Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Montana Rifle vs. Dakota 76 actions

That's not really true. I've had Mark Penrod build a couple of rifles for me from components I supplied and it didn't cost anything like that, and he had both of them back within 5 months. We're not talking checkered bolt knobs, sculpted scope bases, or fancy bolt releases. He's certainly capable of all that but mine are just no-nonsense tuned up M70's with Lilja and Kreiger barrels and mcmillan stocks. They're just functionally perfect working rifles and unless you want him to do all the fancy aesthetic stuff he's pretty reasonably priced.

Crowhunter,
Your experience is similar to mine.

How extensive the gunsmithing required meaning labor hours and by who will usually dictate the price and time needed. One of the finest gunsmiths in the country is D'arcy Echols he and his team will tear apart a m70 and rebuild it to perfection in fact he himself recommended me Gene Simmillion who apprenticed under him. I would be proud to own any of their rifles and they are in fact custom and better than off the shelf Dakota but they can do the same work with the Dakota action as they can with the Winchester, final product being perfection and their fees reflect it. Not many gunsmiths have the clients that will be willing to pay $12k plus for the work nor can they perform the same work even though their work is very good. Penrod is one of the top metal smiths in the country I also would be proud to own a rifle built by him. I've personally talked to him about three years ago and the price quoted me reflects what I stated before, granted the work was on a GMA action which required more custom work. His turn around time is the exception and not the rule. If the work involves screwing a barrel to an action teflon coat it and glass bedded to a prefab synthetic stock the work will be cheaper and faster. If you want more be willing to pay and have patience. Without hijacking the original post and staying on course. My own personal feeling a Montana action is similar to a Ruger mkII ss in fit, finish, feel etc.. A winchester classic is a good step better in factory production. If you are willing to double or triple the cost then a Winchester custom shop/ New Haven or a Dakota , from there the sky is the limit .

I had Gene Simillion do a rifle for me on a M70 Classic action; the cost was pretty much what a guy would pay for a new Dakota. I supplied the action.

I would not trade it and consider it a lifetime investment in a hunting rifle.I have easily blown many times over the cost of this rifle on lesser stuff.

Once you own a quality rifle built by gifted gunsmiths it gets hard to get excited by any off the shelf product. You end up revamping your rifle collection by cuttting down the number and increasing the quality. Rifles is obviously our hobby and passion and it's always exciting to dream up the next project and see it to fruition. My difficulty is I'am left eyed dominant thus requiring left handed rifles. I want to build a .300H&H and a .22-250 and want a CRF action finding a donor is not easy. If I don't find a used custom built I will definitely use the services of Gene or Penrod and bite the bullet and make it happen.

MLF: You sure got that right!

Spoiled rotten is how I describe it....

MLF,
I visited with Dan Pederson today at the Dallas Safari Club Expo. I asked him what all the LH receivers were that he had on his table. He said he originally was going to produce double square bridge mauser clones. He realized a lot of folks were in that business and is doing a CRF with intregal recoil lug. It is a round action that uses the Remington style triggers. It is a nice receiver. I did not ask him a price.

Every man has got to have a hobby, quality rifles and adventuress hunts with the company of good friends touches the soul and gives meaning to life. BobinNH and butchlambert1 thank you for your input.