One Unhappy Thompson Owner
 

I ordered a Thompson Pro Hunter a few weeks ago, with two barrels 270, and a 22 Cal. Well the rifle showed up with no hing pin. So after 50 min on phone they send me one. After 8 days it shows up, so I slap the 28 inch stainless fluted 22 Cal barrel on and the 22 rounds will not go in chamber. Looks like a bunch of metal burrs pluging things up. This rifle is going back to shop and money is going back in my pocket. It was going to be a christmas gift for my kid. Give me a brake how can you let a 300$ barrel leave the plant with out knowing if a round will fit in barrel. Makes me laugh at the inspected by sticker that comes with rifle in box. Sean

Sure does seem that since S&W took over the reigns, T/C has certainly gone down hill.

Well I had to use T/C customer service several weeks back on a new Icon that had to be sent back to the factory. I had a new rifle in my hands 17 calendar days after shipping it to them. I was pleased with the service but curious as to how my rifle was shipped out doing what it was doing?

I am sure that no matter the brand name, a lemon gets out the door occasionally. I see many TC's in our camps throughout the season. I personally own a Triumph, and have no complaints. I am sure if you contacted the company, they would more than accommodate you for their mistake.

As to the inspected by sticker, no matter what line of work it is, you are going to find some that are there simply for the paycheck. It is a shame that some people are this way. But it is the lazy growing trend of America.

TC was on its way to the bottom of the hill years before S&W took over. i bought a TC Encore muzzleloader in 2006 and outfitted it with five centerfire rifle barrels along with quality scopes.

1. The hinge pin was out of round. Bought a new hinge pin from Bellms.

2. There was side play in the barrels. Now i have a model 37 Winchester shot gun that was bought new in 1950. That old shotgun has no side play in the barrel to this day.

3. When i installed the first center fire barrel and tried to fire the gun, it misfired. Yep, had a hammer extension on the gun and the Encore did not like a hammer extension. Bought a stronger Bellms hammer spring.

4. Three of the centerfire rifle barrels had excessive headspace. They were sold at a loss.

5. One had to disassemble the gun in order to clean the muzzleloader barrel. Not to worry, TC had a spiffy new ejector that cured the problem: It cost extra, of course.

6. The ramrod thimbles on the muzzleloader barrel were loose because the swcrew holes were not tapped deep enough.

One good thing came of my Encore misadventure: Some of my bolt action guns got new Leupold and Zeiss scopes that came off the sorry TC rifle barrels.

TC touts their guns as "made in America." Made in America by whom?

Brother is a dealer and had friends that are very close to the industry and friends that have friends very close to the industry. Talked with them this past weekend. Let's just say T/C would be VERY much better off if someone bought them out right now. ;)

So, is Smith and Wesson planning to sell T/C Arms?

Not that anyone knew of, but it's my opinion that if another better run company did take the reigns, things would probably turn around at T/C.

I love my Triumph, but I knew quality control and customer service would, and it seems like it has gone down hill when S&W took over. I have called them not with any problems but with questions and they have me on hold forever or they return my call weeks later

I heard the T/C plant has been closed.

Absolutely. TC Arms is a perfect example of how a fantastic marketing campaign can get people to buy anything you want to sell them.

If people are paying the going prices for an encore they either have more money than sense or they're are just that gullible.
Either way it's a win for TC.
They're laughing all the way to the bank.

The encore and contender is one of the biggest gimics that sucked almost every gun enthusist in. I got sucked in. Still have one, poured hundreds in it to make it dead accurate. In the end, I have a pokestalker. I had oversized hinge pins put in. Hanger systems added to forearms, machined out hinge to match.

I can't believe I fell for it.

Really?? I was thinking about picking one up (almost did last week in Reno) for a blackpowder rifle then getting a .243 barrel and punch it out to a Ackley for fireforming my brass...

As long as you don't mind the fact, you got a pokestalker in the end of this road.

Are the newer Pro-Hunters/Endeavors any better?

I am not sure. I bought up several encores at an estate sell. Ended up parting out pieces and had frames left and wood forearm and stock.

First barrel had alot of play. You could push out the hinge pin or shake it out. I had hole milled on frame and barrel and new one installed. You have to punch it out now. Forearm had trouble with the fit. Horrible accuracy. You had to force the front screw. Hogged out the forearm and put in solid metal system. Worked on the trigger myself.

So now, if I wanted to buy a new barrel, I have to take back to my smith and have the hole milled to match perfectly with the oversized one.

I am not sure. I bought up several encores at an estate sell. Ended up parting out pieces and had frames left and wood forearm and stock.

