New MRC Extreme X2 .243 Win arrived!

[taylorce1]

I ordered this rifle through a special group buy off of 24 hour campfire offered by Whittaker's Gun Shop. I picked up my rifle today from the LGS, and to be honest I'm on the fence about it. I ordered some Talley mounts that didn't make it into the box, but Whittaker's admitted the mistake and refunded the money at my request. However, they did offer to overnight them to me at no expense which was a very nice gesture.

I had dropped of a Leupold VXII 3-9X40 to be mounted in the Talley's but when they weren't in the box my LGS to the liberty of using some aluminum Weaver bases and Quad Lock rings he had on hand. It's no big deal and the mounts and rings will work for now as if this rifle shoots really well, I'll be switching out the scope for a more long range option. However if it doesn't shoot as I hope, it'll probably get reworked.

First thing I noticed about the rifle is way heavier than advertised. MRC list the X2 Extreme as 6lbs 14oz. I figured I was going to add close to another pound with the Talley's and the Leupold, making the rifle a hair under 8 lbs. Well that isn't the case the rifle came in a hair under 8.5lbs, big difference from what I was expecting.

Sorry for crappy scale picture:

I know the MRC actions are supposed to be heavy as just reading around the web you hear that. I do think MRC could lighten up these rifles a bit by changing the barrel profile especially the shank. The shank on my rifle is a good 1.75" before the barrel begins to taper. However the balance is good on the rifle as it seems to balance right at the front action screw.

Fit and finish seem to really good on my rifle, the trigger guard is flush with the stock line as well as the tang and ejection port. The cutout for the bolt handle could have used a little more attention as it's a little over sized. It doesn't feel as sevelt in my hands as my McMillan Hunter or M70 FWT stocks, but the stock does feel nice. The forearm is a little thicker than the McMillan's but the wrist, flutes and pistol grip has an excellent feel to them in my hand.

The barrel is free floated and centered in the forearm, though I'd maybe like a little more float on the barrel. It's a snug fit for an 8.5X11 sheet of printer paper to fit down the forearm. The float ends right at the shank as that is where the bedding material ends as well.

The stainless steel has a nice even matte finish all over though I haven't popped the action from the stock yet. The bolt handle feels a little small but it's still easy to manipulate. There is a ton of shipping grease in the action and on the bolt so until I can take some time to degrease everything, I can't really tell you how the bolt feels. I can tell you however, the safety works within an acceptable decibel range for those worried it might be too loud to use while hunting (another silly thread on 24 hour campfire about a M70 safety).

Hopefully I can get my 12 year old to drive me to the range on Friday after basketball practice, since it's hard to drive my pickup with my broken leg. She's getting pretty good at driving a stick and taking the backroads to avoid the law. It's a little father daughter bonding time we both enjoy.

If the rifle shoots well then I guess I'll figure out if I can put it on a diet affordably or not. I really want this rifle to perform well as I had planned to build an 8 twist .243 that would finish at sub 8 lbs all up, but jumped on this group buy as it saved me a minimum of $500 right off the bat. Needless to say I'm a little bummed about the thought of a 9lbs all up .243 Win.

 

[SJB358]

Good review buddy. Hope it shoots well. That rifle seems just about perfect for a 300 or 338 though.

 

[DrMike]

And I'll bet your girl enjoys the opportunity to drive the pickup. Hopefully the rifle will perform so well that your irritation will evaporate, giving you opportunity to work on making the rifle precisely what you want.

 

[longrangehunter]

+1 to what Scott and Mike had to say. My opinion, you'll never notice the difference, to make a difference! lol Sorry, I'm being honest though, the weight will negate the recoil, and you'll shoot it better!

Plus think of it as building up your forearms while in the field, real men don't go to the gym, we pull in huge fish with are bare hands and when all else fails we head butt them with our heavy butt stocks! Ok, I'm done joking around, honestly, it looks perfect!

I do prefer Talley Rings and bases to all others on a hunting rifle though. The weight is attributed to the smaller diameter of the caliber, 6mm, which should help with the accuracy. Montana Rifle Company wouldn't have a different taper for each caliber, and hence why the slight weight differences from one caliber to another.

