Stopped by a Wal-Mart on the way home today. They had one in 30-06, and for $244.86 it followed me home. I tore it apart when I got home, and was very pleasantly surprised at the amount of quality for under $250. I didn't need another 30-06, but then again, when was the last time that I bought a rifle because I needed it?
Here are my observations:
1-The bolt design from the bolt handle forward is for all practical purposes a clone of a Savage 110. The rear of the bolt is cast, but looks a little more refined than the Savage. The right lug of the bolt has a anti-bind groove cut in it.
2-The bolt release lever is a stamped piece of sheet metal, and is discreetly located opposite the bolt handle, and is well protected. The actual bolt stop is rather robust, and sits in the usual location just right of the left bolt raceway.
3-The trigger looks so much like a Canjar, that I wouldn't be shocked if that's who made it. However there is substantial creep in the trigger, but it breaks clean at 4.5 pounds.
4-The barrel is threaded into the receiver, but uses a non-knurled barrel nut (ala Savage style). Because it's more contoured and not knurled, it is not nearly as distinct as the Savage. The crown is well recessed. The bore had the typical coating of packing grease, and fouling consistent with being test fired. The recoil lug is sandwhiched between the barrel and receiver, ala Remington style.
5-The stock compares favorably to some of the other tupperware synthetics seen on budget rifles. The forend, while not totally rigid, is much stiffer than my Remington 700 ADL synthetics. The composition of the stock seems much harder than the typical tupperware. The barrel is free floated from a point about 1.5 inches forward of the recoil lug. The triggerguard is molded as part of the stock, and the magazine is blind. The barreled action is held in the stock by two hex head bolts, which are supported by two rather large plastic pillars molded into the stock. The rubber recoil pad is poorly fitted, but is soft and pliable, and may actually work. The swivel studs (for lack of a better term) are molded into the stock, which is a very bad idea.
6-Inspection of the chamber showed a shiney, mirror-like surface, with no visible scratches, gouges, or reamer marks. There are no sights furnished on this weapon.
7-The rifle came with Weaver bases pre-mounted on the receiver. The mount screws were not even snug, so I can see a potential problem with some unexperienced buyers. I removed the screws, degreased, and locktited them in place.
8- The action is cylindrical in shape, and the absence of casting marks makes me believe that it was either well finished, or it is forged from a billet. The blind magazine holds 4 rounds, and the feeding and ejection of live rounds was uneventful. The follower is chrome plated, well made, but the magazine spring is of the wire spring design, rather than the flat spring steel that we are all used to.
9-The finish of all the metal components was a dull matte finish, which surprisingly is in my humble opinion much nicer than the Remington ADL synthetics.
10-After careful examination and breakdown, I'm still impressed that Mossberg can produce a rifle that retails at $245, without a bunch of cheap plastic components.
I will drag it to the range on Monday, and ring her out well. If this rifle shoots as well as the others that I've been hearing about, and Mossberg can figure out a way to market it, it might actually be the nail in the coffin for the Remington 710. The local Wal-Mart manager advised me that they were alloted one rifle each, in .270 and 30-06. Both rifles arrived yesterday, and the .270 sold within an hour. He indicated that he heard that they were testing the market to survey the interest in the rifle.
This rifle took on a totally different look, when I installed a matte finished Redfield 3-9X40 scope in Weaver Quad-Loc rings. The profile and appearance of the rifle looks incredibly good when it's scoped, and not cheap, like a Savage package rifle or a Remington 710.
On a final note, the owner's manual directs that all parts orders and warranty work is to be performed at the Maverick Arms plant in Eagle Pass, Texas. So it appears that the probability that these rifles are being manufactured at the Maverick facility is very good.
I hope that my description sheds a little more light for those who are interested in this rifle.
