design ever. In retrospect, if that front of the trigger guard button thing could be disabled........well we might just have a rifle then.

OSU,
I'd think the hornet barrel would be the last one to go?

Years ago I recall someone saying they'd crazy glued the little button.

it would if I didn't have other 22 hornets. My favorite is my browning low wall 22 hornet so I'm going to let this one go.

Oh yes. I'd do that as well. How's the blue on that hornet barrel?

If that is a problem then he should not be shooting a Gun..

Went back and looked at it today, I was going to buy it but found a crack near the receiver, it was hard to see but there.

Blue is in good shape. it's not the deep blue that you see on some of the barrels but it's in fine condition.

I don't think you're right on your opinion, but you are welcome to it. Its not easy actuating 2 safety mechanisms at the same time. it takes practice. That's what I was referring to.

After looking at the one yesterday, the safety is not ideal at all and takes some getting used to. Would have still bought it had the butt stock not been cracked.

All good OSU! We all must recognize our own abilities.

AND,,,,,I wish I owned a low wall!!

I'm not sure where you were trying to go with that but this has nothing to do with abilities.

Warm weather chuckin vs cold weather deer hunting?

Add in arthritis?

Ones fine pitch mechanical abilities may be affected.

Im pretty good w stuff, always been. And even without such issues, found the TCR safety to be ridiculous.

Have hunted w Contender rifles.

Prefer Ruger #1.

I absolutely agree. It is ridiculous! Worse than the Remington 700 j lock. Worse than adding a safety button on a lever action rifle. Even worse than the alarm bell in my truck nagging me to hook up my seat belt.
But, we manage.

Some stuff is easy to correct

I like the TCR and don't have much trouble actuating the safety but can see that If I was in a real hurry, it might be problematic.

Regarding concern over the cockamamie TCR 83 safety, while what it suggests might at first appear to be grossly irresponsible, consider that the un-set trigger pull weight on my two TCR 83 rifles is greater than the trigger pull weight on my unaltered Kahr P9 and P40 pistols which have no external safeties. Other TCR 83s are likely to be similar, though there may certainly be exceptions. With that in mind, the shooter can decide when and under what circumstances during the course of a hunt a TCR 83 safety could be disengaged while still exercising reasonable caution.

Agree. These are handy and handsome little rifles. And I haven't been in much of a hurry to shoot Anything since way-back.
Some times I can't find my keys, or glasses, and forget the number of great grandkids I have accumulated, but the TCR safety never seemed unbearable.

Yes the unset trigger weight is tremendous (like many double triggers) and the safety is silly. But that's no reason not to own one.

No argument with any of these positions.

since I got your barrels, I now have 7, I guess thats enough, wish I had one in the savage 22hp

Wanted one of these back in the day, but only ever saw one for sale, a .308, in those pre-internet days. They were very nice, and some had lovely wood, but they’re gone gone gone, as is TC. Meanwhile, Henry’s are available, also can have very nice wood, and $500 will bring one home. There was a brief issue with the triggers (and hammer-cocking effort), but that was resolved. I’d like to see a higher comb for scope use, but that would make the use of irons problematic and I suspect many are sticking with irons. Not sure what I’ll do with my next one, but I did pick up a nice K4 to try out on it.

Henry is not even in the same universe but better then H&R's and other stuff that has shown up in the past. I wish someone would run with the Aristocrat design again .

I'd rank them a bit closer than that, but whatever. Main point is that Henry's are here, along with factory service and support, while the TCs are "Classics", difficult and expensive to acquire, and frankly IMO, not all that compelling, just like the Encores and Contenders by the same defunct outfit. I might grab one if I ran across it at a reasonable price, but I'd never go looking, and definitely wouldn't pay a price for one that approaches that of a decent falling block. Chances of a resurrection are probably somewhat less than that of the Savage 99.

Fit,Finish(bluing) feel and handling it is no contest. There probably is no chance they will ever be resurrected and yet Merkel and Blaser single shots are selling for crazy prices. The aristocrat with a few mods(safety, single trigger) would be quite the rifle.

The one I handled was nice, but I handed it back to the counter jockey with nary a whimper. Apparently the marketplace agreed because they flopped. IIRC they had already dropped them when I saw that one. While the Henrys aren’t Super Grades, the checkering is straight, the wood well-fitted and finished, and the blueing perfectly fine. Current triggers are crisp and light. They’ve added some models in response to the market, straight-wall rounds for the Midwest, as well as rifled slug and turkey versions. The action is simple and strong enough for the .308 and .243 p, fully ambidextrous, and I see no weaknesses that would affect longevity. I have a .410 in hand, a .357 on the way, and if I ever head to say, Iowa, I’ll probably get a .350, .450, or .45/70. I should’ve kept the .308, but that can be said for a long list of stuff.

The Aristocrat was a nice rifle, but hampered by corporate goofiness like a lot of TCs, and along with the company, is deader than Roy.

Glad you’re happy with yours.

I had a TCR83 in 22 Hornet for a few years. It was a great looking rifle that handled well, but the safety bothered me and the set trigger was not all that good. Accuracy was OK, but not great. Around 1.5 MOA. I sold it after getting a Ruger No 1B in 22 Hornet. It regularly shoots .75 MOA or better and 130 fps faster than the TC. The TCR had a generous chamber. Necked sized reloads I made for it wouldn't come close to chambering in the No 1. A small thing, but I find break actions a bit of a pain when shooting off the bench. Much less rearranging to do with a falling block or bolt.

I would agree that where they shine is in the field, not on the bench. Will always prefer a falling block, but let’s face it, the price for those usually limits our “participation” somewhat, mine anyway.

My buddy bought a TCR in 223 40 years ago. It was a fine looking gun but we could never get it to shoot, we tried for several years and 1.5 groups were about the best we could ever get and those were not consistent. We probably tried 50 plus loads, he finally stuck it back in his safe and that's where it stayed till his death.

This load worked pretty well in my TCR83 .223 at 200 yards:

would like to find a shot gun caliber, not the 12ga, after search, guess they only did the 12ga?? would pay up for the 32-40 barrel!!!!!!!

Nice shootin’, nice rig.

I believe they also did a 10 gauge, from their custom shop.

Whooweee! That would leave a mark!

I may be wrong but I seem to remember a lot of 10 gauge barrels for sale...only fired one time.

You can remove the safety lock and keep regular safety! Works fine

I have a 10 gauge bbl

Do you know how to do it?

My gunsmith did it for me on a project gun

I wonder how many smiths would want to do that.

Took some arm twisting but the regular safety is still functioning well/properly!!

the only way I would shoot that is with a .410 insert

Laffin::: A fellow would have to be pretty mad at whatever he was going after to touch off that 10 gauge barrel...Kills on both ends.

It’s on hell of a turkey gun to 70 yards!!! Go big or go home!

Haha!!
I'm a self admitted pussy when it comes to severe recoil.

TCR 83/87 series bbl’s & couple scope bases
1. New in box 7mm mag it’s a 87 as no sights!
2. 22-250 standard contour like new with sights a 83 series!
3. 243 standard contour like new with sights a 83 series!
All bbls are high polishes very nice!
All bbls priced at $275.00 each shipped !
All steel bases one piece : $75.00 each
2 - Burris new in packages
1 - Redfield new in package. First pm or text secures place until we talk ! Text is better for me 325-330-0387 I will contact you back!

You may get a lot more looks if you posted that in the classifieds.

have tried have trouble with this page

thanks, have a scope on it and ready for some cooler weather

Excellent. I hope it performs well for you.

I would have bought it for that. Great rifles.