The effect of the mechanical alloying of elemental Mo and Si powders on the combustion densification behavior of MoSi$_2$ was investigated. The ignition temperature of the combustion reaction of the mechanically alloyed powder was measured to be significantly lower than that of the powder mixture prepared by the low energy ball milling process. The densification of the products after the combustion reaction under compressive pressure from the mechanically alloyed powders, however, was found to be poorer than that of the products from the ball milled powder.