spoon opinions

[Taz's Master]

Got a winning ticket in a raffel. I never win this kind of thing and assumed it was a donation, but I won. From the conversation I believe it is a Thompson Center Venture in .300 Winchester Magnum with a Bushnell scope. I am impressed with the .300 Win Mag's ballistics, and I don't own one. I'm also favorably impressed by the reviews of the rifle itself, they seem to be well made and very accurate often easily surpassing their MOA gaurantee. But I hunt in PA, and even if I should draw an elk tag (yes we have a huntable domestic population of elk in state now), I don't see any current need for a .300 WinMag over anything I have access to. Plus I don't have reloading equipment for that round. So, would you keep the TC in a new (and very capable) caliber, or try to use the winnings to more quickly enable a future purchase in the spoon inventory?

[vash]

dang...congratulations!!

i like the .300 win mag..but honestly, if i was to get a 30 cal..i would do the .300 WSM.

from what i can tell, that TC venture is really really nice!!

i would probably sell it. sounds like you dont need it.

[Taz's Master]

I certainly don't need it. But, even though I don't have a S&W revolver, I don't need one of those either. Or a Blackhawk. Or a carbine in .357. I'm considering selling it, but to be clear, the proceeds of that sale wouldn't go towards satisfying needs, we're not converting it into non-spoon property.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Time to get into some serious long-distance shooting. A .300 Win Mag will reach out to 1200 yards easily.

.300 WM is next on my list in the "reach out and touch somebody" category. I've got both extremes covered--6.5 Grendel from a semi-auto and .50 BMG from a single shot--but I want something in the middle from a repeater and .338LM just isn't economical for me.

[weseeeee]

The good thing about a TC is that the barrels are interchangeable. For about
$200 you can put any TC barrel you want on it, even black powder barrels. I had a TC 300 win mag, put a .223 on it then sold it and it is now a .243.

[vash]

i am 95% sure the venture barrel is fixed. OP, this is the bolt action rifle right?

[aigel]

You can buy 130 grain Cu (Barnes TSX) loads and take smaller big game, like a deer with it, without putting fist size holes, just try to stay in the chest and stay away from double-shoulder hits.

You never know when you'll get invited for an elk or moose hunt when the long distance and oomph performance will be a nice advantage. Out here in the West, many people have .300 win mags which serve as all around long distance guns (deer, hog, antelope, elk, bear ...)

On a side note, I don't get the excitement about the WSM calibers. A fad IMHO and a sure way to have trouble getting ammo if you ever find yourself in the boonies needing some. Those rounds get so fat, the action is hampered IMHO.

G

[Taz's Master]

Originally Posted by vash

i am 95% sure the venture barrel is fixed. OP, this is the bolt action rifle right?

I believe it is the Venture, which is a fixed barrel bolt action. Not certain, the ticket just said Thompson Center rifle .300 Win. Mag., but the call regarding the winning ticket mentioned that it came with a Bushnell scope. I believe the firearm will be the Venture. A switchable barrel system Encore/G2 or Dimension (a changable bolt action) would likely be a keeper, but I'm expecting it will be a Venture. I'm leaning toward keeping the T/C and continuing to save towards future purchases, but I'm interested to read how some of you would go (grab the opportunity to add a potent caliber, or keep stuff simple and add its cash value to the spoon fund).

[vash]

damn..i hope it is an Encore!!

George. i thought the advantage of the Short magnums is the short action? i have been out of the firearm thing for a long time. i am positive my information is dated. my brother now retired his 7mm and shoots a 300 WSM. it is goofy how accurate his rifle is.

a .338 win mag would be an awesome get. it could do most of africa, and everything here. i hate these gun threads. me want.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Taz's Master

I'm leaning toward keeping the T/C and continuing to save towards future purchases, but I'm interested to read how some of you would go (grab the opportunity to add a potent caliber, or keep stuff simple and add its cash value to the spoon fund).

You didn't expect this as a $$$ windfall, so this is a free gun added to the safe. You don't have the caliber yet, so what's not to like!? It will never be worth less than it is now, especially if it is lightly used. Look at Vash - he is wanting a safari caliber even though the closest elephant and rhino from him are in the Oakland Zoo!

G

[aigel]

Originally Posted by vash

George. i thought the advantage of the Short magnums is the short action?

I have read that it doesn't cycle too well with the fatties in return. It also is better because the powder burns faster from the ignition point. Not a huge advantage IMHO. I would be scared it is a fad caliber and not readily available in many different loads in the future. And there is always the DOH of forgetting ammo at home and stumbling into a gas station the night before opening day in an Elk hunting state, looking for a box of WSM.

Of course, you would have your bow int he truck for backup and would be happy to go take it.

G

[Jeff Higgins]

I would keep it, just because I've never won anything in my life.

That said, I would never buy a T/C Venture with my own money. I would never buy a .300 Winchester mag with my own money. I would never buy a Bushnell anything with my own money.

T/C makes great products, and I own several of them. The Venture, however, represents everything wrong with modern sporting rifles that I covered at length in the bolt action rifle thread. They are simply not for me. Too many compromises to hit a price point.

