Montana Rifle Company announced the release of their PH action and then cancelled that release. I was wondering if anyone here has received their actions yet or has heard when they're due to be released?

I was hoping to get mine this summer but I am considering pursuing dfferent options if it dosent get here soon. In March I got a letter from Montana stating a heat treat issue, they didn't have a definate time frame for the actions. However, they made it sound like they were actively working on them.

I was just wondering if anyone here has heard anything further.

No, no one has received a production aciton, yet, as none have been released

I talked to them today and they told me the batch of 10 they were working on all cracked during the machining process. It's going to be a while I think.

quote:

Originally posted by GeoffM24:
I talked to them today and they told me the batch of 10 they were working on all cracked during the machining process. It's going to be a while I think.

That doesn't sound good at all. I wonder what caused it. Bad steel, improper machining technique, or improper heat treating??????????

Sounds like back to square one to me.

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:

quote:

Originally posted by GeoffM24:
I talked to them today and they told me the batch of 10 they were working on all cracked during the machining process. It's going to be a while I think.

That doesn't sound good at all. I wonder what caused it. Bad steel, improper machining technique, or improper heat treating??????????

I'm not sure what the cracking issue was but they were having big problems with warping and such in the casting process. Apparently the added weight caused problems what the regular actions didn't have so they have to brace the actions in different places. I can't imagine these will be ready anytime soon with the casting and machining issues.

Maybe they should start calling it the “Montana PH Non-Action”. I had it with them, anyone want to buy my place at this dinner table?

the first lot aren't cast, iirc .. they are machined.

Usually, but not always, cracking during heat treat and warping are a problem related to design and usually corrected by redesigning the part. In other words, back to square one!

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
Usually, but not always, cracking during heat treat and warping are a problem related to design and usually corrected by redesigning the part. In other words, back to square one!

But wasn't this "part" already designed and sold successfully. Isn't this "part" just a larger version of the same "part"?

No matter what the root cause is...this sucks. I also may go another direction and kiss my dream 505 Gibbs goodbye. At this point I would advise Montana to seek out a very good metalurgist/engineer and get it right.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
the first lot aren't cast, iirc .. they are machined.

I'm just repeating what I was told by MRC.....

quote:

Originally posted by 22WRF:

quote:

Originally posted by clowdis:
Usually, but not always, cracking during heat treat and warping are a problem related to design and usually corrected by redesigning the part. In other words, back to square one!

But wasn't this "part" already designed and sold successfully. Isn't this "part" just a larger version of the same "part"?

That was my thought but apparently it isn't that easy.

I watched a show on burgers on the food network and they showed a 30 pound burger from Fuddruckers. Since the burger was so large you could only sear it on the grill but then had to bake it for like 2 1/2 more hours to cook it through. So while it had the same proportions as your standard burger the added size required a totally different method to prepare it.

Seems like the same general idea with these actions.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
At this point I would advise Montana to seek out a very good metalurgist/engineer and get it right.

I'm pretty disappointed as well but they are using Pinetree casting (a Ruger company) so there isn't any lack knowledge or ability on the part of the casting company regarding firearm receivers. The size of this receiver must be plowing new ground for Pinetree.

22WRF
Cracks and warping can come from many directions, but differing wall thicknesses and sharp corners are a couple of them. Another possibility is that they may have changed the metallurgy on these castings. Regardless, between MRC and Pinetree they ought to be able to come up with some answers. It's probably a heattreating problem that is causing both issues, but since no-one has seen an action I reckon we're all just guessing at the cause. More Patience is required but then I don't have an action on order! I did have a couple of mini's on order though and they dropped the whole damn project!

I have five of the mini’s on order for myself and half a dozen of my clients have orders in for them at my urging. Really crap way to treat customers!

Pinetree knows what they are doing when it comes to casting rifle receivers and I am sure they looked over the prototype and looked at all problems before taking the contract. Despite the “massive” size it’s only about 20% larger than a standard sized receiver and should not be an issue. The Ruger receiver rear bridge should have a proportionately sized larger “mass” than the P.H. Action so this is nothing new to Pinetree.
Does anyone want to buy my place in line? If not I am going to ask for my money back.

Has anyone had recent experience with the standard actions from Montana? I was thinking of ordering one. What has been the delivery time? Quality?

