If you're considering buying a first gun for a kid, family member, or friend, this is why we think it should be the Compass II from Thompson/Center.
Ask a few experienced gun owners, or conduct a few searches online, and you'll find plenty of opinions about purchasing a new gun for someone who's never owned one before.
Whether someone's just starting out with their firearm experience, or they've learned to shoot with confidence but only using borrowed guns, we've got a suggestion that should be pretty easy to agree with once you learn a few things.
The Thompson/Center Compass II, a revamped version of their reliable, go-to bolt action line, fits the bill. Here's why.
It Ain't No Kiddie Gun
Just because a rifle makes for a great youth gun doesn't mean it has to be inadequate for adults. The look and feel of the Compass II Compact is great for smaller shooters, but you aren't compromising anything if you're using it as a grown up. It has a removable stock spacer and shorter barrel for a shorter overall length, meaning it can grow with a youth hunter as they do.
The three-position safety, which includes a bolt lock, provides positive tactile feel, clear visibility, and easy access. It's the sort of safety you'd expect on a gun oriented for the learning class, but it doesn't make it so safe that it becomes cumbersome.
Anyone, regardless of their age, would be proud to own a Compass II, and they'd benefit from it too.
The Features Add Serious Value
There are things that the Compass II can claim that top of the line guns can't. This list isn't complete, but it should give you an idea.
There's a Generation II Trigger System that promotes smooth breaks and repeatable accuracy. The 5R rifling in the blued barrel provides countless benefits. The Minute Of Angle Guarantee can't be replicated by some of the most famous gunmakers out there.
And of course, the reliability of a Limited Lifetime Warranty, offered by T/C on all their guns, should give buyers peace of mind. That's priceless in this day and age.
It's Versatile
If someone is receiving a gun for the first time, there are a whole lot of directions they could go with their newfound interest. Maybe they get the most joy out of plinking targets at the range, or maybe it's because they want to hit the mountains and try to fill a deer tag during hunting season.
Perhaps they need something they can easily carry up into a treestand or maneuver inside a cramped blind. Or maybe they just want a reliable, consistently accurate firearm that they can learn a lot from.
The T/C Compass II would make good choices for all those objectives. Just about any pursuit is fitting, and you aren't pigeonholed into just one or two uses when you're starting out.
You Can Actually Hunt Big Game With It
So often a first rifle for a youngster or someone just starting out is a smaller caliber .22 or something of that nature. While this isn't a bad idea by any means, it basically lines them up for another new gun not far down the road, when they inevitably seek out a hunt for something a little larger than a squirrel.
With a Compass II in hand, and the wide range of calibers it's offered in, there isn't much it can't hunt. Here's the list of chamberings:
- .243 Win
- .270 Win
- .300 Win Mag
- .308 Win
- .223/5.56
- .30-06 Sprg
- 6.5 Creedmoor
- 7mm Rem
Can you think of many big game animals that you can't hunt with one of those? Yeah, we can't either.
The Price is Right
Let's be honest: if you're giving someone their first gun, there's always a small chance it will also be their last gun. We know, it might sound a little crazy, but not everyone takes to the shooting sports like we do.
With that knowledge, it should go without saying that a rifle that approaches $1,000 doesn't fit well with the possibility that the owner won't use it beyond a few months.
This point helps make the argument that a gun that costs $405, with all the features of the Compass II, is as ideal as it gets. You're spending money on a high-quality firearm, but still saving in comparison to a lot of other options.
We're serious when we say that these reasons just scratch the surface. If you want to find out more and see the Compass II for yourself, check out TCArms.com or visit a local dealer.
You can take our word for it, but all it takes is one session at the range to see all the benefits of the Compass II as a first gun for just about anybody.
NEXT: IS IT TIME FOR A NEW DEER RIFLE?
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