TC made the TCR 83 then updated to a magnum action in 87, thus the TCR 87. i personally found the standard factory skinny barrels to be a little substandard on accuracy. i have both the single and double set trigger models and only custom shop and virgin valley heavy barrels. I find the style of these rifles to be near perfect and they remind me of the english express rifles. unfortunately, i would not purchase one now because the barrels are no longer being made by anyone as far as i know. the abiliy to buy and swap barrels was the biggest selling point of these guns. it's too bad TC let their loyal customers down by not retooling for the barrels at least on limited runs.
Had one in 219 Donaldson Wasp. It was the Aristocrat model I believe with double set triggers and nice wood. It was more accurate than I could shoot. Only thing I really remember about it is it had a really weird safety, but I would definitely buy it back given the chance. Light, accurate, and handy, what more could you want in a walk around varmint rifle. I would have a hard time choosing another single shot over it. Always wanted one in 22 Hornet.
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Posts: 2786 | Location: Green Valley,Az | Registered: 04 January 2005
i had four at one time three double trigger and a single trigger.i didnt like them as they were slow to operate for me. the biggest cal.that i remenber t/c put out was 416 rigby. ssk may have made something bigger but i dont rember.
Posts: 82 | Location: az | Registered: 26 April 2005
The double safety is slow to operate. However, it is easy to remove the button that is pushed in before the safety can be moved. I,ve done this on my TCR's.
Not all the 87's were magnum actions. It seem to me...if you had a regular action you could send it in and the factory would modify it to accept Mag. barrels (stamped the rec.?)...this was before the fire.
I shoot left handed and the safety is a royal pain. I asked the factory if there was something that could be done to make it more user friendly and they said NO!
I have a Custom Shop .270 barrel and it is very nice. I also have a 12 slug barrel...you know when you touch off a 3" 1.25 oz slug!
I've sent TCR's back to the factory a couple times and they replaced the safety-on-the-safety. I immediately removed them and think that would be much better for a left hander. I think I had two non-magnum TCR-87's and one non-magnum TCR-83 modified for the magnum barrels. I think the cost was $50.
Its really to bad that someone doesn't come out with a pretty little rifle like the TCR was. I had one of the very early Aristocrats. It had a set trigger and I had three barrels. A 223 came with it, then a 270, and finally a 243. They are sleek light beautifully made little guns. Some one should make one that is as affordable and attractive as they were. DW
Posts: 1016 | Location: Happy Valley, Utah | Registered: 13 October 2006
I have an 87(?) in 243. Its accurate enough. I'm a lefty and the safety is a pita. I may remove the push in button.
Handi and well balanced little rifle. Should have had a tang safety.
Because the safetey is a pita for a lefty, I loaned it to my brother, a righty, who kept it long enough that I almost forgot I owned it. Close to fifteen years I guess. He bought another rifle and gave mine back to me a couple of years ago. He killed more than a few deer with it. I haven't gotten around to using it on game, but will.
The factory light weight barrels are not as accurate as some of the custom barrels I have. I think the problem is that they are not to smooth but fire lapping or just some breaking in will improve that. Also, I've found that it's best to freefloat the barrels. That is, the forearm wood should not contact the barrel except the first inch or two. Finally, keep the hing pin, locking lug and the forearm metal lubricated. The actions are strong, but somewhat flexible. With lubrication of the parts that can move upon firing they tend to move more consistantly and accuracy will improve. I found this out the lubrication info from a guy who wrote a couple article on TCR's in Varmint Hunter Magazine. Also, the cartridges of smaller diameters have less backthrust and flex the TCR actions less and tend to be more accurate. My .17 Hornet barrels shoot more accurately than my 6MM-06 barrels. I've got many less than 1/2-inch groups with the .17 Hornets. The photo below shows a double trigger TCR-83 with a custom stock and a .17 Hornet barrel. The barrel was originally a .30-06 but I had a .17 caliber stainless barrel turned down to make a liner for it. The other TCR is an 87 with a .22 Cooper Center Fire Magnum barrel. That cartridge is more or less a centerfire (reloadable) version of the .22 rimfire magnum. Mine get used for hunting a lot. There's nothing handier than a break-over single shot, and if one can not hit a standing animal with the first shot, what good is a second shot at a running animal.
