Obsidian Rifle Works: 41 Great Lakes Bolt Action Rifle - MDT Mention

In this week's MDT Mention, we will discuss Obsidian Rifle Works. Obsidian Rifle Works is a custom AR manufacturer out of Kalamazoo, Michigan, that is two years young. They were founded by Scott Williquette with the "simple" goal of building a premium AR ready to go out of the box, not needing anything to be pulled off and replaced. The idea is to produce rifles comparable to $3000 and up at an affordable price tag. With the Obsidian Pro coming in at under $1,800, they've accomplished the mission. Now, you might be wondering what that has to do with MDT. Well, Obsidian has decided to get into manufacturing a semi-custom bolt action based around the.41 Great Lakes cartridge.

41 GREAT LAKES CARTRIDGE

This new cartridge is a wildcat hunting round that is designed by Michiganders for Michiganders. It's a .41 caliber straight wall cartridge designed for hunting in Michigan, bridging the gap between 350 Legend and 450 Bushmaster. While it is a relatively niche cartridge, it could be for you based on hunting regulations in your area.

41 GREAT LAKES BOLT ACTION RIFLE

The 41 Great Lakes Bolt Action Rifle is based on a Remington 700 action that has been finished with a DLC coating. They use a premium Douglas blank chambered in the previously mentioned.41 Great Lakes Cartridge. As of this writing, they are using a Trigger Tech Special trigger, but there is a possibility of switching to a Timney in the future. Lastly, they are using an MDT Field Stock for its lightweight and budget-conscious price while not missing out on any feature.

While this is targeted at the Midwest deer hunter crowd, it's also a solid option for a target rifle. Scott says he gets results from 1/2 to 3/4 MOA groups. As of the writing of this, the price tag is just under $1,800. But there's a catch. Due to the relatively small size of the operation, you have to get put on a waiting list. As soon as enough people show interest in this rifle, they will start accepting preorders. Scott explains he doesn't want to hold onto customer's money any longer than needed before putting these into production. Since they already have all the tooling needed to modify the bolt faces and chamber the barrels, lead times will be in the 8-week range. If you're familiar with custom rifle building, you'll know that eight weeks is no time at all.

If this is something that fits your needs, get on the waitlist here. If you're looking for an AR upper for hunting whitetail, they also offer the 41 Great Lakes upper. And if you're in the market for a premium AR15 at a consumer-friendly price, the Obsidian PRO is worth checking out.

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