So my search for the perfect lefty bolt gun has led me to check out MRC- especially their ASR production rifle. They are pretty much blasted over at 24hr campfire.com for crummy quality control but I havent read much about these guns or the company in general. Lemme know if youve dealt with these folks gunnutz- and maybe the year that you dealt with 'em
Montana Rifle Company- Are they any good?
- Thread starter GunNewb
- Start date
blaxsun
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I can't comment on the lefty aspect, but the custom build they did for my father is just phenomenal. And after CBSA took the bolt out and shipped it loose with the gun (just use your imagination), they refinished everything. PM if you'd like to see some pictures.
In 2006 I had two rifles made for me using Montana Rifleman 1999 actions. Both rifles had problems. One rifle failed to feed. But I eventually got it to work fairly well, without having to visit a gunsmith. The other rifle often fails to fire because of light primer strikes. I have meant to take this to a gunsmith but have never gotten around to it. To me, neither rifle is worth the money I paid.
I would not buy another Montana Rifleman product. I find the Winchester Model 70, and the CZ 550 to be far superior. They are just as accurate, more reliable, and cheaper.
For that matter, I have owned a few Remington Model 700 rifles. Though many on CGN complain about their poor quality control, I have never owned a Model 700 which exhibited the problems of the Montana Rifleman Model 1999. If both my Montana rifles had problems, and I only bought two, then you can be certain that their quality control is appalling.
I would not buy another Montana Rifleman product. I find the Winchester Model 70, and the CZ 550 to be far superior. They are just as accurate, more reliable, and cheaper.
For that matter, I have owned a few Remington Model 700 rifles. Though many on CGN complain about their poor quality control, I have never owned a Model 700 which exhibited the problems of the Montana Rifleman Model 1999. If both my Montana rifles had problems, and I only bought two, then you can be certain that their quality control is appalling.
Cooper makes a good product. Last week I got a LH Zastava in 9.3x62 from tradex. It is a true mauser action. The metalwork is very good and it shoots very well. The stock is not that great. It is a pale blonde and not well finished. But for the price I can replace the stock. The action alone is worth the money.
Neil
Neil
The original MRC platform was a design cross between a M70 and a Mauser 98. Using more modern manufacturing techniques, they originally sold for $350 if memory serves, and at that point they were a good deal. A bunch of us on accurate reloading.com got in on a group buy, which happened but took much, much longer then anticipated. At the original cost they were a great deal, and worth it in spite of a few glitches. I believe the original company changed hands a while back as well, and the market focus changed as well. - dan
doesnt really matter if they are in production or not in my mind, its a rifle ?
he is weighin it for me an gettin back to me, that will be the decider-
seems likeit would be model 70 synthetic weighted, very kimberesque without the slimmed down bits. barrel looks fairly chunky but stock looks nice an thin.
will be interested, just asked if anyone that had actually felt them or had them might of chimed in more so than stating the fact about the company
doesnt really matter if they are in production or not in my mind, its a rifle ?
he is weighin it for me an gettin back to me, that will be the decider-
seems likeit would be model 70 synthetic weighted, very kimberesque without the slimmed down bits. barrel looks fairly chunky but stock looks nice an thin.
will be interested, just asked if anyone that had actually felt them or had them might of chimed in more so than stating the fact about the company
I would be buyer beware on that unless you are certain that there aren't non-visible problems with the action in particular.
I helped with the effort to get the wreckage of MRC up and running again in 2019 after the owner group ran the company into the ground. That too failed for other reasons, leaving Ken (another Canadian) who bankrolled the effort $1.5 million USD poorer. He's still in court in Kalispell MT, trying to get some of his money back from the grifter that screwed that effort up.
Relevant to your question, other than terrible mismanagement, the biggest thing that killed MRC was the most horrid QC/QA you can imagine, in company with complete indifference to customer service.
One example: they were getting their frame blanks from the company casting for them with many of them being banana shaped due to mould slump. Instead of rejecting them, they detailed a couple of guys to try and straighten the frames well enough that they could put them into the tombstones with the rest of the actions to run through the Haas CNC machines. After which they had to send them out for heat treating again since they'd been bending them around using 20 ton hydraulic presses.
They are very nice looking rifles - if you get a good one.
I have a couple of very nice looking stocks from the remnants that were left behind. The stocks were made for MRC by a company in Italy whose name I can't recall at the moment.
I would never buy one unless the seller allowed me to take it to a gunsmith who was aware of what MRC was doing back then so he could check for potential defects and give me a thumbs up. I have the advantage of having been there and saw first hand what they were doing - and the drawers full of letters of outrage from customers who wanted help with their defective rifles. Have a folder full of pictures and copies of those documents.
