Montana Barrels

[FishDFly]

From what I have heard, the "Montana" muzzle loading barrels (unsure of the manufacturer) were (pre-cursors ) came before the Green Mountain barrels. The barrels are over 35 years old or so I was told.

I have no knowledge of them, but I have two (2) small frame rifles with these barrels. One is marked 1 in 22" twist 45 cal and one is 1 in 48" twist. The 45 cal is octagon to round barrel and the 32 is full octagon. The barrels are marked with MT on the flat.

Do Montana barrels have any collectable value or do they bring a premium? I have someone who is eager to buy the rifles but I have become leary since the person mentioned that they were "Montana" barrels.

Thanks

RDE

 

[plmeek]

Not sure this is the most reliable resource, but I found this reference in the book, CUSTOM MUZZLELOADING RIFLES by Toby Bridges, 1986:

"Montana Rifle Barrel Company, in Kalispell, Montana, produces an economic line of quality muzzleloading barrels...Shooters have found the Montana barrels to perform well. Riflesmiths who turn out moderately priced custom and semi-custom muzzleloaders really like their economical prices. Montana barrels generally retail for at least 30 to 40 percent less than barrels being produced by most other manufactures."

It is interesting that of seven barrel manufactures active in the late '80's that are covered is some detail:

Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Company
Green River Barrel Company (successor to GRRW)
Getz Barrels
Montana Rifle Barrel Company
Tru-Bore Barrel Company
Numrich Arms
Douglas Barrels, Inc.

Only two are still offering muzzleloading barrels today. The others have either quit the muzzleloading business or have gone out of business all together.

That says something about their quality or business acumen or both.

 

[Bubba45]

Montana Rifle barrels were first made by Jerry Cunningham then sold to another individual who went out of business . Jerry then started producing barrels under the Orion Rifle Barrel Co.
All barrels I got from the early Montana mfg. under Jerry were top notch and shoot very well as do the barrels I purchased from him before he retired the Orion mfg. business due to illness.His barrels were mainly made from 12L14 steel and are smooth as butter to load and very accurate. I cant say enough good about them :thumbsup:

 

[FishDFly]

Mtn. Meek and Bubba45,

Thank you the information, it's what I needed.

RDE

 

[John Taylor]

Jerry Cunningham is the one who taught me how to rifle. When he sold out Jim Carpenter ( 208-245-3693) of St. Maries, ID bought his Pratt & Whitney rifling machine along with a deep hole drill and plane. He was making custom barrels and the last I heard was moving to a new shop. I have not talked to him in a while.
Jerry was working with Harry Rimer ( spelling?) who use to go to gun shows and rendezvous to sell the Montana barrels.

 

[rich pierce]

It is interesting that of seven barrel manufactures active in the late '80's that are covered is some detail:

Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Company
Green River Barrel Company (successor to GRRW)
Getz Barrels
Montana Rifle Barrel Company
Tru-Bore Barrel Company
Numrich Arms
Douglas Barrels, Inc.

Only two are still offering muzzleloading barrels today. The others have either quit the muzzleloading business or have gone out of business all together.

That says something about their quality or business acumen or both.

It probably would say most about their business acumen. I have not known of a ML barrel manufacturer who made the money they could have made in another line of machining work. So those who got out were probably good businessmen, or just retired. Those who stayed probably do it for the love of the sport. ML rifle barrels are a bargain. It's next to impossible to hire someone to work in the shop and provide them a good salary and benefits, and still hit the market price. So when the owner/operator has had enough or is ready for retirement, either his son takes over, or he sells the machinery to some other owner-operator. Buy barrels and locks and good wood now whenever you can afford it; that's my advice. I am 6 barrels and locks ahead of the game now and hope to double that in the next year. They don't go bad and you can always sell them for what you spent for them.