Sweet Singles

In 1967 Thompson Center Arms launched the Contender. A single shot break action pistol with the unique ability to quickly change barrels and shoot a variety of calibers. Thirty years later, the Encore was released. With it’s stronger frame it greatly expanded the barrel options including the .308 Win, 30-06, and even the 375 H&H family of cartridges. Over the past 57 years, the Contender and Encore have enjoyed somewhat of a cult following, but Thompson Center (TC) is much more than a one shot wonder. They were partly responsible for the resurgence of muzzle loading rifles in the 80’s and have launched some very nice bolt action rifles too.

In 2007, in an effort to get in on the bolt action rifle game, Smith & Wesson acquired Thompson Center. Unfortunately, less than 15 years later S&W decided to phase out the TC brand. Earlier this year, Gregg Ritz, who owned TC prior to the Smith & Wesson acquisition, bought back the company and announced TC will soon begin shipping new firearms. Over the years I have owned several of their other platforms, including muzzleloaders and bolt actions, but their single shot rifles have accounted for many of the deer I have harvested. My current one hit wonders are a Suppressed TC Contender in 6.8 SPC, a suppressed mismatched SS/Blued Encore in .308 and Big Boar Beauty chambered in .358 Win.

In the quarter century since the Encore was released, others have tried to imitate the success of the TC single shot platform, but they have come up short. Yes, there are other less expensive single shot options with interchangeable barrels, but the sheer amount of aftermarket options available for TC basically make the others irrelevant imposters. In my opinion, the single shot platform makes the perfect host for a suppressor. With TC, you can have anything from a traditional blued beauty with a walnut stock to a compact suppressed pistol with an arm brace. The options are endless.