Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles JB - Kimber Experience

I do not recall reading much from you regarding Kimber rifles new or old, Montanas, Sub-Alpines, Mountain Ascents and the various wood stocked versions. Thoughts/experience?

Now that you mention it…

I’ve never seen it either.

Well, I know of one short article that Mr. Barsness wrote about, "The Ultimate Bob".

I remeber it well, as it cost me a bunch of money over the years as I now have Kimber rifles in many chamberings.

The article was in the October 2008 No. 240 issue of Rifle magazine.

Was thinking of getting a 257 Roberts of some sort and that little article on page 102 convinced me to try a Kimber and about 7 rifles later I think I've got all I need.

I don't know JB's overall view of Kimber rifles, but he sure liked the little Bob and so do I.

I would ask the question in the "Ask the Gunwriters" section.

JB tested a Kimber in 338 Federal and wrote about the subject.

I like my kimbers but my Adirondack in 300 bo would never feed right from the mag box. I tried every trick I know with bending the spring and sanding and smoothing and reshaping the follower and nothing worked. I finally put an old 223 follower and spring from a rem 700 and now it works.

It also had light primer strikes. I let the pin protrusion out and it still wasn't reliable. I had better luck with handloads on the second firing leaving the shoulder out longer. Seems to have a bit longer headspace. I finally put a wolf spring in and now it goes bang everytime even with nato primers.

It took some work but now the kids and I love it. It's under 5 pounds with a 16" barrel and shoots 120g tac TX bullets at 2250 fps and moa. I let my kid elk hunt with it last fall but he didn't shoot one.

My favorite kimbers are the 8400 shortmag Montana. I don't think there's a better factory action for short mags. I regret selling my 300 wsm and am one the lookout for another. I'll keep my 7 wsm forever.

Kimber was willing to work over my Adirondack but they were going to charge me over $100 to put a new trigger in it because I had adjusted mine. Sucks they advertised an adjustable trigger then ding you if you adjust it. It was easier to fix everything myself because it would have probably taken a few trips back to them before they got it right. The rem spring an follower are much better.

Bb

My one and only Kimber is a SuperAmerica originally in 308. Like Burleyboy above it needed a Rem mag spring and a new firing pin spring but was always a 2MOA rifle at best with any handload and worse still with factory fodder. When I got a Teslong bore scope I found that the bore was horribly pitted. It is now a 6.5 Creed with a Brux barrel and shoots like it should. For what I have into it I could have easily bought something like a Christianson but what would be the fun in that?

I have a number of Kimber rifles with no issues but everyone’s experience is different.

I've had a few that were good to go right from the factory too. My 280 ai montana was good but a friend talked me out of it. He needed a light weight elk rifle for his disabled kid who had balance issues.

I also had a 308 montana I bought new that shot really well but a fire.member talked me out of it. He wanted one with the newer grippier paint it had but not a threaded muzzle and that's what mine was. I also had a 300 wsm I mentioned that was great but a friend I used to hunt with wanted it and he helped me a few times while building my new house so I gave it to him.

I still regret not picking a montana up in 223.

Bb

I have only had one... A montana... dang thing would not even feed factory ammo out of the box... had to send it back... got it back from them and it would feed the ammo... but would not keep three shots within 7-8 inches.... frustrated with it and sold it...

I have a Montana 223, great little rifle, but my friend shoots it mostly and has his eyes on it. I keep a look out for another one but this is the only one I have ever seen in Australia!

Fortunately I have a few others!

I’m down to one after having several. The one I have now is a Montana 308 that shot great straight out of the box. I’ve worked up my own loads for it but I remember when I got it, I had some red box federal bullets with 180g partitions and it stacked 5 of them into a ragged hole.

I had a 300wm mountain ascent that had some seriously bad problems, bedding it helped but it would still throw shots 3 feet wide at 300yds, that gun ahead issues and I sold it to a guy who just wanted an action.

Well, that is pretty disappointing guys, I was on the lookout for a good accurate 30-06 and don't much care for Tikka's looks so I was looking at Kimbers but now I'll look at something else.

