Henry Rifle Forums

They're selling off Thompson/Center. Any takers?

Excerpt:

https://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/smith ... nter-arms/

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.(NASDAQ Global Select Market: SWBI), a leader in firearm manufacturing and design, today announced that it plans to divest its Thompson/Center Arms brand. This decision is part of the Company’s broader strategic plan that will focus on its core Smith & Wesson brands.

Mark P. Smith, President and CEO of Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., said, “Thompson/Center is a beloved hunting brand with a longstanding heritage, and we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition. Thompson/Center Arms’ loyal consumers should rest assured that they will continue to receive the world-class firearms, accessories, and customer service support that the brand has been known for since its founding in 1965. We remain fully committed to the hunting and long-range shooting market, and with this divestiture we will be able to now focus on these categories under our iconic Smith & Wesson brand. Additionally, this will allow us to immediately redirect manufacturing capacity to increase overall production volumes, allowing us to gain additional market share while simultaneously increasing profitability.”

Would be a Hoot if Ruger were to buy them...

RP

Vaquero wrote: ↑

Tue May 04, 2021 5:21 pm

Would be a Hoot if Ruger were to buy them...

RP

I doubt they will, but who knows. I don't have any experience with their stuff, but I've heard they're decent meat getters. Haven't heard anything bad about them. Hard to beat the prices. Under $400 for a variety of calibers and models.

I have a ton experience with TC dating back to the original company. Have a friend back in N.H. whop lived just down the road from the original TC and the whole town loved them. Broke everyone's heart when S&W bought them and moved it all to Springfield.

The quality of TC didn't take a hit with S&W as much as a drastic cut in selection. Also lost was the outstanding customer service of the old TC. What I missed the most, though, was that great TC Custom Shop. S&W wasted no time dumping that.

We had a huge collection of TC Contenders and Encores and sold it all a few years back when we were offered a great price by a TC collector.

Honestly, given that Henry has invested in break barrel single shots, I would love to see Henry carry on that tradition by acquiring TC.

I've owned and hunted with a 50 cal. Thompson Center Hawken for decades .... its been one heck of a black power rifle .... sure hope whoever buys the company keeps the quality up

Just my opinion I think they cut the selection so much that it ran the company interest down and not having anymore parts available for guns that are out there hurt them also. There is alot of people still shooting there black powder line of guns. I dont think Smith has done any favors for the TC people.

BigAl52 wrote: ↑

Tue May 04, 2021 6:47 pm

Just my opinion I think they cut the selection so much that it ran the company interest down and not having anymore parts available for guns that are out there hurt them also. There is alot of people still shooting there black powder line of guns. I dont think Smith has done any favors for the TC people.

It could end up being an employee owned company if they could secure some backing. Sometimes that works.

Back in the day Thompson Center was one of the best made factory black powder traditional style rifles made. They were not historically correct to originals but not many cared. They flat out out performed most of the factory rifles of the time. I had a few of there rifles and hunted with them.
Jim

I still have a Renegade. 54 cal. Thompson Center.
Probably more accurate than I.

RP

Hard to say what's actually left of the original company, now. The factory had a big fire back in the mid-90s that destroyed some of the equipment, most notably some of the muzzleloaders like the Seneca and the Cherokee. That's why some of those BP models bring such big money, now. Then, too, interest in those traditional muzzle loaders has taken a big hit with the in-lines. Even the market for the single shot center fire guns like the Contender, G2 and Encores has been shrinking for years.

For instance, the original Contender owned the sport of handgun silhouette for decades, but silhouette has now all but disappeared. The rise of the action shooting sports starting in the 90s stole its thunder. A club can host one of the action sports for a fraction of the cost of holding a silhouette meet. Then, too, there's very few of us hand gunners left who actually shoot handguns at those distances, anymore. A lot of current handgun shooters I've met in the last ten years have been astonished when I explained how we were shooting handguns out to 100 and 200 yards. They had no idea.

Bottom line is that so much has changed in the shooting market since the 70 and 80s when the original TC was in its glory years. I have my doubts whether there's enough market left to make bringing back those old TC traditional Mls and single shots doable, now.

Thirty years ago I could hit five out of six milk jugs consistently at one hundred yards with a .357 Magnum.
Folks wouldn't believe it until I showed them. I too old and shaky these days.