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Whittaker Guns show they have a new Kimber Hunter in stock.

Someone on the Campfire needs to buy this and give us a report!

I don't need another 308 plus I just bought a new Kimber 1911 so I'm broke.

Who will take one for the team??

http://gunblog.whittakerguns.com/whittaker-guns-new-arrivals-online-gun-sales/

If I was in the market for a Kimber would go with last year's Montana model for an additional $280.00....

I understand that, but if you were to buy it and test it for the rest of us you'd be performing a public service.

Is it too much to ask to make the trigger guard not molded as part of the stock? If Remington can do it on the 700 ADL and keep the cost down, why can't Ruger, Kimber and others follow suit?

It may be a nice rifle but seems to be about $200 overpriced IMO, but I suppose they have to pay for all those flashy ads somehow.

Any difference between "last year's Montana" and this year's one

Ditto.

All the new Montanas have threaded barrels.

And cost at least an additional $200.00 or so....

I'd like to try one in 243. Wonder how long it'll be til they are selling other calibers.

Introduced at the Shot Show in January and in the market place by April-Kimber did it right. CP.

Have there been any reviews from folks that have handled on shot them yet?

Agreed. Whether someone fancies the offering or not, it's refreshing to see a company not put on a big to-do, only to make people wait 6 months to a year to see actually see some actual production rifles.

It looks like it could be a very good rifle for the money. I will be curious to see reports on the stability/functionality of the stock. If the stock "works", the package should be a winner.

Had my hands on the 7mm08 version today. Certainly lightweight. Trigger (out of the box) was nothing to write home about. Action is smooth. Bolt and bolt handle are not scalloped like the Mountain Ascent. Don't think the DBM is as robust as it could be - especially the mag release; time will tell, as it will for durability of the molded-in trigger guard. IMHO, the molded-in trigger guard is the biggest short fall.

6.5CM

Looks like they're shipping!!!

Kimber Hunter in 6.5CM

Bump. Any reviews? What are opinions on the stocks?

Molded in trigger guard, no thanks.

Fuggg!

If you want an upgraded stock then why not just get a Montana?

Handled one yesterday. Not my style, but for $749 it's a lot of rifle. Pretty light, same action/barrel as the MT. Plastic stock is what it is, as is the detachable magazine, but at least it doesn't have that damn threaded barrel the new MT's have. Would be a fun way to play with the 6.5 CM.

And BTW, it's $450-ish less than the MT...

Nevermind.

Respectfully, I didn't say that I did.

Saw one yesterday in 6.5CM. Looked like a Montana in a cheaper stock. For $850 I'd probably hold out for a Montana. I didn't handle it.

I handled one the other day and I hated it. The trigger guard molded into the stock sucks and the detachable magazine feels cheap. I would either go with the Tikka for less money or go with the Montana for more money. I feel this rifle has positioned itself smack dab in the middle of two price points and very little benefit to the less expensive Tikka. People will buy it for the brand name.

Who knows, maybe they'll shoot lights out but I won't be buying one to find out. I'll stick with my Kimber Montana in 280 Ackley and my Tikka T3 superlite

Kimber would have done themselves a favor if they'd made the plastic stock black instead of the baby-chit military brown.

But aside from that, for under $800 it's a lot of rifle. Best trigger on any factory rifle, period. Ultra petite action. 3-Pos safety. CRF. All in a relatively light USA made package.

.243 for me also.Would like to try.

Anyone yet shot one?

Considering consolidating a few middle-of-the-road beater rifles into one. Thinking one of these Hunters or the Sako A7 as possible alternatives.

Hate the molded guard but the one on my RAR Compact never seems an issue.

The attraction the Hunter has over the A7 for me is the 6.5 CM option. They should retail about the same price point down here...

I would want to try one ,also own A7 .243 like it a lot.

Hugh and others, a deal breaker for me is the ability to top off the magazine with it still in the rifle and the bolt open. I've heard this can be done with the A7, anyone know if it can be in the Kimber Hunter?

Thanks.

Bob

Not a problem with A7.

Anyone shoot one yet?

I handled one this afternoon. I liked it, but the trigger guard is....cheesy.

Was considering a Montana, but I might give a hunter a shot in 6.5 creed and put the savings into the glass.

Picked up a few montanas already this year near that price range....
Not tempting to me at this point in time....

