Thompson Center Compass 223/5.56

Lee Goodwin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2018
Messages
558
Location
Central Oregon
Well, I got the TC compass, that my wife got mad cause I bought it for her, tuned up. 55 grain practice reloads, and, an amazonian warehouse return konus 6x24x44 scope. Nice fun budget set up I thought y'all might be interested in.
 

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I've got one (Compass 223 Rem) that I just setup a few weeks ago. Haven't done any load development on it yet but, it shoots 1-1/4 MOA 5 round groups with the Federal American Eagle 55gr FMJ junk. With 77gr Black Hills Match it is shooting just over 1/2 MOA 5 round groups. It's wearing a cheap Sightron 3-9x40mm scope right now. I am going to put a good scope on it to wring it out. So far, I've been very happy with its performance, especially considering that it isn't even close to being broke in yet.
 
Mine is in 6.5 CM and here's a 3-shot group at 200 yards with factory ammo.

Thought we were just talking Compasses in 223 Rem.

SportsmansSupply auctioned a pile of T/C Compasses on Gunbroker last year, so many that they were selling for less than $220 most of the time AND S&W (T/C) was running a $50.00 rebate PER RIFLE! SportsmansSupply initially only offered them in 243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win and 270 Win. I eventually ended up buying six in various cartridges, paying $206.00 or less not including the rebates but, including S&H, for four of the six.

The first one that I bought was in 7mm-08 Rem. I never fired it in the original stock. I bought a Boyd's Pro Varmint laminate stock for it, with a 13" L.O.P. for proper fit while wearing a thick coat for hunting in very cold weather. Pillar bedded the stock to the Compass 7mm-08 and installed a muzzle brake. At the range it performed well. Most 3 round groups at 200 yards were right at MOA with 162gr ELD-X handload that just happened to chamber well but, were developed for one of my other 7mm-08s. I had just bought a Lyman borescope and it arrived right after my first range trip with this rifle, so I took a close look at the bore. The bore was not bad, considering it was a mass produced factory barrel but, there was on serious ding in the bore/crown intersection. The ding was on top of the finish so, I'm not sure how it got there. I will eventually recrown the rifle but, by now, I really liked the Compass! Nice, easy to adjust, crisp trigger (PM me if you want to get it down to 2-1/2 lbs, though I adjusted all of mine back to 3 lbs for hunting), three position Winchester style safety, nice side release bolt stop, what's not to like, for a rifle that cost less than $200.00 TOTAL, after rebate? Available upgrade laminate stocks in various configurations is a huge plus as well.

After I discovered that my first 7mm-08 Compass had a ding in the bore/crown and still shot MOA, I wanted to try another. Sooo, I bought a second one, also in 7mm-08 Rem, also for less than $200.00 including S&H and FFL fee, after rebate. I didn't bother with installing a muzzle brake, or changing the stock. I wanted to see how it would shoot right out of the box. I cleaned the rifle and bore, then off to the range I went. I used the same 162gr ELD-X handloads that I had used in my first Compass. WOW! After sight-in, my 3 round groups were under one inch at 200 yards! I was sold!

After those two Compasses in 7mm-08, I bought one in 270 Win, strictly for the action. It is still in the box awaiting a 280 AI barrel. I've learned not to shoot rifles that I buy for donor actions, as they often end up it the safe and I have to buy another donor! I can't tell you how the Compass 270 Win shoots. I'm not a fan of .277" bore, only because of the 1 in 10" twist barrels that every major rifle manufacturer insists on installing!

About the time I bought the 270 Win, my best friend, who had shot both of my Compass 7mm-08's, stared buying various Compass rifles as well. His first was a 308 Win. Sub-MOA at first range outing with it.

Very impressed with my second 7mm-08 and my buddy's 308 Compass' accuracy, and the low cost of the rifles, I purchased a 6.5 Creedmoor. It too shot tiny 3 round groups, around 1/2 MOA. I pulled the Boyd's Pro Varmint off the first Compass 7mm-08 that has the damaged bore/crown, and rebedded the 6.5 Compass in it. Let's just say that I love that rifle!

Shortly after buying my 6.5 Creedmoor, my best friend accidentally purchased a second Compass 6.5 Creedmoor online, while he thought he was buying one in 7mm RM. I ended up buying the second 6.5 Creedmoor from him, as a loaner rifle, and he bought the 7mm RM he had wanted. While shooting groups with these two additional Compasses, my buddy and I confirmed what we had suspected with our first several Compass rifles; they don't like 5 round groups much! Nearly all of the Compass rifles my buddy and I had, opened their groups up from sub-MOA on the first 3 rounds, to 1-1/2 or larger 5 round groups. For 3 rounds, definitely sub-MOA but, our experience has been that their barrels don't do well with the heat from 5 rounds.

My latest (but not last!) T/C Compass is my 223 Rem. It is still all factory except for the trigger weight adjustment to 3 lbs. and I like it a lot. The Left-hand Ruger American 223 Rem I bought for my 6 year old granddaughter shoots better but, for over a third more than the cost of the Compass 223. Both shoot sub-MOA but, the Ruger shoots 1/2 MOA, and for 5 rounds.

I highly recommend the T/C Compass rifles, for an accurate, low cost rifle with a lot to offer! I'm going to build my next semi-custom rifle out of one...
 
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Thought we were just talking Compasses in 223 Rem.

