Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best 308 Factory Stainless Sporter ??

From reports it sounds like customer service at Kimber is good if needed - vs say the new Forbes.

A buddy of mine bought a new Montana 7mm.08 that shot 4 MOA and had feeding issues so he sent it back to Kimber, 4 months later he got his rifle back and the feeding issue was resolved but it still shot 4" groups @100 yds so he took it to a gun show and unloaded it......My own Kimber Model 84 in .308 Win functioned fine and shot 1 MOA with factory ammo.....So I most certainly do believe in "Kimber roulette"........Hb

FWIW, I do believe there was an issue with 7-08s for a time. My only Hawkeye wouldn't feed and went right back to the factory.

Gotta wonder if at least some of the Montana accuracy "issues" are caused by the difficulty of shooting a really light rifle off the bench.

My Montana 7-08 was shooting 4" groups outta the gate. A little extra barrel float back at the shank made a world of difference...

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Sometimes a little bit of effort and time can be well worth it, to end up with a rifle that is 6 lbs scoped and ready, shoots 3-shot groups under 0.75 MOA with many different bullets and loads, has an excellent stock and trigger, CRF, all SS construction, etc, etc, and you guys in the US can get all that for ~$1000 and possibly a few minutes of elbow grease, if you look around.

If you like to tinker with your rifle ( not me ) Kimber rifles are probly fun but I cant bring Myself to spend $1100.00 + for a rifle That I will most likely have to work on to (maybe) make shoot.......Hb

Rem 700 with Timney trigger, or Tikka T3 with Limbsaver recoil pad.

Which sub-6lb, stainless, tinker-free, rifle do you prefer when spending $1,100.00?




Travis

That's a great question. How many people criticize a 700 because a guy put on a new tube,new stock,and new trigger?

Sub-6 lbs scoped, that is...

First of all I was a little light on price, I did a search on GB and Kimber Montana's are $1200.00 not $1100.00 that being said you are right the Kimber Montana is the lightest production rifle in that price range but I can't pay $1200.00+ for a rifle that I know more than likely I will have to take home and screw around with just to make it shoot, that is ridiculous! If I want a light rifle I will save me a pile of money and buy a Tikka T3, I will carry the few extra ounces with the Tikka at half the price and have a rifle that will shoot or I'd spend a couple hundred more bucks than the Montana and buy a Sako Finnlight and have IMO a much better rifle that has bottom metal, I am not going to fret over the minimal weight difference but if a few ounces difference mean's that much too you and your an amateur gunsmith by all means its your money, buy a Montana you will be tickled to death with your project and who knows you might get lucky and buy one with no issues......I didn't mention that I also hate the slick blind magazine stock on the Kimber Montana but that is a personal thing.............Good hunting............Hb

Also for others not mentioned thus far, take a look at the Montana Rifle Company XWR/X2 and Mauser 12 Extreme.

LOL

I'm on my second one and they aren't tinker free.

Yeah, Ive had several Myself and mine did fine but I know all rifle makers throw out a turd once in a while, it seems from what Ive experienced Myself and buddies and what I read on the campfire that Kimber rifles are the biggest grab bag of the bunch.....What about Remingtons new Model Seven SS? That would make a fine little package at a reasonable price.....and its got a floorplate, a feature I like...... ..Hb

What I find interesting is the variety of responses people get from the CS folks at the same companies for similar problems. When I deal with CS in other lines of business over the phone and don't like what I hear, I usually call back and get someone else. Often I get a better deal from the next guy.

My choice was a Kimber Montana in .308. No problems, no tinkering needed, no regrets. No current production rifle I'd rather have instead.

My vote goes for my Browning Mountain Ti, you can see its picture over there on the left.

Weatherby Mk V; if you can find one and put it in a McMillan Sako Classic:

...gets my vote!!!

Bob