# Thompson Center Quality Control



## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

This might be a warning to some of you wanting to buy a decent-priced rifle from a known, name-brand company.
I have had good luck with T/C with my and from what I've seen with other friend's muzzleloaders and with a couple of Encores that have been ordered.
But here is a problem than I wouldn't have believed if I had not seen it myself.
This guy's *brand new in the box* Thompson Center Venture - and Ventures have already had one recall, but this one was not subject to it (big orange sticker!) had what looks like dirt/rust inside the action on a NEW rifle.

He cleaned some of the gritty stuff out and here are the pics of what it still looks like. T/C said send it in and wait 6-8 weeks. Well 6-8 weeks pretty much ends the hunting season here for this 7mm Rem Mag. So he is in a time bind. I told him to contact the seller Gallery of Guns/Davidsons as they also have a replacement warranty.




























I can't imagine either how this happened, or how it slide by QC when the box was packed.


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

I have to say that is really messed up.
Every time someone wants to buy a muzzle loader which brand comes up first. Thompson i know they all have problems but this is not good.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

YUK!!!
Man I hope that isn't going to be the norm. I know that Smith and Wesson bought out Thompson Center, and I hope they aren't trying to push off crappy steel to make up the price. That is down right terrible! Have your friend send them pictures and a big long complaint letter it's not right!


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Actually, since I have been an advocate of TC for such a long, long time, I sent them an email with the link to this posting. Maybe something positive will come of it. I feel bad for your friend who bought what was supposed to be a top quality rifle and got this in stead.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

That is UGLY.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

There is a strong possibility that what happened to that rifle didn't happen at the Thompson Center facility but on the truck/train or the distributors ware house that had a moisture problem. On any accounts why would you buy a rifle that had that much rust in it when you looked at it. It's not like you are buying directly from Thompson Center.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Critter said:


> There is a strong possibility that what happened to that rifle didn't happen at the Thompson Center facility but on the truck/train or the distributors ware house that had a moisture problem. On any accounts why would you buy a rifle that had that much rust in it when you looked at it. It's not like you are buying directly from Thompson Center.


He hadn't looked at it.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

You may be right. Could have come from a flood area. Bad deal either way. :shock:


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> by BirdDogger » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:42 pm
> 
> I think T/C quality has gone down the past few years. Their newer guns are not the same high quality as the Omega, in my opinion.


My opinion is that T/C has been building semi-crappy guns for the last few years. People are just now starting to notice.

Here's the muzzy I'd buy if I were looking right now:
http://www.knightrifles.com/Mountaineer-OD-Green-Straight/


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Wow! I would guess that it is a one off deal and not an overall factory issue, but waiting 6-8 weeks is ridiculously unacceptable. I would think that Davidson's would take of care of that in a heartbeat at the cost of looking terribly.


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## quakeycrazy (Sep 18, 2007)

Looks fishy for sure. Unless he ordered it online, I can't imagine buying a firearm where they didn't take it out of the box first to check the serial numbers or the condition of the rifle when making the transaction. Also I didn't know TC includes a scope mount on their rifles right out of the box. That looks like it went through a major rain storm with no cleaning or oil care....


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

quakeycrazy said:


> Unless he ordered it online, I can't imagine buying a firearm where they didn't take it out of the box first to check the serial numbers or the condition of the rifle when making the transaction.


Bingo!


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

This particular Venture features T/C's "...*highly corrosion resistant Weather Shield finish*..."

Not too impressed with how that worked out seeing this!

It was ordered online and Davidson's is replacing it and will deal with T/C on the bad Venture.
They are really outstanding to work with on this.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The "Weather Shield finish" is on the exterior of the rifle and not on internal parts such as where the rust is. If you notice there is no rust on the barrel or on the outside of the chamber except for where some water may of washed some of the rust out of the bolt area.


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

I think I'll stick to _real_ stainless steel myself. Moisture seems to get into the insides as well for some odd reason.


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## quakeycrazy (Sep 18, 2007)

Did they include a scope with the package as well? I still wonder why my venture didn't come with pre-mounted scope mounts....


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## Frisco Pete (Sep 22, 2007)

T/C offers both just the rifle, and the Venture rifle with the scope package - which is a bit more money, but overall a good deal, although the scope is a bottom-end one.

To continue the story, he and the dealer contacted Davidson's and they Next Day Air-ed a new Venture to the dealer. Because they were out of just rifles in that caliber, he got the scope package rifle for a very minimal extra charge.
Basically Davidson's was completely awesome to deal with and went the extra mile to make it right. The new one looked good. 
Of course the old one was shipped back - but on the same day the new one arrived - so they really covered him.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I had a friend with a problem on his new rifle and Davidsons did the same thing. Great warranty!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

In all reality he didn't buy the rifle from Thompson Center but from Davidson's. Sounds like Davidsons did the right thing for him even if he did get the one with the scope package for a few dollars more. They did what was right.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Good to see that they took care of it; the nice thing with dealing with a great outfit like Davidson's is that you have two sources of recourse between them and the mfgr. I would expect no less from them and I would have raised some cane had they done any less.


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## Last Man Standing (Dec 7, 2011)

It's hard for me to believe that this was an issue that T/C could have prevented. I can't imagine what a rifle would have to go through to look that bad, and I doubt that any thing that rough is going on inside T/C's facilities. Seems far more plausible that this occurred in transport. I have a Venture predator myself and it has been a fine little rifle. I don't think Thompson Center makes low quality products considering the price. Anyway, That's great that Davidson's got square with him on the whole deal. I like to hear about stores doing the right thing, seems rare these days. To be honest though, I don't know if I'd ever buy a gun I hadn't personally looked over, guns don't tend to have awesome return policies.


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