If you get a rifle with an adjustable trigger, free-floated barrel, 5R rifling, pre-threaded barrel and a quick-throw 60-degree bolt that’s available in a variety of calibers, you’ve opened the proverbial floodgates for possible purchases. Most of those prices quickly move from affordable to “I’ve been saving a while for this one, so it better perform.”
Factor in a guaranteed minute-of-angle accuracy and you’ve done two things: narrowed the field (considerably) and pointed out that it’s a great time to be a shooter or hunter. Now, put the MSRP of that rifle – in that variety of calibers- at $399 and watch the field shrink.
For the past few days, I’ve been in South Dakota testing a new rifle that looks to be the next serious contender for the rifle you want- and can afford. It’s Thompson/Center’s new Compass, and I’ve been experimenting in prairie dog pastures with the rifle in a variety of calibers, from .204 Ruger through the proven varmint-busting 22-250.
There’s not much better way to prove a varmint rifle than shooting varmints. Above, fellow shooters Joe Ferronato and Tom McHale test T/C Compass’s in .204 Ruger and 22-250. As you can see (below), the rifle is not heavily decorated, but the poly stock has a good texture and sits comfortably in a shooting position.
In each instance, the rifle has performed. And performed at distances from normal to ridiculous. Normal, meaning ranges inside which virtually any hunter would be comfortable drawing a bead on an animal. Ridiculous is taking- and making- 403 yard shots at prairie dogs.
But the purpose of a trip like this one to the beautiful Firesteel Creek Lodge in Isabel, South Dakota is to test a piece of equipment. And the wide-open spaces of the Lindskov family holdings is the perfect place to try shots that aren’t just low-percentage in my “normal” shooting areas, they’re at the extreme of rifle, optics and operator.
The first day, we were shooting steady, and occasionally stiff, breezes. Those aren’t particularly conducive to the lightweight varmint calibers we were shooting. But the guns were so solid that we had the confidence necessary to take shots we wouldn’t ordinarily consider.
One significant factor was the fact we weren’t the first group of writers to have had time on these guns. Consequently, they weren’t the least bit stiff or balky in the triggers. In fact, the adjustable triggers were set in the lighter ranges (2 1/2- 3 1/2 pounds) and broke very cleanly. That’s a confidence builder.
Another was the fact we were shooting premium Hornady ammo. After shooting more than 600 rounds of Hornady’s Varmint Express 55-grain V-MAX in.223, I’d have to say I’m sold on both the gun- and the ammunition combination.
Other rifles, particularly the more powerful 22-250 with the 55-grain V-MAX had considerably more “oomph” and the youngest shooter in our group, being blessed with the eyes and athletic abilities of a 20-something, made some shots that were on the far side of impressive.
Varmint shooting, is by its very nature, a sport that may sound distasteful to someone who’s never tried it, but anyone who has- including a couple in our group who admitted being reluctant at taking their first prairie dog- quickly gets hooked.
Shooting in South Dakota is especially fun because it’s legal to shoot from your vehicle. That means that instead of piling out and setting up shooting positions every time you come upon a “dog town” you’re able to fashion window rests and start shooting.
And we did shoot. To the point that our barrels at time got too-hot to touch. We realized maybe we were pushing the rifles to their limits when the pool noodles we’d used to make window rests had melted from the heat.
After a heavy first day of shooting, our rifles were jostled around in the trucks, tossed into their anything-but-heavy-duty cases and plunked down in our rooms at Firesteel Creek Lodge.
On day two, our trio of shooters decided we didn’t need to check zeros, we needed to go shoot. In fact, we decided that we’d see if we couldn’t shoot until we were certain the guns would hold up to heavy use.
It’s not just awesome scenery. The Firesteel Creek Lodge staff steered us to places where we had testing opportunities aplenty.
They did -with the three of us shooting more than 1,250 rounds between the three of us. If you’ve never spent much time in a prairie dog town, that’s a lot of bolt-working. It’s also a lot of ammo – and a testimony to just how plentiful the targets were in the “honey hole” our guide shared with us.
In two full shooting days, we each put in excess of 650 rounds through our rifles. For a hunting gun, that’s a lot of shooting. As much, in fact, as many hunters might fire in an entire career.
And the Compasses were true to their headings from first shot to last reluctant round fired downrange. Not a single problem with the rifles or their polymer 5-round magazines.
If I had the opportunity to take one of these rifles on a big hunt, I’d do so with very little reluctance. It’s lightweight, textured to provide a solid grip, ready for either sling or bipod, and – most importantly- strong enough that I’d have no fear that it wouldn’t last through a pretty tough hunt.
For a gun with such an affordable MSRP- and such a wide variety of calibers- that’s a pretty good case for adding one to your “working gun” collection. It’s not going to win any prizes for beauty- but working tools aren’t working tools for any reason except the most important one: they work.
The Thompson Center Compasses began shipping last Friday- and should be appearing on retailer shelves soon. You might want to check one out.
