As I stated in a previous blog…I never really had a desire to hunt with a bolt gun. I mean, what will a bolt gun do that a semi or lever gun won’t do better? Less capacity, slower follow up shots, longer and more cumbersome to carry…so, for the most part, I stayed away.
Don’t get me wrong…I own PLENTY of bolt guns…I’ve collected WWI and WWII rifles for almost 20 years, so I’m no stranger to them, just had no desire to hunt with one.
Well, as luck would have it, I was told I’d need a caliber good for about 500 yards and dropping a 900lb animal for my trip to Newfoundland. So, off I went and purchased a .300 Win Mag bolt action. Great gun…I love it…Sub MOA out of the box…but the gun and scope combo costs close to $2000. An added expense I really hadn’t budgeted for when I booked this hunt, but, life goes on.
Fast forward a month or two and I get an email from Bass Pro about a Labor Day sale on some rifles. I forward the ad for a $400 30/06 rifle to my Colorado compatriot Eric from Haus Of Arms. He’s a bolt gun guy and has been hunting WAY longer than me, so I value and trust his opinion. He then retorts with an even better deal. A Thompson Center Compass rifle that’s GUARANTEED 1″ MOA out of the box…AND it’s threaded to accept a suppressor, all for $250. I started reading reviews, and already being aware of the TC reputation (Eric’s family also builds and customizes some BAD ASS TC Single Shots), I had him order me one. Wanting to keep the gun as budget friendly as possible…after all it was a “back up” gun…I ordered a Sightmark Citadel MR2, 3 – 18X ,First Focal Plane scope, and utilizing a readily available discount code, had the rifle set up with scopes and rings, all in, for around $600.
A few days later, I was off to the range to get this set up dialed in. I started off with some old Remington Core-Lokt 150gr ammo, and after a few rounds was on paper, making tight, consistent, 3 shot groups. I switched over to my hunting ammo, the good stuff, Underwood Ammo 152gr 30/06 with the Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos bullet. WOW…I literally couldn’t believe my groupings at 100 yards. I shoot pretty decently at distance, but don’t have much formal training, so I was wondering if I had just gotten lucky. I moved out to 200. A few tweaks…same results. I immediately texted Eric, and he responded back with similar findings from his range trip with his 6.5 Compass rifle.
So, for around $600, I had a crystal clear optic, and a rifle capable of producing sub 1″ groupings at 200 yards. Impressed was an understatement, because this set up did everything my $1000 rifle and $1000 scope did, at the same distance, for almost ¼ of the price. The gun is lightweight, consistent, and if it falls down a mountain and gets banged up, I’m not out thousands of dollars. Price and affordability is almost always one of the limiting factors when it comes to getting new guns, or getting people into hunting/shooting. This whole set up is by far one of the best ways to get yourself a rifle and caliber, sufficient enough to take any big game animal in North America, without feeling “under gunned”.
I unfortunately did not get a chance to put “metal on meat” while in Newfoundland with this set up, but I DID get home and order a SECOND identical set up just to have as a back up…to my back up…in case I needed more back up…
Black Dirt Diaries 