I’m not taking a stance for or against this statement. But I do think we are sometimes too binomial with custom/factory language.
This is a small company with a single person building and testing every rifle.
- Is it customized to your order? No.
- But is it a manufacturing line in some foreign country? No
Your Kelby atlas and barrel are basically lego parts fitting together.
- Is it customized? Yes.
- Is it anything groundbreaking, revolutionary, or truly custom? No
The MRC is much closer to “custom” than “factory.”
While I can agree with some things you mentioned, cmon man-lego parts?? You have been around long enough and in my opinion a solid contributor-however this is laughable. Kelbly has been building CUSTOM-and I mean in the true and literal, original sense-actions for a long time. They are a family run PROVEN company that are considered by many in the top 5-10 of custom actions for hunting and competition. (I've got no affiliation with them, I use what I find to be the best and most accurate.)
Yes, nomenclature has eroded and expanded at the same time, and some love to argue it. I don't subscribe to that. A custom rifle action is still one that is machined to precise and exact tolerances to me. Hence the word/phrase custom action.
Your blind trust is honorable. If folks want to spend "custom" money-on a new, unproven platform because someone told them it will work-rock on. What I find interesting-some of these same folks are the ones demanding proof/evidence/photos/data or it didn't happen, or it is false. Ironic.
Now by me responding, it seems I am poo poo ing the MRC rifle. I am not. I was pointing out a few distinctions. We all have different styles of hunting, experience shooting-heck maybe I am a tiny minority in that regard.
The extra steps they are taking (degreasing, racking rounds, checking 2 mags, shooting a group, etc.) may be perfect for some. I do this in about an hour day 1 with a new rifle. I was just stating that the group of dudes mostly found on here are so technical with their gear and equipment, handloading, customizing, are the very essence of DIY. But! We are a small group in the grand scheme.
I fully support a small business in my home state and I hope this rifle is successful! I look forward to hearing the results.