Thompson/Center Arms Compass SA

The History of Thompson/Center Arms

Not to be confused with the makers of the famous Thompson gun (originally made by the Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company), the Thompson/Center Arms is an American producer of firearms, established by K.W. Thompson and Warren Center in 1965. Initially, they focused on manufacturing single-shot firearms with interchangeable barrels. This led to the introduction of a unique single-shot pistol in the late 1960s which later became known as the Contender. The production facilities were set up in 1965 with the first large orders leaving the factory in 1967.

The Contender allowed for switching between different calibers only by changing the barrel, which was a good selling point at the time, even compared to some of the popular bolt-action rifles. It offered great precision for a break-action pistol and was powerful enough for different hunting scenarios. Over the following decade, they also presented the second generation of Contender, named the G2, and the Encore model which used a different trigger mechanism and featured a bulkier, more rugged design.

In the early 1970s, the company first introduced their Hawken-style black powder muzzle-loading rifle which was followed by several different muzzleloader models such as Cherokee, Seneca, Cougar, Hawken, New Englander and many others. For some time, TC Arms also made 2 muzzleloading pistols, but the fire that demolished the factory in the 1990s made it impossible to continue production. The company did, however, also produce some bolt-action rifles such as the Venture and Compass, available in various configurations.

In the 1990s, Thompson/Center Arms faced a legal issue regarding a rifle conversion kit for the pistols they sold. The AFT claimed that the kit could be used to create an illegal DIY firearm, however, The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of T/C Arms, stating that the company would not be held responsible for how people might misuse the kit.

In 2007, T/C Arms Co. was obtained by the Smith & Wesson company and the production was moved to Springfield. In 2021, S&W announced their plans to sell the T/C Arms brand, fully ceasing the production of firearms. However, as of 2023, a definitive buyer is yet to be determined. The company continues to list various models on their T/C Arms USA website, likely selling off the remaining inventory.

Thompson/Center Arms Compass SA Rifle Review

The T/C Compass is a bolt action rifle that was initially displayed at The Shot Show in 2016 and is available in two action lengths. The short-action model is presented in this review.

The Compass is one of the affordably priced bolt action rifles that the Thompson Center developed while it was a part of S&W, even though their business was largely known for its single-shot guns. The Compass uses synthetic stock and a matte black finish in a conventional bolt action design. The stock has sling swivel studs and a cushioned rubber recoil pad. One can immediately see similarities between the Compass and the company's other bolt action rifle, which they called Venture, when looking at the structural design of the action in more detail.

Except for the difference in action length, there are no structural distinctions between the short-action and long-action models. The Compass doesn't have built-in iron sights, but it comes with pre-set Weaver bases for mounting scopes. If users want a different setup, there are four holes on the top of the receiver for attaching scope mounts. There is a bolt release lever on the left rear side of the action. The right side has an ejection port with a small gas bent at the front end. A 5-round detachable magazine sits flush with the forearm and is made of durable polymer material.

The bolt itself is made of steel with a blue finish. It has a 60-degree lift, three locking lugs, and a plunger-type ejector. For safety purposes, there is a three-position lever on the right side of the bolt, just behind the handle, which resembles the one used on Winchester model 70 rifles. The rearmost setting is 'safe' and locks the bolt and trigger, the middle position allows for moving the bolt while blocking the trigger and the frontmost position is for firing.

Every Compass has a single-stage trigger that is customizable. Although the rifle ships with a factory-preset weight of about 1600 g (3.5 lbs), users can adjust the pull weight within a range of 1400 g (3 lbs) to 2300 g (5 lbs). Many of the Compass rifles were subject to a recall shortly after their original distribution because of safety issues that the company had discovered. A large number of rifles were taken off the market after it was revealed that there was an increased danger of the weapon discharging when it was dropped.

T/C Compass SA, chambered for 5.56x45 NATO

Figure 1: T/C Compass SA, chambered for 5.56x45 NATO (Source: https://www.collectorsfirearms.com/products/181999-smith-wesson-tc-rifle-556-nato-r39711.html)

T/C Compass SA Calibers

The rifle can be chambered for the following calibers:

.204 Ruger
.223 Rem.
5.56×45 NATO
.22-250 Rem.
.243 Win.
6.5 Creedmoor
.308 Win.
7mm-08 Rem.

The receivers of the T/C Compass SA rifle come with four drilled and tapped holes which can be used for scope mounting purposes. There are two holes on the front and two on the rear mounting surface. Most rifles are, however, factory-equipped with Weaver bases.

The receiver of T/C Compass SA, chambered for 5.56x45 NATO

Figure 2: The receiver of T/C Compass SA, chambered for 5.56x45 NATO (Source: https://www.collectorsfirearms.com/products/181999-smith-wesson-tc-rifle-556-nato-r39711.html)

T/C Compass SA

A: 22.2 mm

B: 81.2 mm

C: 22.2 mm

BHU: 0 mm

Ø: 6-48

R1: R17

R2: R17

Scope Mounts Interchangeable With T/C Compass SA

Rifles That Have One-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With T/C Compass SA

The necessary condition for rifles to have one-piece scope mounts interchangeable is that the mounting surfaces of these rifles match in every dimension. Rifles that have one-piece scope mounts interchangeable with T/C Compass SA are the following:

T/C Venture SA

Rifles That Have Two-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With T/C Compass SA

For two-piece scope mounts to be interchangeable, the mounting surfaces of the rifles must match in every dimension except the action length which can vary. This is because the distance between the two pieces of the mount is not fixed. Rifles that have two-piece scope mounts interchangeable with T/C Compass SA are the following:

Best Scope Mounts for T/C Compass SA

Picatinny Rails for T/C Compass SA

Waver bases are typically already installed in the receivers of T/C Compact rifles. However, you can think about adding a Picatinny rail to the top of your receiver if you want to increase your scope mounting possibilities. The American company EGW is the maker of this Picatinny. It is properly sized to accommodate the receiver of your Compass SA and is milled from a single piece of premium aluminum.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the scope mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu