A lonely TC Patriot finds a new home

[BCRider]

Sometime a bit later this week after the transfer process is finished I'll be bringing home a well cared for TC Patriot percussion in .45 caliber.

In looking over the information on the web and the pictures apparently some previous owner decided to take off the little rear hook on the wood stock. So it looks a little more like a regular old timey pistol. It's still got the target sights though. The work was very nicely done and the mod blends in sweetly. The resulting new shape fits my hand VERY nicely.

I'll be all eyes for anything any fellow Patriot owners can provide in terms of loads or other feelings.

Best of all this means that the clunky old Ardessa can now be sold. It actually shoots great but the Patriot is so much nicer in the hand and so much easier on the eyes that I can easily let the Ardessa go without a second thought.

Pictures in a day or two once it's in my hands.

 

[Acorn Mush]

Was me, I'd shoot the Patriot for group size before showing the door to the Ardessa. Just sayin'.

Good luck.

 

[eastbank]

thank god here a black powder pistol-rifle-shotgun is not classed as a firearm. but if we are not on our toes it will get here in time. i own over 20 black powder repo firearms and i have all ways loved the small lock TC rifles and pistols. i have two TC small lock rifles a .32 and a .36 and they are fun to shot and easy on your powder supply. i wish TC would have made them in flintlock. you will love your patriot pistol. eastbank.

 

[Patocazador]

I have a Patriot in .45. Keep powder charges =/< than 30 gr. of 3F. There is a design flaw in the stock that can lead to fractures if you're too rough with it.

It shoots like a dream with very tight groups at 35 yards.
If you haven't found out already, the set trigger is the front one, unlike most rifles.

 

[Hairy Clipper]

I have had mine for a long time. It is very accurate with round ball. You will like it. The hook on the trigger guard does indeed assist with shot placement.

 

[PapaG]

I always wanted one after shooting one at Friendship. First ones were, I think, the same 1 in 48, as the TC rifles. Many of us wrote, no email back then, asking for 1 in 20 or 22. They made some. 20 grains of fffg and a .437 to .445 patched ball did well in the faster twist.
I picked up a "design flaw" one with broken stock few years ago. It had been epoxied back together, had the sights removed and a scope base added. Meant to put it back to original but lost time and interest.
Still like the concept and the special set triggers.
I also like the small lock rifles, have 32 and a 36, neither of which get enough attention.
Only my 50 Renegade gets out, during deer season.

 

[Stony]

I've repaired several of those for friends through the years....the stock problem is the weak spot with them. I wouldn't use a loading stand or anything like that if I were you, where you are hammering down on the barrel and putting stress on the stock. I've owned a few of them over the years and they do shoot well. No parts for them from TC anymore....but I do see some now and then on ebay.

 

[Acorn Mush]

Forgot to mention BC, do NOT tighten the lock screw very much. Just snug it up. I cracked the stock on mine by keeping the lock screw too tight. It had never seen a loading stand nor a charge over 25 grains of 3f either but the stock still cracked from the tight lock screw.

Good luck and have fun with your new toy!

 

[BCRider]

Thanks for the warning about the splitting issue. A quick check with poor key words still pointed out a couple of forum posts from other forums indicating the issue. When I get mine I'll start off by hand holding for loading and during the first cleaning I'll give the wood the vulture's keen eye for signs of weakness.

Being a long time hobby wood worker I'm no stranger to short grain splitting issues seen in various products. Seen a bucket load already in my own guns and those of a few friends that I've done stock repairs for already too. So I'll look over the Patriot stock with the idea of some hidden cross dowels or metal pins across the worst short grain locations to try to cut off the issue before it occurs.

No word on the transfer notice yet. So it may not be this week that I run into the "Big Smoke" to pick up the new toy.

Up this way modern flintlock replicas of long guns are not covered under our firearms laws. Or, more accurately, they are named as being included with actual antique firearms produced before 1894. So no license needed. Same with matchlocks and other pre caplock actions. Caplock long gun replicas require a regular license to buy and own. Handguns using any source of ignition are all included with our "Restricted" category. That means they are "restricted" to shooting them only at designated ranges and require the same "Restricted" license as modern handguns and some of the more scary looking tactical rifles. It also means that because they are restricted that they require approval by Big Brother before we can take possesion of them. Thus here's me sitting on pins and needles like a kid the day before Christmas....

Hey, it's the LAW. It doesn't need to make sense....

 

[Patocazador]

"Hey, it's the LAW. It doesn't need to make sense."

And it sure doesn't. That's ridiculous. How many banks have been held up with black powder guns??????????

 

[BCRider]

Forgot to mention BC, do NOT tighten the lock screw very much. Just snug it up. I cracked the stock on mine by keeping the lock screw too tight. It had never seen a loading stand nor a charge over 25 grains of 3f either but the stock still cracked from the tight lock screw.

AM, I missed this note from you on my first read through the replies. If there's so little wood in the middle of the gun that this is a concern then it's no wonder it takes so little to break them.

I'll certainly be taking a look with an eye to adding a cross pin or two or possibly some sort of cross dowels from a really stout hardwood to strengthen the stock. It sounds like it really needs this.