I finally got to fondle a Kimber Hunter last week, and overall was pretty impressed. The action was all Montana (sans barrel threading), and the stock was pretty stiff for what it is. If I hadn't had an inescapable urge for another Extreme Weather I might have ordered one in 6.5 CM. As far as stainless steel, CRF rifles chambered in 6.5 CM with a 3 position safety and a street price under $800 go.... well, the Hunter is pretty much the only one.

Bayouhunter, Can you tell me where you are finding the fairly priced Montana's .

Gtscotty, My LGS has a 7-08 and 6.5 CM in stock. I am tempted.

Looked at one yesterday in 6.5 CM. Not bad, didn't like the moulded trigger guard. I think I'll keep my other kimbers. They want $1205 for the hunter here in Canada. Montanas are $1800+, Mountain Ascents $2965.

I just handled my first and I was/am VERY impressed, seems like an ideal companion, in .308Win., for my MA in .280AI. It would be perfect for hunting deer, mostly WTs, in late season, snowy weather.

BR-where did you see that price as in Vancouver, I was quoted $1300+ ?

Bought one in 6.5 CM from Whittakers last week.
Mounted a Leupold VX3i 3.5-10 in Tally lightweights yesterday and took the Kimber Hunter out to my range this morning. Wind was light but humidity was heavy. After getting the scope zeroed I fired two three shot groups, one with Hornaday 140 grain ELD and one with 120 grain Amax. Both shot to same POI and looked identical, two shots inside 3/4 inch with one flyer high left that opened the group to 1 1/4". May have been me or the humidity fogging my eye glasses. The molded trigger guard does not bother me, who looks at the trigger guard in a hunting situation anyway, I like the feel and balance of the stock. The third round in the magazine is a little stiff to load. Action feeds smooth but I did have two failures to eject spent rounds while working the scope in. Found that more authority working the bolt eliminated that. Trigger is great. More work to be done out to 200 yards once the storms move through.

Thanks for the info 54!

Any chance that you can post a weight with the scope and rings? I am questioning the weight that Kimber has on their site....

My 7mm-08 is 5.5 pounds out of the box. About 4 ounces heavier than my 243 Montana.

6 pounds 7 ounces, rifle, scope, rings, unloaded, no sling.

Perfect! Thanks guys.

Bought one in 6.5 on GB tonight.

P&D Edmonton. They only have one

54Woody,

Can it be top loaded or does the mag need to be removed to top up?

Thanks for the update.

Thanks, BR.

You can drop a round on top of an empty magazine and it will feed into the chamber. You cannot feed rounds into the magazine from the top.

You dont happen to have an 84 m lying around do you? I want to know if you can just drop the BA into a montana stock with the montana box and internals and have it feed...

I bought one in 6.5 Creedmoor. It shoots very well,have shot three shot groups with three different factory loads. Two went under MOA.

I have a steel deer target that sits 262 yards by laser from my shooting bench. The 140 grain eldx load chronographed a little over 2600 fps and grouped less than two inches at 262 yards.

The load I'm going to hunt with is the Superformance GMX 120 grain,it groups about as well as the Eldx,but it chronographed a little over 3000 fps from the 22 inch barrel.

The magazine is a little tough to get the third round in,and it's a pretty tight fit to chamber a forth round over three in the magazine. But the gun feeds and functions perfectly,every time.

The only issue is that you have to cycle the bolt with a little speed to get ejected cases to clear the action,but this is common with CRF actions with standing ejectors,it's not spring loaded.

Another thing I like is that the empty magazine does a good job of guiding a manually fed cartridge into the the chamber if you just drop it into the open action. You can't top off the magazine but you can load single rounds very smoothly.

Mine has Talley medium lightweights and a Leupold VX3i in 2.5-8x36. The scope is my first VX3i and it works just fine,and is optically very nice. I haven't weighed it but it feels almost as light as my NULA in 30-06 with the same scope(VX3) and mounts.

It does. I tried it a while back.

Obviously not a lot of difference the the action at all the it seems?

Thanks SAS. The Hunter just got a little more interesting.

Of course, it will probably retail for near $1700 here...

Thanks 54, that's a shame but not a deal breaker.

I wonder what a spare magazine is going to cost.....?

I handled one tonight

Absolutely not for me

The plastic stock, trigger guard and that God awful magazine box were all bad

You're goung to need one for walking up mobs of pigs, if you cant top up from the open bolt when you run dry.

How do the stock dimensions compare to the montana?

Pretty hard to justify that price with the current sales on T3s these days.

