Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Opinions of a Thompson Center Venture

All:

Won this rifle at a banquet last night. 308, stainless with a camouflage stock. Never owned one of these before. Or even shot one.

Anyone have any personal experience with them? It says they have an MOA guarantee. Is it worth mounting a scope on and trying it out?

Thanks
RAS

I had one in 7mm/08 that was a very good shooter. I let it go, but not because I had a problem with it. Something else shiny came along and I traded it.

Probably Weather Shield, not stainess. Don't think they've made them in SS, at least I never saw one.

I believe JB has said good things about the accuracy of a .223.

If you plan to sell it, don't shoot it. NIB commands a premium in this soft market. Check prices on new and LN models on Gunbroker. You may decide it's worth keeping as a spare or range toy rather than let it go for a pittance. .308s are boring to some, but very useful. I'm seldom without one, sometimes two.

It should shoot.

I had a camo predator 22-250 that was easily a 1/2" gun and a bud had an all black 223 that was the same.

Should make a good hunting rifle.

I have a 6.5-284 in the weathershield model. purchased it from a member here. it's a shooter for sure.

I have one in 270. Shoots as good as my tikka if not better (sometimes)
Keep it!

As close to a tikka as anything out there.

I have 2 T/C Venture compacts (20" bbl) that I like very much. The 243 groups 100 grain and 95 grain bullets at 1" average. I am loading with h4831sc at 44.0 gr. The accuracy with 58 and 60 varmint bullets is between .5 to .75 inch at 100 yards reloading with h380 or imr4064. Very good trigger is set at 3.5# on my rifles. The bolt lift is only 60 degrees and may take some use getting comfortable. The 7mm-08 has only been to the range once and shows promise to group MOA with premium ammunition. Non premium ammunition is grouping from 1" to 1.7 " at 100 yards. T/C guarantees 1" at 100 yards with premium ammo.
The T/C Compass is a lower priced gun selling very well. It has hurt resale value of the higher quality Venture. The higher priced and better quality rifles are not selling that well in my area.
I suggest checking the resale market in YOUR area before making a decision.

My 30-06 TC shoots avg .54" with Ballistic tips and H4350.

I have a Venture 7mm-08 that I would show you a picture of, if I can ever get it back from my buddy, he says it is a one holer and anything out front of it dies. He's been stacking up pigs with it for a year now.

Not even in the same ball park and I've got both. The Tikka trigger mechansm alone is worlds better than the Venture to say nothing of the magazines. In fact, a Howa is a much better rifle than the Venture for about the same price. Despite the fact that my Venture shoots quite well, I'd not buy another.

Wondering if he meant accuracy?
I will agree the tikka feels better in every way. But accuracy is a toss up.
You want something that feels better than the tikka at same price point ? The Sauer 100

I agree the Tikka "feels better" in every way but it's not just feel that makes it a better rifle. The trigger mechanism in the Venture is about as Mickey mouse as they come. I don't know how most folks judge quality but just take the rifle apart and pay attenton, particularly to the trigger mechanisms in each. The Venture has a flimsy, stamped and folded sheet metal housing. The Tikka housing is precisely machined aluminum with machined steel internals. The Venture housing tolerances aren't nearly as precise and allow slight movement/wobble of the pins that secure the tigger and sear. That slight play makes it virtually impossible to set sear engagement, pull weight and overtravel as fine as neccesary for a truly fine, light, creep free, overtravel free trigger pull. Which is likely the reason T/C installs a trigger return spring more suited to the rear end of a truck than a trigger from the factory. I had to disassemble mine and install a lighter spring to get pull weight below 4 lbs. and still cannot set it much below 3 lbs. and creep free without an occasional failure to recock when operating the bolt briskly. And for god sakes the safety detent is nylon ! Then there's the magazines. The one piece Tikka mags {no seperate floor plate} are tough as nails while the two piece Ventures are known to blow their bottoms off and puke their guts. There's really just no comparison. The Tikka blows the Venture away.

My buddy has one in 270, and it shoots better than my tikkas as well. Pharm would have a conniption fit if he saw how accurate it is

Out of the current selection of "Bic" rifles...it would probably be my pick...

Here i thought people were supposed to give their OPINIONS but i guess there's a right and wrong to my opinion.

Sorry about that blackheart

I have one in 270wsm amazingly accurate. Other than the stock not much plastic on the rifle. I bought it new with 2 mags for $300.00. Can’t go wrong

If you want my opinion, I would sell it off NIB as fast as possible.

As soon as you shoot it, then it's just another plastic contraption worth very little to anyone. They are a disposable commodity, whether accurate or not.

Otherwise, find a new shooter/hunter and give them the rifle and teach them to shoot it.