What is the best CRF action to build on?

B

Buster

New member
I want to build a 6.5CM (or so) hunting rifle. I'd like to use a CRF action and was wondering what brand action might be best.

Montana Rifle Company offers actions only, and I was able to look at several MRC's short, long, and professional hunter actions (on factory rifles) recently.

The only concern I had was the amount of lateral movement in the bolt head. With the bolt closed and the safety in the middle position, I could push the front end of the bolt from side to side. The professional hunter action could be moved I'd say 1/16". The other actions were considerably less.

The professional hunter bolt actually moved laterally as the bolt handle was closing - as if it were centering itself.

All that motion and slop seemed odd to me. Do all bolts do that and is it something to be worried about? What is your favorite action?
 
I just bought a Montana 1999LA Magnum receiver. Barrel on the way. Looks good visually, but customer support is non existent.
Before I received it I called them about tenon specs. They said it is proprietary and would tell me nothing. After receiving it the tenon will be very easy as it will be flat on the rear and .750 long.
Montana Rifle company is not the best company that I have purchased from.
 
Montana Actions do incorporate looser tolerances than many custom actions because of their intended purpose, that being a hunting rifle that must function flawlessly in all of the desired aspects, that being feeding and positive extraction and ejection in all circumstances.

Many custom actions designed with ultimate accuracy in mind are, in affect, "Remington 700 Clones". The Montana is, in those regards, a "pre '64 Winchester Clone".
 
Butch Lambert said:
I just bought a Montana 1999LA Magnum receiver. Barrel on the way. Looks good visually, but customer support is non existent.
Before I received it I called them about tenon specs. They said it is proprietary and would tell me nothing. After receiving it the tenon will be very easy as it will be flat on the rear and .750 long.
Montana Rifle company is not the best company that I have purchased from.
Click to expand...

Why did you choose the MRC action and would you do it again?

--------------

I used the contact form on the MRC website and asked all of my questions - never got a reply.

So I called them and asked if they ever got my request - the guy couldn't tell me.

So I asked the guy on the phone all my questions - he didn't have any answers.

I told him he wasn't doing much to convince me to purchase a MRC product - he told me he couldn't please everybody.

LOL...So I guess you're right - MRC customer service is non existent
 
jackie schmidt said:
Montana Actions do incorporate looser tolerances than many custom actions because of their intended purpose, that being a hunting rifle that must function flawlessly in all of the desired aspects, that being feeding and positive extraction and ejection in all circumstances.

Many custom actions designed with ultimate accuracy in mind are, in affect, "Remington 700 Clones". The Montana is, in those regards, a "pre '64 Winchester Clone".
Click to expand...


I understand the need to keep things somewhat loose.

The Professional Hunter rifle I looked at was lightly used in 338 Lapua. The bolt acted as if it required a cartridge in the chamber to find its' center. And if it all comes together in alignment and shoots good, great. I'm no gunsmith, but it just didn't seem right.

All that said, could all of my concerns be feasibly trued-up and put to rest with a normal, high-quality barrel job?
 
Buster said:
I understand the need to keep things somewhat loose.

The Professional Hunter rifle I looked at was lightly used in 338 Lapua. The bolt acted as if it required a cartridge in the chamber to find its' center. And if it all comes together in alignment and shoots good, great. I'm no gunsmith, but it just didn't seem right.

All that said, could all of my concerns be feasibly trued-up and put to rest with a normal, high-quality barrel job?
Click to expand...

Put a 'crappy' barrel/barrel job on a Borden or Bat and it won't shoot either. Over the past 10yrs or so I've used quit a few MRC short and long actions for big game and varmint rifles without complaints. I haven't looked lately, but action specs used to be shown on their web site. Evidently, things have changed in the customer service department. It used to be really good. I haven't had the opportunity to handle their Professional Hunter action. I have found these actions to be good and usable for their intended use.
 
