Anybody jumped in and gotten one of the new Montana ASR rifles yet? I am wondering down the road if it's better to get one of these versus getting a "regular" rifle for about $500 to $700 and then spending about the same amount on top of that to "customize" it.

Link: http://www.montanarifleco.com/custom.rifles.html

Thanks in advance for the input.

do not have, the one review I saw was "good"

I wouldn't spend that on a wooden stock rifle, when I could buy a good rifle, and have a nice composite stock made...but that's just me.

If you order one post up a review. They're on the short list of vendors I'm looking at for a new 7x57 this coming year. Have read their quality is so so on the ASR and that customer service isn't always the best though.


Price seems pretty decent for what they advertise.

FmnJG: They do have 2 models (XWR and XVR) with composite stocks. My main concern is if the accuracy is enough to warrant the price tag.

I think your concern is valid. Budget is always a factor in a new rifle. I've seen some Remingtons, Savages, and Tikkas produce stellar consistency out of the box. Replace their stock with a quality aftermarket stock built to your specifications, and you have a more personalized rifle for the same money. At least that's what I would do. I have no idea what barrels they use, if the action is bedded or how consistently they shoot. You could be the guy that gives them a try and are more than satisfied with your choice. I'm more of the "go with what ya know" kind of guy.

What Chalet said used to be true, but MRC has gotten their production grade rifle off the ground in the ASR series according to the guys I read on 24HCF, with mulitple recommendations over the last couple months or so. The synthetic stock versions use the B&C Medallion just like FN Winchester does for their top of the line Extreme Weather and at about the same price....only with 22 calibers available for selection IMO in some very interesting items not available anywhere else except in a custom rifle like a 260, 6.5x284, 280Rem, 7x57Mauser,7WSM and others. I also like the idea of a wood/SS rifle at less than $50 over the standard blue/wood version...and all calibers available in Left Hand at no additional cost.

Only calibers MRC is not offering in ASR's I've asked them about are a 6.5xx55 Swede & 9.3X62 Mauser, but both and anything else I want odd ball or too weird for a Production rifle can be pulled thru the Custom Shop, and only the upgrade customized portion of the order is charged for....like doing an AI on a 280Rem or 7x57.

Biggest problem seems that the General Public is finally catching on to the hand finished value these guns represent at prices competitive with Kimber, but in a better built M70 receiver than Kimbers, and keeping up with production is beginning to show.

If I can ever get this house sold and move, I expect to wind up with a couple of them....instead of the Kimbers & FN Winchesters I've been looking at.
JMHO & YMMV
Ron

OBTW, Ya'll know that MRC will be at Dallas Safari Club on Jan 12th at the Convention Center downtown....right?

In thinking about this thread a little further, I dug out the price list I printed off in July '13 and wanted to clarify what's been said so far on this thread since I have been actively watching and occasionaly talking to these folks - would love to Rep this line like I did with SAKO !!! back in the 1980's for 6 years ...& other interested knowledgeable consumer type folks for the last 3 years in my quest to get back to having all of my rifles built exactly the same by the same manufacturer, like I did 20-30 years ago with a 8 caliber collection of SAKO's, but times change and I can no longer afford a dozen plus SAKO's @ today's prices....and Kimber - my only other potential mfg'er choice is still having some QC Issues I am uncomfortable with.

So far none of the other commonly available Manufacturers offer the caliber selection that MRC does at anywhere close to MRC's ASR prices & I am unwilling and cannot afford to custom build everything, but I am still not totally satisfied yet even with MRC's ASR lineup , and may have to resort to MRC's Custom shop to get what I want ...ex: in a 9.3x62 Mauser and have that option out of the MRC factory.

As far as I can tell MRC's are built to compete only with the dwindling supply of Pre '64 Winchesters, and bottom end high dollar Coopers, for folks who appreciate clasic M70 styling and the hard use toughness made famous by the P'64's, and not the current sometimes hard to shoot accurately and fashionable UL stuff from, Kimber & Melvin Forbes in NULA customs or the new production grade Forbes Rifles.


MRC continues to offer their other grades of full custom grade stuff that is built to order and priced accordingly, from approx $3000 up to $10,000. When MRC started in business initially as a Custom Gunsmith Resource for an improved M70 styled receiver or barreled action, the product they sold was expected to be final finished by the Gunsmith. I've heard lots of Tales of Woe about MRC since I started asking questions on the 'Net when the End User's contracted Gunsmith did not hold up his end of the bargain and the End User felt abused by MRC's Customer Service when the customers choice of gunsmith was who was at fault.

Then MRC contracted with CZ for the CZ Model 3 WSM's, using high grade Serenghetti Stocks, and discovered that there was enough demand that they could build a finished Standardized product, which is where they are today.

The basic ASR Series offers 22 calibers, plus another 7 in "medium heavy" bore Alaskan/African calibers: 243 Win, 257 Rbt's, 260 Rem, 6.5x284 Norma, 7mm-08 Rem, 7x57 Mauser, 308 Win, 338 Federal, 270 WSM, 7mm WSM, 300 WSM, 325 WSM, 25.06 Rem, 270 Win, 280 Rem, 30'06 Spgfld, 264 Win Mg, 7mm RMg, 7mm RUM, 300 WMg, 300 RUM, 338 WMg & 338 RUM.
Plus: 35 Whelen, 375 H&H and Ruger, 416 RMg and Ruger, 458 WMg and Lott.

The Dangerous Game Rifle series - DGR's, are built on a different double bridge Professional Hunter Action in 338 Lapua, 378 Weatherby, 416 Rigby, 460 Weatherby and 505 Gibbs @ Wood/matte CM Blue @ $2299 & Wood/matte Stainless Steel @ $2399 in List Prices per July 2013, again very competitive prices on hard to get & hard to find calibers.

In a Wood Stock "Production Grade" rifle, MRC offers 3 variations:
ASR-wood/matte Blue CM @ $1099 List, ASR-SS wood/matte SS @ $1129 List, with both in a choice of the 22 calibers, in Right Hand & Left Hand actions in a #2 contour barrel as I recall.

MRC also offers an ASR Production rifle called an American Vantage Rifle aka AVR wood/matte Blue CMS with sights or an ARV-SS choice of wood/SS with sights, a #3 contour barrel as I recall, and in a choice of 7 "Medium Bore Alaskan/African " calibers from 35 Whelen, 375 H&H and Ruger, 416 Rem & Ruger Mag, and 458 Win & Lott Mag's @ $1279 List.

Then the Synthtic Stocked guns are offered in the same 3 variants in the same calibers in the Xtreme Weather Rifle aka XWR Series using the B&C Medallion aluminum full length bedding block stock with the matte Blue CM/Syn @ $1199 List, the matte SS/Syn @ $1299 List

I have looked all over their website and cannot find any kind of accuracy guarantee. In my stable I have brands such as CZ and Tikka that are great shooters at half the cost of an ASR. If I get another shooting stick, tempted to stay with something I know like Tikka and slap on a better stock and be done like Fireman says.

...when you slap on a non factory stock on the T3 you void the accuracy warranty like every other Manufacturer does by altering the factory product as it was when it was shipped ...Just Sayin

So if you change stocks, why stop there. Why not add a color matched aluminum trigger guard, bolt shroud & swap out the bolt handle for something you can operate better with heavy gloves on...ie a bigger bolt knob
Ron