The .300 mag won't kill anything that an '06 won't. To me, the mid bore magnums (.264 Win, 7mm Rem, 300 Win. & Weatherby, etc.) are the most useless, over rated rounds in existence. They shoot marginally flatter than their non-magnum counterparts (6.5 Swede, 7mm Mauser, .30-'06, etc) at the cost of significantly increased blast, recoil, and rifle weight. In the field, the advantages are so slight that absent the blast and recoil I would challenge anyone to tell me which is which, between the standards and magnums, based purely on the performance on game.

To me, "magnum" has always meant bigger bores and heavier bullets. The .338 Winchester Magnum is on the right track, but the .375 H&H is where we really start talking "magnums". Believe me, there is a notable difference in observable performance in the field between it and the gaggle of medium bore standards and magnums. Until I need its level of performance, I'll stick to standard calibers, thank you very much.

As far as the various short magnums, take everything I just said about the medium bore magnums and add what George has to say about the short magnums. Anyone remember the 8mm Remington Magnum? .307 Winchester (a lever gun round for the beefed up '94)? .356 Winchester (bigger version of the .307)? How about Remington's short magnums, and Short Action Ultra Mags (SAUM's)? They've all gone the way of the Dodo bird...

[azasadny]

Congrats! I have to agree with Mr Higgins and I'd keep it because I won it... Great memories!

[Taz's Master]

The rifle is a T/C Venture, I just got back from shooting it. I'm no fan of synthetic stocks, and I hunt pretty much in my backyard (although I did drive 2 miles to hunt on public land a couple of times). I don't believe I've ever shot more than 100yds at game, and probably anything more powerful than a .35 Remington or .300 Savage is unnecessary. That said, I normally hunt deer with a .308 or .30-06, and likely won't hunt anything bigger than a black bear (and likely won't harvest anything larger than a 3.5 year old whitetail), so calling a .300 Win Mag overkill is really a matter of degree compared to what I already use.

Impressions: Rifle came with a 3x9 Bushnell mounted, scope covers, a sling, 2 magazines and the metal received T/C's Weathershield treatment. Hunting where/how I do, I always have access to another scoped and sighted in rifle, so I'd use that Bushnell in my backyard, and it works fine for target practice. I wouldn't take it on a hunt, I don't truse Bushnell's durability. But for paper it seems fine.

Trigger is outstanding, crisp and light, nicest one I've owned.

Accuracy is as good as anything I've ever shot. The factory mounted the scope, and they must have bore-sighted it, it was 2" low and 1/2" right, out of the box. And the holes touched when I did my part just resting on a sandbag.

I've never shot anything more powerful than a .30-06, and was a little intimidated by a belted magnum. I've done some shooting with a .308 in a 700BDL that just beat me to death. I'd never shot more than 15 rounds in a range session from that gun. This is more powerful in a lighter package, and is more pleasant to shoot. The stock design and recoil pad do a great job, I shot 10 rounds and don't feel punished at all.

Like Jeff, I wouldn't have gone shopping for the rifle or the caliber, but it is a nice package, fine accuracy, light, functionable, shootable, and capable. For a reasonably priced long distance, all-weather rig, you could do plenty worse. I'd reccomend checking them out if you're in the market, and I'm glad I own it even if I don't have a real need for it right now.

[vash]

I like them. Ugly like a fiberglass handle axe. But effective. With a better scope I would take that thing anywhere. Tv shows have them all the time. They put sponsors stickers on the fore stock.

[aigel]

Sweet gun!

What Bushnell scope is it? Their higher line elite line is made in Japan and an excellent scope, including durability. If it is an elite and you are taking it off, PM me, I'd like to buy it from you.

No paper with holes to post?

I recommend a gun rest like the "lead sled" for sighting in heavy kicking rifles. Really helps not to pick up a flinch.

G

[Taz's Master]

I'm surprised how much I like the rifle. I would not consider it a heavy kicking rifle, like I said it is not as severe as a .308 I've shot, more akin to a Remington 760 in .30-06. Not a pussy cat, but nothing to be scared of. The scope is a "Sharpshooter". Fine for the time being, but if take the gun on a trip, it would be with different glass.

You want pictures of the targets? I didn't even post pics of the gun. Not something I'm good at. But it shot 180gr green box Remington just fine. I am definately the limiting factor. I'll probably buy some dies and try to work up a couple of loads, and try it at longer ranges than what I can shoot in the backyard 75-80yds). I'm probably going to be looking for a chrongraph now, and buying some slower powders. At least the bullets will interchange.

[vash]

hahahhaha...nothing will get you spending like a FREE rifle.

nice GET taz..nice get.!!

[aigel]

Yeah, I forget this isn't a gun forum, so we'll have to do without paper pictures.

Indeed, that scope is garbage. I find it on Overstock.com for $33 and the reviews on optics planet are awesome - but not in a good way! LOL!

Like I mentioned, the elite scopes are very good, especially for the money, compared to others of the same price range.

We get to shoot non-lead here in the California Condor zone and by this fortune I have enjoyed lighter bullets in the larger calibers. It will be interesting to hear what you are going to load up!

Consider taking the gun on a trip west for a long range shooting hunt. I.e. an antelope hunt. WY is a good and inexpensive destination. Let me know if you need more info!

Cheers,

G