THOMPSON/CENTER 209 CONVERSION KIT

By T.J. Schwanky

Those of us that bought the first in-line muzzleloaders to hit the market were pretty smug. We had the hottest new technology available to the hunter at that time. Unfortunately, technology has a way of passing you by, and it wasn’t too many years later that the in-lines utilizing #11 caps as their means of ignition were as antiquated as your old 286 computer. The hottest thing in in-lines now, is those that use 209 shotgun primers for their source of spark.

Unfortunately, until now that is, there was no means of upgrading your in-line. You had to buy a new rifle. But Thompson/Center has solved that problem with their new 209 Primer Conversion Kit. It allows you to convert any of its inline-style muzzleloaders to 209 use, simply by changing the striker, striker spring and adding a 209 Flame Thrower Adapter. Not only will this allow you to use 209 primers, but by simply switching nipples, you can also use #11 caps or muskets caps.

Even for a fumble-fingers like me, the conversion was simple, took only a few minutes and required a minimum of tools. While the use of the 209 primer will give you slightly better ballistics, the big advantage is in the reliability of these primers. Number 11 caps are prone to failure in wet and cold weather, where the 209 primer is totally waterproof and virtually eliminates cap failure. That, and the fact that it burns 700 degrees hotter than the #11 cap, should put an end to nearly all misfires, no matter what the conditions. The 209 primer is also ideally suited for use with Pyrodex Pellets.

For more information, contact Thompson/Center Arms, P.O. Box 5002, Rochester, NH, 03866, 603-332-2333, www.tcarms.com.