[dhnut1973]

my father-in-law gave me one of these and just had some questions about them. how much did they cost new? since T/C doesn't make them anymore does that mean they aint very good? it is 1:48 rifling so will it be accurate with prb? i have some 175 gr rb layin around so i'm thinkin about usin them for coyotes. will the rb do a good job on coyotes? it's important to put coyotes down cause if they run off they arent easy to track like deer. sorry for all the ?'s. BTW it has the black stock, a 24" barrel and is not flintlock. thanks.

 

[roundball]

my father-in-law gave me one of these and just had some questions about them. how much did they cost new? since T/C doesn't make them anymore does that mean they aint very good? it is 1:48 rifling so will it be accurate with prb? i have some 175 gr rb layin around so i'm thinkin about usin them for coyotes. will the rb do a good job on coyotes? it's important to put coyotes down cause if they run off they arent easy to track like deer. sorry for all the ?'s. BTW it has the black stock, a 24" barrel and is not flintlock. thanks.

FYI...I have personally tested the old wives tale about PRB's not being accurate in 1:48' barrels, using full power max round ball hunting loads in .45/.50/.54 calibers, all the way out to 100yds...accuracy in all three is outstanding.

 

[charcoal]

Im with RB,the 1:48 twist will be fine with a PRB.Thats all I use in my TCs anymore and rarely use maxi-balls.The .50 bore will be more than enough for coyotes with a PRB,it flattens whitetails and mulies for me.

The reason TC stopped making the New Englander and other models,Senecca,Cherokee,Pennsylvania and for awhile the Renegade,as the demand for inlines increased the demand for sidelock guns decreased.

There is nothing wrong with the New Englander,its a great gun.Many sidelock enthusiastes who like TCs want the older discontinued models.I dont know what the New Englander originally went for,but im sure today its worth more than what it went for originally.Enjoy your rifle its a keeper.

 

[TNrifleman]

I really like the T/C New Englander. In fact, I bought one in kit form a number of years ago. The rifle shot PRBs quite well. I also killed my first BP deer, a nice 5 point whitetail buck, with it the first morning I hunted with that rifle. Good luck with yours. It should prove to be a good, serviceable tool.

 

[dispatch 510]

I to have a T/C New Englander it shoots great with prb,I shoot 80 grns of T-7. I have shot a 5 shot group in one ragged hole. That was off the bench, great gun i love mine.

 

[rimfirehunter]

I have a TC New Englander .50 that I picked up from a pawn shop back in Jan for $130 in great condition, bore is mint and only two scratches on the stock.

For plinking I use 40-45gr Pyrodex RS under the PRB, at 25 yards it cloverleafs the 3 balls on the 3x5 index card provided I dont drink too much coffer prior to going to the range.

So far my most accurate hunting load has been 75-80grns RS under the PRB, at 75 yards it will keep 3 balls inside the 6" target circle shooting off hand.

Only negative issue I have had with the New Englander was that it would either hangfire or dud out on the first shot every time, even after swabbing and poppin 3 caps prior to loading. Never had this problem with my CVA sidelock, probably due to the larger drum channel on the CVA vs the smaller snail channel of the New Englander. Now I use a tube and alcohol to remove the preservative oil from the snail/breech prior to loadin up and I get 100% ignition every time now.

rimfirehunter

 

[Stan in SC]

T/C New Englander

Last year I bought a .54 New Englander.I paid $135 for it.You have a really good rifle.I found it would not shoot anything but round balls with consistent accuracyand I tried several loads which I posted about on this forum.

 

[slayer]

I am one of the ones that think T/C should bring back their traditionla sidelocks, especially the Big Boar(.58)) and the wood stocked New Englander in rifle and shotgun, I would buy them both. The Big Boar is especially hard to find used. Jack.

 

[Mattkc]

Darn ya mean that 54cal New Englander with the 12ga barrel I haven't shot in years is worth something. Had a lot of fun hunts with that gun to bad my eyes don't let me shoot open sights anymore. Plus who wants to go in the woods full of in-lines.

 

[riddleofsteel]

Only negative issue I have had with the New Englander was that it would either hangfire or dud out on the first shot every time, even after swabbing and poppin 3 caps prior to loading. Never had this problem with my CVA sidelock, probably due to the larger drum channel on the CVA vs the smaller snail channel of the New Englander. Now I use a tube and alcohol to remove the preservative oil from the snail/breech prior to loadin up and I get 100% ignition every time now.

Try putting a few grains of powder in the channel under the nipple after loading. I have done this with my .54 New Englander for years for the first shot on a clean barrel. It solves the mis/hang fire issue.

Are you using oil in your BP barrels?