Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Kimber Model 82 Government

First off I must relay to all that (at least in my little corner of the world!) sadly the "economy" is apparently causing so many folks to have to sell their "toys".
And that is a shame - and that is something that I pray soon becomes corrected (things get back to normal economy wise).
For instance in the past week I have bought two used but as new Leupold scopes and yesterday I bought a MINT condition and BEAUTIFULLY stocked Kimber Model 82 Government Model in 22 L.R. caliber.
These items have all been second hand deals and I would describe them as "bargains" for me at least.
Last night I mounted the newish Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope on this handsome rimfire.
Then I gathered up all my "quality" rimfire ammunition and had it and my Rifle and range gear right by the door in hopes of shooting it and testing ammo this morning.
Alas the Rocky Mountain winds were blowing this morning and continue to do so hereabouts at least, this afternoon.
Maybe I can get out to shoot the new rig tomorrow.
Among the bullets I intend to test are some made by Eley, CCI (Greentag), Winchester PP, Federal bulk pack, Bitterroot Valley Ammunition Company hollow-points, Remington bulk pack, CCI (Mini-Mag) and CCI (Velocitor).
My intentions are to find the two "most accurate" types of bullets.
One type being the most accurate non-game bullet (for target work) and the other being the most accurate game bullet (hollow-points?).
I originally used my 22 L.R. snap cap to try the trigger on this Kimber Model 82 Rifle and the trigger was absolutely wonderful - I mean it is exquisite!
Ultra crisp, ultra light and again with NO perceptible creep what so ever.
That was probaly the "final straw" tipping me over the edge of the "decision precipice" and making me "add" this Rifle to my rimfire arsenal.
The Rifle has an adjustable buttstock and the wide-ish forearm has a standard type "rail" to add accessories to - for those types that go in for "off-hand" shooting, something "I" am not interested in.
My intentions are to mostly Hunt Ground Squirrels with this extra heavy barreled target type Rifle and rarely to plink away at targets.
Speaking of the barrel it's 25" long and has two target scope blocks on it in case I someday wish to mount a target type (Unertl) scope on the barrel.
This Rifle was made (I believe) back in the mid-1980's but still is absolute mint condition showing NO use, and has a well figured and gloriously colored stock on it - including some red striping!
Anyway I may look funny next spring with this "position type Rifle" hanging over my sandbags out in Gopher country but I think my partners that may start laughing at me will shortly curtail that rudeness when I commence to "bonking" Gophers out there around 100 yards with it!
Does anyone know if this Model 82 Government Model Kimber has an adjustable trigger - I may want to increase the let off just a little?
Wish me luck and I am also open to suggestions for an ultra accurate ammunition that is also lethal on Ground Squirrels.
Waiting out the wind (again!) here in SW Montana!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

FYI - My Kimber 82 - non-government - does have an adjustable trigger - over-travel and pull. Also shown in the 1980 sales literature.

I have 3 NIB - 22lr, 22wrm, and hornet all with same serial #1354. Neat to look at my old letters from the org owner of Kimber dated Dec 15, 1981.

John N

John_n: Thank you for that information!
I did not get the factory instruction sheet with my Rifle as it came in a nice hard case and not the original factory carton.
Come to think of it "I" have an exquisitely stocked set of Kimbers like yours, and the serial numbers on my set match my Life Membership number to the Varmint Hunters Association at #185.
I'll just go dig those out of the gun vault and see what I do to adjust the trigger.
The serial number on my Government Model is some bizzare long thing beginning with "GM" then followed by a bunch of numbers.
What ammo shoots well in your 82 Rifle?
I used to attend a lot of Gunshows on the west coast and when I went to the Portland, Oregon gunshows I always looked for and went out of my way to converse with the original owner of Kimber Rifles - it's been so long since then, do I recall correctly that his name was Greg Warren???
He was an ardent Rifleman and loved many kinds of Rifles besides his own.
I once told him what the trigger pull was on a Kimber Ultra-Varmint Rifle in 221 Fireball I own, was, it had come from the factory like I had measured it and relayed to him, he whispered to me "don't say that so loud - my plant manager is here and he is a lawyer and would not approve of that low a trigger pull"!
I also have a Kimber of Oregon Model 82 in 218 Bee (shoots pretty fair) and a Model 22 Hunter/Silhouette in 22 L.R. (shoots amazingly well).
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My owner's manual says to NOT use high velocity ammo in it. Standard velocity only. I'm not sure why. It also says to not dry fire without a snap cap.

I have gotten 5-shot, 1/4-inch groups at 50 yards with mine. Any good ammo (Eley, Lapua, RWS, Ficcho Super Match and Wolf Ultra Match) will perform well. I have gotten to the point where I am weighing each round and sorting them, but haven't yet started measuring the rim thickness... I have gotten exactly one group that measured .108.... Pure luck, there.

