Just got this action recently. Was surprised to get it within 2 weeks of placing the order. I remember we (AR brothers) were signing up for this big action in the concept stage about 10 years ago but it never did materialize then, until not too long ago. Now that it is readily available, nobody care about it anymore? Perhaps due to $1,200 price tag? I remember the initial proposed pricing when it was still in the concept stage was around $550 so obviously it has gone up quite bit since then. It seems to be very good in fit and finish. It is like a pre-64 Winnie in steroid. I have not decided which big bore I will built with it but was very pleased to have procession of it. This is one big ass action!!!

OK, now get to work! That need to be a rifle :-)

Nice looking action. Is it stainless or just in the white?

It is stainless, 100% according to MRC. Thanks!

Mingbogo:
The 2 week delivery after order makes it finally a very interesting action.
Some of us have not followed the soap opera,
and need a bit of education, so questions, please:

1. Can you put it on the scales and tell us how much it weighs?

2. Measure the inside length of that magazine box?
(If that is just thin sheetmetal at the front, it will need some reinforcement.)

3. The bolt diameter is .805" or .806", eh?
So what boltface do you have on it, H&H, Rigby, or Gibbs?

4. The square bridges have some milling for scope rings? Which ones?

5. And finally, is there a synthetic stock being made for this action, or is it a custom walnut proposition?

Thanks in advance.

Riflecrank Internationale Permanente

Mingbogo,

If you have the time, could you give us a photo of the action straight-on from the left and right side so we can see the trigger, trigger guard, and stock-line of the bottom metal?

Thank you,

Ron:
That was quite a quiz bro!
Anyhow, here are some of the answers:
1. The weight of the action as shown is around 3.92 lb.
2. The internal magazine length is around 4.06".
3. The bolt diameter is measured to be around .805" . Mine is setup for the Rigby bolt face.
4. Scope mount cuts on the square bridges are for CZ 550 rings. However, it uses CZ front rings for both the front and the rear bridges. This means I will need 2 sets of CZ rings and toss the rear ones away to use just the 2 front rings.
5. I did check around for a synthetic stock including McMillan's English Express version but none is available at this point to fit this action. MRC is supposedly sourcing for one but not sure when will it be available. They will be introducing several new big bore rifles in the upcoming Shot show so it will be interesting to see what they will have in the store. MRC does have an American black walnut field grade stock for this action for $450, which I also got.
Wayne:
More detail pictures have been posted for your viewing pleasure.

Cheers!

How does it feed,out of the box?

I'll have to do some digging, but I did run across a shop making synthetic stocks for the PH.

That stainless action looks pretty damn nice in that walnut stock. I would be tempted to put a stainless barrel on it and go with the stainless/walnut look.

Here's s synthetic option. I have not used them, but am seriously going to get my gun finished soon.
http://www.oregunsmithingllc.c...omposite-Stocks.html

The action feeds the 416 Rigby okay out of the box (without a barrel) but it will definitely need some refining feed work done. Surprisely, it seems to feed the 505 Gibbs much better than the 416 Rigby.

ozark hunter: nice find! Thanks!

The action looks great! If I didn't already have my 500 Jeffery, I'd be thinking seriously about building a 505 Gibbs around it.

Mingbogo,

Thanks for posting the additional pictures. I wanted to see if MRC had made any changes to the action since we worked on them. We built a couple of rifles ( 505 Gibbs and 600 OK ) on the first actions made; the serial numbers were still single digit.

You can have your Gunsmith mill off the dogleg of the rear CZ ring so you don't have to buy two pair.

Here's a photo of one of the rifles we built while the metal was still in the white.

Good looking rifle. We have an action and we are building a pattern stock for it now. The action cleans up pretty well can't complain based on the price.

quote:

Originally posted by Bitterroot:
Mingbogo,

Thanks for posting the additional pictures. I wanted to see if MRC had made any changes to the action since we worked on them. We built a couple of rifles ( 505 Gibbs and 600 OK ) on the first actions made; the serial numbers were still single digit.

You can have your Gunsmith mill off the dogleg of the rear CZ ring so you don't have to buy two pair.

Here's a photo of one of the rifles we built while the metal was still in the white.

Wayne

This is what I call "THE RIFLE" and I do really mean it.

My own (CZ based) rifle stocks have more or less the same lines but I have bit longer and steaper grip and my own (ugly but 100% effective) grip/forend finish.

Pyzda

Very nice build Wayne! Thanks!

Was this one built for "Idaho sharpshooter" aka Rich?

quote:

Originally posted by Bitterroot:
Mingbogo,

Thanks for posting the additional pictures. I wanted to see if MRC had made any changes to the action since we worked on them. We built a couple of rifles ( 505 Gibbs and 600 OK ) on the first actions made; the serial numbers were still single digit.

You can have your Gunsmith mill off the dogleg of the rear CZ ring so you don't have to buy two pair.

