Montana Rifle Company factory visit

[Mark A Ouellette]

I better start squirreling away some money then. I'd really love if they offered a 9.3x62...

Bases on my understanding of the current MRC, I would not count on specialty chambering anytime soon.

MRC needs to produce and sell XXX rifles in each model and chambering to be profitable. I don't know their break even number, sorry.
Currently they are producing a .375 H&H with plans to gear up for their 458 Lott.

Remember that the previous MRC along with Dakota went out of business. Kimber moved from Oregon to New York City. What's up with that?

Memphis based MRC is owned by Grace Engineering that also has the Prime bows and G5 broadheads products. Slow but sure is their successful business methodology.

Perhaps they will adopt Remington's Classic business plan. That is one chambering (cartridge) Classic rifle per year. A different offering every year. I think Ruger also does this type of production.

Keep your fingers crossed...

 

[baxterb]

Bases on my understanding of the current MRC, I would not count on specialty chambering anytime soon.

MRC needs to produce and sell XXX rifles in each model and chambering to be profitable. I don't know their break even number, sorry.
Currently they are producing a .375 H&H with plans to gear up for their 458 Lott.

Remember that the previous MRC along with Dakota went out of business. Kimber moved from Oregon to New York City. What's up with that?

Memphis based MRC is owned by Grace Engineering that also has the Prime bows and G5 broadheads products. Slow but sure is their successful business methodology.

Perhaps they will adopt Remington's Classic business plan. That is one chambering (cartridge) Classic rifle per year. A different offering every year. I think Ruger also does this type of production.

Keep your fingers crossed...

I was wondering why the big PRIME sign was there...

 

[Altitude sickness]

I wasn’t going to bring up the Prime bows. But, while there


I handled the new Prime flagship bow the “Form”
It should be a very accurate and forgiving bow to
Shoot. Every design aspect is well thought out and executed.
If you are in the market make sure you check the Prime “Form” out.

 

[ldmay375]

Montana made MRC rifles used cast actions.
Memphis made MRC rifles use actions milled from steel billets.
As for the design, I've never seen a Montana made rifle. I believe the designs are very much if not all the same.

The MRC factory is in Memphis, Michigan located 35 miles north of Detroit. I live on a dirt road five miles from Memphis and have several engineers and machinests as neighbors. Because of the automotive industry, lower Michigan is full of these skills, as I presume as is MRC. FYI, Ian has a background as an aerospace engineer.

PS: I asked about a MRC 416 Remington and was informed the 458 Lott has to come first.

I view MRC for rifles as Wilson Combat, Nighthawk, and Les Baer are for handguns. Not bespoke but MRC rifles will be offered without the common problems that factory rifles SOMETIMES have, i.e. magazine springs that break, actions that to not feed very well and so on...

From past photos and company rep posts, the recoil lug system differs on the new company production from the prior production.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

From past photos and company rep posts, the recoil lug system differs on the new company production from the prior production.

Thanks for the update!

Please post the before and present photos for a side by side comparison.

 

[Mekaniks]

Mark asked Ian and he eluded to possibly a .416 Rem after the .458 Lott

A 416 Taylor would awesome and an easy fit.

Really cool that you guys got some personal face time with these folks.
I think there are lots of us waiting to see how their “new” rifles work out. It’s exciting for sure

 

[ldmay375]

Thanks for the update!

Please post the before and present photos for a side by side comparison.

Sorry, I don't have pictures. The new action pictures were posted on another forum shortly after the announcement of back in business. I assume the recoil lug system is somewhat similar to the newer Sakos, not sure because I do not have one. The actual lug portion fits inside the stock, has a machined "slot" that the protuberance on the action fits in precisely.
This is a copy of part of Ian's discussion of this. The earlier MRC's recoil lug is like a M70, machines as part of action.

 

[Imac45acp]

It was a great visit with Ian, the MRC design engineer. Jay and I each brought in a couple dangerous game rifles for a side by side comparison and discussion of MRC and other rifles.

