Kimber Montana?

hubba_3

Active Member
Messages
412
I'm looking to get a nice mountain rifle and I've got my eye set on the Kimber Montana in a .280 Ackley...I'm going to be using it for anything from antelope to elk...
I've already ordered a Swarovski Z3 scope to put on whatever gun I decide to get...
There are some reviews on the Kimber, though, that have mixed feelings about the Kimber rifles having issues with accuracy.

What are your guys' thoughts on this gun? Have you heard good things or bad things about it?

If you don't like it what gun would you recommend?? I'm open to get something else too!
973411536518.jpg
 
I purchased that same rifle in 300WSM a few years ago and was very dissapointed with the accuracy. I tried 3 different premium factory loads and could not get it to group much less than 3 inches. I then tried handloads with different bullets, powders,and seating depts. The best group I got was about 1 1/2 inches. I sent the Kimber back to the factory, they tested it and returned it to me saying that it was "Within Specs" I returned the rifle to the shop where I bought it and traded for a Remington 700 SPS that shot 1" right out of the box and now shoots 180 Nosler Accubonds @5/8" @2950fps.
That Kimber broke my heart. It is a beautiful rifle, but just didn't shoot well. It was kind of like having a really beautiful girl friend that has no soul or personality.
Some guys I talked to like their Kimbers, but mine did not shoot. I completed my Grand Slam with that Remington last year and it continues to impress me with it's accuracy.
 
Thanks for the reply mtshasta... that seems to be what a lot of people are saying... its a shame because its one of my favorite looking and feeling guns... it's exactly what I want... BUT, if it can't shoot, i've got no use for it
 
>Thanks for the reply mtshasta... that
>seems to be what a
>lot of people are saying...
>its a shame because its
>one of my favorite looking
>and feeling guns... it's exactly
>what I want... BUT, if
>it can't shoot, i've got
>no use for it


new to the forum, hello all. I have the Kimber Montana in 338 federal, no longer chambered. mine shoots well, but I had it accurized by a local smith, and had to experiment with hand-loads to find out what it liked. It has a pencil thin barrel, obviously. Gun weighs 6 pounds with scope. its a joy to carry. If you get one and it doesn't shoot, you would just have to dump it & go with something else. I do see a few of them at used gun stores, so maybe that's whats going on there. Rifles, like people, sometimes are recalcitrant.
 
hubba-3

I have a Kimber Montana in .325" WSM - limited factory loads for this caliber. I found that it likes the 220 gr. power points the best. Recoil with any load was kinda rough...thought I could talk myself out of it (knocked my hat off at the range with each shot)but started to develope a flinch. Did not like the SS finish (felt like I was hunting with a mirror in my hands) the blind mag. is more of a bother than I first thought. Now the the weapon has a dura-coat grey finish and a "quiet break" and kicks less than my M700.280 Rem. mountain rifle...but you can't shoot it with out ear protection! Quiet Break my ass!

With my tastes...I would opt for the .280 Ack. in the Carlo Walnut with the bottom floor plate. My .280 (non-Ackley)is a tack driver with 160 gr. Accubond loads from Fed. The Rem. likes heavy bullets, with POOR accuracy with 139-140 gr. anythings! I have killed 3 bulls with the 280 and a friend killed a better won when he barrowed it. All taken with 160 gr. Win. Fail Safe loads. (not made since the mid 90's) One shot kills on 2 of them but, all at close to med range. I don't think you can go wrong with this cal. If you had to have only one rifle this might be the one. Good Luck

LaGriz55
 
I own one and four of my friends also have them. Four are real shooters averaging right at 5/8" with handloads. The fifth one is not very impressive running 1.5 to 2". It has been back to the factory as well. 4 of 5 is 80% odds of getting a shooter.

Only accurate rifles are interesting...
 
They are quality rifles with tight tolerances. I was in the same position as you, make sure you actually hold one before buying. It looked great until I shouldered it, just didn't fit me well at all.
The fore-end felt too deep vertically from the barrel to where my hand held underneath. Afterwards I also heard, gunsmiths around my area refuse to work on (tune) them.

A Rem 700 in .280 Rem will handle all the game you've mentioned.

Just my opinion.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-07-14 AT 10:21PM (MST)[p]

I had one.
Pay your money, take your chances. Best day of my rifle life was selling that POS.
 
Mine in 300wsm shoots just under an inch and functions perfect. Some have defiantly had issues some have had great luck
 
I have one in 300 wsm that shoots under an inch with several loads. NO complaints.

They are more accurate than most factory rifles. Of course ALL can't be great. Some people are justifiable upset, but that doesn't mean that most are poor. In fact, most are great.

Life is a crap shoot. Buy one. If you are the unlucky guy that gets a dog, sell it and buy another. With over 90% tack drivers, you need to be really having an off year to get two that don't shoot. Odds are you will be quite happy.
Bill
 
I currently have three (.223, .308, .300WSM) and love them all. Had a 7mm-08 that wouldn't shoot and was sent back to Kimber and even they couldn't resolve the issue, so was given my choice of a new rifle (bought the 7mm-08 secondhand), so I chose the .223. Can't beat that with a stick!

I'll own a fourth just as soon as I come across a .204 Ruger.
 
I bought a Kimber in 270wsm for my daughter. The rifle was used so I knew it was a crap-shoot. We got lucky since the rifle is a good shooter.
I re-bedded the action to the stock, moved the front sling swivel stud forward, repainted the stock, cleaned and polished the bore, mounted a 2.5-8 BC Leupold and headed to the range.
It shoots right at an inch (usually a bit under 1"), all day long. That's pretty good for the weight of the rifle!
I've heard that some shoot and some don't, which is true but I always take it with a grain of salt since I've been around lots of shooters who can't hit their ass with both hands... and then blame the rife, of course.
My son-in-law told me his Win classic 300wby was shot out. HUH? I cleaned the bore, snugged the guard screws and scope mt screws, checked the barrel floating, loaded 9 rounds and shot 3, 3-shot groups at 3/4" arerage. Of course I text the group photos to him with an offer to buy his shot-out rifle. He still owns it. LOL
Yes, I take it with a grain of salt when a guy says his rifle won't shoot but it DOES happen with ALL brands!~
Good luck,
Zeke
 
I bought a Kimber over the internet about a decade ago and just couldn't get used to the bolt being loose when it was locked down. That thing would jiggle around and it drove me nuts. I thought I had a bad gun but then read that was very common with the Kimber's. It wasn't unsafe, just annoying to someone used to a bolt locking down solidly. I sold it without ever shooting it and kept buying Remington 700's.
 

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos
Back
Top Bottom