Montana Rifleman 338 Federal
This rifle was made in a left-hand configuration for my father to use when we hunt together in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan. It is chambered in the new 338 Federal cartridge and has a 22" barrel with a 1 in 10" rate of twist and a recessed crown. The barrel and action are both chrome moly with a polished blue finish. The stock is quilted maple with no stain and ten coats of Tru-Oil. I have a Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40 scope for this rifle.
The 338 Federal cartridge should be suitable for whitetail deer, black bear, and even elk and moose -- all of which exist in the U.P.
I don't like the way Leupold two-piece standard scope ring bases cover part of the ejection port. However, Leupold makes dual dovetail bases, and they seem to be made sensibly: the dovetail slot between the mounting screws. I wonder if I should get a set of these for this rifle. Bases: Leupold #50045, Low (.150") Rings: #49914, Medium (.270") Rings: #49894, High (.400") Rings: #49917.
| Caliber: | 338 Federal |
|---|---|
| Action: | left-hand Montana Rifleman short action |
| Barrel: | 22" chrome moly, 1 in 10" twist, #3 regular sporter contour, recessed crown |
| Stock: | Quilted Maple |
| Scope: | Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40 |
| Overall Length: | ??? |
| Weight: | ??? |
Barreled Action
The barreled action came from Montana Rifleman. At the time I ordered it, the 338 Federal cartridge was brand new and not yet in distribution. The folks at Montana Rifleman were happy to chamber a barreled action for it, and they turned around my order in less than a month (including shipping). There was no extra charge and no extra delay for the left-hand model or the special chambering.
Stock
The stock was ordered from Richards Microfit Gunstocks. It took a long time to arrive (16 weeks instead of the 8 to 10 weeks I was quoted). The "99% press fit" was also an exaggeration; it was more like 90% complete. Beautiful quilted maple, but with a couple spots of bad wood. I applied no stain and ten coats of Tru-Oil.
