Putting the training wheels back on - with a T/C Venture

[GunCat]

As a little background, I enjoy shooting, but never had the funds to really indulge it as a hobby. After the Marines; I'd own a firearm for a few months, then ultimately sell it. Over and over. Never really developed it, and then had to give it up completely, five years ago.

So, to jump back into it, I got a membership at a range, and started shopping. Rifle and pistol. I knew I was going to be rusty, so I didn't feel like spending huge money on a platform, until I got back into the swing of things.

Long story short, the employees keep putting a T/C Venture in .308 into my hands. $450, no scope. Liked the feel of it, price range wasn't bad, reviews seemed pretty solid, etc.

But I like to shop around. Turns out a major retailer carries it for $350. But they have to transfer a .308, as it's been sold out pretty much everywhere. No problem. Arrives two days later (given a two week shipping time), and they tell me that it's ringing up at $299.

At $299, it's quite a deal.

Oh wait, even that is marked down. And there's a rebate available.

Brand new T/C Venture, in .308, for $167. Threw in a Leupold VX-1 and rings, bipod, and case...and I'm at $460 out the door.



Threw some PMC 147gr rounds through her at 100yds, and the training wheels seem to be doing pretty well. These things seem to be pretty decent bargains.

 

[wbwanzer]

Congrats on some nice shooting and a great deal on the rifle.

 

[jmr40]

I've heard nothing but good things about them. I've been tempted to try one, but already have more rifles than I need. The VX-1 is a solid choice as well. Probably the best sub-$300 option and perfectly adequate for anything. Not just an entry level scope.

 

[Frostbite]

Well done, welcome back to shooting.

 

[Clint M]

Very nice, I have a TC Icon, you will love the action from my reading the venture is a cost reduced Icon. I sent you a PM, very nice looking rifle setup.

 

[horsemen61]

Where in the heck did you get that rifle for 167 im interested

 

[bannockburn]

GunCat

Wow that's some pretty impressive accuracy for first time right out of the box! Like the whole set-up too, especially with the scope and bipod. That must have been one heck of a markdown and rebate to get you at $167 for the Venture.

 

[caltick]

Nice group!

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I also would be interested in where these are available so reasonably priced.

Buds has them for under $400 but that's a far cry from the $200 range.

 

[GunCat]

I'm happy to share the info with everyone.

Dick's Sporting Goods, as of 6/2/2015, has them listed in store at $359 (pretty sure it was $359).

However, they were further marked down to $299, when you actually ring them up. They double checked, as the sticker price still said $359.

At the time of my purchase, there was an additional 10% knockdown of clearance items, which got me to $269.

Opening a new in-store credit card, added another 10%, which got me down to $242.

And T/C currently has a mail-in rebate of $75, which does not have any exceptions for in-store discounts. Only that it can't be combined with other T/C promotions.

And there you have a Venture for $167~. Orrrr....if you happen to be less than reliable about mail-in rebates, $242. Which is still a good deal.





As a caveat, they did have to call around quite a bit to find a .308. I think they said they found an additional one in Oklahoma. In store transfers are free, and from my experience, very fast. That said, they did have a number of .270s in stock, in store, same price. Just as an option.

 

[wbwanzer]

I'm looking at T/Cs website but not seeing anything about rebates.

I would love to get one close to your price.

 

[GunCat]

https://www.tcarms.com/venture-promo

Here you go.

 

[wbwanzer]

Wow. Thanks a lot.

 

[wbwanzer]

GunCat - does the Venture have a 3 round magazine?

 

[merrill]

Wbwanzer, the Venture magazine will hold 3 cartridges. It is plastic and rather costly, about 45$ from T/C. I bought a Venture in .270W last Oct. and paid 325 after rebate of 75$. It is very accurate. I don't like plastic magazine and it cocks rather hard compared to my Winchester M70 and my Savage 110.

 

[akodo]

wow.

I wouldn't have believed it without the receipt.

Dollars to donuts they were supposed to be 399.97 but a price got misentered into their system. 399.97 with a 10% discount down to 359.97...which matches what you list as the sticker price.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Man that's awesome.
Congrats on an accurate rifle for such a bargain.

