I looked pretty long and hard at the Mountain Ascent, but in the end I just couldn't justify the $1000 price difference between it and the Montana. With the aluminum trigger guard swap ($50), the difference in weight is 4 oz. between the two, so the extra grand was basically for aesthetics and a brake.
Reliable Gun had one in 308 and I think it was 20% off with their "Mega Sale", which would be almost $500, but alas it was gone before the online store opened. Someone in the Vancouver area got a good deal on one! Bastard!!!
I had a couple reservations that really only came to mind after I did the review, one, the very large / coarse bolt flutes are actually quite "ratchety" on bolt feel, to the point of even feeling like a near hang up when the bolt is side loaded in a quick cycling of the action. Second was the "Yeti-puke" camo coating, it feels great, a slight rubbery texture, but even new in box was starting to lift off the stock in tiny, minute areas. Who knows what that finish will look like after years in the mountains, it also adds several ounces of weight to the stock, so no idea why they don't offer it in standard black like the Montana. The break was a non-issue for me as it came with a thread protector and tool for brake removal, your choice, it's two ounces lighter without the brake than my scale pic. Overall I still think it's a fantastic value at 4lb 13ozs without brake, that makes even ultralights and titaniums look portly. I'll have my full titanium (everything but the springs is ti) Satterlee Mauser in 2015 looks like, I'll put some pics up when I'm finished stocking it. Here's what she looks like for now.
Then I made this blurb yesterday and lost Internet before I could post,
Mountain rifles
Well written, frank post there 77. And buckbrush, hard to argue with photo #2, right now you're winning the thread for the rifles actually at work.
Sure... Not what this thread is after, synthetic stocked turnbolts. However, this is my lightest rifle, with a fluted dodecagon 20" barrel, the action / frame has been milled just shy of 1/8" thinner, and the stocks which I did from rough shaped slimmed to the smallest possible dimensions, literally a smaller foreend and slimmer butt cannot contain the No.1's workings. I haven't scaled it yet, but she'll be around 6.5lbs.
Inletted / recessed safety by a good member here we may hear from shortly, doublegun, and no he's not interested in doing another I already asked. Bought this action from his father who he did it for, only reason I have it.
Slimmed frame,
Fluted 12 sided barrel,
And it flatlanding, it'll chase sheep 2015.