I wouldn't write them off. While there have been quality problems over the years IMHO they are still worth trying if you value light weight. If buying used I would insist on shooting before the deal was closed. When they work, they work. If they don't, they can be fixed and it usually doesn't take a rebarrel as it did in my case.

Tried the Kimber route, had serious stock issues on rifle, no factory help. Stupid enough to try a pistol, had slide problem, ended up waiting for dealer to literally fight to get it replaced.

Went Tikka and Sako, happy with accurate shooters.

I’ve got a Classic .308 and Classic Selects in.257 Roberts (my favorite gun in the safe, of all my guns) and .30-06.

The only reason I don’t have more is I haven’t ran across the right combination of rifle/price/timing/wife not being around.

Edit to add, all 3 bought used, .308 here and other two in gunbroker. The .30-06 isn’t exceptional on accuracy, 1.5” 3 shot groups are typical, often smaller. The other 2 are expected under 1” for 3 shots when shooting.

Ed,

I've owned a number of Kimbers, going back to the Oregon models. They varied considerably, of course, due to being made by two different companies. The two biggest problems I've encountered with the Oregon Kimbers were wood that was apparently not allowed to dry enough before making the stocks. I used to do stock-work my beforewriting career really became steady, and two of my jobs were replacing Kimber of Oregon stocks that cracked.

Another problem was that not many of the people really knew much about building rifles. One of their employees was a retired auto mechanic who believed any "airspace" should be filled with heavy grease. The first Oregon Kimber I owned was a .223 sporter that grouped very well, but on an early May prairie dog shoot quit firing on a cool morning. Took the bolt apart (which was something of an adventure in itself) and found it was packed with grease. (Steve Timm, the now-retired gun writer who for a while was the test-fire guy for Kimber or Oregon, told me about why that occurred years later.)

When Kimber of New York started up the barrels varied considerably in quality. Eventually enough people starting complaining that they started using better ones. Have owned a few, including a .257 Roberts and .338 Federal, which grouped OK, but neither stuck.

The only "Kimber" in our house now started out as a New York "Montana" .243, which Eileen purchased used as the "donor rifle" for a custom .308 Winchester she had made by Serengeti Rifles in Kalispell. They not only rebarreled it (with a Lilja) but lightened the action even more, then fitted one of their laminated stocks that didn't look laminated, fitted to her dimensions by their stockmaker. It weighs 6 pounds 9 ounces with a 3.5-10x40 VX-III Leupold in Talley Lightweight mounts, and has been her "big" rifle since 2007, when she took it on safari in South Africa.

I would not write the Kimbers off either, especially in the 84L model which is what the 30-06 rifles are made in. Those guns came out around 2011-12 which was after most of the really bad Kimber QC problems.

A few years ago, I stumbled across a used as new Grey stocked 84L Montana 30-06 in a local N.Texas gunshop. It was $750 and looked nearly new. The action was smooth and slick . Everything about it seemed fine. Since I had been looking at a lightweight '06 for a while I was interested , but still needed to mull it over due to all the crap I had seen about Kimbers. I called Kimber CS to find out it was a 2014 rifle based on the serial number.

When I came back to buy it a few weeks later, it was gone. I figured "Well, somebody got a deal in a nice little gun- good for them"... It turned out my "significant other" had come in and bought it a few days after I told her about seeing it. It was under the Christmas tree a few weeks later. THAT was one of the better Christmas mornings in my life..:)

For the last three years , the gun has functioned flawlessly. It has been sub MOA accurate with several factory loads and it feeds ,fires and ejects more reliably than a mint condition 1963 Pre 64 Winchester m70 Featherweight 06 I once owned. The action on my Kimber is also about as slick as my 1949 m70 Sporter.

My Kimber is not for sale. It has been a good rifle.

Yep. Kimber has been a huge sponsor of the custom barrel manufacturing business in North America

No hesitation in buying a Kimber at this house.

Best way to put it...

Ed, I have zero experience shooting Kimber rifles.

