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Thompson center

Classic move. Big, poorly-run company gobbles up small, poorly-run company. Big company ruins product line of small company. Convinced now-ruined reputation of small company is starting to affect theirs, big company dumps small company.

Those bat rastards at S&W.
 
I bought one last year for cheap in 204 ruger. It shoots better than i expected it would. Factory threaded also.
 
In 2006, when the deal was struck between Greg Ritz and the powers at S&W, the S&W execs had no idea about what made TCA tick. They needed barrel making capabilities for the new MSR line and the possibility they were fed some "not quite true" sales statistics made them believe they were not only getting what they needed but a profitable market in the hunting arena as well.
Most states then had either muzzle loader or primitive seasons (using only black powder). In 2007 the winds of change began to blow and many states (ones where TC had harvested many sales for ML hunters) changed rules to allow "vintage" smokeless cartridges. The state of Mississippi renamed the season Primitive Weapon Season and began to allow single-shot rifles such as the old Lyman Plains Rifle in 45-70 to replace the muzzle loader. Other states followed closely behind and TC top profit makers like Omega and Pro Hunter muzzle loaders took a deep dive. Muzzle loader business in total pretty much fell by the wayside and the slide was compounded by the Obama earthquake of sales of MSR and handguns.
TCA planning and new products took a backseat, for that matter even fell off the bus for a while. S&W made the decision to close the Rochester plant and move all TC production to Springfield ( a move largely brought on by poor attitiudes or front line manufacturing employees at TC). During the move there were quite a few things that were "lost". Those included the "secrets" to making the TC Contender. It was MIA for quite some time. The Icon was to have taken TC into the next phase but it failed to gain accceptance.
So, yes, S&W does shoulder some blame for TC's demise but definitely not all. There was (and is) quite a number of others to point fingers at as well.
 
Intell said:
I bought one last year for cheap in 204 ruger. It shoots better than i expected it would. Factory threaded also.
Click to expand...
Got a Venture II in 308 Win. last year, shoots damn good. I don't shoot over 200 yards but with a 165GR.
Ballistic tip it's right on .
 
I purchased a TC rifle years ago in 300 win, walnut stock, loved it due to size, weight, and just liked the idea of a breakdown rifle. 300 shot well, it would kill at both ends though. I purchased a 223 barrel for it thinki g what would be better to play with. The 223 barrel was crap, would hold MOA of about 10 inches. I hunted with the 300 for years, I evenly cracked the walnut stock against my shoulder shooting it, recoil was crazy. I sold it at some point because of recoil. That being said, I have thought about looking for one in a smaller caliber to play with, guess not now....
 
Did anyone spend $1500 on the Long Range Rifle - complete with 3-12 scope and a 12 twist 308 or 10 twist 243 barrel? Bet not.
 
NZ_Fclass said:
Did anyone spend $1500 on the Long Range Rifle - complete with 3-12 scope and a 12 twist 308 or 10 twist 243 barrel? Bet not.
Click to expand...
There have been a few of those around the range. A friend has one in 243 and it is a very nice rifle.
Most all were purchased as rifle only and MSRP there is around $1200. The MSRP for scoped version, wearing a Vortex Diamondback, was at the $1500 mark as you mention.
The LRR is marketed as a S&W Performance Center product with only a minor reference to TC in their limited advertising but, to be fair, it did carry a TC SKU.
The decision makers long resisted attempts to take the brand into the "precision" (sniper) rifle arena. They used the excuse that TC had always been focused on the hunter and should stay that way. I felt it may have been, actually, due to the failure of the Icon Warlord that had already been in planning stages before the merger. The fact was there was simply no market for a $3800 factory built precision rifle when one could buy hand built guns from other specialty builders at the time. There was a market (explained to them many times) for good performing purpose built rifles in the $1000 range but that niche was filled quickly by Savage and Ruger. The LRR was too little too late I'm afraid.
 
shoot4fun said:
There have been a few of those around the range. A friend has one in 243 and it is a very nice rifle.
Most all were purchased as rifle only and MSRP there is around $1200. The MSRP for scoped version, wearing a Vortex Diamondback, was at the $1500 mark as you mention.
The LRR is marketed as a S&W Performance Center product with only a minor reference to TC in their limited advertising but, to be fair, it did carry a TC SKU.
The decision makers long resisted attempts to take the brand into the "precision" (sniper) rifle arena. They used the excuse that TC had always been focused on the hunter and should stay that way. I felt it may have been, actually, due to the failure of the Icon Warlord that had already been in planning stages before the merger. The fact was there was simply no market for a $3800 factory built precision rifle when one could buy hand built guns from other specialty builders at the time. There was a market (explained to them many times) for good performing purpose built rifles in the $1000 range but that niche was filled quickly by Savage and Ruger. The LRR was too little too late I'm afraid.
Click to expand...
And it would seem that they decided to buck the trend, and use slower twist barrels than the competition - excepting the 6.5 Creedmoor. We didn't see one down here - which may in part due to the S+W agent being also the Ruger agent.
 
NZ_Fclass said:
And it would seem that they decided to buck the trend, and use slower twist barrels than the competition - excepting the 6.5 Creedmoor. We didn't see one down here - which may in part due to the S+W agent being also the Ruger agent.
Click to expand...
Maybe I am missing your point but the 243 and 6.5CM were 8 twist and the 308 was 10.
My latest Gen RPR in 6CM is 7.7 twist so not a great difference. The thing I didn't understand was opting for 243 instead of the 6 Creedmoor. IMO the 243 was a poor choice for today's potential market.
BTW, I still own one of the few Precision Hunter 6.5 Creedmoor rifles. It is an absolute tack driver and may be my only rifle that will cold-bore the X every time.
 

11745 PERFORMANCE CENTER® T/C® LRR 243 WINCHESTER​

11745.png

Caliber : .243 WIN
Finish/Stock : Flat Dark Earth
Trigger : Adj. 3.5 - 5 lbs.
Barrel Length : 26"-27.5"
Rate of Twist : 1:10
Capacity : 10 Det. Mag
Length of Pull : 13"-14"
Overall Length : 47.5"
Weight : 12 lbs.
Sights : None
Rifling : 5R
Model # : 11745
 

11888 PERFORMANCE CENTER® T/C® LRR 308 WINCHESTER​

11888.png

Caliber : .308 WIN
Finish/Stock : Black
Trigger : None
Barrel Length : 20"-21.5"
Rate of Twist : 1:12
Capacity : 10 Det. Mag
Length of Pull : 13"-14"
Overall Length : 13.5"
Weight : 11 lbs.
Sights : None
Rifling : 5R
Model # : 11888
 
To be fair - it would seem that the specs above are a bit suspect - "Trigger - none", Overall length - 13.5"", but any businessman will tell you -" the devil is in the detail"
 
NZ_Fclass said:

11745 PERFORMANCE CENTER® T/C® LRR 243 WINCHESTER​

11745.png

Caliber : .243 WIN
Finish/Stock : Flat Dark Earth
Trigger : Adj. 3.5 - 5 lbs.
Barrel Length : 26"-27.5"
Rate of Twist : 1:10
Capacity : 10 Det. Mag
Length of Pull : 13"-14"
Overall Length : 47.5"
Weight : 12 lbs.
Sights : None
Rifling : 5R
Model # : 11745
Click to expand...
Not sure what happened but it showed 8 twist for me when I looked on S&W website.
My buddy shoots the 105's in his well but I've only seen him shooting out to 600 yards.
 
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