UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No.   )*

MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock
(Title of Class of Securities)

553530106
(CUSIP Number)


Is a fee being paid with this statement: (   ) Yes  ( X ) No

*The remainder of this page shall be filled out for a 
reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect 
to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent 
amendment containing information which would alter the 
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page 
shall be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise 
subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but 
shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act 
(however, see the Notes).

13G
CUSIP No. 553530106

1.  Name of Reporting Person
    S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of above person
            STEIN ROE & FARNHAM INCORPORATED
            36-3447638

2.  Check the appropriate box if a member of a group
     (a) -----
     (b) -----

3.  SEC USE ONLY

4.  Citizenship or place of organization
            Delaware Corporation

Number of shares beneficially owned by each reporting person 
with
5.  Sole voting power                          -0-

6.  Shared voting power                        -0-

7.  Sole dispositive power                     -0-

8.  Shared dispositive power              848,000 shares

9.  Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting 
person                                    848,000 shares

10. Check box if the aggregate amount in Row (9) excludes 
certain shares                             not applicable

11. Percent of class represented by amount in Row 9   5.08%

12. Type of Reporting Person                    IA

13G
CUSIP No. 550819106

1.  Name of Reporting Person
    S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of above person
            STEIN ROE CAPITAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND
            36-6101801

2.  Check the appropriate box if a member of a group
     (a) -----
     (b) -----

3.  SEC USE ONLY

4.  Citizenship or place of organization
            Massachusetts, USA

Number of shares beneficially owned by each reporting person 
with
5.  Sole voting power                     840,000 shares

6.  Shared voting power                      -0-

7.  Sole dispositive power                   -0-

8.  Shared dispositive power                 -0-

9.  Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting 
person                                    840,000 shares

10. Check box if the aggregate amount in Row (9) excludes 
certain shares                              not applicable

11. Percent of class represented by amount in Row 9   5.03%

12. Type of Reporting Person                    IV



Item 1(a).  Name of Issuer:  MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC.

Item 1(b).  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Office:
                  151 Sunnyside Blvd.
                  Plainview, NY   11803

Item 2(a).  Name of Person Filing:
                  Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated

Item 2(b).  Address of Principal Business Office:
                 One South Wacker Drive
                 Chicago, IL 60606

Item 2(c).  Citizenship:    Delaware Corporation

Item 2(d).  Title of Class of Securities:  Common Stock

Item 2(e).  CUSIP Number 553530106

Item 3.  If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-
1(b), or 13d-2(b), check whether person filing is a:

         (e) [XX] Investment Adviser registered under 
Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Item 4.  Ownership:
         (a)  Amount beneficially owned:  848,000 shares

         (b)  Percent of Class:  5.08%

         (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:

              (i)  sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
                                            840,000 shares
                    (Stein Roe Capital Opportunities Fund)
              (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the 
vote:                                                    -0-

              (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the 
disposition:                                848,000 shares
                        (Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated)

              (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the 
disposition:                                             -0-

Item 5.  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:
              Not Applicable

Item 6.  Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of 
Another Person:
              Stein Roe Capital Opportunities Fund, which 
possesses sole power to vote 840,000 shares, is a portfolio 
series of Stein Roe Investment Trust, a Massachusetts 
business trust, which is a registered open-end investment 
company of which Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated is 
investment adviser. 

Item 7.  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary 
which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent 
Holding Company:
              Not Applicable

Item 8.  Identification and Classification of Members of the 
Group:
             Not Applicable

Item 9.  Notice of Dissolution of Group:
             Not Applicable

Item 10.  CERTIFICATION:

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my 
knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above 
were acquired in the ordinary course of business and 
were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the 
effect of changing or influencing the control of the 
issuer of such securities and were not acquired in 
connection with or as a participant in any transaction 
having such purposes or effect.

SIGNATURE:  After reasonable inquiry and to the best of 
my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information 
set forth in this statement is true, complete and 
correct.

Date:  February 11, 1998

By:  /s/ Kenneth J. Kozanda
       Kenneth J. Kozanda
       Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer


AGREEMENT WITH REGARD TO JOINT FILING OF SCHEDULE 13G
made this 3rd day of February, 1998, by and between STEIN 
ROE & FARNHAM INCORPORATED, a Delaware Corporation ("SR&F") 
and STEIN ROE INVESTMENT TRUST, a Massachusetts business 
trust, on behalf of its series, STEIN ROE CAPITAL 
OPPORTUNITIES FUND ("Capital Opportunities Fund")

WITNESSETH:

Whereas, SR&F has investment discretion with respect to the 
portfolio investments of Capital Opportunities Fund, and may 
therefore be considered a "beneficial owner" of such 
portfolio investments pursuant to Regulation 13D-G (the 
"Regulation") of the Securities and Exchange Commission; 
and,

Whereas, Capital Opportunities Fund retains voting authority 
with regard to its portfolio investments and may therefore 
also be considered a "beneficial owner" of such portfolio 
investments pursuant to the Regulation; and,

Whereas, due to such multiple definitions of beneficial 
ownership, both SR&F and Capital Opportunities Fund may be 
deemed to have incurred an obligation to report beneficial 
ownership of certain of Capital Opportunities Fund's 
portfolio holdings as of December 31, 1997; and,

Whereas, the Regulation authorizes "joint" filing of a 
single Schedule 13G when two or more eligible persons incur 
an obligation to report with respect to the same securities;

NOW THEREFORE, Stein Roe Investment Trust on behalf of 
Capital Opportunities Fund and SR&F agree that SR&F shall be 
authorized to file a single Schedule 13G, and any necessary 
amendments thereto, on behalf of itself and on behalf of 
Capital Opportunities Fund, with respect to each of Capital 
Opportunities Fund's holdings as to which such a report must 
be made.

STEIN ROE INVESTMENT TRUST

/s/ Stacy H. Winick, Vice President and Secretary

Attest:

/s/ Nicolette D. Parrish, Assistant Secretary

STEIN ROE & FARNHAM INCORPORATED

/s/ Kenneth J. Kozanda, Senior Vice President and Chief 
Financial Officer

/s/ Scott P. Pedersen, Vice President