Well guys I saw the hunter in Creedmoor and since I already have a rifle so chambered it was an easy decision. They are priced a little high. The molded trigger guard isn't too pretty. But........ the lack of bottom metal keeps it simple. The trigger guard is strong and durable. It handled like a dream. As for accuracy. Kimber seems to have a checkered past. I happened to get a good one. I have shot 85, 95, 123 sst and 120 bt bullets in it. It will shoot moa for three shots. Barrel heatup is quick but doesnt seem to affect accuracy for the three shots. Of course it is difficult to shoot off the bag like all light rigles. The scope is a Leupy vx3 2.5x8. The bore is smooth. It cleans up quickly just like my shilen select match or several other good barrels. Killed a coyote with it this week. The gun is my favorite and as u will read I did not find any flaw I can't live with. Feel free to ask any question except is it for sale. Hope u enjoyed this. Greg
Sounds very much like my own experience with the Hunter.
The "trigger guard" is a total non-issue to me. Like the rock guard on an outboard motor...it doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to work!
I noticed the barrel heating up rather quickly as well and gave it time to cool between shots. I didn't notice any real world difference in shoot-ability off the bags, though.
I think Kimbers hit a home run with this model....
BT53 "Where do they find young men like this?" Reporter Savidge, Iraq Elk, it's what's for dinner....
I haven't seen a Hunter yet, so I have no opinion either way on comparisons, but a rifle is a package, not just simply how well it shoots at a give price point. Otherwise people would buy nothing but Stevens. Ergos, feed/function, materials, etc all play a part, and if we're comparing rifles and their price points, they should share similar materials and construction. If the hunter is SS, then that adds value, and a Tikka needs to be SS as well to be comparable.
So then the Tikka should also share a one piece bolt, metal magazine, metal shroud, steel recoil lug, and short action length to be comparable. Correct?
After all, it is a package, not just how well it shoots at a given price point, and should share similar materials and construction.
We use several (as in quite a few) as trainer rifles, match rifles, let alone hunting guns. We beat the crap out of them, they get literally thousands of rounds a year put through them by people who don't care a bit about breaking something. All it has resulted in is more Tikkas being bought by a bunch of dudes that shoot an azz ton of rounds and can and do have just about any gun they want.
Action length, recoil lug, bolt shroud, magazine.... None of it matters. They work. I've seen hundreds of hunting guns shot and Tikkas are the most consistently accurate guns out of them all.
They are not perfect, but they are no muss-no fuss. Load and shoot.
I haven't seen a Hunter yet, so I have no opinion either way on comparisons, but a rifle is a package, not just simply how well it shoots at a give price point. Otherwise people would buy nothing but Stevens. Ergos, feed/function, materials, etc all play a part, and if we're comparing rifles and their price points, they should share similar materials and construction. If the hunter is SS, then that adds value, and a Tikka needs to be SS as well to be comparable.
So then the Tikka should also share a one piece bolt, metal magazine, metal shroud, steel recoil lug, and short action length to be comparable. Correct?
After all, it is a package, not just how well it shoots at a given price point, and should share similar materials and construction.
I was excited about this new offering from Kimber till I actually handled one, the rifle I looked at was $829 (reasonable in todays market for a hunting rifle) fit and finish looked OK, nothing special but the molded in trigger guard was a deal breaker for me, that thing reeked of cheapness!........I guess there are enough Kimber fans out there for a market but this rifle aint for Me..........Hb
I did the black webbing paint job and clear coated all. Cleaned bore and chamber, tightened everything, bore sighted and off to the range I went.
Factory Hornaday Whitetail 129 gr Interlocks were chosen to play with.
Three shots at 25 yards and minor scope adjustments - then out to 100 yards where she put two touching 3" high and a smidge right. Dialed down to 2" high and center. Shot the rest of that box at rocks at 200 yards to rough check the 200 yard zero and cuz it's just plain fun!
I haven't even touched the trigger on her yet and may not. It has to be right at 3# and very clean.
Recoil... way less than I expected. Not even close to what my heavier .270 deals out. Sort of .243ish.... That made it very easy to control and a lotta fun to shoot!
I'm liking this rifle a LOT and can hardly wait to turn it loose on a blacktail this month and a cow elk later. I'll stick with the 129's for now.
The Hunter version may not be for everyone, but I can seriously see me picking up another ( .243 / .223 ) in the future.
Nice paint! How did you do that or did you have it done?
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