In regards to gas handling, the design has the same issues as a M70. I've only heard one person complain about the safety of MRC's 1999 action (other than the M70 gas handling complaint). This person wrote about it on forums multiple times. His complaint was that the "gas jet hole" was below the stockline....this has not been true on any of the 4 1999 actions I've had:
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3888085/Re_MRC_1999_404_Jeffery_Build 
