What ever happened to M.O.A.?

[J.Baker]

Used to be a company called M.O.A. that made a rolling block single-shot pistol dubbed the Maximum in or near Dayton, OH. At some point they moved out west (CO or WY if memory serves me). Always liked the looks of it, but seems they up an vanished several years ago now. Most recent post I could find anywhere on them was a guy inquiring about their value on a reddit post back in 2018. Just curious if the company still around or not.

[Blue Avenger]

Sundance Wy
As far as I know they closed

[HandgunhuntingAfield]

It was bought and sold one or more times. It’s dead.

[Blue Avenger]

It was bought and sold one or more times. It’s dead.

I thought you would know. Another company where you have to look for used stuff now.

[Dan L]

Sadly
They are gone
Single shots are a dying breed
Glad I got one, not my favorite, and very cumbersome to shoot
https://i.imgur.com/EsevTVIl.jpg?1

Dan

[61Knuckle]

As HandgunhuntingAfield (http://www.savageshooters.com/member.php?56477-HandgunhuntingAfield) said, closed and sold, several times. There were hints of production a couple of years ago, but that was a dry hole. I've got one in 7mmTCU and the ejection has gotten sloppy, so with no parts for rebuilding, it's too bothersome to shoot. Accurate, strong, and they handle pretty good otherwise.

[Iowa Fox]

Yep, sadly gone.

The MOA pistol was created by Richard Mertz when he lived in Ohio. Rich and his buddy were out Prairie dogging one year and shooting out of the car. Long story short they had a 30-06 go off inside the car , thank goodness the muzzle was pointed up . They had a hole in the roof but the real damage was to their hearing. Rich was the manager at one of the machine fabrication shops in Ohio so when he got home he decided he was going to build something to shoot out of the car window next year. That's how it started. The offices were upstairs at the machine shop and at night he would shoot thru the hollow duct work holding the roof up from one end of the building to the other to do his prototype testing. He lost a thumb and finger doing proof testing. Rich is a heck of a good guy. I haven't seen him in a few years. I hope he and his wife are doing ok.

Oh and before everybody jumps on the shoot out of the car thing, we all did it 50-60 years ago.

[J.Baker]

Thanks for the info. As I said, was more curious than anything else simply because you don't see them mentioned or talked about much anymore. Now I know why.

[potatojudge]

I talked to Richard a few years ago and his wife answered the phone. They sounded well. He was very helpful.

I had questions about the reamer used on my 6.5x47 MOA because it's a neck turn chamber but not marked as such. He confirmed my findings.

He told me the guy who bought the company, including many frames and parts enough to assemble a good number of guns, hasn't done anything with the company and was interested in selling it. So parts exist somewhere.

I wish someone would make extractors for these since they're essentially wear items and don't look like they were made out of the best steel. I think at least one gunsmith has custom made an extractor. There are a few extractors for different rounds. New barrels are no more difficult or expensive than any new rifle barrel and any gunsmith can make one. The 22LR version had an alternate extractor system. I wonder if it could be used on other rimmed rounds?

[61Knuckle]

Absolutely on the extractor/ejector parts and the various links in the action. Mine are worn to the point if I want to shoot the pistol, I have to use a cleaning rod to get the case out. It's mostly a safe queen now.

[BigTexasHunter]

Used to be a company called M.O.A. that made a rolling block single-shot pistol dubbed the Maximum in or near Dayton, OH. At some point they moved out west (CO or WY if memory serves me). Always liked the looks of it, but seems they up an vanished several years ago now. Most recent post I could find anywhere on them was a guy inquiring about their value on a reddit post back in 2018. Just curious if the company still around or not.

New member here and just found this old post asking about Richard Mertz. He is my wife's uncle so Uncle Rich is what we call him.

Just wanted to let you know that he is actually in Texas with us if you have any questions let me know.

[BigTexasHunter]

Yep, sadly gone.

The MOA pistol was created by Richard Mertz when he lived in Ohio. Rich and his buddy were out Prairie dogging one year and shooting out of the car. Long story short they had a 30-06 go off inside the car , thank goodness the muzzle was pointed up . They had a hole in the roof but the real damage was to their hearing. Rich was the manager at one of the machine fabrication shops in Ohio so when he got home he decided he was going to build something to shoot out of the car window next year. That's how it started. The offices were upstairs at the machine shop and at night he would shoot thru the hollow duct work holding the roof up from one end of the building to the other to do his prototype testing. He lost a thumb and finger doing proof testing. Rich is a heck of a good guy. I haven't seen him in a few years. I hope he and his wife are doing ok.

Oh and before everybody jumps on the shoot out of the car thing, we all did it 50-60 years ago.

Great story about Rich. I just asked him about this car story and he recounted it for me. One thing he wanted to clear up was that he still has his thumb and on the forefinger he lost the tip.
He is full of great stories. I am trying to convince him to let me video him telling them and letting me upload to youtube to share with everyone.

[61Knuckle]

Welcome to the forum BigTex. Thanks for the update on Richard.
Merry Christmas.

[BigTexasHunter]

61Knuckle,

Thank you for the welcome and Merry Christmas to you and your Family as well.

[BobT]

New member here and just found this old post asking about Richard Mertz. He is my wife's uncle so Uncle Rich is what we call him.

Just wanted to let you know that he is actually in Texas with us if you have any questions let me know.

Thanks for the update and welcome to the forum!

[Iowa Fox]

Big Tex its great to hear Rich is doing well he's really a good guy. The Cold Turkey holds a lot of great memories for me. His feast of a barbecue. The nights at the Bear Lodge are enough to fill several chapters in a book. Sadly several of the guys are gone.

[Slowpoke Slim]

Great story about Rich. I just asked him about this car story and he recounted it for me. One thing he wanted to clear up was that he still has his thumb and on the forefinger he lost the tip.
He is full of great stories. I am trying to convince him to let me video him telling them and letting me upload to youtube to share with everyone.

Welcome to the forums.

If Rich doesn't want to be video'd, maybe a relative with good typing skills could just type it into a story form as Rich sat there doing the telling?

[Rutt Outdoors]

Used to be a company called M.O.A. that made a rolling block single-shot pistol dubbed the Maximum in or near Dayton, OH. At some point they moved out west (CO or WY if memory serves me). Always liked the looks of it, but seems they up an vanished several years ago now. Most recent post I could find anywhere on them was a guy inquiring about their value on a reddit post back in 2018. Just curious if the company still around or not.


Rich is my great uncle. He sold the company 10 year or so ago. It’s sitting idle right now. The guns were made in 4 locations, Sundance Wyoming, Dayton Ohio, Eaton Ohio & one other place in Ohio. I believe he made around 4500 of them. He started a 1000 yard competition out in Sundance. Check out www.moalongrangeshoot.com for more info. There’s several moa guns there. I know my dad & I will have at least two there this year.

[Rutt Outdoors]

As HandgunhuntingAfield (http://www.savageshooters.com/member.php?56477-HandgunhuntingAfield) said, closed and sold, several times. There were hints of production a couple of years ago, but that was a dry hole. I've got one in 7mmTCU and the ejection has gotten sloppy, so with no parts for rebuilding, it's too bothersome to shoot. Accurate, strong, and they handle pretty good otherwise.

If you’d like to part ways with it I know some fellers that would probably be interested.