Thats due to having a 1000 batting average selling Kimbers for 10 years and having to return EVERY SINGLE ONE to Kimber . At one point Kimber offered their dealers employees their choice of any rifle at 50% of MSRP. There were no takers.

I know some guys here have had good experiences with them, but I wouldnt walk across the street for a truckload of them.JMHO

I had a Kimber Custom 1911 that I gave to my son. It is as good as any other 1911 I've ever had. At the time the lower end Custom 1911 came with the traditional internal extractor. All of the problems I ever heard about were the higher end versions with an external extractor. Nothing wrong with an external extractor done right, S&W 1911's have them, but apparently Kimber couldn't figure it out.

Had a Montana in 308 that was mechanically very accurate. But after using it for a few years I decided it was TOO light. The rifle was fine, I just preferred something with a little more weight.

I honestly believe most of the complaints about Kimber accuracy can be traced back to shooters not being able to shoot a 5 lb rifle as well as an 8 lb rifle.

I do think that's a large part of it. Any little issues, however easily remedied, are also magnified due to the light weight. There really ain't anything quite like one, though, and it's worth some tinkering if necessary.

I have been lucky. I have had great results with a 84L Classic in .270, two Model 8400's in 300WSM and a little 84M Classic in 7mm08. I did buy one of the "Hunter" models in .270. It was a POC. Bolt wanted to come apart. The screw holes for the scope were for #6 up front but #8 on the back! One of them had no threads in it! I sent it back, sold it when it came back. I have owned and used hard Kimber 1911's over 20yrs, all were great. I always had their triggers smoothed up/lightened to 3# that's it. My EDC all that time as a CDP Govt 5", very lwt. In my hands, the flat MS Housing makes me shoot low. I had arched MS put on and perfection, could just look and point, sheboygin! In 2007 I had a wrist bone replaced in my shooting hand. Slowly it got to were it hurts like a bee sting in recoil from my thumb on top of the safety (the John Browning said to do it, ha) I now use a little G43X with a 15rd mag...world of difference!

I somewhat agree, any light rifle vs any heavy rifle this could be very true. All rifles are not created equal. I prefer a light 5-6 lb rifle with a light easily adj trigger in a gun the fits me. Coupled with a preferred scope makes knocking a coyote off a drift at 500 yds part of the day.

Fortunately competition has brought better choices from most manufactures.
I do have a friend that prefers a heavy rifle, a heavier trigger and a gun tote.
It's getting easier to narrow what works for you without sending it to be modified.

Time frame Tom?

I have owned more Kimber rifles than I can recall them all and I only had one dud, all the others were outstanding rifles in evey way function/accuracy/ fit/finish...I have only owned one Kimber handgun its a K6xs revolver which i like the ergos of and it functions fine but lacks in the accuracy dept.....Good hunting...Hb

I can’t say anything bad about them since I have never owned one. The reason I have never owned one is that I have never been impressed with the way they fit and feel to me, i.e. the way they balance and feel of the stocks, etc. I have also been underwhelmed by their accuracy at the range in observing friends and others sighting them in. A buddy has a Kimber 6.5 Manbun that shoots well, so they are not all POS.

I’ve only owned a couple, and both were great out of the box. I’ve kept the Adirondack in a Montana stock in man bun. Keep thinking I’ll make it a 7-08 or 308, but it shoots and is great suppressed, so….

I read all these threads with folks lamenting all their Kimber quality and other issues, and every single time, it reminds me of my Remington Model 7 issues of the last 30 years: I’ve had roughly a dozen. I’ve never had one worth keeping or that didn’t have to go back to Remington, or that the bolt wobble and bind didn’t make me sick. I’ve loved M7s since I first saw one. They don’t love me. I do have my eye on a 16” threaded 308 that finally ‘feels’ good in the action and stock. Maybe I’ll try again. I’m a sucker that way.

….then I come around to: the Kimber 84 is a better M7 than the M7 ever was….at least for me.

Zero issues with mine but sample of one. Bought it, properly bedded the recoil lug/shank and made sure the box wasn't binding. Done.

