This is really good news! I have high hopes.

 

That's good news. Hopefully this will drive down the cost of Contender barrels.

 

That press release is pretty lacking in details. I do hope something good comes of it.

 

Thanks for the heads up. It sounds promising, at least.

 

So, where does this leave SSK making the “new” Contender frames? FWIW, owned, and still own a number of TC products. The new SSK frames are getting super good reviews. Just wondering…..

 

So, where does this leave SSK making the “new” Contender frames?

I've talked with Marty at Haus of Arms a good bit about this development. He seems to be in the loop on a lot of it. The patents have lapsed on the original Contender design or something like that so SSK can continue making the frames. T/C will likely concentrate on the Encore since that was by far more popular than the Contender or G2 platform. It's not apparent that they'll produce the G2 but that would be the only version of the Contender that would have any place in the line-up. I would assume that they'd offer Contender barrels because the set-up to make them would be similar enough to Encore production but who knows. it'll be interesting to see whether there'll be emphasis on traditional bolt-actions or black powder rifles as well as the Encores.

 

This is great news. I have been a TC fan since 1972 and have owned many. mostly black powder, but had a Contender back in the mid-70s and more recently, a Compass II, with is unbelieveably accurate and cost me less than $300.

 

I‘m seventy one so my gun buying days are coming to an end…. okay, pretty much over. My first Thompson Center product was a 45 cal. Hawken muzzleloader that I bought in 1973. It has harvested quite a bit of venison for me and still shoots as good as it did when new. I have a rare and coveted .32 cal Cherokee that shoots just as good, if not better. A 20 gage Encore “shrifle” with a rifled barrel from their custom shop that is the most accurate slug gun that I have ever shot. An early model Contender Super 14 in 223 rounds out my TC experience. All of these are good solid firearms that I have enjoyed over the years. I had to send my slug barrel to them for repair, my own doing, and the service was exceptional! I hope these excellent traits continue.

 

Ah yes it’ll just right down the road from me. Making about 250 jobs I hear

 

Where is it going to be located? Great news to hear he is back.

 

Good news! I have a few T/C front stuffers 2-50cal hawkens 1-54cal White Mtn Carbine 1-45cal Seneca 1- 50cal New Englander

 

Good news to hear. I have a couple T/C Encore pistols and I just bought a NIB T/C Venture in 280 Rem.

 

A revival should always be good news....

 

I am HAPPY AS HELL that somebody with some good outdoor experience ,and with actual previous experience with T/C is back at the helm,smith and wesson DESTROYED the company ,and didnt give it a second chance.I have had 2 ENCORES in pistol form , and had 3 CONTENDER rifles and a pistol.I have ALWAYS wanted a T/C HOTSHOT in 22lr.I hope they bring that one back.I hunt THICK woods and I shoot a T/C CONTENDER in 44mag,it is a beautiful set-up.THANK YOU GREGG.

 

I read here today,but now cant find again, that THOMPSON CENTER was bought from S&W from a previous owner? I would like to get more info. on that for sure. Gregg something or other is the new owner along with 2 investors.THAT IS GREAT NEWS.

 

.. Gregg something or other is the new owner along with 2 investors. THAT IS GREAT NEWS.

Underfunded investors, vs Smith & Wesson's capital. What could go wrong?

 

3 Contenders, a Hawken and a Renegade here. Glad T/C is being reborn.

 

Thompson/Center Arms Acquired by Former Owner | SGB Media Online

 

I have an early encore in 50cal muzzle loader that my dad handed down when he bought the very ugly composite stocked encore. Very pretty wood and plenty accurate, it sits in the safe because I can't stand shooting muzzle loaders and I really don't care for break action guns which keeps me from buying a centerfire barrel. I should just sell the thing and put it toward a bolt action build. But I'm also pretty lazy so...there's that.

 

Sure hope they can revive a great pre S&W relationship with the boutique T/C resellers.

 

Did a little checking on the Specialty Pistols forum [on Savage Shooters] and the guy seems to be the real deal. He does know his way around T/C and manufacturing. Folks can probably expect a delay such as SSK had, depends on what the deal with Smith involved. I would expect G-2's in a a couple of years from the closing and Encores to follow. I'm not sure that anyone would produce a Contender under the T/C banner after the lawsuits. We can hope, though. I'm going to keep checking some of my old sources.

 

What lawsuits? Dont need a lot of detail just very brief summary of what this is or was about.

I am with you and the others here, hoping.

 

Gregg Ritz

 

Game Trails fined $50,000 for illegal deer harvest | News | herald-dispatch.com

 

I doubt any lawsuits came forward on this, but remember, if you do own an early Contender please understand its safety limitations:

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/contender-hammer-safety.1269280/

 

Often, in these kind of transactions, it is the assets and the name that are sold not the corporate / legal entity. This is done to avoid any legal liability of the former company. I don’t know if that is the case here but it wouldn’t surprise me.

 

Before anyone gets too excited, just remember that Ritz was the guy who sold TC to S&W in the first place. He's a business man. Whatever he does or does not reintroduce will be motivated by profit and current markets. He's not buying TC back out of nostalgia.

 

Before anyone gets too excited, just remember that Ritz was the guy who sold TC to S&W in the first place. He's a business man. Whatever he does or does not reintroduce will be motivated by profit and current markets. He's not buying TC back out of nostalgia.

How does that differ from any other successful business? That is what he should be doing. But to your point, what is reintroduced might not be anything we are excited about.

 

I imagine a new Hawken would be $1K + in today’s economy.

 

Bottom line , its a business,it would be foolish to think otherwise.