First barrel had alot of play. You could push out the hinge pin or shake it out. I had hole milled on frame and barrel and new one installed. You have to punch it out now. Forearm had trouble with the fit. Horrible accuracy. You had to force the front screw. Hogged out the forearm and put in solid metal system. Worked on the trigger myself.

So now, if I wanted to buy a new barrel, I have to take back to my smith and have the hole milled to match perfectly with the oversized one.

Ended up selling the other frame and pieces. But a prohunter is a different lockup.

I have a problem with my Omega. The firing pin won't retract into the breech block, puts a dent in the primers ( that's how I noticed it) almost deep enough to fire. Most likely caused by corrosion, can't get the screw to back out of the block to inspect. Called T/C and got a recording that they were closed for the day. Found out they closed the New Hampshire plant and are moving to S & W facilities in Springfield, Mass.

I've had several TC guns thru the years. I sold or traded off every one. I'm done with TC.

Thompson fixed my gun
 

I dropped my old renegade and broke off the hammer screw I sent the lock to them and they repaired no questions asked. Took about 3 weeks.

Interested in a pro hunter Camo with thumb hole. 22-250 any body out there with one? Would like to hear the good, bad and ugly. Mainly for predator hunting, still wondering about only having 1 shot ready

TC was one of the last gun companies to actually get an email contact system up and running. I have a triumph and was contemplating another encore but I too have felt like they are lacking.

things can happen quick with cats and dogs. I would seriously consider a bolt or ar platform if you have good predator hunting in your area.

I still sit and shake my head that they actually got people to pay over $500 for a pokestalker!! Amazing! Whoever done their marketing was brilliant! I know it got to the point for me that if I turned on a hunting show and they were using one I kept surfing...

Just an update since I started the post. Decided to keep rifle mainly due to the fact the gun shop owner is a friend of mine. He called me a few days ago all upset that he can't get any one from thompson on the line to see what is up with my 22 cal barrel. Well after burning some minutes on the cell I get customer service. And the answer I get is we havent started are December returns yet. I never even put the barrel on the gun send me a new one. Well now I get to whait a few more weeks. Sean

I know my brother's tried multiple times to get parts out of T/C and it's a dead end - nobody there or nothing available. Not looking like a bright future for them.

I do and don't have a complaint about T/C. They finally made it very right. I bought the wife a T/C Triumph. A plain Jane blued and synthetic stock. I got it home and the lever on the trigger guard snapped off. That was a year ago Christmas. I sent it in and they replaced the trigger guard. I received it back and the hammer couldn't be pulled back. Back to T/C for the second time. Not having any place to shoot it was several months before I got to try it out.I cleaned it good went to snap a couple 209 primers and nothing. I tried a couple different brands of 209's.That's three trips to T/C and haven't fired a shot. Some bushing was not installed correctly.I get it back a few days before BP season. Opening morning we're at the range sighting it in. When we got to the range the first shot the Fiber Optic broke. The bore was so tight it took two men and boy to get the ball down the barrel. I called and talked to the service manager. A very nice lady. She knew of all the issues.Finally she asked if we can use it the way it is until BP ends then she would swap it out. I agreed and I had wanted to get a S/S and Camo stock but they were sold out right at Christmas.I asked if I could pay the difference and get what we originally wanted. She said no for all the trouble you've had I'll send you the S/S /Camo.

So it did have a happy ending but aggravating as Hell

I bought mine a year ago so I guess I got a good one before S&W bought it.

I was afriad T/C would hit rock bottom when S&W took them over. T/C at one time had one of the best Customer Services.I have dealt with them for many years.I'm not saying I won't ever buy another T/C product but I will be looking elsewhere first. I sure hate seeing a great company like were go down the tubes like they have been lately. Very sad.

I've dealt with TCs customer services on multiple occasions, and have yet to experience any negative issues. Quick and timely shipments of parts with no hesitations regarding the lifetime warranty. I own multiple barrels for a contender and encore and each is a tack driver.:happy0001:

I've had TC's since 73 ,and any issues I had were taken care of quick no questions asked. Till S&W took over I only had one contact with them since, and was treated much differently. Many Questions ,What did I do to the gun, etc.etc. What I don't understand is why is this , I have S&W pistols and have had service on one of them, that service was great, so why the deal with TC.
Alex

S&W has owned TC for 3 years.

I just called TC CS to order flush fit dress screws for where I took my front sight off. I called them and they answered; I told them what I needed and they shipped them and I had them in 3 days??????????????????????. I bought mine a year ago last Christmas Eve as well before S&W bought them but I am still having no problems with service from them.

