Frequently Asked Questions

No, we do not recommend a hammer extension, however a conversion for the Pro-Hunter Swing Hammer^® is available. Please call Customer Service for further details.

Yes, all Pro-Hunter and standard Encores are interchangeable. The only caveat to this is the Encore FX designed as only a muzzleloader and cannot accept interchangeable barrels.

Thompson/Center Arms sells its firearms and accessories to its authorized distributors, who in turn sell to the many sporting goods stores located throughout the U.S. Your local sporting goods store should have most of our models in stock. If not, he can contact his distributor and get one in a relatively short period of time.

Yes, all of our firearms are made right in Springfield, MA.

Yes, our limited lifetime warranty covers the product through the lifetime of the original purchaser, except in the case of obvious abuse or neglect.

How can I obtain an Owner’s Manual for my Thompson/Center gun? E-mail your Address for a manual with your Model and Serial Number of your item to: tca_customerservice@tcarms.com or you can go onto www.tcarms.com click on customer service and then manuals to see all the available manuals online.

Not difficult at all. Most states have established separate muzzle loading seasons for deer; some before the regular season; some after. Most shooters use a .50 caliber rifle, but some opt for a .45 caliber or .54 caliber rifle. Contact your state Fish & Game Department for any specific regulations pertaining to their seasons. Various states will have restrictions on caliber, scopes, projectiles, type of muzzleloader, etc. You can also check with the NMLRA (National Muzzle loading Rifle Association) for additional information.

There's no easy answer; it’s mostly a matter of personal preference concerning looks, balance and what you feel more comfortable handling and carrying. Make your selection based on these things after you have inspected and handled a few different types... traditional cap locks, in-lines, or even flint locks. From a ballistic standpoint they all perform the same within their model line when loaded the same. Pick a rifle which conforms to the regulations of the state you will be hunting in, and one that you feel comfortable operating and shooting. If your friends have rifles, go to the range with them and try as many styles as you can. Thompson/Center makes several styles of rifles with many models within each style. We've got a rifle for everyone.

It sure is, and if you've got some friends, who are using it, ask them. Our All Natural "Bore Butter" is absent of any petroleum based oil, and contains an ingredient which seasons the bore with repeated use, just as you would season a cast iron skillet. Tar, used to pave highways, is made by heating petroleum based oil. In other words, heat plus petroleum oil equals tar! That's what causes the heavy fouling when shooting a muzzleloader with conventional petroleum based lubes. The problem of heavy fouling was one not encountered in the old days, as the oils used then were all natural' whale oil, bear fat, deer tallow, etc. Petroleum based oils were not discovered until the mid-1800's, and during the Civil War, fouling did become a problem.

It's easy. The first step is to remove all traces of oil from your muzzleloader by cleaning the bore with hot water and a detergent. Then coat the bore with Bore Butter using a patch or swab saturated with it. From that point on, never allow a petroleum based lube to interfere with the Natural Lube. Use bullets prelubricated with Bore Butter, and when cleaning, use an all-natural bore cleaner like our No. 13. As you continue to shoot, you will be slowly seasoning the bore and will notice that very little fouling builds up. Loading will remain easy from shot to shot, and cleaning will be a snap.

T/C's All Natural Lube 1000 Plus Bore Butter was designed as a lube to be used with traditional patched round balls (lube the patches) and all lead conical bullets like our Maxi-Ball and Maxi-Hunters.
If you are shooting sabots, DO NOT LUBE YOUR SABOTS. Sabots are designed to be shot right out of the package dry. In fact, you should remove any trace of Natural Lube, or any lube for that matter, from the barrel before shooting sabots. The less lube you have in the barrel when shooting sabots, the better, to achieve optimum accuracy.

When your hunting or shooting is done, and your rifle cleaned after shooting, re-lube your barrel with T/C's All Natural Lube Bore Butter prior to storage. Wipe down the outside as well. It's an excellent rust preventative. Note: Make absolutely sure that the surface you are applying the bore butter to is completely dry as this preservative works so good at keeping the air from getting at the steel that is can seal moisture under it if not dry, causing rust under the preservative.

It's easy. The first step is to remove all traces of oil from your muzzleloader by cleaning the bore with hot water and a detergent. Then coat the bore with Bore Butter using a patch or swab saturated with it. From that point on, never allow a petroleum based lube to interfere with the Natural Lube. Use bullets prelubricated with Bore Butter, and when cleaning, use an all-natural bore cleaner like our No. 13. As you continue to shoot, you will be slowly seasoning the bore and will notice that very little fouling builds up. Loading will remain easy from shot to shot, and cleaning will be a snap.

For .50 cal. and up use FFG powder, for .45 cal. use FFG or FFFG powder, for .32 and .36 cal. use FFFG powder, FFFFG is for the flash pan on a flintlock gun and 8-10 grains is what we recommend in the flash pan.

Only if you are using petroleum based lubricant, which as previously stated, will create a tar like fouling capable of ruining the bore of your rifle if left unchecked by cleaning. If you are using T/C's Bore Butter, immediate cleaning of the rifle is not necessary. You can discharge the rifle during deer season, for example, and load up again without having to worry about cleaning the rifle that evening. However, that does not relieve you of your obligations to clean your rifle before putting it away, or after extended shooting. It's every shooters responsibility to clean their rifle properly, and maintain it in A-1 condition. (Never load a muzzleloader and leave it unattended for any period of time, also never place a loaded muzzleloader in a vehicle or home-you may forget it was loaded and either double load it or accidentally discharge the muzzleloader believing it was unloaded.)

Yes, there are a number of mounting systems sold as aftermarket products, as well as a line of Hawken Hunter Muzzle loading Scopes. However, certain states restrict the use of scopes on muzzleloaders during the special seasons, so check with your state fish and game department first.

Contact local 4-H, National Muzzle loading Rifle Association, Boy Scouts, and NRA Organizations. Many of these groups can offer courses of instructions. Check with your local gun club as well. The State Department of Natural Resources and Hunter Safety Classes are also a good resource.

T/C's QLA® Muzzle System (Quick, Load, Accurizor) is basically a built in "false muzzle". Many old time target shooters used to attach a false muzzle to their rifle barrel for loading purposes, to guarantee precise alignment of the projectile during the loading procedure. They would then remove the "false muzzle" prior to shooting. The "false muzzle" also protected the rifling from being damaged or worn during loading. T/C's QLA® Muzzle is built right into the end of the barrel in all of our rifles permanently. It guarantees consistent alignment of your projectile in that it’s surrounded by steel for 360 degrees prior to being driven down the bore and engraved with the rifling. The projectile can't tilt, and the shape can't be altered (lead is soft) as it is started down the bore. This consistent alignment from shot to shot greatly improves the accuracy potential of the rifle by eliminating one of the variables associated with good accuracy... projectile alignment. T/C's QLA® Muzzle System also makes loading your second shot in the field much easier. You merely drop the projectile in the barrel and go straight to your ramrod, using short strokes to push the projectile down the bore. It eliminates the hassle of trying to align the projectile with one hand, and drive it into the rifling with a short starter.

We made the North West Explorer to address this request from our customer so the answer to the conversion is No.

DO NOT SHOOT, if the threads of the nipple hole are stripped this could cause the nipple to blow out and cause injury. Return the muzzleloader to our customer service department for evaluation.

Absolutely not it is unsafe and can result in injury or death.