I haven't owned or traded as many guns as others here but I have been buying here and there since I was 12, in the 80's and I've never, ever sent a gun back to the mfg. Never had reason to. I refuse to believe I'm that lucky but dunno. I just haven't seen the "problems" other people so routinely find. It's weird.

The only one I can think of in the entire family was a 425 my brother sent to Browning when the stock cracked at the wrist. It came back with MUCH better wood on it, free of charge.

I have had 3, 2 good and one in 270 wsm that I wasted a ton of time and money in trying out different loads, but to no avail. I really wanted to like that one as well.

Had a few more from friends through my hands that went from being poor shooters to ok, not great, after doing some of the known Kimber hacks and load development.

I also agree it harder to shoot these flyweights and I don’t expect them to group as good as standard sporters. Pretty much on the Kimbers 3 in 1.5” at 100 yds was about my goal, which is plenty for any sane hunting range, I had one 308 MT that was a it a 3 in 1” gun out of the box. Also 3 in 1.5” would have been considered an accurate gun when I was growing up in the late 70s/80s.

Besides accuracy issues a few were a little rough and fed spotty, all stuff I could clean up but shouldn’t had have to.

I don’t recommended Kimber anything anymore, their 1911s (save for the early Clackamas made ones) and revolvers are beyond bad, stay clear. I carried an SA Professional for years on duty and still work on them.


For most people who ask me, and are not loaded for a high end rifle, I usually recommend a Tikka, Howa or Sauer 100, if on a budget a Ruger Ranch. All I have seen from these brands shoot and function great, but none are as light as or have as many features I like as much as a Kimber Montana, just not worth the hassle to me.

I guess I've been lucky with the 3 Kimbers I've bought so far....

8400 Super America in 325 WSM. Shoots 3/4" groups and has had absolutely no issues with factory ammo. Took 11 African plains game animals including 2 Kudu and a Burchells Zebra with 12 shots.

Kimber 84L Mtn. Ascent in 280 AI. Shoots 3 different handloads into 1/2" 3 shot groups. Absolutely no issues.

Kimber 84M Hunter Disolve Black in 6.5 CM. Shoots 3 different handloads into 1/2" 3 shot groups. Absolutely no issues.

Late 90s, early '00s

Out of 15 Kimber rifles I've owned from 223 up to 375 H&H , the only two that had major problems were from that early 2000's era. One 84M 243 had to go back to the factory to slick up the feeding (as I recall the factory reshaped the feed ramp), and an early 84M 308 with 2 position safety I bought as the previous owner's problem child. That rifle started out shooting well enough but accuracy had deteriorated with time. After going through the normal cast of characters I figured out the firing pin spring was the culprit. The previous spring had "taken a set" and all I can think is that it was giving inconsistent lock times. The rifle returned to fine shooting after spring replacement.

One common thin I’ve found with the Montana and its cousins is a tight mag box. Even an Adirondack. I relieve those. My 223 also had the too long front action bolt. Shoots fine now.

I have a Kimber Classic that started out as a 325 WSM. I like it much better now as a 7 SAUM with a 1:8 Lilja barrel. I also have a Classic Select 257 Roberts. Beautiful rifle but doesn't shoot as well as I'd like. Not sure if I'll keep it or move it along, though I'm pretty sure I'd be happier with it with a different barrel. Just not sure if I want to put more money into it...

Edit to add - forgot about my Oregon Kimber 223 single shot light varminter. Love that rifle and have shot thousands of gophers and prairie dogs with it.

I must be the luckiest Kimber owner of all time. Out of the 10-12 I've owned, I had 1 that struggled to keep bullets inside of 1.5" - a 257 Robts. It is now a subMOA 338 Fed. My current 270, 308, 7Rm, 6.5 Creed all have multiple loads with hunting bullets that shoot MOA or better.

To be fair, I did own one of the first Kimber Montana 300 WSM back about 2000. It fed cartridges a bit rough. Sent it back to Kimber and it fed much better upon return. It was an accurate rifle though.

Three Kimber Hunters - the only problem I've ever experienced has been with fairly tight magazines with 3 rounds loaded.... the top round can be a bit stubborn to strip off into the chamber.