Kind of stubborn huh?

Read the last paragraph of this announcement. If you don't believe it. Call TC and ask them. I did 5 days ago, and they confirm what this article says.


ROCHESTER — Springfield, Mass-based Smith & Wesson Holding Corp is relocating its Thompson/Center Arms operations from Rochester, N.H., to its Springfield, Mass. facility, according to the City biz Real Estate website.

The site posted the news late Wednesday night.

Foster's Daily Democrat has learned the company bused its employees to a meeting at the Governor's Inn Restaurant around 4 p.m. Wednesday. At the meeting company representatives were reported to have said the Thompson/Center Arms facility would be closed over a period of about nine months.

The closure will effect approximately 250 employees, some who may be offered the opportunity to move the company's Springfield operation.

Foster's also learned over the next couple of weeks there will be meetings with employees to discuss severance issues and the possible relocation of some local workers to Springfield. Employees were also told the company was continuing to look for a buyer for the foundry at the Rochester facility.

According to its most recent annual report, the company owns three manufacturing facilities in its firearm division. Its principal facility is the 530,323-square-foot Springfield plant. It also owns a 38,115-square-foot plant in Houlton, Maine, and the 160,000-square-foot plant in Rochester.

The bulk of the $9 million of estimated cash outlays associated with the relocation will occur in the second half of 2011, and those outlays are expected to be recovered in approximately 24 months. The relocation is scheduled to commence in January 2011 and conclude by November 2011.

As a result of the relocation of its Thompson/Center Arms operations, Smith & Wesson expects to record future expense of approximately $6 million, consisting of approximately $3 million for personnel-related exit costs and approximately $3 million of other facility-related shutdown costs, including costs for moving and facility preparation.

The Springfield facility is primarily used to manufacture handguns and rifles; the Houlton facility is primarily used to manufacture handcuffs, restraints, .22-caliber pistols, metal center-fire pistols, and the Walther PPK and PPK/S pistols; and the Rochester facility is used primarily to produce hunting rifles, black powder firearms, interchangeable firearm systems, and long gun barrels.

The company also owns a 56,869-square-foot facility in Springfield that it uses for the Smith & Wesson Academy, a state-accredited firearm training institution, a public shooting facility, and a retail store; and a 6,000-square-foot retail facility in Rochester.

The company leases office and manufacturing space at four facilities in its perimeter security division. The facilities are all located within a quarter mile of each other in Franklin, Tenn. The total space leased is 61,509 square feet.

The company also leases 2,800 square feet of office space in Scottsdale, Ariz., which houses its investor relations department as well as offices for its board of directors, and 577 square feet of office space in Washington, D.C., which houses certain executive staff. Both of these leases expire on Dec. 31, 2010.

Smith & Wesson acquired Rochester, NH-based Thompson/Center Arms, Inc., a privately held, New Hampshire-based designer, manufacturer and marketer of hunting firearms, for $102 million in cash in 2006.

Just an update on my Thompson problem. I started this post in the middle of Dec. Well still no 22 barrel, I called customer service today and got a new answer:violin:. We have no barrels and do not know when they will be made but when we do get them we will ship them out. I wish they had an office just down the street because they would need a new front door.:rant: Sean

happy
 

I am extremely happy with my Triumph. Right out of the box it was a tack driver!!! Bang on at 100 yards now with my Nikon Omega!!! Question is, is the T/C venture just as good or would I be better off with another brand rifle?!? :fighting0007:

A friend of mine tim, called me sunday night to tell me about a with a pro-hunter his buddy bought when they got back to the USA after being oversea's for a year (both of them are in the Air Force). They went to the range, his buddy put 1 round down the barrel and handed him the rifle with a case stuck in the chamber, and it did it every time they shot it. After getting the cases out they noticed the cases were slightly egg shaped. I guess when it comes back from TC it's going down the road.

So T/C is down in the gutter with Remington, LOL. (I just bought a 700 SPS).

Next rifle will be a CZ 550 American I think even though my Remington seems well made.

Wow,
Sorry to hear this!
My Contender G1 and barrel sets work extremely well, but my dad got them in the early 90s IIRC.

It is a shame to see the almighty(?) dollar come before quality/pride in workmanship once again.

[QUOTE=luthier;4041465]Wow,
Sorry to hear this!
My Contender G1 and barrel sets work extremely well, but my dad got them in the early 90s IIRC.

It is a shame to see the almighty(?) dollar come before quality/pride in workmanship once again.[/QUOTE]

***How does one come to that conclusion about a company from just one or two posts by people that had a problem a couple years ago?