I am considering a barreled action from Montana Rifleman using their Model 1999 Montana Action and #4 contour fluted barrel for my next project. Any one have experience with this company and the quality of their product - pros & cons?

My last project was a 700 Remington action rebarreled by Hart Rifle Barrels in 280 Ackley Improved. As you might guess accuracy is superb. My son fell in love with it & now won�t give it back. Good excuse anyway & plans are for another 280 Ackley. Should I expect the same quality and accuracy form Montana as from Hart?

If your expecting "Hart" quality you may be disapointed. Better in your case to go with a benchrest name barrel. They may turnout the same but....

I've had rifles barreled by both and while the montana barrel was okay, it wasn't in the same league as Hart. Then again, the Hart cost twice as much.

Just finished a 1999 with a Montana barrel (installed by them) I am more than happy with the whole thing. It shoots sub-moa with 400gr bullets at 2380fps. The barrel needed nearly no breakin. From the start, I could shoot 10 rounds before any copper was deposited. After 150 rounds cleaning every 10, it doesn't get any copper deposits at all.

I had a few glitches with the action though. I have one of the very early ones. As soon as I get a chance, I'll send it back to them to get the minor problems worked out.
-The firing pin spring expanded a bit at the shroud end and is rubbing a little on the inside of the bolt. This causes a little drag problem.
-Feeding is a little rough.
-The extactor is a little too tight to the boltface. If the cartridge rim is at the top of the tolerance, the extractor will not snap down over the rim if the rifle is single fed. It works fine if it is fed from the magazine.

The people at MRC are very willing to take care of any problems. If you want a benchrest rifle, they may not be the people you want to go to but they make very good hunting/varmiting-class rifles at a good price and reasonable turnaround times.

Boy, am I glad to read yur post, cgdavid!

Yours is about the first review of a Montana Rifleman barrel I have found on this or a couple of other forums. And to find it of all days today, since I have just dropped off a remington short action to be re-barreled and chambered in 338-08. Thanks again!

I'm thinking of having them do the barrel for me also. #4 fluted barrel on a short action. Let me know how it compares. It would be nice to get a review of their recent works. Thanks a lot.

SilverSam,

Montana Rifleman put a 300win mag barrell on a rem action for me. It fowled after 3 shots and shot 4-5 inch groups. I call them up and they said send it back. The put a new barrel in 300 umag on it and got it back to me in about two weeks and it shot They do back there work. One of my hunting buddies bought a blank from them and had Dewight Marshall in Refugio Texas build an ultralight on a Sako action and it's a nail driver. I'll buy barrel blanks from them. They also could not do intergral muzzle breaks, they have to thread and scew. Dewight Marshall in Refugio Texas does a killer job on intergral breaks if thats what guy likes. I don't think the montana barrels are better than Shillen, but they are a little bit cheaper and they can get you one real quick. Nice people to business with also. But so is shillen and others.

I have a Win 70 stainless classic that Montana Rifleman redid in an octagon bbl, .458 Lott and it shoots very well.
Jason

I have been hearing that there barrels are exellent, I know a guy who shoots one in the 1000yrd and has placed very high. Several gunsmiths I know have bore scoped them and they are impressed with them. I guess time will tell. I think more will try them if the rest of barrel makers a backed up.

Well folks it is just about decision time, and all of your comments have been very helpful! Just a few more questions, particularly to those of you who had Montana do the rebarreling.

Did they square the action and lap the lugs?

CGDAVID appears you may be the only one responding so far using the M1999, .... so how is the trigger?

I suspect we would all be interested in the various calibers, chambers, barrel length, etc., ........and oh......, group size, loads and velocity if any of you want to brag a little.

As for me, it would hardly be fair to compare a lighter weight rifle from Montana to my Hart barreled Rem 700 chambered for 280 Ackley with a #5 taper that weighs in at about 10 pounds. Weight is not a problem since I don�t have to carry it very far to a stand in Arkansas bean fields and timber clear cuts. Best group is between 0.3 - 0.4� at 3,102 fps (Oehler 35P Chronograph) with Nosler 140 gr Ballistic Tip. Lethal on whitetails for as far as I want to shoot which is up to about 300 yards.

SilverSam

The trigger isn't bad. Its no Jewel but quite acceptable. Didn't check the weight of pull but I'd guestimate about 3.5#. There is a hint of creep but nothing I'm going to concern myself with. A good trigger tuner that knows their way around a Winchester trigger could probably improve it a little.

Soon as I get a hold of a digital camera, I'll post a picture of this project.