Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles McM Legacy vs. Ed Brown Damara

I see on line that Ed Brown is discontinuing his rifle line to concentrate on his pistols. I checked the McM Legacy, McM's light hunting rifle. The Legacy is very similar to Ed Brown's Damara in several ways:

Legacy:
G30 push feed action
Edge stock
SS premium bbl.
Jewell trigger
Aluminum bottom metal/floor plate
7# in .300 Win Mag
NP-3 coating
$4,770 (with travel case)

Damara:
M-704 controlled feed action
McM Graphite stock (Edge)
SS Shilen match bbl.
Jewell trigger
Steel trigger guard/floor plate
6.9# in .300 Win Mag
Gen III coating
$4,095 (no travel case)

I hate to see Ed Brown's rifles go away. Several proprietary features, such as their control feed M-704 action, the ability to keep weight down with steel bottom metal, and the price. If I couldn't get a Damara, I would be shopping for the Legacy or similar. Both will shoot 1/2" groups and are very similar in appearance and function. Due to a few features and the price, I'd give the the Damara the nod. Maybe Ed's price was too low, or he wouldn't have given up on that side of his business. I feel sure he's making more money with the pistols, which makes the Damara an even greater value.


DF

I have seen the Ed Brown Damara for sale at Cabela's and a few gunshops used but in great condition for $3000.00 and less. Might want to checkout GA and GB might find a deal there as well. Their rifles were pretty good but not a bargin in my opinion. One could have a custom built for roughly half that price and get just what they want.

Dirtfarmer......I lusted after a Damara for a while, waited too long to pull the trigger....wishin I had.

Any thought to McWhorter?

I was fortunate. I already traded for a .300 Win Mag Damara a few years back. It's wearing a Swaro Z5 3.5-18x44 BT. I'm going to get an Outdoorsmans ballistic turret for the 180 gr. Ballistic Tips and use Accubonds for heavier skinned game. They both have a .502 B.C. and shoot to the same POI in my gun. Ed Brown did a wonderful job with that gun, down to the full mag length mag box. I can load bullets out as far as I want and they fit the mag. 1/2" groups with the right loads are common. I was shocked to see Ed Brown out of the rifle business. I wish him well, as I think he makes the best 1911's out there. As accurate as Les Baer with better fit and finish.

IMHO.

DF

I traded for mine and got a good deal. For a $4K retail price, I'd probably consider a custom piece. A good used Damara may, however, prove to be a bargain, considering the cost of the component parts and what an equivalent custom would cost. One would just have to weigh the deal and move accordingly. The unique Ed Brown designed action is a work of art. It's controlled feed, but has a bolt much like a M-700. Those will no longer be available, evidently. Makes me feel even more fortunate to have mine.

DF

I agree with nyrifleman,give McWhorter rifles a look see.He builds EXCELLANT rifles and Allan Rovig is 1 of the nicest people to ever do business with.You might want to talk to Karl at kampfeldcustom.com.He has built several rifles for me and all of them are EXCELLANT SHOOTERS an BEAUTIFUL WORKMANSHIP.He buids your rifle the way you want it to be.He's also 1 of the BEST people to do business with.Skeeter