 

[taylorce1]

I really don't know how to explain this rifle, it just feels heavier than it is. It's a full 1lbs 6oz heavier than my M70 FWT .30-06 and my M70 EW in .270 is only 1.5oz heavier with leather shooting sling and five rounds in the magazine. Even though I know it balances well, it still feels like all the weight is all in the action and not distributed across the whole rifle. That's the one thing that has kept me from buying Ruger M77 rifles is they feel the same way, all the weight is in the action.

While I realize bore diameters cause some differences in weight, I do think the rifle should be close to the advertised weight. I'm guessing this rifle is closer to 10oz heavier than advertised, and 10oz is a big deal in my opinion. While I didn't buy this rifle with elk in mind, but where I hunt mule deer is some rugged steep country from 7000-12000 feet in elevation. I'm just thinking this rifles going to wind up being left at home, instead of being hunted with.

Don't get me wrong I'm really impressed with the quality of workmanship MRC put into basically a production rifle. I paid $1086 shipped for what amounts to a custom shop rifle since it has a non standard twist rate. Then it was $67 for the transfer and the scope mounting and bore sighting. So I have a total of $1153 in this rifle which for what I have is one hell of a value IMO. So in the end I saved about $50 from what I can pick an X2 up off of gunbroker before shipping and transfer fees through this group buy.

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[Thebear_78]

Sounds like you should have been looking for a Kimber Montana. I was really tempted by that group buy myself.

You could always get a lighter stock, cut the shank off, rechamber and flute your barrel. You can easily lose that extra 10 oz but you'll spend more than you saved to do it.

Or you could put lighter glass on it to offset the difference in weight. A light VX2 at 11oz vs most of the varmint style scope that weigh 20 oz or more.


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[SJB358]

Or if you think you'd gain, you might be able to sell the stock and replace it with an Edge to drop some weight. Although I have no idea what the new stocks weigh.

It is a very nice rifle though. It looks real good and very rugged. I would bet it settles down nicely on the ground and with the 1-8 twist I'd think that has to mean a little something since you intended it to be a long'ish range sorta rifle.

 

[truck driver]

T1, I like the looks and weight of your new rifle since the one I just finished restocking and pillar bedded comes in at 9.2lbs. It is a PF M70 in 7 RM on a Boyd's laminated stock with a Zeiss 4.5-14X44 MC SF in Talley aluminum 2 piece rings.
Oh by the way that leg must be feeling better to chance on going to the range to go shooting. I guess your chauffeur will also be your gun barer.

 

[Guy Miner]

Nice rifle!

And yes, MRC rifles have always felt a little "heavy" to me. Nice, but not lightweight.

Guy

 

[taylorce1]

Sounds like you should have been looking for a Kimber Montana. I was really tempted by that group buy myself.

You could always get a lighter stock, cut the shank off, rechamber and flute your barrel. You can easily lose that extra 10 oz but you'll spend more than you saved to do it.

Or you could put lighter glass on it to offset the difference in weight. A light VX2 at 11oz vs most of the varmint style scope that weigh 20 oz or more.

Well I don't know what the stock weighs, I'm going to take it out of the stock and weigh the barreled action and see what everything totals up to . I'll probably even pull the scope before I weigh it.

I wasn't looking for a Kimber Montana in the first place unless I could have found a used one to install a new barrel on. I was looking for 8lbs all up 1:8 twist .243 Win which no one builds, and the Kimber with a 10 twist barrel just wasn't what I was looking for. At 7lbs 14oz I knew I was looking at a 8.5lbs all up rifle, and I was willing to sacrifice a half pound for the money the rifle would save me.

I had planned to build an 8lbs all up rifle on a M700 ADL that I have, and I may still go that route. I have about $600 in the rifle and B&C Alaskan TI stock that I already own, so I always have that route. However, I'm looking at another $800 minimum just to get the rifle the way I want. I figure $650 to rebarrel to with the barrel I wanted, plus $120 for a new trigger and that doesn't include any bedding compound or barrel coatings that I wanted to do as well. Since I planned on a stainless barrel it could wait for the coatings.

I know it seems funny to be upset about a 1/2 a pound of rifle, but my Daughter will probably wind up using this rifle as well. 1/2 a pound will make a big difference to a 13 year old on her first mountain hunt. I'm sure I'll be carrying the rifle part of the time, but she'll need to carry it as well.