Calif. Hunter: Thank you VERY much for that info on the high velocity ammunition!
I will heed that warning or just sell the Rifle.
I wonder WHY that warning has been invoked and published by them?
Does ANYONE know why such a warning would be made?
Yikes - luckily I have only run about 50 high velocity rounds down my barrel (chamber!).
I hope I have done no harm.
Thanks again to you and to anyone who may know why this situation is called for.
And WOWSERS!
Great shooting on your and your Rifles part!
Good for you both.
I do have a quality snap-cap but I have used it only a few times and do not need (for my uses - Varminting) to use it anymore.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I will have to see if I can find out. One fairly knowledgeable guy/gunsmith said something about the match chamber? It surely isn't a pressure issue, as it is a standard Kimber 82 rimfire action and a heavy barrel? Maybe the caution is for the hyper-velocity rounds with a longer case and shorter bullet like Stingers?

Calif. Hunter: Thanks for that.
I wonder if anyone makes a standard velocity hollow-point.
As my intended useage is for Hunting Ground Squirrels en masse.
Its been so long since I shot a Ground Squirrel with anything but a higher velocity hollow-point (like 35 years!) I have long since forgotten what a solid nosed bullet does to them Gophers.
Allrighty then - its back to the drawing board with the Kimber Model 82 Government.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

OK, Varmint Guy - I have to apologize! You CAN use high velocity ammo in them. For best accuracy, they say not to... BIG DIFFERENCE! Sorry for the mis-info. (Egg all over face.)

At least it does say not to dry-fire them....

It is easy to make your own snap-caps. I've made many of them. I just stick a .22 rim fire bullet between my teeth and bend down on the case, dump the powder and dry fire. Have used some for years and never broke a fireing pin or dented a chamber yet.

How are the teeth?

I use empty, fired rimfire cases for snap caps. I also have a few plastic ones that I have bought. I find that the plastic ones tend to break after repeated use. With an empty .22 case, there are plenty of replacements around.

Doing OK after the first 61 years, I don't know how they will hold up for the next 61 years? I do feel that there will come a point where it won't matter all that much to me.

VG, go over to www.rimfirecentral.com and go to the Kimber forum. At the top of the page are a bunch of stickies and one of them contains a Kimber 82G users manual in PDF format. Lots of useful info about the trigger.

The adjustment for all of the Oregon made 82 rimfire triggers is the same. Take the metal out of the stock and look at the trigger assembly. There are two headless screws on the bottom front. The lower one is the weight of pull. Loosen the set screw and turn the screw out to lighten the pull and in to make it heavier. I usually go in 1/4 turn increments. The top screw is the trigger over travel screw and you shouldn't have to fool with it or the third adjustment screw on the back of the trigger which controls sear engagement.
As far as dry firing, you might be interested to know that the army conducted an endurance test on all of the rifles submitted to the testing board that ultimately selected the Kimber 82G over 5 other competitors. The test was to fire 1000 shots and then 100 snaps on an empty chamber which was repeated 5 times for 5000 shots and 500 snaps.

There must be a reason why the manual says not to dry fire, so I think I will go with what they say. No offense intended, but I will go by what the manufacturer says.




They even put an exclamation point at the end of the statement....

No problem. However dry firing is a common training technique used by every competitive shooting discipline that I'm familiar with. I'm sure the army expected their shooters that would train with the 82G to dry fire it, that's why they tested its ability to do it. It has a recessed bolt face which keeps the firing pin from hitting the edge of the chamber and damaging it which was a concern with older rifles that were dry fired. Maybe they were worried that the inertial movement and stoppage would somehow damage the firing pin. Firing pins are available from a vendor on Gunbroker should you ever need one.

That info on the firing pin availability is good to know.

Does anyone know how light you can go with the Kimber trigger (approximately - every gun is somehwat an individual)? Does anyone make an aftermarket trigger for the 82G?

Cron: Thanks for that info.
Its appreciated greatly.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have adjusted several down to a safe 1# trigger. Usually you can accomplish that by judicious adjustment of the weight of pull screw that I mentioned earlier. Occasionally you will run across a sear with a rough spot which requires some light stoning in order to set it as light as a pound. It's not hard if you are careful.
On the Rimfirecentral.com site, in the Kimber forum, there is a member, Nemohunter, that has perfected a simple modification that has produced safe triggers down to 4 ounces. This is discussed in several threads and even has some really good pictures showing how it's done.

Thanks - I 'll have to check out those threads at Rimfire Central when I get online at home - the computer at work blocks that website.