The mags will require loading to basically factory oal lengths to fit and feed properly. The exception being the 6.5 CM, which has plenty of mag room.

All three (6.5cm,7-08,308) are every bit as accurate as I need them to be for hunting. In truth, they no doubt shoot better than I can...

If I had to only keep one of them, it would be the Creed. It'll do anything the other two can do in the field and is easier to reload for - and has better manners shooting off the bench.

I had 3 montanas, all made prior to the "sub moa standard". They all sucked in the accuracy department. 2 MOA or more?

I have a newer Mountain Ascent. I expected dog crap based on those other three but figured I'd have something in the ballpark of my mom's old Savage .30-30. I guess I need to "give up" a little sooner 'cause this bastard will shoot. During load workup I got groups 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches at 320 yards which verified later doing final sight-in prior to a couple hunting seasons.

I haven't worked with the Hunter or any of the wood stocked guns.

I think if I saw any of them in a cartridge I really want, if it's one of newer manufacture, I'd grab it.

Tom

My early Montana .243 had to go back to fix accuracy and feeding issues. It’s been flawless ever since.

My 270 84L irritated me something awful so I ordered a bbl to build a 1:8 270. When I pulled the scope bases off I found that the front scope base screw was contacting the bbl tenon, most likely the cause of my frustration but by then I was in project mode so the factory bbl got pulled.

Factory Montanas in 223, and 7-08 both shoot quite well as does a factory Pro-Varmint in 223.

I ordered 2 .224 1:7 Liljas today for 2 used Kimbers I bought specifically to re-barrel. One will be a 223, the other will be either a 22-250 or 22 Creed, haven’t made up my mind yet.

Horse1 are those Lilia’s the same profile as the Montana?

I have a couple of BGR’s that shoot really well. A 280 and a 270

I am with Ingwe! I have dealt with a bunch and most were okay, nothing special, ever. However, the worst example was so far beyond pathetic there is absolutely no excuse for the complete lack of customer service and bullshit lying, useless "gunsmiths" working for them.

338WM with failure to fire issues... chamber cast showed .100 excess between belt and shoulder. Bumped neck and reloaded with a false shoulder for owner. He bought factory when he lost his ammo and suddenly found his ass being kicked by a bull moose when he had a failure to fire situation on a closing, wounded bull.

First return to Kimber produced a returned rifle they claimed to have "replaced the bolt" on. 100% lie... returned it with a chamber cast and specific directions on problem laid out exactly. Returned with claim to have refinished externally... no comment on chamber cast and nothing done to remedy chamber. They responded I needed to return it again. I was never handed off to an actual person with any knowledge of basic gunsmithing, despite my many requests.

Had a thread turned off and rechambered. Owner is afraid to use it due to the huge run of issues.

Called the folks who bought the last 20 Kimbers from me. Three were still in the original owners possession. Two of those had shot their Kimbers only a very few times...

I'm not horse but have used Lilja barrels on a couple - and the answer is yes - Kim 84L/M is the contour depending on short or long action.

You can also get a modified contour that is identical through the forearm, then at the end of the forearm tapers very little/none out to finished length. Adds a bit of weight forward and about 3-4 oz Total. I like the 84m mod taper alot for a SA.

Years ago I also had a Lilja fast twist factory contour put on my 84M (7mm/08) for the 224 TTH. I shot it for a few years, then had the 7mm put back on to sell the rifle. I gave the Lilja barrel to a friend. It was an extremely good shooter!

Lilja has several modified Kimber contours with extra weight out front like you described. The first is shortactionsmoker's mod84m, which is likely the one you used. I had Lilja draw up a slightly heavier version with even less taper, which they refer to as the modk84L. This contour works with both 84Ls and 84Ms - you simply have the smith cut the shank to fit. There's also a mod8400 for the WSMs and such.
The additional weight out front helps the balance significantly, especially with the heavier scopes most of us tend to use nowadays compared to days of yore. A little more weight out towards the muzzle sure helps with offhand/less than fully steady field position shooting.

