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If you like the second amendment, look no further than Musselshell county. Most people here love their guns, or at the very least own one or two. But as I was about to find out, that is just the beginning of what people who are REALLY into guns can talk about. I went to interview Mike Manzella, owner of Manzella Precision LLC, not knowing exactly what his work was, but seeing it had to do with guns and machining, I rolled on out to meet and get some photos.

Mike and his wife Amy have a home-based business building custom rifles at a whole different level than my gun knowledge. I was about to see what the world of "Custom" really means. The workshop a 40x40 insulated garage had two very large computerized machines that I can't even begin to describe, other than to say that these are the machines for precision metal work. He told me the one was a CNC Mill, he also had the hand metal lathe and other basic machines as well.

Mike got into machining to get into the gun building business. In 2014, he began learning how to machine rifles and then he began his business in 2018. Building custom bolt action rifles. When he and his wife, a US army veteran and chief warrant officer, were married, he put her in charge of the paperwork. This is not a retail type of business, it is more custom machine work, contract machining, is how Mike describes it to me. The rifle business he is in, is not so much gunsmithing, but more custom building. He really doesn't do gun repair. "We do the machining of threading and a chamber for the action it is going on". Mike has a FFL 01 license, which designates him as a manufacturer. He works with Lone Peak out of Utah, who is one of his receiver suppliers.

On one particular rifle that Mike showed to me, I was particularly interested in the stock. He told me it is a material called Micarta, it is made from a porous material with resin that is very hard and can be customized. It is made by a man named John Kyle Truitt, whose business is called Foundation Stocks. Micarta creates nice 3D surfaces for the action that goes in them, so you don't need to bed them, you just drop them in and they fit like they were glass bedded. In a bigger match rifle like Mike's, there isn't much recoil, he explains, so you can watch the bullet make impact at 1200-1400 yards. Mike explains that with low recoil, you can stay on target. If you make a bad wind call and you miss, and you are just off to the right you can make the correction easily. The elevated cheek piece puts your cheek against the stock so that your eye is right where it needs to be for the scope. If you are into long range hunting, this kind of specialty gun would appeal to you. Mike allowed me to hold the gun and try the bolt action. It was the smoothest bolt action I have ever put hands on. I saw the custom rifle that Mike made for his wife Amy to shoot. She took it antelope hunting while she was pregnant. He made it to attach to a tripod and not recoil. Mike says the industry is moving into the tripods for match rifles, heavy rifles and so you can stand up while shooting. The tripod creates a stable platform and it also makes it easy to show the gun to customers. These tripods have a ball head that will hold up to 55 pounds... You can stand up behind a tree and shoot coyotes.

Lura Pitman

Ordering from Mike is personal, he would like to set up a time where the customer can come out and let them shoot his personal guns at his range to get an idea of what they really want. He would like them to put hands on something before they make the investment. There are components that Mike likes to use because he knows exactly how they fit and work and that the customer will always be happy with how it works. He tells me there are two kinds of customers, the guy who says," I want this, make it for me"...and the customer that is wanting something but needs to budget. Mike can work with both and wants to make the custom work for the customer.

Another feature Mike and Amy have in their shop is the ceramic paint called Cerakote. It is ceramic paint etched onto the metal and baked. It will never rust. They offer a variety of colors to choose from.

Mike also does contract machining for parts not pertaining to rifles. Currently he is working on a front steering axle part for a customer in Texas. Mike can take old tractor parts that you can't order anymore and make new parts.

If you would like to learn more about Manzella Precision, LLC, you can contact Mike or Amy at 605-827-8206 or go online to manzellaprecision.com.