There were pics of the action at the shot show this year. It looked like it was good-to-go.

What's it been, 5-6 years since they started telling everyone about this action?

Life is just too short to worry about it. If I wanted a big bore I'd look elsewhere.

Terry

quote:

What's it been, 5-6 years since they started telling everyone about this action?

Life is just too short to worry about it. If I wanted a big bore I'd look elsewhere.

Terry

Probably some pretty good advice. I think, like McGowan on the mini action, they just announced something before they knew they could make it. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" Old Virginia saying

Hi guys, sorry it has been a while since I posted on here, honestly I have been swamped in the shop and just have not had time to post updates on everything.

Cracks- The cracks were not due to machining or casting. It was due to an improper heat treat. That issue has been solved and the latest batch came out perfect.

Has there been "excessive" delays...that's a laugh, excessive in my mind would have been 9 months. this has now been over a year. I know some won't beleive me but I am just as upset over this as you are. I know some of you put in an order 5 years ago but the original project was scrapped. So it's been a year since I started this project.

Where we are now, the Shroud and Cocking piece alignments have to be at a point where they work right. The parts have been reworked and I beleive they are now in working order. The cocking pieces are being sent to heat treat (please GOD let them come back right!) and should be back within a week and we can then have an update for you if it all works. The new batch of shrouds will be machiined this week and ALL other parts are finished and awaiting this.
I'll try to do a better job of updating you about this project but my plate has been kind of full lately and I apologize for that.
Jeff

Thanks for the interesting update, Jeff. It is nice to get it straight from the horse's mouth. Normally, we are stuck with the "inside" from the resident armchair experts...

- mike

Thanks for the reply jeff. I'm glad you took the time to post an update.

I was wondering, do you have a feel for when you expect the actions to start shipping? Like, you can generalize if you want (this summer, this fall, next year, etc).

A good source has informed me the release will be sometime between spring and winter. They're only trying to pin down which year now



Terry

Just been informed that my cocking pieces will be back from heat treat by Tuesday June 16th (that's one week). Hoped they would be here this week but, that's the way everything else has gone. I will put everything else aside when they come in and have them assembled and proof tested in the snail and then report to all fo you. I am putting some photos of the actions being assembled on our website www.montanarifleco.com if you wish to see them.
Again, thank you all for your patience I know it has been a long time coming, but they are coming.
Jeff

Jeff, what plans, if any, are in the works for stocks or complete rifles?

Currently the only ones that are going to be building stocks for them are Lone Wolf Rifle Stocks, Oregunsmithing and Accurate Innovations. I am sure others will later but right off the bat these three.
Jeff

Isn't Accurate Innovations for sale?
Butch

Sometimes it takes a long time to get what one wants. In America it seems that just isn't understood or accepted by all, but it is still true.

Case in point...in 1977 I ordered my first custom .404, to be made on a Musgrave action, by Trevor Musgrave (South Africa). In 1982 I moved back to the United States. In 1983 I received my .404 hand-delivered to Scottsdale Arizona via Canada by the North-American distributor, the late Major Dick Hampton.

It is an excellent rifle, beautifully made, and was well worth the 6-year wait. And they honoured their original price quote of 1,600 Rand! I'm very glad I didn't let my frustration cause me to cancel my order. In the meantime I kept the juices flowing by buying a good many other rifles and enjoying them too.

Like the TV ad says, "Some things are just worth waiting for...." I suspect the Montana PH will be too.

Has anyone here who owned or still owns a Montana action ever changed (in any way) the bolt stop/bolt release. Anybody ground it off and welded on a hanger and replaced it with a mauser type bolt release.

It was discussed in an old thread but I don't believe any modifications resulted. I agree that the MRC release is butt-ugly but I'm not sure a Mauser motif blends with a Model 70 clone. I actually like the bolt release on the L61R era SAKO rifles and think that is a good compromise.

I wonder if there would be a way to modify it so that it is hidden like the Dakota Action.

As has been the standard on this project, the time frame I was given and subsequently gave you was wrong. Apparently when an "unnamed" areospace manufacturer in the NW calls everyone elses parts get put aside...? Anyhow I have put more pictures of the parts on our website of the finsihed parts (again just awaiting heat treat of the cocking pieces) and will get pictures of the actual proofing when completed.
Jeff