Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber Montana 280 AI Range Report #2

After breaking in the barrel using 280 Rem brass, I ordered Nosler Ackley brass and began working up loads fired by Federal 210 Match primers..

I had my smith cut the tube to 23", and upon his recommendation did not bed the rifle. He's as anal as they come, and he said the rifle sat "dead nuts" in the barrel channel. Scope is a Zeiss 2.5-8 Conquest in Talley LW rings.

Based on previous 280 Rem loads and 7mm Rem Mag loads using IMR 7828SSC, that was the powder I chose.

I loaded the 150 Nosler Ballistic Tip, as the primary quarry will be Whitetail here in the Adirondacks, and long tracking jobs will inevitably take one away from the truck, not towards it.

I used the Nosler #5 Manual as a reference, due in large part to Steve Timm's recommendation.

61.0 7828SSC, shots 1-3 out of a clean barrel, averaged 2986 fps, and were sub MOA at .771"

61.5 = 3033, 1.25 MOA

62.0 = 3065, Sub MOA at .886

62.5 = 3145, 2 MOA...

I loaded 63.0, but based upon the velocity with the 62.5 load, did not fire them.

No loads showed any obvious signs of pressure.

I'm planning on reloading the 62.0 load to see if it's repeatable, as well as with different COAL to see if accuracy improves. For today's session COAL was 3.330.

Bench technique was simply to pull the rifle into my shoulder as snug as possible, left hand did not touch the rifle, was on the rear sandbag.

Hoping this helps you Ackley fans!!

I'd still bed the forward receiver and under the shank... a recent "experiment" (long story) with an 84L MT in 30-06 definitively proved (at least in that rifle) that groups will shrink substantially. And yes, that rifle was "dead nuts" in the barrel channel too.

Your 280AI sounds awesome... what a great round!

That's good shooting.

Your velocities are right there with the Nosler book loads for the 7mm WSM and 270 WSM's!

I still have not got to handle a 84L. What with all the guns I have and don't shoot now I can't really say that I 'need' one. However if one with nice wood ........

Think I will go and get a rifle out of the safe. Perhaps the 84M Classic 7-08 with a nice stock or one of the WSM's?

To add that I would not cut the barrel! That 23" stuff is just a 'mashburn' fad.

Its not easy to carry more than one rifle in the field.

You rarely add anything even remotely worthwhile to a given topic... seriously.

He already cut the barrel to 23"... or perhaps you can't read.

As to "fad"... the 84L balance better to my eye and hand at 23" rather than 24" and I'm not guessing...

Brad: I'd love to know more about your experience with the bedding...PM perhaps if you get a moment?

99: I don't need a 25-06, yet as soon as I find a 84L classic select with a knockout piece of walnut....

Brad,

Lighten up ok? "Remember all this is just for fun."

I should have written: "To add that I would not have cut the barrel! That's what I meant.

I handled a couple of 8400 Montanas along with the 84M's just now. There is not much of a change for me in terms of balance between any of them. There is in carry weight however and not all that much in that.

It's a forgone conclusion it's cut... no one cares about your rudely expressed opinions.

That pretty well explains why your opinion is irrelevant.

And of course, mounting Hubble Telescopes on top makes all them indistinguishable as well.

Rifleman,

I have so many Kimbers now that its not easy keeping track.

Of late I am more interested in fine stocked customs.

We went to the Cabelas in E. Hartford the other day. Thats my favorite gunshow of late and what with no parking or entrance fee and being open seven days a week.

Hey, Doug, sounds like an ideal "mountain rifle" and I would ask, how is the feeding from the mag on your Kimber? I am looking hard at buying one as I just found out that the 2012 Mod. 70 Jack O'Connor Custom Commemorative Rifle I had a local shop order for me at SHOT, might not make it into Canada, due to domestic US demand.

So, as I understand it, and you and Brad can kindly inform me on this, these are a new and improved model of Kimber and they are now free of some of the issues with past Kimbers?

I would love a Montana, with a floorplate as I am not too enamoured of blind mags for use here in BC. However, I think that if I am going with a blind mag on a CRF rifle, the Montana is the one to get, given the reports I am reading here.

BTW, a buddy of mine recently bought two Dakota 76 rifles and liked the stock that you sold me on mine so much that he has ordered two of them from Hill Country. I just missed an unfired 7mag. here in Canada in December that would have matched my .338, but, one can't have it all, eh...........

Kute, nice to see you around.

Kimber's often had some feeding issues early on... the feedramps on both the 8400 and 84's were too steep by 10*.

The 8400's ramp was changed-over around 2006 and also got a ships bow incorporated in it... a decided help with CRF rifles.

The 84's were finally changed around 2007/2008. Of course the new 84L's were designed with the shallower feedramp/ships-bow from the get-go.

I've found the steeper feedramp was more problematic with the 8400/WSM's than the 84's. But the shallower feedramp helped both.

As to QC... can't really know. All 11 MT's I've had would shoot something well... and some would shoot a LOT of things well.

I have noticed a marked improvement on how well the MT's recoil pads are ground.

Here is my load from my 280AI that shoots well:

- 150gr ballistic tip.
- CCI 200 Primer
- Rem case
- 61grs, R22
-.020" off the lands
- 3015fps.

Safe in MY gun, always work up pressure though.

I believe I'd load more of those 150's at 3000 fps and if it kept shooting under an inch, I'd lay in about 500 of them and call it good.

What a great setup!

My Weaver custom rifle on a Bordens Rimrock action with a Kreiger 1-10 twist likes Nosler AI brass,60grs Ramshot Hunter, Winchester WLR primers and Hornady 139gr Interlocks.FPS ranged from 3089 to 3095.

Kute....I believe Martini & Hagn has an import license, you might touch base with them for help on the Winchester.

I've owned three Kimbers, an 84 in .308 which I sold, an 8400 in .300 Win Mag which I've kept (Tackdriver), and the Ackley.

All three have fed flawlessly, no issues. All three have shot well.

I too would prefer a Montana with a floorplate, I'd gladly tote the extra few ounces, but I didn't miss it with the .308, and the rifle feels good in the hand.

That HCR stock is a keeper allright. I added one last month, ordered for an M-70 in 7mm Dakota.

Doug seems like 3040-3050 with a 150 is "normal"velocity for the 280AI(?)....I noticed that's where John Sundra ended up with his JRS cartridge,which is pretty much the same thing.

Bob, I think your are right! 58.5 IMR 4831 gets 3050 from a 140, add a grain and a half with the 150 and its basically the same.
No stress!

The JRS was pretty much the same. My AI is boring, hell it shoots everything well. I guess that's good.

I don't know if you're interested in shooting the high B.C. 162 and 168 grain bullets from Hornady and Berger but if you are here is a load which works great in my 26" 280AI.

162 Amax
64gr Magpro
Nosler brass
WLR

This load is hot but it exhibits no pressure signs in my rifle (Accurate Powder lists 65gr Magpro as max)
This load chronos 3050 fps 15' from the muzzle.
Excellent accuracy.
QL shows pressure in the 62-63K range.

I'm curious as to what speed the Berger 168's would do.

My Berger 168's go 2990-3000 using RL-22.

I'm not at home now or I'd list the RL-22 load but I don't want to be mistaken.