Experience with Montana Rifle Company Rifles

[NDGuy]

I have been gaining interest in picking one of these up as they seem to be a nice rifle for only $1,200-1,400. Being a lefty leaves my options relatively small.

What are your personal experiences with them? From what I have searched on the forum, I have seen a few of complaints on customer service and the time it took to actually acquire the rifle. But nothing about the rifle itself.

I will likely be picking up a X2 or the ALR if I decide to grab one. Let me know if you have experience with either of these and what your thought is on them.

Thanks!

 

[Scottyboy]

i have never owned nor shot one, but have molested them a time or two at a local gun shop. they seemed pretty solid as far as the fit-n-finish goes. the biggest turn off for me (which maybe it shouldnt have been) was the 8 month estimation to have a rifle ordered with the montana flats muzzle brake and no MOA guarantee. while the latter i will be the first to admit is a mute point as every decent rifle nowadays should be capable of sub-MOA performance (well, in my opinion anyways), but you can get a Bergara for example with a guarantee that it will be sub MOA and you save a few bucks..

i ended up going the custom route given that the lead times were more or less the same as MRC.. however, when my local shop has their annual sales going on, i will be looking again at MRC to see if they have a 280AI that i cant live without.

PS: sorry this helps you none, but i will echo that the customer service/email response was a little slow or non existent, however i was able to get someone on the phone in pretty short order.

 

[NDGuy]

but you can get a Bergara for example with a guarantee that it will be sub MOA and you save a few bucks..
.

That's another brand I looked at. Any experience with those?



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[danmayland]

I recently set up a MRC 300 Win for a friend. By setup, I'm referring to mountain a scope, and shooting/sighting it in. I'm personally not a fan of the rifle. I don't like the Winchester style scope mounting system and the accuracy was no where near what I would expect for that price range of a gun. Albeit I was using factory Nosler ammunition the owner provided. My biggest complaint however was the fact that the bottom metal was epoxied into the stock making it 100% impossible to remove the stock or adjust the trigger. The trigger weight was around 4lbs. Completely unacceptable to me. I'll never own one. Your money would be better spent on a Begara, Tikka or Howa. You will get a superbly Accurate rifle for less money with a much better action. The MRC action felt no different that a factory Rem 700. Tikka is glass and Howa is a close second. Haven't played with the Begara yet but I've heard good things.


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[NDGuy]

I recently set up a MRC 300 Win for a friend. By setup, I'm referring to mountain a scope, and shooting/sighting it in. I'm personally not a fan of the rifle. I don't like the Winchester style scope mounting system and the accuracy was no where near what I would expect for that price range of a gun. Albeit I was using factory Nosler ammunition the owner provided. My biggest complaint however was the fact that the bottom metal was epoxied into the stock making it 100% impossible to remove the stock or adjust the trigger. The trigger weight was around 4lbs. Completely unacceptable to me. I'll never own one. Your money would be better spent on a Begara, Tikka or Howa. You will get a superbly Accurate rifle for less money with a much better action. The MRC action felt no different that a factory Rem 700. Tikka is glass and Howa is a close second. Haven't played with the Begara yet but I've heard good things.


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Bergara does not make a left handed rifle yet to my knowledge.


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[danmayland]

Bergara does not make a left handed rifle yet to my knowledge.


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Yea that's true :/

It's also worth mentioning that the 300 Win I set up with a straight 3-9 Leupold VX-1 (very small, light scope) weighed in at 9.7 lbs. That's just crazy heavy for such a small contour barrel and large price tag.


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[Irish Miner]

When I've fondled them, they didn't seem very well balanced. Kind of heavy on the front end. They are good looking rifles though.

I'm used to my Coopers, which seem much more balanced and a step up in the fit and finish department. They'll cost you a bit more, but worth it if feasible.

 

[hodgeman]

I've messed with a couple and wasn't super impressed. I frankly think for the money you can get a much better rifle.

 

[Zoo Keeper]

I kept getting the run around on the LH X2 I ordered every time they missed the shipping date they promised & became rude about it.