Bighorn TL3 is controlled feed.
American Rifle Co Mausingfield is another.
Both have mechanical ejection.
 
shortgrass said:
Put a 'crappy' barrel/barrel job on a Borden or Bat and it won't shoot either. Over the past 10yrs or so I've used quit a few MRC short and long actions for big game and varmint rifles without complaints. I haven't looked lately, but action specs used to be shown on their web site. Evidently, things have changed in the customer service department. It used to be really good. I haven't had the opportunity to handle their Professional Hunter action. I have found these actions to be good and usable for their intended use.
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Thanks for the input.

I'm not too concerned about the customer service - sadly, employees who don't give a crap seems to have become the norm.

I used specs from the MRC website and sent an RFQ on an action to one of the dealers listed on their website. I never got a response so I forwarded the email to them a second time, thinking it might have gotten lost.

I got a reply to the second email from a woman telling me she needed more information - caliber, material, "is this a complete gun?", etc. I wrote her back and *politely* suggested that if she would make just a tiny bit of effort she'd learn all she needed to know - and she did. :rolleyes:

I liked everything else that I saw on the MRC actions. And honestly, had it not been for the "slop" on the big 338 action, I would've never noticed it on the smaller actions. Big actions require big slop maybe?? Or it could've been defective, who knows. All-in-all, I think I could live with an MRC.
 
Buster said:
Why did you choose the MRC action and would you do it again?

--------------

I used the contact form on the MRC website and asked all of my questions - never got a reply.

So I called them and asked if they ever got my request - the guy couldn't tell me.

So I asked the guy on the phone all my questions - he didn't have any answers.

I told him he wasn't doing much to convince me to purchase a MRC product - he told me he couldn't please everybody.

LOL...So I guess you're right - MRC customer service is non existent
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I bought it because it was NIB and cheap. I wanted to build a 300 Win Mag. As Jackie said, it ain't a Remington clone and will make a good hunting rifle.
Would I do it again? I have about 30 custom hunting rifles and don't need another, but if I found another receiver at the same price, I would. A new receiver, hinged floor plate, and trigger for $500 shipped, yeah I would buy it.
 
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For the kind of $ on a new action, just buy a new Win 70 7mm-08 or 308 synthetic stock rifle and have at it. You'll get a one piece hinged fp bottom metal along with a very good action.
 
WSnyder said:
Bighorn TL3 is controlled feed.
American Rifle Co Mausingfield is another.
Both have mechanical ejection.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the heads up. Apparently I went to the wrong "Bighorn" website.

My first impression was the Bighorn logo on the shroud looks rolled-in, over-sized, and beyond cheesey. It was difficult to see past that, but when I did, I generally liked what I saw.

I spent most of my time at the Mausingfield website - it is much better suited to my desire for detail. Plus their logo and lettering drew my attention for all the right reasons - refined and professional. The Bighorn stamp conjures-up K-Mart.

I'd never heard of Mausingfield, but I really liked what I saw. Lot's of engineering has gone into it, and the engineering is adequately explained. I came away with no questions to ask, and that may be a first ever :)

Two things I did notice (aside from the logo):

1) They make a REALLY big deal (and rightfully so) of their safety features, yet they film the video with a hand-held camera??? C'mon guys...You can buy a suitable tripod for $20. Remember, you're trying to sell an expensive, world-class item.

2) Not once did I see the word "tactical" on their website, nor did I hear it on any video (that I was able to get through without developing motion sickness). I just want to publicly shout out THANK YOU!! to the marketing team for not helping to further drive that word into the ground.
 
msalm said:
For the kind of $ on a new action, just buy a new Win 70 7mm-08 or 308 synthetic stock rifle and have at it. You'll get a one piece hinged fp bottom metal along with a very good action.
Click to expand...

and why drive a Mercedes when a Chevy will get you from here to there for a lot less $$...but make no mistake: I hear ya' loud and clear :)
 
Just went to the Mouserfield website. When I saw the bolt knob, I just lost it. How many hours did they spend designing that catastrophe?
 
Don't see where I posted that I didn't like them but, the bolt handle and knob are butt ugly. My control feed rifles are Mauser 98s, 1917 Enfield, and pre64 Mod 70. I do have the one Montana also.
 
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