Here's a photo of one of the rifles we built while the metal was still in the white.

npd345,

This one is a 505 Gibbs. Rich's was the 600 OK. I don't think I got any photos of Rich's rifle.

Who made the woodstock? Mpi has inletting for it

I too have just received a Chrome-Moly version of this action here in Australia. It took a little longer than 2 weeks, but still very quick and easy to deal with.
Mine is currently at the Gunsmith's being made into a 585 Nyati. It fed 3 585 rounds straight from the action, without the barrel in place.
I too bought the Walnut stock from Montana at the same time as the action, and I'm very happy with the stock as well, not exhibition grade, but very straight grained and well finished.
At least if it splits a stock, it's not that much money.

I've had a freechex tool made to make 585 gas checks and then had Dan at Mountain Moulds make me 3 bullet moulds, 650, 750 and 900 grain.
I'll shoot 750 Woodleighs as well, but the cast ones will let me have a lot more fun with it, after all, it was made to be used, not looked at.

DC

Frank Martinez bought mine.

As far as building one, let us just say that Bitterroot's patience was stretched to the limits.

It must have been. He sold the stock pattern when he was done.

Who has the stock pattern now?

quote:

Originally posted by J_Zola:
It must have been. He sold the stock pattern when he was done.

From just what I can see, it looks it's well made action that actually has the "appropriate size bolt" and magazine length for the big magnums.

The only weak spot if there is one, may be the narrow section of the extractor collar on the opposite side of the split.

Pyzda

Yes it feeds my 585HE just as well as it feeds
the Gibbs with the magbox metalthat came with it
for the Gibbs. And holds top pressures easy for 13,000 ft lb load in 585HE.Ed

The Montana was my first choice in the absence of the M70. But after paying a deposit and waiting 3 years I got impatient and ended up finding a Vector action. Very happy with the vector but it is not as refined as the Montana.

All said, if Winchester had come to the party earlier I would have just bought one of their new M70s

I just found a pristine 1954 Winchester M70 270 Winchester.
Oops, wrong thread, wrong forum.

I got mine today!!

This thing is huge!!
510 KX aka 510 Rigby here we come!!

The ground squirrels around here can not go deep enough to hide!

I hope their stuff has improved in the last couple years. I bought 3 of their actions around 2003 or so. All there of them had the rear bridge polished down about .020 too low, and on of them had the scope base holes in the rear bridge well off center. I kept one of the action as I hadn't noticed this problem until after I had already barreld it up. When I polished everything up about 3 years ago to refinish the rifle I found a more serious problem. What I though was just a stubornd deep scratch at first turned out to be a crack through the rear ring of the reciever. I have since destroyed that action as I certainly wouldn't trust any repair made to it at this point.

I do like the triggers and sears they produce as they are bettern quality than what came in any of my M70's, and I often replace them with MRC parts, but I'd still be a bit uneasy about their actions unless something has changed in who is doing the manufacturing.

When the PH actions were originaly offered I had 6 of them on order. From the pictures above it does appear that the finish work has substantially improved in the past couple years.

Did you contact Montana about the crack

I did and never got so much as a response. I contacted them about the other actions, and since it had been a while since I had purchased them there was no help on that end either. I ended up selling the other actions to another guy who was looking for a couple cheap actions for a utility rifle, and he knew he was going to need to break out the shims, and get creative.

I understand MRC has changed hands sice that time, but don't know how many of the original people are still involved.

I wish the LH actions would come out, I'd buy 2 even at $1200...they will be $2400 dollars by the time the lefties are out.

Ed

Wow this is a blast from the past!

well THAT is certainly frustrating since I ordered mine with the ORIGINAL order and still haven't gotten mine yet. I keep asking, they keep promising...and promising....

There are a total of 22 Pre-paid orders left. All of whom will have them in their hands very soon. Yes others who ordered them after you may have got theirs first but that is because we had extra SS and CM Gibbs actions, Then we made a run of SS Rigby's and got more orders out. Last but not least we are getting the CM Rigby's out. We are currently running all sizes and steel types of each and fitting them as fast as we can.If you are one of the 22 I suggest keeping in contact. There are a couple of people who we have not been able to get ahold of and after time the action gets put on the next order in line.

Mingbogo,
Thanks again for the info.

MTJ,
I ordered one. A stainless Gibbs PH action.

Now BTT with this thread so capoward/Jim can catch up on the dimensions ...

RIP, Did you just order one or had one on order? I show 2 PRE-PAID actions left to go on the entire list. Those are SS Rigby's and the rest or either shipped or in the assembly area. I did see a bin of 9 DSRG's going into Proof testing this am and will probably ship by Thursday or Friday but I dont' see any other back orders. We now have inventory fo the DCRX, DCRG and will have inventory fo the DSRG by the end of the week. Next we are working the DSRX and will have inventory of all the PH actions.

Anybody want to buy one with a Rigby bolt face ?

Silvertip1 has one for sale for $750.00