Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Montana Rifle Company is a Joke

Let me start by stating that I really want to like the company, but they do everything in their power to make that impossible. This story has been laid out in the left forum, but I thought I'd share here to make sure it didn't get missed. I know their customer service has been discussed in the past. Below is a copy of a review I left for them that tells the whole story. I apologize for the length, but bear with me.

I ordered an Xtreme Ascent Rifle from MRC as soon as they were announced in Jan 2019. I was told at that time it would be about an 8-10 month lead time. Over the summer I noticed that they removed the rifle from their website. I had to call them about a problem I was having with a different rifle, and while I had them on the phone I asked about it. The rep didn't get into specifics but told me they had stopped offering the rifle, bit they were honoring all existing orders. A few months later I received a call from my dealer that my rifle had come in so I went and picked it up. Something didn't seem right about it, so I put it on a scale and it weight approximately 6 lbs 13 oz. This gun was advertised as a mountain rifle with a weight of 5 lbs 10 oz. ( I still have the brochure) and I had to pay a premium ($300) over an X3 for that weight savings. The X3 is advertised as about a pound more than the XAR and my X3 weighs about 1-2 oz less. After weighing the gun, I called MRC (the same day I picked it up) and left a voicemail. Over the next few days I called them 4 or 5 more times and left one more voicemail without receiving a call back. Finally on one of my calls someone actually answered. I was told by the rep I spoke with that they changed the specs due to performance issues and that he would call me back with a solution later that day. After a few days with no call back and MRC not answering the phone I got in touch with my dealer. The dealer sent an email to their rep and asked him to call me. After a few more days I received a call from the rep. He confirmed what the first rep had told me about problems with he design and also told me that they basically built them to the X3 specs and that they ended up firing someone who failed to call the customers with orders to see if they still wanted the gun. This rep agreed to refund my money and said he was going to work with the dealer to figure out the logistics and get back in touch with me. After a few days of not hearing anything. I contacted the dealer, who reached out to MRC bit wasn't getting anywhere. This happened about 6 or so more times over the next 2 months before he was finally able to get somewhere. Now MRC is refusing to do a refund and wants to give me a credit towards something else, even though they don't make anything else that even resembles what I ordered. At this point i will never do business with them again. My issue is far from an isolated incident. If you spend any time at all on hunting and shooting forums you will find most reviews of their products are extremely poor, and it usually boils down to customer service. As far as I care if they went out of business tomorrow, hunters and shooters would be better off and it would just serve as a great example to other manufacturers of how not to conduct business.

If that's the truth, then MRC deserves to die the lingering death that is most certainly forthcoming. I too wanted to like them, but too many credible tales like this gave me pause. Glad I bought a CA Mesa instead.

Take time out to do a Google and Yelp review.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1CAKVPC_enUS649US651&sxsrf=ACYBGNQIgdaCMqYkG7dUmoI9rVbmOyiBQg:1579191613959&q=Montana+Rifle+Company&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgecQ4k5Fb4OWPe8JS_YyT1py8xtjByMUVnJFf7ppXkllSKeTDxQZlKXDxS3Hrp-sblqQYpxWUF2kwSPFyIQtIKShx8VYJ7ZMR_WD1cbeWEGfqNTO7Rf5pwYJps6M73054P19Jx0hh16Vp59ikBI992ilrcDDAQYpBiZOTgYGhwe3vAnstJg6Gpn0rDrGxcDAKMPAsYhX1zc8rScxLVAjKTMtJVXDOzy1IzKsEAIyjoOq3AAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjsrLqZw4jnAhVSWq0KHdf6DzcQ6RMwIXoECAwQBA&biw=1093&bih=513

Too bad. I like the actions, but considering this and other similar tales, I'd just buy a Hawkeye or M70, hunt up a CZ 550, or another FN.

I Ieft them reviews on Google and Facebook. They replied to my Facebook review within an hour asking me to email them to work out a solution. My dealer has already agreed to make the situation right, so unless they are willing to give me the gun I ordered i don't really have anything to talk to them about. I've already made probably over 25 phone calls and given them nearly 3 months to come to a resolution and they wanted nothing to do with it until they were called out publicly. Plus I was told that there top decision maker was digging his heels in on only offering a credit. Just not worth putting any more effort in at this point.

Word of mouth will make or break you. Looks like they are going the break route!

An unhappy customer will cry a hundred times as loud as a happy one.

I agree that only a refund is an acceptable solution for you. Anything else is only good for them. They took your money and didn't deliver what they promised. Why should you accept anything else?

I couldn't agree more. At this point I'm over it since my dealer is making me whole, I just don't want to see anyone else get burned by them. It would seem that the hopes that their customer service improving with the change in ownership have been misguided.

I concur.
I like the looks and feels of their rifles, but just can’t do it.

That's my thoughts exactly. I had a guy ripping into my Facebook review because my dealer took care of me so I should have no gripe with MRC. MRC doesn't get credit for my dealer doing the right thing. They were only looking out for themselves. If I used a [bleep] dealer I'd still be in a bad spot.

That's a damned shame. Thanks for sharing your experience and saving others the heartburn. There are too many other great companies to waste one's time/money on MRC if this is how they do business.

Wow! That is some chitty CS!....What did your dealer do to make up for MRC's pitiful service?......Hb

I bouught an X2 a few years ago and got the same run around. Sold it at a loss. If I decide to buy a heavy rifle with a gritty feeling action I'll just buy another Ruger!

The dealer is taking the credit MRC offered me and is giving me a refund.

Maybe that is one of the reasons Jeff Sipe went to work for Nosler?...........

If you guys are up for some interesting reading look at the replies to the review on Facebook.

LOL. Someone is either special needs, or a MRC sock puppet.

No kidding. I'm getting a lot of entertainment from it though.

I have another response to the OP but I'll let this one drift first.


Jerry

You ordered an XAR model, but instead they ship you an X3 model. That's already pretty schittie, but then they refuse to give you a refund for their F-up. How can MRC possibly think this is going to go well for them?