If justified solely on price, I think you have missed the biggest advantage the Kimber 84 (Classic, Montana, Hunter) has over everything on the market. The action is trim and light. You can not get that for anywhere near the money. If a light rifle isn't your thing, then fine, but that's what it offers....and for me, it's easy to justify the price.

OK, I'll ask a dumb question since I've never handled a Kimber. Is it possible to put a model 70 aftermarket stock on a Kimber barreled action without a bunch of inletting?

Or maybe the better question is: who is making a decent aftermarket stock to replace the factory tupperware?

You could almost put TWO Kimber barreled actions in a M70 stock.

If you want a better stock, get the Montana.

When you handle one, you'll want one.

No. This one is completely different from other Montanas and different from Winchesters.
Think 788 -Ugly but a beautiful loaner rifle.

Just bought one in 308. 5lbs 5oz. out of the box. It seems that Kimber entered the entry level to compete with TIKKA. I also own a TIKKA. My opinion, This Kimber is just as good. Haven't scoped it yet. Talley ring mounts & a Leupy compact is going on it. If it shoots, the stock is getting painted.

A full pound less than the 6lb. 5oz. estimated weight on the Kimber website?

Yes. When handling it, I thought that it felt lighter than advertised. So I weighed it. Kimber ought to change that.

They might put the bbl twist rates on the web page while they are at it.

Just scoped it. With Talley lightweight ring bases & Leupold 3x9 Compact - It weighs right @ 6lbs.

Rifle, Talley Lightweights and VX-3i 3.5-10 are all due to be delivered early this week.

I might regret the weight of the scope....

Yep, that's a big differencs....

Picked up a box of Hornaday 129 grain SST this week and the Kimber liked them. Need to back out to 200 yards when I get a calm morning.

Congrats Woody! Lookin great!

6.5 Creedmoor

Bare Rifle



Rifle wearing VX-3i 3.5-10x40 and Talley Lightweights (Empty Gun)

Exact same set up as mine Covejeep. Let us know what loads it likes. I am getting mixed results. Some exceptional groups, some just ok, and some things I can't explain.

Under 5.5lbs. Cool. Any chance for a picture showing the full trigger guard area, including rear screw? And if you happen to pull the action out, what it looks like inside? That's asking a lot, I know, it would be appreciated. Wondering if there's possibly room to inlet for a 'regular' guard...

I will get some pictures of the trigger guard area taken and posted up asap.

In the meantime here is a link to a thread that shows the stock sans barreled action.

http://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co.nz/f15/kimber-hunter-308-a-27322/

Thanks for the link!

tag

I handled one in a gun store the other day. I liked the action but the stock just looked cheap, The recoil pad stuck out around the edges where it met the stock. Worse than anything I've ever seen on a factory stock. Looked like it was done by someone in High School shop class.

FWIW, a long action version of the Kimber Hunter is supposed to ship in October. 270 Win, 280AI, and 30-06.

I fondled a Hunter chambered in .308 today. It fits exactly the same as my adirondack without the barrel whip from the 18" barrel. I will be purchasing one very soon.

It should be just as capable as a montana, adirondack, and mountain ascent (without the magazine bind issues sometimes found in the aforementioned rifles due to the DM).

The adirondack nailed this one two days ago and I can't imagine it couldn't do the same:

Local shop has them for 789. In Stock they have a couple 257r. And I think a 7 08

Personally, I think the stock is a real asset - a blank canvas if you will.

I needed ( OK, wanted ) a bullet proof platform to toss in the truck, on the quad, lean on a rock to shoot and not have to worry about the outcome...

The stock is tough as nails, stiff and yet light weight, IMO.
While the color isn't anything to get excited about, most of us Krylon Kowboyz are going to paint the danged thing anyway!
The tan base is a good start.....

It took WAY more time to tape off where I didn't want to paint to go, than it did to paint it.




6.5 Creed

Had a chance yesterday to take the Kimber Hunter in 6.5 CM out for some longer range work. Me and a friend set up 200, 300, and 400 yard targets on his picked corn field with a nice hill for a back stop. I had Hornaday 143 ELDX zeroed at 200 and wanted to verify the Leupold VX3i reticle 300 and 400 yard hold points. Had a little right to left wind but didn't seem to affect the shots. At 300 the group was an inch or so high with a 3" by 2" spread. At 400 it printed 4" high with a 3.5"by 5" spread.
I'm happy and headed to Colorado in a couple weeks with elk and mule deer tags in my pocket.