.243 TC Venture

[hunterpat]

I am thinking about buying a .243 TC Venture for my 15 yr old for whitetail hunting in Nebraska.  Does anyone know how the accuracy is?  TC says it is MOA accurate, but is that only with certain ammo, or have you been able to get MOA accuracy with various ammo types?  How is the trigger?  Does it have much creep?  TC website says it is adjustable from 3.5-5 lb - has anyone confirmed that?  Is the recoil pad very good?  Can't afford to spend a lot of money, but the TC Venture seems like a good deal and is within my price range.

[ScoutMan]

Why not 308? More versitile caliber. Can use "reduced power loads" if purchaded over the counter or starting reloads if you handload.

Make sure the rifle fits. I use a LOP of 12.5" and I'm 5' 11".

Just a couple of thoughts.

SM

[klt1986]

I do not have any experience with the Venture other than casual observation in a gun store.  However  I picked up a T/C Icon a few days ago and have had the unfortunate experience of having to send the rifle back to T/C.  Here is my story:

My Icon is the Weathershield model chambered in 308 and was purchased 8-2-2010.  I really like the look and feel of this gun, however, after you fire a round, you would about have to beat the bolt back to extract the case. The bolt lifted normal....just was extremely hard to pull back. After inspecting the cases, they had a small "gouge" in them just below the rim. Tried Winchester and Federal factory 150 grain loads with the exact same results.

I called T/C Customer service at 7:55 am on 8-9-2010 and was actually suprised someone answered before the "official" opening time. The C/S rep listened to my problem then put me on hold to go speak with a gunsmith. She came back within 3 minutes and told me to send the rifle back with an attention to "John" we'll say. I was then told I would be reimbursed for shipping and they would make me happy....whatever that means.

I called T/C on 8-16-2010 to ask about an expected return date for my rifle. I was told it had an expected shipment date of 8-30-10. I actually decided to call C/S everyday last week and just bug the crap out of them. My feeling was that this was a new rifle purchased on August 2nd and it should be top priority. Last Friday, I was told they would be replacing my rifle with a new one and it would be sent out on Monday, August 23rd. If this turns out to be the case, I will be very pleased with the situation. However I do wish the rifle had just worked properly in the first place.

My point in posting this is I feel like the Venture is a good gun, backed by a good company.  With the $50 factory rebate on the Venture, it is an even better deal right now.  My experience with T/C customer service has been a positive one to this date.  I have had T/C muzzleloaders in the past and currently shoot an Omega with excellent results.  Guess I just happened to get one of the occasional lemons that somehow makes it out of the factory on occasion.

Here is a pic of the fired cases:

[Happy]

The best of guns do have a problem once in awhile . Then too it is nice to know they looked after it, and your replacement is on it's way . Did they say what was wrong with the chamber ?

[klt1986]

The best of guns do have a problem once in awhile . Then too it is nice to know they looked after it, and your replacement is on it's way . Did they say what was wrong with the chamber ?

Picked up the replacement rifle this afternoon and plan to shoot it Saturday.  They did not say what was wrong other than they were not able to fix the rifle in a reasonable amount of time.  A gunsmith friend looked at one of the cases and suspected a small burr or tool mark that was left behind.

I can give some word of advice to anyone who must use T/C customer service.  Call at 8am eastern time!  One extremely helpful T/C rep told me they only employ 5 customer service reps.

[togojeff]

I recently acquired a Venture in .243
Trigger is excellent with zero creep, breaks
just like glass. Can't say how good the recoil pad
is considering a .243 hasn't much recoil to begin
with. Accuracy was sub moa with cheap power shok
ammo, the only kind I've tried so far.

[mannyrock]

The deer in Nebraska can be huge, and the distances long.  Do not buy a .243.  Go for at least a 7mm-08 if you can.  In this instance, the caliber is more important than the particular brand of rifle you choose. 