Yes, 0 inletting required. I have the Kim84M on a Montana in 1:8 22-250 and a 204 Varmint I barreled and Montana stocked in 1:7 223Rem. I have the Kim84L on the aforementioned 270Win.

Kim84M:

https://riflebarrels.com/wp-content/uploads/kim84m.pdf

Kim84L for long action direct fit.

Here's a link to Lilja's factory contour page showing a list of contours they have all the data to produce without having to send them a bbl to copy or any other data.

https://riflebarrels.com/factory-contours/

Thank you!

I completely agree. I've had KS Arms do a couple of modified dupes for me, one on an 8400 WSM and another on an 84m, and I much prefer the balance of the modified contour.

I have longed for a 22" mod contour Lilja barrel in plain Jane 280 Rem built on a Kimber Montana LA. To me, and for what I do, that would be close to Nirvana. I'd likely set it up to shoot 160 Accubonds, with more than a passing thought to the 175 ABLR. The 175 may pose some throating issues given the mag box constraints of the MT platform - but I'd live with a 160 NAB. I've never shot an animal past 400 yards in almost 50 years of hunting. I have passed on more than a few - mainly due to wind - I simply wasn't sure of a killing shot.

A 22" Lilja Mod taper 84L Kimber Montana with steel mounts (prob go Burris) and a Trijicon Credo 2.5-15×42 would tip the scales at 7lbs 3-4-5 oz. I could hunt most of what I do for the rest of my hunting days with said rifle.

If my current Montana 270 didn't shoot 150 NAB so dang well.......

And yeah I know a 280/160 NAB doesn't gain much over a 270/150 NAB but I still want one. There is magic in the 284 bore <G>

Have a Montana in 30-06 with a basic 2x7 Leupold. Just a tad over 6.5 lbs with a 24 inch barrel. First two rounds are never more than 1/2 apart at 100, then it opens up a bit. Feeds flawlessly, easily shoots 150 Interlocks and Partitions at 3,000 and 165 Ballistic Tips at 2950. Now it you don't get your primers bottomed out it will not go bang, and at first the brass after chambering looks like you took a dremel to it. Had to do some polishing. Hard not to grab it every time.

Were I putting together a 7mm on an 84L I’d give serious thought to a 7x57. Perfect mag length for long heavies in the ol’ Mauser cartridge. In fact I very nearly typed the magic words just this morning on the 84L classic in the classifieds, with plans to build such a rifle, but I was able to refrain.

You’re likely right on with your weight estimate. For comparison my 84L Montana in 6mm Stuver with 6 decimeter long barrel in the modk84L contour, with steel Warne rings and bases, an SWFA 3-9, and a full magazine and sling tips the scales at 7 lbs 10.0 ounces.

Think I currently have around a dozen or so.

Fantastic rifles.

AAA French Select 308.Shoot's Fed blue box 1" and my load's with old Win power points 3/4". Feed's nice and smooth.Good one so far.

I’m always looking for a donor for such a build. I think the Mauser would be pretty awesome in the 84L.

I went so far as build dummy cartridges in 7x57 with various bullets. They all fed well. I'd prob still go 280 Rem - have all the components plus a bit more fuel storage ain't a bad thing.

Looking for one of those $800 Kimber Montana LAs....

The 84L is wayyyyyy too short on COAL,for a 280 or 280AI. Hint.






180 ELD magfed Smooches,do nice thangs. Hint.





Just sayin'..............

That’s worth a spout.

Brass and powder?

PPU/'26/200's. Chamber is right enough,that there's no false shoulder. Hint.

It's THE Giant Killer. Modest fhuqking felt recoil,exceptional handling and INCREDIBLE down range performance. Hint...............

Appreciate it.

Agreed. I like the platform enough and would prob make concessions. Be interesting to see what accuracy and velocity could be achieved with the COAL limitation and something like a 175 ABLR. They see to like a bit of jump.

Looks familiar.

Is that the one you built? I recall you built a 7by on a Montana.

Be a dandy rifle when you don’t know where you might end up out in the mountains and still want some reach.