I got my first TCR-87 (a new gun) in February 1989 and it had a serial number slightly above 13,000. I have other TCR-87's (one new and three used)and the highest serial number is 15,000+. My only TCR-83 was bought used and has a serial number of 9,000+. I think that Thompson Center could give some info on serial number versus model number. I think most of the 83's had double trigger and most of the 87's had single triggers, but am not sure of that. My double trigger 83 had a shinny finsh where as I think the 87's had a bead blast finish. My 83 was bought used and the bluing was pretty well worn off so I sent it in to the Thompson Center Custom Shop and they re-blued it with a bead blast finish, so it may appear different than other 83's. Also, I made a fiberglass stock fo one of my 83's and used the old stock from the 83 to fabricate mold for the new fiberglass stock. In the process of doing this I think I may have discovered the only difference between the 83's and the 87's. The difference I found was a difference in the angle of the buttstock bolt. That is, it appears that in the 83's the buttstock bolt was angled down considerably further. Anyway, I guess the buttstocks of the 83 and 87 would not be interchangeable. However, the forearms are interchangeable. And in regard to the forearms, I recommend free floating them for another reason besides accuracy. If one tightens the forearm screw differently with a forearm that is not free floated, there will be a different pressure exserted against the bottom of the barrel and the vertical point of impact of the bullet will vary. I would rather be able to switch barrels and not have to worry about re-sighting in the rifle. Finally, the .22CCM barrel in the photo above is the Custom Shop "24-inch heavy weight" barrel rather than the regular 23 or 25-inch factory barrel. It is really not that heavy as the rifle as the rifle with that barrel still weighs less than 9 pounds with scope. I think the TCR's balance better for offhand shooting with heavier barrels and really shoot better with barrels that match the contour of the factory available 10-gauge magnum shotgum barrel. I have a custom 20-gauge fully rifled 22-inch slug barrel with that contour and the gun with a scope only weighs about 9.5 pounds. With a thin barrel and a light fiberglass stock a TCR-87 would be a very light, compact rifle. I will post a couple of other photos of TCR's.
A TCR-87 with a barrel in .50-140 Sharps. It will shoot a 575-grain paper patched lead bullet at 1,900 fps. Recoil is better if velocity is reduced to about 1,600 fps.
I'd love to find a DST model at a reasonable price. I shot one with a heavy 32-40 barrel in Schuetzen a year, too much movement with the loading process. I got a Miller.
The Cabela's in Wheeling WV has one of these with barrels in .308 and .223. It's a double set trigger model. Odd thing is that the .223 barrel has iron sights, scope mount and rings while the .308 barrel is mount and rings only.
Asking price was around $1,200.
Posts: 1912 | Location: Charleston, WV, USA | Registered: 10 January 2003
Thanks for the information. I looked at it online a few minutes ago. I may give them a call. Do the guys in the gun libraries work with you on pricing at all?
Posts: 2155 | Location: Oklahoma | Registered: 03 October 2006
Originally posted by IOWADON: I got my first TCR-87 (a new gun) in February 1989 and it had a serial number slightly above 13,000. I have other TCR-87's (one new and three used)and the highest serial number is 15,000+. My only TCR-83 was bought used and has a serial number of 9,000+. I think that Thompson Center could give some info on serial number versus model number. I think most of the 83's had double trigger and most of the 87's had single triggers, but am not sure of that. My double trigger 83 had a shinny finsh where as I think the 87's had a bead blast finish. My 83 was bought used and the bluing was pretty well worn off so I sent it in to the Thompson Center Custom Shop and they re-blued it with a bead blast finish, so it may appear different than other 83's. Also, I made a fiberglass stock fo one of my 83's and used the old stock from the 83 to fabricate mold for the new fiberglass stock. In the process of doing this I think I may have discovered the only difference between the 83's and the 87's. The difference I found was a difference in the angle of the buttstock bolt. That is, it appears that in the 83's the buttstock bolt was angled down considerably further. Anyway, I guess the buttstocks of the 83 and 87 would not be interchangeable. However, the forearms are interchangeable. And in regard to the forearms, I recommend free floating them for another reason besides accuracy. If one tightens the forearm screw differently with a forearm that is not free floated, there will be a different pressure exserted against the bottom of the barrel and the vertical point of impact of the bullet will vary. I would rather be able to switch barrels and not have to worry about re-sighting in the rifle. Finally, the .22CCM barrel in the photo above is the Custom Shop "24-inch heavy weight" barrel rather than the regular 23 or 25-inch factory barrel. It is really not that heavy as the rifle as the rifle with that barrel still weighs less than 9 pounds with scope. I think the TCR's balance better for offhand shooting with heavier barrels and really shoot better with barrels that match the contour of the factory available 10-gauge magnum shotgum barrel. I have a custom 20-gauge fully rifled 22-inch slug barrel with that contour and the gun with a scope only weighs about 9.5 pounds. With a thin barrel and a light fiberglass stock a TCR-87 would be a very light, compact rifle. I will post a couple of other photos of TCR's.
