The come back of Thompson Center

[RockAndSage]

Hopefully this will lead to cheaper encore and G2 frames being available. I would like a few more of both if they can come in at the sub $400 price point.
With ssk 50 frames available and 3 barrel mfg, the contender market is fairly well served right now. About all that can be offered in that market is G2 frames and parts.

I'd like to see the prices come down across the board too - it seems like there's some sort of premium pricing spike going on, because of the "never be made again" thing with T/C production having shut down. Hopefully, new production will settle that down.

 

[Bluefish]

I'd like to see the prices come down across the board too - it seems like there's some sort of premium pricing spike going on, because of the "never be made again" thing with T/C production having shut down. Hopefully, new production will settle that down.

With encore frames going at 600+ it really makes you wonder why should I use an encore? You can get a complete Cva single shot for 2/3 the cost of just an encore frame.

 

[wind gypsy]

With encore frames going at 600+ it really makes you wonder why should I use an encore? You can get a complete Cva single shot for 2/3 the cost of just an encore frame.

How do the CVA rifles compare?

 

[Mojave]

How do the CVA rifles compare?

They are made by Bergara. Here in Europe they are the b13.

Quality is Bergara.

But TC quality has sucked for al long time. I hope the new TC is better.

 

[KenLee]

They are made by Bergara. Here in Europe they are the b13.

Quality is Bergara.

But TC quality has sucked for al long time. I hope the new TC is better.

TC was producing the 2 most accurate cheap lines of hunting rifles (Compass and Venture) when S&W locked the doors. Yes the Compass stocks flex, but for 90% of normal hunting, it isn't an issue.
All my TC single shots are over 15 yrs old, so I can't comment on their recent quality.

 

[Bluefish]

How do the CVA rifles compare?

I like my t/c single shots better, but not sure the juice is worth the squeeze at todays prices. For an encore, frame is 600, barrel 400, furniture 200, so 1200+ vs 400-450 for a Cva. The only thing is you can’t swap barrels on the Cva, but considering the gun cost is about equal to a barrel, there is no savings for being able to switch barrels.

The cva’s have decent triggers and the ones I have handled shoot well. I got myself a 410 for turkeys as the whole gun (Cva) was cheaper than a TC barrel in 410. So far it’s been a nice little gun.

 

[TaperPin]

I had the sinking feeling the CNC machines were on their last legs or they’d be making parts for S&W. Hopefully they can make an accurate good quality pistol.

 

[Mojave]

Greg Ritts posted a video on their Youtube channel outlying the process to build a contender. Investment casting, then CNC. Interesting. The time and cost involved in investment casting to me over straight CNC is crazy. They were talking about how it ultimately used less metal to buld one vice cutting it from a block.

Well if you cut it from a block you don't have a foundry, not do you have to build the investment cast forms or anything else. Kind of a backwards approach.

 

[Bluefish]

Greg Ritts posted a video on their Youtube channel outlying the process to build a contender. Investment casting, then CNC. Interesting. The time and cost involved in investment casting to me over straight CNC is crazy. They were talking about how it ultimately used less metal to buld one vice cutting it from a block.

Well if you cut it from a block you don't have a foundry, not do you have to build the investment cast forms or anything else. Kind of a backwards approach.

Casting and finish is quite common for gunmaking. 1911 and saa are all made that way. It’s the way guns have been made for 100+ years. Ruger makes a lot of guns that way too. I think all the revolvers are done that way. AR’s are almost all forged and then finished. I am sure there is a break even volume before it’s cost effective vs just machining. Also you may not be able to get the desired geometry by machining only.

 

[wind gypsy]

kind of funny how TC's youtube profile photo is a Ritz glamour shot.

 

[MikeDeltaFoxtrot]

I always though the encores and contenders were way too expensive for what they were. It would be a neat idea if it were cheaper then just buying another rifle.

I have a TC Omega muzzle loader that is by backup loaner. It works OK, but I like my CVA.

Best of luck to this guy. Hope he can make it work.

 

[z987k]

The problem with the CVAs is you can't swap barrels and they don't come in anything I want.

 

[Mojave]

kind of funny how TC's youtube profile photo is a Ritz glamour shot.

Normal thing for gun companies here in Europe.

 

[waldo9190]

Manufacturing something like a contender frame is significantly cheaper to do it via casting and finish machining vs billet machining. Look at AR upper/lower receivers for example. There is a reason why billet receivers are so much more expensive.

CNC run time and tooling is expensive vs. up front cost of mold tooling that you can then manufacture thousands of parts from and only need to run the CNC for finish operations.

 

[TaperPin]

This brought up a memory of a friend back in the day that had a 222 or 223 super 14 contender with the dinky TC 2-1/2x scope with 3/4” tube. My expectations were very low this weird contraption will hit anything, or at least that I’d hit anything. With one of those targets with four black squares 2” apart he shot a 1-1/4” 5 shot group, then handed it to me and my group was maybe 1-1/2” and I was hooked - had to have one. There was something fun about poking around in the woods with one and I giggled like a school girl putting the kabosh on a doe antelope with the 44 mag barrel. Good pistol scopes and barrels were expensive for a teenager, so I gravitated away from it, but now I kind of want a 204 Ruger and 6mm TCU.

 

[z987k]

This brought up a memory of a friend back in the day that had a 222 or 223 super 14 contender with the dinky TC 2-1/2x scope with 3/4” tube. My expectations were very low this weird contraption will hit anything, or at least that I’d hit anything. With one of those targets with four black squares 2” apart he shot a 1-1/4” 5 shot group, then handed it to me and my group was maybe 1-1/2” and I was hooked - had to have one. There was something fun about poking around in the woods with one and I giggled like a school girl putting the kabosh on a doe antelope with the 44 mag barrel. Good pistol scopes and barrels were expensive for a teenager, so I gravitated away from it, but now I kind of want a 204 Ruger and 6mm TCU.

Ya, I want a single shot 6 creed with a long threaded barrel. To still be shorter than a short barrel bolt gun, but with a lot more velocity.

 

[Bluefish]

Ya, I want a single shot 6 creed with a long threaded barrel. To still be shorter than a short barrel bolt gun, but with a lot more velocity.

Also light. My sbr 45-70 contender is 8 lbs with a 22oz silencer, scope, etc. taking out the extra 3” for the receiver makes a nice difference.

 

[z987k]

Also light. My sbr 45-70 contender is 8 lbs with a 22oz silencer, scope, etc. taking out the extra 3” for the receiver makes a nice difference.

I'd prefer it come in around 6-6.5lbs. And the CVA is a real porker.

 

[ShaneC]

As you can probably tell from my screen name, I am a fan of hunting handguns and the TC Contenders and Encores are some of the best.

I have 3 Encore frames, and 3 Contender frames (one of each generation) and multiple barrels for each.

I am very excited to see them come back, but I also want to shout out Bellm, Bullberry, and E.A. Brown for keeping us enthusiasts in parts while they have been away.

I just inherited a Contender, older model. Can i put a rifle stock on it and convert it into a rifle?

 

[HandgunHTR]

I just inherited a Contender, older model. Can i put a rifle stock on it and convert it into a rifle?

As long as the barrel is 16” or longer, you can. There was actually a court case a while back (80s IIRC) because TC was selling a Contender kit that included a frame, a pistol barrel, a rifle barrel, and pistol and rifle furniture. The ATF said they couldn’t do that because someone could build a SBR. The court ruled that until it was actually built in that configuration it wasn’t illegal.