That is an absolute steal.

 

[wbwanzer]

Merrill said: "Wbwanzer, the Venture magazine will hold 3 cartridges. It is plastic and rather costly, about 45$ from T/C. I bought a Venture in .270W last Oct. and paid 325 after rebate of 75$. It is very accurate. I don't like plastic magazine and it cocks rather hard compared to my Winchester M70 and my Savage 110.
"

Thanks Merrill. I may have gotten a little too excited about this based on the OP's final price. I actually need another gun like I need another hole in the head. Hard cocking can be a problem for me as I am not real experienced with rifles. And the big stores like Dicks always have a locking mechanism through the opening so that the bolt can't be worked (at least here in Peoples's Republic of Maryland). So no way to play with it and see how it feels.

Then again, if I could get one for around $200 final price, if I didn't like it I could resell without loosing any money. I'll need to think about it.

 

[GunCat]

wow.

I wouldn't have believed it without the receipt.

Dollars to donuts they were supposed to be 399.97 but a price got misentered into their system. 399.97 with a 10% discount down to 359.97...which matches what you list as the sticker price.

As time passes, and other forum members and local friends express difficulty in finding them for that price....the more I think it was a combo of dumb luck, incorrect pricing, and fortunate timing.

I'm sorry if anyone feels led astray by my post. I hoped to share a bargain, and may have just advertised a fluke.

I could add a more in-depth review, but seems like there's already a number of those, not sure I could contribute anything new to the subject.

 

[Clint M]

I'm glad you got a good deal, and I don't begrudge you one bit. I hope you will do a follow up post on your tc after you shoot it some, I think the tc venture will be the new rifle to beat in terms of cost versus performance.

Let us know how it shoots, what you like about it etc. The trigger on my Icon is outstanding for a hunting rifle, I also like the action 3 locking lugs, 3 action screw interlocking into a aluminum bedding block, the full sized bolt is like butter, detachable magazine. I'm not sure the exact features of the Venture, from reading it's a base icon action without some of the time consuming/costly machining features such as integral weaver rails.

I'm keeping my eye open for one in 223 rem, it would make a perfect walking varmint rifle.

 

[merrill]

Regardless of my comments, I'm very satisfied with my Venture. It is far more accurate than I am. The trigger is adjustable without removing it from the stock. It has a floated barrel and 5R rifling. Would I buy another? Darn right. There were recalls on some, but that has been ironed out. The customer service is first rate and the barrels are legendary. FWIW, they make barrels for some other gun manufacturers.

 

[Clint M]

I wanted to touch on the harder cocking, the reason for this is the 3 lug design. The bolt cocks on open with a much shorter bolt throw (60*) the cocking action/ramp is much steeper versus a two lug design such as rem 700, savage, win 70 etc where the cocking action is spread out over a much longer bolt throw (ramp). It's a small trade off, and I prefer the 3 lug design over the two lug in a hunting rifle. If the cocking is really bothersome to you you can check around as people offer bolt services to time the bolt, and also stake a small single roller bearing that will roll up the ramp making the cocking much better.

 

[merrill]

Clint M. I really appreciate the time and effort you put in to send me the info. I needed via PM. I can live with the cocking effort since I'm a hunter and not a bench rest shooter. I will follow your lube advice though.

 

[merrill]

BTW, I saw the Venture at Bass Pro Shops today and they wanted 479$ for one. Bass Pro is rather high priced though. There was a 75$ rebate sticker on the rifle. It took me 2 months to get my rebate.

 

[wbwanzer]

I'm still going back and forth on the Venture. I haven't been to Dick's to see what the price is. If I could find one for $359 and get the $75 rebate, that would probably be the best I could do. And I would do it at that price because that puts me below $300. But the problem is that the big stores have the lock on the rifle and the bolt can't be worked. That is a problem for me. I've read several reviews that have said the bolt was hard. Of course that is all relative. But I won't know if I find it hard unless I buy one. Then it's too late if I don't like it.