Can't find one to check it in person. Read some raving reviews, but these are the magazine-style promotional "reviews" that you can't trust. Anyone has experience with these? How are they compared to Remingtons and Howas similar in price?

Hi Adrian,

I have two of the Icons, one in .30-06 and the other in .338 win mag. Both are shooters and MOA rifles.

Greg

Icons are done, not sure why Thompson Center stopped making them.

I've been inside several and I think they're a decent rifle. The 3 bolt lugs seem to contact well, the trigger adjusts and "works" easily, and the interchangeable bolt handles are a nice feature. The original receivers were marked "made by Smith & Wesson."

Factory barrels seemed to shoot "ok," but IMHO were nowhere near "match grade" as touted by TC. As machine made non - hand fitted guns go I think they're very good. I suspect that they got a bit too expensive to make and didn't fit well in the great race to the bottom that manufacturers seem to want to indulge in these days.

I've re barreled several in 6 and 6.5mm Creedmoor and they shoot right up there with anything else. Easy barrel jobs with no esoteric extractor cuts etc., and the factory barrels come off easily unlike some Remingtons.

Generally very decent guns overall.

I have had three of them. Two classic models that were 270 and 30-06. One synthetic stock, magazine model in 243. All were very accurate and reliable. About the same weight as a Remington 700. I really did like the Classic model because it had a hinged floor plate instead of a removal magazine.

Their scope mounting system is super. It is a Picatinny rail system that is part of the receiver. It is very strong. All of the rifles were very accurate too.

They were discontinued some time ago in favor of a cheaper model. I think it was not long after they were bought out by Smith and Wesson.

Good condition used ones should be in the $500 to $700 range.

I had the Icon precision hunter with the laminate stock, it was a solid rifle. Trigger was crap, I never messed with it. I bought it for $850 on close out, and then ended up trading it for a shotgun at Gander Mountain a few months later when it shot like shit.

I have a stainless synthetic icon in .30-06. I've tried two loads in it, the second being 150 grain Federal blue box from Wally World and it shot both under MOA. My only beef is the detachable magazines don't fit quite right and require some degree of filing to fit. Of course, they're injection molded plastic and it could be that mine are from a mediocre batch. With the exception of the slovenly magazines, it seems to be a good rifle.