Now, about deer hunting with the rifle. Ever think of getting a Thompson Center Encore in handgun configuration? This way you can continue to hunt with a handgun, just with rifle cartridges and velocities. I think you might enjoy it.
Hello Robster
I had one of the
Thompson Super 14's when they first came out if memory serves me correctly
Early to Mid 1980's time span. I Purchased it slightly used and it was in
.35 REM Caliber. I equipped it with
a 4-X Leupold scope and factory Mounts. I fired it about
10 Times sighting it in and
all was well. I went into the woods on Opening morning if Deer season expecting to take a Huge 12 Point Buck I had been watching in my Hunting area Prior to the season opening.At 7:15 the huge buck showed up and was coming in close.
I raised my Thompson put his chest in the cross hairs and squeezed off a shot to Hear
CLICK... No Bang. It mis-Fired on Factory ammo. I was sick to my stomach as I watched the trophy of a life time disappear into the hard woods out of sight. I went home and called Thompson. They told me that they had a head space issue with the .35 Remington round and paid to have my barrel shipped back to them to be repaired.
When it returned I took it to the range to test fire it. on the 10th round it Mis-Fired again. I fired it working through the rest of a 20 round box and it mis-Fired Three more times while doing so. I called Thompson again and they told me to return it again and paid the freight.They sent me a brand new barrel for my Super-14 Frame and I was Impressed as I Bought it used and they hadn't charged me one Penny along the way.
I shot it about 50 times that following summer killing several woodchucks with it without Incident. That Fall I returned to the range just before Deer season to fire it some more. I had a brand new Box of remington and Winchester ammo to shoot in it. All went well with The Remington ammo till shot Four and it Mis-Fired. I then placed the Winchester rounds in it and after several attempts I could not get it to fire any of the Winchester ammo , and what I did try in it I Noticed it Barely left a small dent in the primers. I took it back to the shop I bought it from , and traded it off for a S&W .44 Magnum that I Killed a Fine 8 Point buck with that season and have not had a Thompson Center fire Pistol since...In Conclusion,
Don't take this as a Personal Slam towards Thompson Center Fire Pistol's. When mine
worked it was deadly accurate. After Loosing a Lifetime Mount with it, due to it's On going malfunction, it enraged me to the Point of
getting rid of it. I did have a
.223 Barrel with it that I shot a Pile of woodchgucks with, but that .
35 Rem. Caliber was an issue and after getting rid of it, I have had several others tell me that had that caliber that they Too have had Mis-Fire issues with them in their Thompsons, I assume a Manufacturing Flaw on head space. I took an Interest in Classic S&W's and the rest was History. I still some day would Love to Own one of the now discontined
Savage striker Pistols or a
Remington XP Pistol should I find a caliber that enlightens me...Thegeneral
