MNR Custom Rifle (Mathew Roberts, Springfield VT) Model BBK-02 Rifle in .416 Rigby Serial Number L0342
In Matthew Roberts words “Wow! That's a blast from the past. This is the first complete rifle I built. Bauska BBK action. It has a Krieger barrel. The quarter rib and secondary recoil lug (under the stock line) are integral meaning they were machined out of a 2" OD blank. NECG Masterpiece banded front sight.
I sold that rifle when I was first starting out in business and needing the funds to buy equipment. I sold it to Dismal River Armory. From there I believe Roger Rule purchased it. I'm not sure where it went from there.”
TESTIMONIAL From Roger Rule
I have been in the firearms industry for 68 years and I have a secret. The secret is MNR Custom LLC and the reason it is a secret is because I don’t want Matthew Roberts flooded with so much work that he won’t be able to handle mine. And that is exactly what will happen if this secret gets out.
When my favorite gunsmith (both wood and metal) who had done my work for me for twenty years died eight years ago, I not only lost a friend but also lost the best contact for doing any gun smithing, gun restoration, and/or gun making (wood and metal). I thought he was irreplaceable… then I acquired a rifle made by MNR Custom LLC. The company and the man didn’t have the reputation yet of the best gunmakers, but that was only because he had not been discovered. That first rifle I had of his, could not have been made any better by any gunmaker on the planet!
That’s when I contacted Matthew and from that point on, he became my secret. He made some steel bottom metal to replace aluminum bottom metal on an H&H Mauser that every other gunmaker, including H&H, said could not be done. Matthew did it with perfection. He restored an Arrizabalaga 20 gauge (wood and metal) to new condition that would fool the factory. He has made every repair, whether on shotgun or rifle, that I have ever asked of him and always, to perfect working order. His gun making from scratch is better than Reimer Johannsen’s (of which I have owned three) and on par with any of the best reputable makers.
About his character, he always tells you the truth and will stand by his estimates. Although I have had him work on guns worth more than $50,000 (and have never had a second thought about sending him one in those high-end value ranges), his pricing is reasonable and in sync to be competitive for work on lower-value guns as well. I hope my recommendation here does not let my secret out!
Roger Rule
Author of the Rifleman's Rifle and other titles