SportsmansSupply auctioned a pile of T/C Compasses on Gunbroker last year, so many that they were selling for less than $220 most of the time AND S&W (T/C) was running a $50.00 rebate PER RIFLE! SportsmansSupply initially only offered them in 243 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, 308 Win and 270 Win. I eventually ended up buying six in various cartridges, paying $206.00 or less not including the rebates but, including S&H, for four of the six.

The first one that I bought was in 7mm-08 Rem. I never fired it in the original stock. I bought a Boyd's Pro Varmint laminate stock for it, with a 13" L.O.P. for proper fit while wearing a thick coat for hunting in very cold weather. Pillar bedded the stock to the Compass 7mm-08 and installed a muzzle brake. At the range it performed well. Most 3 round groups at 200 yards were right at MOA with 162gr ELD-X handload that just happened to chamber well but, were developed for one of my other 7mm-08s. I had just bought a Lyman borescope and it arrived right after my first range trip with this rifle, so I took a close look at the bore. The bore was not bad, considering it was a mass produced factory barrel but, there was on serious ding in the bore/crown intersection. The ding was on top of the finish so, I'm not sure how it got there. I will eventually recrown the rifle but, by now, I really liked the Compass! Nice, easy to adjust, crisp trigger (PM me if you want to get it down to 2-1/2 lbs, though I adjusted all of mine back to 3 lbs for hunting), three position Winchester style safety, nice side release bolt stop, what's not to like, for a rifle that cost less than $200.00 TOTAL, after rebate? Available upgrade laminate stocks in various configurations is a huge plus as well.

After I discovered that my first 7mm-08 Compass had a ding in the bore/crown and still shot MOA, I wanted to try another. Sooo, I bought a second one, also in 7mm-08 Rem, also for less than $200.00 including S&H and FFL fee, after rebate. I didn't bother with installing a muzzle brake, or changing the stock. I wanted to see how it would shoot right out of the box. I cleaned the rifle and bore, then off to the range I went. I used the same 162gr ELD-X handloads that I had used in my first Compass. WOW! After sight-in, my 3 round groups were under one inch at 200 yards! I was sold!

After those two Compasses in 7mm-08, I bought one in 270 Win, strictly for the action. It is still in the box awaiting a 280 AI barrel. I've learned not to shoot rifles that I buy for donor actions, as they often end up it the safe and I have to buy another donor! I can't tell you how the Compass 270 Win shoots. I'm not a fan of .277" bore, only because of the 1 in 10" twist barrels that every major rifle manufacturer insists on installing!

About the time I bought the 270 Win, my best friend, who had shot both of my Compass 7mm-08's, stared buying various Compass rifles as well. His first was a 308 Win. Sub-MOA at first range outing with it.

Very impressed with my second 7mm-08 and my buddy's 308 Compass' accuracy, and the low cost of the rifles, I purchased a 6.5 Creedmoor. It too shot tiny 3 round groups, around 1/2 MOA. I pulled the Boyd's Pro Varmint off the first Compass 7mm-08 that has the damaged bore/crown, and rebedded the 6.5 Compass in it. Let's just say that I love that rifle!

Shortly after buying my 6.5 Creedmoor, my best friend accidentally purchased a second Compass 6.5 Creedmoor online, while he thought he was buying one in 7mm RM. I ended up buying the second 6.5 Creedmoor from him, as a loaner rifle, and he bought the 7mm RM he had wanted. While shooting groups with these two additional Compasses, my buddy and I confirmed what we had suspected with our first several Compass rifles; they don't like 5 round groups much! Nearly all of the Compass rifles my buddy and I had, opened their groups up from sub-MOA on the first 3 rounds, to 1-1/2 or larger 5 round groups. For 3 rounds, definitely sub-MOA but, our experience has been that their barrels don't do well with the heat from 5 rounds.

My latest (but not last!) T/C Compass is my 223 Rem. It is still all factory except for the trigger weight adjustment to 3 lbs. and I like it a lot. The Left-hand Ruger American 223 Rem I bought for my 6 year old granddaughter shoots better but, for over a third more than the cost of the Compass 223. Both shoot sub-MOA but, the Ruger shoots 1/2 MOA, and for 5 rounds.

I highly recommend the T/C Compass rifles, for an accurate, low cost rifle with a lot to offer! I'm going to build my next semi-custom rifle out of one...

Yes, just trying to point out that it is not a fluke. They are very underrated sleeper entry level rifle that delivers accuracy.
 
Yes, just trying to point out that it is not a fluke. They are very underrated sleeper entry level rifle that delivers accuracy.

Definitely my experience with them as well! I have plans to add at least one more T/C Compass to my collection, in each of the following chamberings;
7mm Rem Mag
308 Win
30-06
300 Win Mag
and like I've stated earlier, I'm building a semi-custom rifle in 280 AI, on a long action standard bolt face T/C Compass.
 
You right handed shooters get all the great deals! Lol

Not always so lucky! Though I am right-handed, I have three southpaws, a daughter, a son and one of my grandkids, that I have bought or have to buy left-hand long guns for... Each of them have or will have, at least three lefty centerfire rifles apiece. I do feel your pain!
 
Took the TC 223 out today, started out with it at 400 yards. After figuring out which mil-dot to use, we were banging the home made gong...sometimes 3 in a row. We probably hit it 60% of the time.
 

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Like most of you I bought one for a hunting rifle in 6.5 Creed for a brand new hunter. She will be using it for her freshly drawn antelope tag here in Nevada.
Although I am an avid reloader, I thought Id ask what factory ammo recommendations are out there, this is mostly driven by the fact she and her boyfriend live in Reno and I in Vegas and Id prefer to find a factory ammo?
TIA
 
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