The two rifles on the left belong to me. Those are a .375 H&H by Jim Kobe easily identifiable by the dope written on blue painter's tape on the Leupold Scope, and a .416 Remington with 1/4 rib by Christman Arms. A MRC rifle is on the right.
View attachment 658306
Ian provided that

• MRC dangerous game rifles has a 1/4" fiberglass rod from tang to bottom of the grip to reinforce the stock. Smart, very smart.
• Also, MRC uses a Pre-64 M70 trigger but made with the much better metals available today.
• MRC optimized the ejection angle of their rifles so that brass does not hit the scope.
• MRC also has McMillian synthetic stocks available. A McMillian stock is being developed for a drop box magazine MRC.
• MRC plans to offer their 458 Lott rifle during late 2025.
• MRC rifles and laps their barrels in house. In fact they make 99% of the parts in house. I can't remember which part Ian told me they do not make...

Minor correction- the reinforcing rod is carbon fiber. The stocks are the only thing we don't make in house with the exception of a few springs and stampings.

Did they mention if they were working on “legacy” MRC rifles?

Unfortunately, we do not work on Kalispell built rifles. The Legacy warranty referred to on our website is a lifetime warranty that's transferrable to your decedents.

What are they calling the new 375 / Dangerous game rifle?

Have any other calibers been confirmed aside from 375HH & 458 Lott?

I’m assuming it would be using a 3.6” magnum action so no magnum+ cartridges like the 416 Rigby or 505 Gibbs would be possible,

Hell I’d be happy if they offered 375HH - 416 RemMag - 458 Lott & 500 Jeffery. This could fill the vast void left by the CZ550.

Any idea what the rifle weighed?

Marketing is still deciding on names- the wood stock/traditional top, and carbon stock with pic rail will be two separate models. .458 Lott will be the next big game caliber, followed by the .416 Rem Mag. The 404 Jeffrey has been tossed around as well. The .500 Jeffrey's length is a good fit, but the bolt face is too large for me to comfortably fit.

The wood stock rifle Mark was holding in his first post weighed in at 7lbs 11oz with aluminum bottom metal. Strangely enough, the carbon stocked rifle is 8lbs 3oz due to the heavy magnum fill. We may be changing to steel to add a little "weight between the hands".

Thanks for the update!

Please post the before and present photos for a side by side comparison.

I just so happen to have an old cast receiver handy for pics!

 

[Northern Shooter]

Adding a bit of weight for the 375 and especially 458 Lott would be much appreciated haha.

 

[375Ruger416]

Nice! ETA? I’d like one of these in 375 or 416

 

[Captain Munro]

Some good express v-notch sights too! And 300 H&H Chambering! Let me dream! Haha

 

[Letzhunt]

Not to de-rail....but what are the opinions on the Montana 1999 .375 rifles from the past? I know where one is and may pick it up if its reasonable and reliable.

 

[Hunt anything]

Not to de-rail....but what are the opinions on the Montana 1999 .375 rifles from the past? I know where one is and may pick it up if its reasonable and reliable.

My .416 Rigby has been reliable, haven’t hunted with it yet but I’ve run a couple of hundred rounds through it. I can’t remember when it was built but I can look if need be, definitely before the shutdown.

 

[VertigoBE]

Minor correction- the reinforcing rod is carbon fiber. The stocks are the only thing we don't make in house with the exception of a few springs and stampings.


Unfortunately, we do not work on Kalispell built rifles. The Legacy warranty referred to on our website is a lifetime warranty that's transferrable to your decedents.


Marketing is still deciding on names- the wood stock/traditional top, and carbon stock with pic rail will be two separate models. .458 Lott will be the next big game caliber, followed by the .416 Rem Mag. The 404 Jeffrey has been tossed around as well. The .500 Jeffrey's length is a good fit, but the bolt face is too large for me to comfortably fit.

The wood stock rifle Mark was holding in his first post weighed in at 7lbs 11oz with aluminum bottom metal. Strangely enough, the carbon stocked rifle is 8lbs 3oz due to the heavy magnum fill. We may be changing to steel to add a little "weight between the hands".


I just so happen to have an old cast receiver handy for pics!

Thank you for the info, and welcome to AH!