Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles My experience with two Kimber rifles

I have watched the debates on this forum over Kimber rifles the last several years and thought I would share my 2 cents.

I have bought two, both new. One is a Kimber Classic 84M in 308 Win and the other is a Kimber 8400 Montana in 300WSM.

I am a veteran reloader with some 35 years experience. I found both Kimbers no more difficult to get to shoot well than any other rifle over the years. What I did find however, and it was really no surprise, is they can be stinkers to get to shoot smallish groups off the bench unless exacting bench rest technique is used. The light weight and resulting increased felt recoil and muzzle jump make them harder to group with than a heavier rifle. In both of my cases, working up loads was a bit frustrating until I figured out that I was the cause of most of the flyers. Placement in the bags, follow through and other little factors are seemingly more important on these lighter rifles. Once I refined my technique life with them has been rosy.

While neither of my rifles are one holers, both shoot right at MOA or a little less with the loads I worked up. Both shoot Nosler Partitions (my go to bullet) very well. The 308 likes RL 15 and 165 partitions and the 300 WSM shoots best so far with RL 22 and 180 partitions at around 2900 fps (see pic below). I carry these rifles a lot and really appreciate the reduced weight and semi-custom feel. I also found the triggers to be clean breaking and in the three lb range. I may buy another someday.

An interesting aside is the 300 WSM had no use for 180 gr Accubonds. 2 MOA was about all I could do with that bullet.

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Thanks for sharing, and welcome to the forum. Now...

How do YOU feel about that?

Not again...

I too have two Kimbers.

A 84M Montana in .308 Win that I have had a while. Right at MOA +/- with 165 SGK's and Reloader 15.

I just added another Montana in .223 Haven't shot it yet.

What? A guy can't ask a question around here?

At least you didn't say "innocent" question. I don't have my hip waders handy...

I think "right at MOA" is acceptable for a big game rifle.

My Montana 300 WSM is about 8-9 years old.....I tried Federal 180 TSX in it and shot well under an inch.....never bothered loading or trying other ammo......it's killed a dozen moose [visitors borrow it] and a couple grizzly as well as a dall ram....

My Kimber Varmint 22-250 wouldn't shoot anything well until I removed the Talley LWs. Now its right at 3/8".

Pretty much agree with the bench technique. Mine shot a lot better once I fixed the shooter.

5090,
Thanks for joining in the "fun" and posting about your Kimbers.
Would you please elaborate what you did at the bench to clean up your technique? I believe that it is the source of a significant number of complaints. It might help others coming from someone like yourself who is "untainted" by debate.

My Montana was a turd, 5-6" groups at best. A new barrel and trued action and she shoots 1/2 moa with handloads and at or below moa with everything else. No need for special bench or shooting techniques.

Nor should there ever be....

Real sorry to hear that.
OMG I still cannot believe Kimber has not got their ST yet

I guess I will buy Sako 85 then

Or a NULA....

X-bolts are sweet too

Go NULA and be done!

I'm savin' up.

I agree, the X-bolts are shooters..............Hb

It was easier to get my sub 6# kimber 308 shooting than it was to get my 6.5lb faux ti 30-06 to shoot. Both like a soft front rest, like a rolled towel or jacket. Both like to have the forend lightly gripped behind the rest. Neither like free-recoiling off the rests with no use of the non-trigger hand.

No need for a new barrel or a trued action either.