If you are the kind of person that just reads the headline you might have the wrong impression about the Thompson/Center Compass and about me. So I think it makes sense to read on.
You see, I want to buy a Thompson/Center Compass but my daughter had other ideas. We will get to those in a bit, but for now let’s look at how it began. A spark in my imagination. A hog hunt with my daughter.
Just imagine this simple plan: While on a family vacation in Florida we would book a father daughter evening hunt. It would be perfect. Warm weather, a beautiful sunset, and a tasty dinner of wild hog. Sounds perfect right?
The only problem is I don’t have a hog rifle that is suitable for my 9 year old daughter. My .308 is too heavy and packs too much of a punch, plus that Remington 700 and it’s Magpul AICS magazine full of hog hate would be on backup incase her shot wasn’t immediately effective. So she would need a new rifle.
That is where the T/C Compass comes in. The Compass is a rifle from Thompson/Center that is designed to provide a feature rich, American made rifle at a value price point. The Compass has an MSRP of $399 and features an adjustable trigger, a threaded, free float barrel in a pillar bedded stock, and a 5 round detachable magazine. The compass utilizes a 3 position manual safety and is drilled and tapped for scope bases which are included.
The Compass is available in a host of calibers including 204 Ruger, 223/5.56, 22-250 Rem, 270 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, 7mm Mag, 308 Win, 30-06 Springfield, 6.5 CRD, 300 Win-Mag and the caliber I think would be just about right for my little girl, 243 Winchester. Probably not the perfect caliber for hogs, but from an elevated stand with a back up, I think it would do just fine.
All that would be needed is a moderate scope like a Leupold Varix-II 4-12 and a set of rings and we would be off to the races.
The MSRP of $399 is impressive, but the street price is even more so at $299 with a $75 manufacturers rebate to boot. Mated with a scope you can be up and running with what seems to be a quality rifle for right around $500.
But, like I said, I’m not going to buy a T/C Compass. When I shared my idea with my daughter, she mulled it over and after some thinking she decided she wasn’t quite ready to harvest a pig this year. I have to respect her for that. The phrase goes something like, “A man has to know his limits.” I think the same is true for little girls.
The only question left in my mind is, “Is it too early to get ready for next year?”