I then went with a Tikka T3x & glad I did.


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[cbeck36]

Call Brad at Brads Guns in Eureka, Ut. Definitely worth a phone call.

 

[NDGuy]

Wow glad I posted you all are really turning me off of these rifles.

I was leaning towards the wood stock ALR but maybe I should just keep saving.

 

[GKPrice]

there was an earlier thread by a guy who had a MRC ordered and it apparently morphed into a horror story for him - I "think" he finally cancelled and went with another brand out of frustration from being led down "the path" and being fibbed to

 

[Wyatt G]

ive had a xwr-ss for a few years and really like it. is accurate, balanced perfect with a vortex 4-16x44, but it is pretty heavy. Most people that have them really like the trigger but mine has quite a bit of creep. overall it's a great gun, but with what i've heard recently about customer service would make me think twice about getting another.

 

[NDGuy]

Call Brad at Brads Guns in Eureka, Ut. Definitely worth a phone call.

Why? Is he a custom smith guy or a gun shop owner?

 

[duckhunter175]

I have been gaining interest in picking one of these up as they seem to be a nice rifle for only $1,200-1,400. Being a lefty leaves my options relatively small.

What are your personal experiences with them? From what I have searched on the forum, I have seen a few of complaints on customer service and the time it took to actually acquire the rifle. But nothing about the rifle itself.

I will likely be picking up a X2 or the ALR if I decide to grab one. Let me know if you have experience with either of these and what your thought is on them.

Thanks!

There are a few good LH rifles floating around gunbroker and some other sites. I'm a lefty as well and they can be hard to find. I would call the guys at Alamo Precision Rifles in Hurst TX. Their Maverick rifle is at the top end of your price range but will leave you a whole lot happier than MRC.

 

[NDGuy]

There are a few good LH rifles floating around gunbroker and some other sites. I'm a lefty as well and they can be hard to find. I would call the guys at Alamo Precision Rifles in Hurst TX. Their Maverick rifle is at the top end of your price range but will leave you a whole lot happier than MRC.

Yep being a lefty blows. There isn't much between that $900-$1700 range for us. Everything is budget or custom.

I may just get another Tikaa or look into the Xbolt.

One thing that bugs me about Browning is you never hear anything about them when people bring up rifles under a grand. It's always Tikka/Savage.

 

[Floorpoor]

Yep being a lefty blows. There isn't much between that $900-$1700 range for us. Everything is budget or custom.

I may just get another Tikaa or look into the Xbolt.

One thing that bugs me about Browning is you never hear anything about them when people bring up rifles under a grand. It's always Tikka/Savage.

Both my brother in law and one of my sons are right handed, but left eye dominant. They both grew up shooting right handed rifles left handed. I bought my son a left handed rim fire, and he said it felt "weird". My brother in law taught him his goofy bolt cycling method when he was young. He's 17, and has killed three mule deer, and two elk with right handed rifles, shot left handed. My brother in law just built a custom rifle on a right handed M700 action.

 

[jspickar]

I've shot a number of MRC rifles at a local big bore shoot. From my experience they don't balance well, their triggers are mediocre (I'd say a factory savage accutrigger is as good or better). I was going to test out a 30-378 but you couldn't close the bolt on a factory round. Apparently it left the factory and wasn't headspaced properly. They are just an overpriced winchester. I'd say a tikka is a better rifle (I own a t3 in 7mm-08)

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[300m]

I have an X3 in 30-06 . Purchased about 6 months ago. ~100 rds. I find the rifle to be well balanced and shoot sub-moa (if I do my part) . Trigger is ~3 pounds. Stock fit around the barrel is not as tight as I would like. Action is ok - not as good as my Tikka. 7 lbs 13 oz with VX3 (2.5 x 8) scope and Talley lt wt mounts. I followed the recommended break-in procedure. (Not sure it helps or not. Figured what the heck.) I've not used customer service. Called and asked a question and was transferred to the correct person and quick answer. Purchased from a dealer in OKC.
Smooth transaction and lots of MRC choices. I heard MRC leadership changed. Hopefully going in the right direction.