IOWADON,
I have what I think is an 87 because it has a single trigger. It has a forearm attachment similar to a double barrel shotgun. What models had a forearm screw attachment? BTW, the SN on mine is 116XX. Thanks...Bill.
Posts: 188 | Location: West Virginia | Registered: 14 March 2006
the only thing I disagree (but do not judge) with is my preference for the classic, not the monte carlo stock. This one is well done, and I would be proud to own it as is.
I like both the looks of the classic stock and those with the monte carlo cheek peice. Guess I am not preduciced against the monte carlo type stock because it fits me so much better than the classic style. I have a long neck, broad shoulders and high cheek bones so my face is better positioned by the monte carlo stock. With a classic style stock it seems that I have to skrunch my shoulder up and hold my head above the stock to get linned up with the sights. I can see that someone with a short neck and a more rounded face would be better off with the classic stock. Anyway, function for me has somewhat defined beauty. Finally, I have rifles with fiberglass stock but much prefer the looks of good wood.
those euro "Wedgie" buttstocks are about as oogly as a fencepost gets! I'll take the factory style stock on the TCR anyday. I guess that's why I just bought one.
Bringing them back would be fabulous, but this market ain't the time to bring anything back that is $$$; too much competition IMHO!
I like the overall style of the European single shots (a lot!), even the different style buttstock. But, the high-relief engraving I don't like.It reminds me of the cougar that was on the side of the TC Contenders. I would prefer regular engraving or that they just leave the metal without engraving. However, I could easily forgive the engraving and get one anyway if it were in my budget.
have not seen one for sale here in a year or maybe two. They seem to find permanent homes when they turn up. I have a shop in Boise looking for me. I expect at least $1,000 for one in a useful caliber.
I get a lot of use out of my .17 Hornet barrels and my 6MM-06 barrels. It seems like the .17 Hornet is very accurate in the TCR's and is very useful for small varmints and squirrels. Loaded with 15-grain Berger bullets it is probably the safest rifle for shooting at aerial targets, other than a pellet rifle. With the slow twist 6MM-06 barrel with 70-grain Nosler Balistic Tips at 3,950 fps it is a real good coyote rifle and with the fast twist 6MM-06 barrel with 105-grain Berger VLD's it works fine for doe whitetail deer. My 20-gauge rifled slug barrel has gotten lots of deer, quite a few at over 150 yards, and is fun for plinking with brass cases and 720-grain cast lead bullets. I've got a light weight .223 barrel and used it for backup gun on a couple prairie dog shoots but never used it otherwise. That is why it is for sale. My .50-140 Sharps barrel makes a fun plinker that would take down anything that walks but I have yet to kill anything with it. It was built from a .50 BMG barrel with a .507-inch bore so is a pain to load for. I use paper-patch lead bullets being concerned that the standard .510-inch jacketed bullets will cause too high pressure. Maybe a .45-90 or a .45-120 with a standard barrel would have been more practical. You mentioned a barrel in .30-.378 Weatherby. I would not have thought a TCR would accomidate such a large high-pressure cartridge. How does it shoot? I've got a two .270 barrels and think they would be very useful but never hunted with them as I have a 7MM STW (bolt gun) that I hunt with instead. They are also for sale. I have two .300 Win Mag barrels and think they might make good lightweight elk rifles but otherwise would not be nearly as practicle as the .270's. They are also for sale. I've been thinking about building up a .375 H&H or .35 Whelen barrel on the larger shotgun monoblock but don't really need one.
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