By now, you have surely heard all the buzz in the hunting and shooting worlds about Thompson Center Arms’ new Dimension rifle platform. Since its introduction at the 2012 SHOT show in January, it has likely been the most talked about rifle of the year. I have been fortunate to have quite a bit of experience with the Dimension and have had a chance to shoot one frequently for a year now, and my television partner, James Brion, and I spent an entire hunting season behind the new gun.
TC calls the Dimension a new rifle platform, and that is really what it is. You build your own rifle or rifles upon their LOC platform (Locking Optimized Components), starting with a universal stock (with adjustable length of pull) and receiver. From there it is all up to you. Both right and left-handed receivers are available.
TC is offering the Dimension in 10 calibers ranging from .204 Ruger to .300 Win Mag., and the calibers are broken down into four series, grouped by size (A-D). For example, a .204 Ruger is A, a .243 Win is B, a .30-06 SPRG is C, and a .300 Win is D series. The series you choose will determine other initial parts.
So let’s say we choose a D series .300 Win Mag. We have our LOC stock and receiver, and then we will get a D-series fluted bolt, a 3-round magazine and magazine housing. Finally we get the caliber specific barrel that has TC’s famous 5R rifling and a target style crown. These barrels all fit both the right and left-hand receivers, so no problems for southpaws.
What makes the Dimension different from other rifles is in only a few short minutes, you can transform that .300 Win that you plan to elk hunt with into a .22-50 Rem for a coyote or prairie dog hunt.
This is simply done by purchasing a B series bolt and magazine setup and the .22-250 barrel. The original Dimension comes with two tools that make the transformation foolproof (which I need), and you can be switched out in no time flat. Simply remove the stock, switch barrels, drop in the new magazine housing, replace stock and pop in the clip and bolt, and you are shooting. This all can be done easily in less than five minutes.
TC is offering an optional bridge scope mount that mounts on individual barrels. Once sighted in, you switch barrels and scopes and don’t have to re-sight each time. From my extensive experience with the Dimension, after a barrel switch, I didn’t have to touch my scope. Virtually 100 percent of the time, I was back within one inch of my original zero.
It is easy to see the great benefit and versatility of having a system such as this, but it has to be really expensive, right? Actually, price may be one of the Dimension’s strongest attributes. Retail price on an initial setup is $649, with additional barrels coming in at $199 including magazine group. If you switch series and need a new bolt, they retail for $129. So if you wanted to purchase the Dimension and have it in .300 Win and .22-250 Rem as we discussed earlier, you would be looking at about $977 for two rifle that are guaranteed to shoot MOA groups.
Now you tell me, is that a new Dimension in rifles?
Dimesnion in the Field
While filming our TV Shows, Nosler’s Magnum TV and The Zone, James Brion and I hunted with the Dimension from August to December last year. We took a variety of species including coyote, whitetail, Dall sheep, mountain caribou and moose, and we experienced a huge amount of differing weather conditions during our many hunts. I can say without exception the Dimension performed flawlessly on shots ranging from 35 to 435 yards, and neither of us ever needed a follow up shot to down our animals. We have full confidence in the Dimension, and look forward to using it again this season.
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