[hunterpat]

I picked up my new TC Venture last week end but have not had a chance to shoot it yet.  One thing I noticed when I dry fired it a couple times is the force required to lift the bolt seems real excessive after I pull the trigger.  I know it is cocking the firing pin, but the force seems way to high.  When opening the bolt without cocking the firing pin, the force seems "normal".  I cleaned the bolt and oiled with Remoil and still have the same problem.  All my other centerfire rifles are Savages and I don't have any issue like this with them.  Is this normal for the TC Venture, or is there something wrong with the gun I have?

[mjbgalt]

this is a short throw bolt, so it is doing all that in 60 degrees or so of movement. so yeah it's going to be more effort.

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Picked up a Venture tonight in .30-06-------for a steal----$399 with a $50 rebate- so $350 total(not counting tax)------much more rifle than the similarly priced Marlin and Savage offerings.

Got it home---Loc-tited the bases that came with it and mounted a Zeiss Conquest 3x9x40 in Leupold QRW rings---------cleaned the bore and wiped it all down----off to the range tomorrow.

Trigger breaks at 3.5lbs from the factory with no creep----don't think I'll even bother messing with it.

[klt1986]

Picked up a Venture tonight in .30-06-------for a steal----$399 with a $50 rebate- so $350 total(not counting tax)------much more rifle than the similarly priced Marlin and Savage offerings.

Got it home---Loc-tited the bases that came with it and mounted a Zeiss Conquest 3x9x40 in Leupold QRW rings---------cleaned the bore and wiped it all down----off to the range tomorrow.

Trigger breaks at 3.5lbs from the factory with no creep----don't think I'll even bother messing with it.

Congrats on the rifle.  Sounds like a good deal.  Excellent choice on optics as well. 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Heck of a rifle---within 10 rounds I was getting MOA groups at 100yds--by the end of the day I was getting 1.5-2in groups at 200yds. All with the cheap stuff--2 loads of Federal ammo from Walmart and one box of Winchester Power Point.

Strangely--the rifle never really heated up for all the shots fired--the barrel got warm to the touch--but never scorching hot like rifles I've had before---fired 40 rounds through 3 boxes of ammo(3 bullet weights--150--165 and 180)---I was there for 5-6 hours shootin and BS-ing---not like I really running through the ammo plus I was messing around with my AR's too. Also what was very cool is that point of impact was nearly the same through all 3 bullet weights---just a click or 2 on the scope would bring things back in line. The rifle was also soft on the shoulder too---I mean I fired 40 rounds of .30-06 in one day and my shoulder didn't even notice it.

Clean up was a snap and no barrel break in BS-----I just cleaned it last night---shot today---cleaned it when I got home.

If I had the money--I'd go and get the .270 Venture they had sitting there too.

Highly recommended---I love it when new rifles come together so easily-----thing is, it happens more often now than in the past---the Venture--Tikka T3--Browning X Bolt and Ruger Hawkeye all have come together easily--giving good groups right off the bat all with cheap ammo. I kinda think most of the manufacturors have stepped up their game---which is great thing for all of us.

[Bowjack]

Thanks, for the information regarding TC Venture.  It does sound like an excellent rifle at an excellent price and that the manufacturers are listening. 

However, I don't think a .243 is a kid's rifle.  I think it is more of an expert rifleman's deer rifle especially for the large-sized deer in Nebraska.  Having hunted there, I can say those deer are the size of cattle.  BTW, I have seen big NY deer shot by a .243 (usually multiple times). 

[One Eye]

Thanks, for the information regarding TC Venture.  It does sound like an excellent rifle at an excellent price and that the manufacturers are listening. 

However, I don't think a .243 is a kid's rifle.  I think it is more of an expert rifleman's deer rifle especially for the large-sized deer in Nebraska.  Having hunted there, I can say those deer are the size of cattle.  BTW, I have seen big NY deer shot by a .243 (usually multiple times). 

Sorry for the old thread, but I am doing some research on the Icon and Venture.

FWIW, I agree on the .243.  It is plenty of rifle for deer.  Many people use it for elk (not that I recommend this).  Just sayin'.
Dan

[wareagleguy]

I just traded my Venture for a Tikka.  The Tikka is hands down better than TC ever thought about a rifle. Period.  For the record I have owned more TC rifles than Tikka and I will NEVER buy a TC product again!  Read my post about my POS 308 Venture.