 

[Guy Miner]

Yeah - if you were specifically looking for a lighter rifle, and ended up with a heavier rifle - that is disappointing.

I ended up with the 700 CDL because, for me, it was the "right" weight and balance. Two of them actually.

Guy

 

[taylorce1]

T1, I like the looks and weight of your new rifle since the one I just finished restocking and pillar bedded comes in at 9.2lbs. It is a PF M70 in 7 RM on a Boyd's laminated stock with a Zeiss 4.5-14X44 MC SF in Talley aluminum 2 piece rings.
Oh by the way that leg must be feeling better to chance on going to the range to go shooting. I guess your chauffeur will also be your gun barer.

I've been to the range quite a few times with her getting her ready for her Oklahoma deer hunt. My leg hurts, but I can't let that keep me down every day. Sometimes I just do things and pay the price the next day and spend a little extra time with my leg elevated. The leg is getting better, hopefully I'll be walking in a boot around the 1st of March. Most of my pain is now caused by nerve damage that happened when the major nerve to my leg decided it wanted to thread it's way between two of my breaks.

 

[truck driver]

I here yeah Buddy, my ankle still bugs me from time to time and it's been 2 years now. All the metal hardware causes most of my pain. Was at the doctors yesterday for a check up and he squeezed the left ankle and I peed my pants it hurt so bad. Walking on uneven ground or surfaces rocky surfaces are the worst.

 

[BretN]

That's a really nice quality rifle. I would see how it shoots, but I can't imagine it would shoot poorly. I would put a compact scope on it to lighten it and use it. Enjoy your new gun.

 

[longrangehunter]

If my memory serves me well? My Kimber Montana 6.5/300 WSM w/a 25" Shilen #4 1:8 .264 select match barrel, titanium 25 MOA base, mark 4 rings and a Leopold 3.5-10x40 M3 30mm scope wrights the same as your setup. It may have had a scaled down version of a CRF Action, in a light weight stock and a thin barrel, but it never shot as well as the light as it was. Now with the smaller caliber bullet, a 140 vs. 165, the recoil reduction has shrunk the mean average group sizes immensely!

I think you find the same thing? Those super light weight guns just become harder to shoot accurately on average, but I do understand how you had hoped for a lighter weight rifle and now it's more then you imagined. That's a tough pill to swallow, but I had a Mel Forbes rifle and honestly, it was too light.

 

[taylorce1]

Well I don't really consider a 6lbs 14oz rifle that'll go 8.5lbs easy with scope, sling, and cartridges in it a super lightweight rifle. Anyway I'm in contact with MRC to see if there is anything they'll do to fix my issues with the rifle. I've posted the whole email chain over on 24hr Campfire since that is where I first purchased the rifle from.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthread ... rst_impres#Post10844466

 

[Thebear_78]

Does the rifle shoot well?


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[JD338]

Nice review on the rifle. Although a bit heavy, it looks like it will do what you are hoping for.
Good show with the father daughter bonding. When my girls were your daughters age, we used to do a Chinese Fire Drill at a cemetery a few miles away so they could dive to the barn and care for/ride their horses.
Ah the days......
Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

JD338

 

[taylorce1]

Rifle will be going back to MRC for a blind magazine install, I don't know how it shoot yet.

 

[longrangehunter]

The blind magazine will be a nice fit in your hand since the metal won't freeze in your hand like a BDL can, and reduce the weight by a few ounces.

I would have shot the rifle first though, at least then you'd know if it showed promise, was a real shooter, or not what you hoped for? Plus you would have been able to check the chamber dimensions, that's the first thing I do with any new rifle.

Years ago the gunsmith at Kenny Jerrett's shop ask me to go fire 1 round in a gun that was just chambered, and instructed me not to open the bolt after firing the weapon. He opened the bolt, looked at the case for brass flow and measured the case dimensions. I like to go one step further and measure the case neck length with a Sinclair OAL length gage. That way I will know the exact length to trim to, or if the chamber is too long, which would imply the case would never be trimmed! Basically the neck was cut too long if a pilot reamer was used to cut the neck and not a full length reamer which would have negated that problem.