Montana Rifle Company Returning in 2023?

[cajunchefray]

That’s a great picture, wish I was there.

 

[Captain Munro]

Hope these guys come back, I own an X3 in 300 Win Mag (stainless). great shooting rifle, love it!!!


(pic from spring bear western MT this year)

View attachment 499185

That looks awesome. Great shot!

 

[fourfive8]

I will point out an issue I had though..... I was on the range and had some weird issues with the action, essentially the pin next to the yellow arrow was sliding out, i forget all of the symptoms but i do remember that it wouldn't fire.....
So a gunsmith i Missoula installed the small screw (blue arrow) to keep the pin from moving out again, this issue was after +/- 120 rounds. The gunsmith told me this was actually a common issue he's seen over the years with MRC and Winchester 70 actions. No issue since.

View attachment 499186

That is the sear hinge pin. It has a shallow splined head and is designed to be punched into the action's lower rail. The splined head engraves into the action rail and held in place by significant friction. Identical to all Win 70s. If that pin has been pushed in and out too many times, the friction engraving will be compromised or wallowed out too much to hold and the pin might loosen. However and additionally, in a properly inletted stock, the pin itself cannot move out too far, being held in place by the stock itself. Looking at the photo carefully the head o that pin does not look right and the engraving splines look buggered? However, adding that small retaining screw is a secure and easy fix.

Here is a pic of the head of that sear pin on a Win 70 for comparison

 

[Corey0372]

That is the sear hinge pin. It has a shallow splined head and is designed to be punched into the action's lower rail. The splined head engraves into the action rail and held in place by significant friction. Identical to all Win 70s. If that pin has been pushed in and out too many times, the friction engraving will be compromised or wallowed out too much to hold and the pin might loosen. However and additionally, in a properly inletted stock, the pin itself cannot move out too far, being held in place by the stock itself. Looking at the photo carefully the head o that pin does not look right and the engraving splines look buggered? However, adding that small retaining screw is a secure and easy fix.

Here is a pic of the head of that sear pin on a Win 70 for comparison

View attachment 499197

Yea I wasn't there for the whole disassembly, but the little screw seems like one of those easy fixes that's almost an improvement in some ways.

 

[fourfive8]

For comparison- Here's the head of the sear (hinge/pivot) pin on my MRC. The splined head looks unbuggered, however the factory may have turned off the top edges of the spline tops in order to make a better (or easier, non swaged/engraved) fit into its countersink ??

 

[Corey0372]

For comparison- Here's the head of the sear (hinge/pivot) pin on my MRC. The splined head looks unbuggered, however the factory may have turned off the top edges of the spline tops in order to make a better (or easier, non swaged/engraved) fit into its countersink ??

View attachment 499237

could be, even with the problem i had, ive been very happy with the rifle and would buy another one from them

 

[fourfive8]

Yes, no problem with the MRC action- excellent design that is about 90%+ Winchester 70 with some small Mauseresque details

 

[WAB]

Yes, no problem with the MRC action- excellent design that is about 90%+ Winchester 70 with some small Mauseresque details

Agreed, I really liked their action. Their stocks weren’t to my taste, but that’s aesthetics not functionality.

 

[Scott CWO]

The reason they gave at the time they closed was they were unable to keep up with demand. Of the many reasons for a company to fail, that’s pretty unusual. Kind of a classy problem to have actually. Usually, companies respond by increasing productivity by adding workers, adding equipment and even new plants. If they can’t do that, they increase their price until demand drops to match their ability to produce. I thought it was curious at the time….still do.

Yes, a very unusual reason to go out of business. Sounds like some bad management? I would be cautious going forward. Perhaps some internal turmoil as well? Other issues could be finding enough reliable, skilled employees in a less populated state, like Montana or the inability of the management to find them and get them to Montana. Could be even more difficult since COVID. Would the previous employees come back or were they burned by the closure?

Going forward, sounds like they would need a good manager, a good recruiter/HR person and perhaps a business consultant.

 

[FlowHamed18]

Hey guys.

Any news regarding MRC coming back?
It's impossible to get such an info here in Europe...

My custom .404 Jeffery built on a MRC action is one of the most accurate actions in my arsenal...

 

[Captain Munro]

There has not been any new updates other than there Instagram page saying coming soon in 2023.

 

[MedRiver]

Would be nice if they come back. I have a 1999 that is running smooth now but would be nice to have a source for parts down the road if something comes up.

 

[Captain Munro]

They have updated their website:
https://montanarifleco.com/

 

[Captain Munro]

Now made in Michigan and owned by Grace Engineering.

 

[Doug3006]

Same company makes G5 archery gear.

 

[Captain Munro]

Not much info other than the new owners and the action is now call the 2022 rather than the 1999.

 

[meigsbucks]

They had a couple of prototypes at SCI. They have milled in pic rails on the receiver. The rep said base price point will be somewhere $2k+-$3k… Yet to be determined.

 

[Captain Munro]

They had a couple of prototypes at SCI. They have milled in pic rails on the receiver. The rep said base price point will be somewhere $2k+-$3k… Yet to be determined.

Cool! Did they say anything about making their African or PH rifles again?

 

[meigsbucks]

No. It sounded like they just wanted to cover the basics initially.

 

[Fryeguy]

I spoke with them as well. I asked about calibers also. It sounds like they are taking accuracy to a new level. They stated the bolts would be interchangeable between actions as well as barrels. They will no longer be made from castings either. Fully machined from stock. It seems like they recognized some of there short comings of the 1999 and wanted to fix them all. The only thing I didn’t like were the rails on bottom of the stocks. They are going to use McMillan stocks, and also walnut stocks. Looking forward to them hitting the market!