Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Kimber-Talkeetna 375 H&H

I am considering buying the Kimber, and thoughts on reliability, balance and overall quality.

I saw one a while ago I wish I would have bought. I ended up with a classic ss win 70 375h&h. I'll end up paying $500 for a stock and wishing I would have went with the talkeetna. I've never owned one but have several montanas and would say go for it.

I kinda lean the other way. I too bought a stainless classic 70. I had it the barrel cut to 20", put a newHogue aluminum pillared stock on it with a Burris Signature Safari illuminated reticle 1.75-5x scope on it and a trigger job. I grin every time I handle it.

My buddy has a Sako .375 that's quite the shooter too.

Nothing wrong with the Kimber, but for that kinda money...

hglass,

I have a Talkeetna, but I have not huneed with it. I am also building a Model 70 classic stainless .375HH.

You cannot build a rifle that has the features of the Talkeetna for the money they sell them for, that is why I purchased it.

It has a quality stock which will cost you $550.00 min., and the magazine holds 4 down which will cost you additional bottom metal cost, as much as $600.00 for Sunny Hill, a barrel band, and a light contour barrel. To purchase a Winchester or Remington donor and purchase the parts and have a quality smith install them you will have considerably more in it than a Talkeetna. I know this because I am in the process of doing just that. I am willing to spend the extra money to have a Model 70 Classic Stainless with the quality features of the Talkeetna.

I think the Talkeetna is a good value.

Ed

bigwhoop has/had a Talkeetna. Drop him a line.

The Talkeetna has a SS Krieger barrel.
Blind mag that holds down 4 rounds.

Stock that is every bit the equal of a McMillan in construction and quality. The ergo's and design aid in diminishing felt recoil.

Gentry barrel band, and NECG sights.

And weighs in under 8lbs naked (mine went just a hair over 7 3/4 before I chopped the barrel to 20.5")

A lot of rifle for the $$ IMHO.

I'm out of Talkeetnas for now. Bought a NIB Win. SS Classic 375 H&H and have a McMillan waiting to be bedded. Just too damn hot to play at the range. I like both rifles. I took the Talkeetna to AK. twice and got a nice Mt. Brown Bear, in the Talkleetna Mts.. The assistant guide had a chopped Talkeetna. The Kimber went through a many miles of snowmobile riding, snowshoeing, river crossings, over 100 miles of air boats and never failed me. The Talley QD's were rock solid as my return trip to the range proved.

However there was one thing that always made me very aware of my technique. In the event of some sort of failure to eject or me short stroking a second round, you were in trouble without a floorplate to bail you out.

I should add that the stock design and recoil pad "foot print" is absolutely the best. The rifle shot like a varmint rifle and I have many 200 yard targets that would make one raise their eyebrows. However it was that blind magazine that just put the tiniest of concern in my mind. For all other N.A. big game - no problem.

Talk of modifying a Montana kevlar stock has come up here not that long ago - to add a floorplate. I think it is a design and strength issue that is at issue. Cerainly all bets are off with the Kimber warranty if you tried it.

I just picked up a M-70 Stainless Classic .375H&H. It's a NH gun with the fold down rear sight. I'm going to get one of the older M-70 Express sights that doesn't fold. The Tupperware will probably give way to a McM, but I'm not sure which one. The McM Classic is shaped more like the factory synthetic, which allows a good cheek weld for iron sights. The McM Safari has a cheek piece and the comb looks higher. I like the Echols Legend, but the comb looks higher than the Classic.

A few weeks ago, I had a nice conversation with D'Arcy Echols. What a nice guy. He took a lot of time to answer my questions. He said the Legend was made for scopes but did OK with high irons.

What McM are you putting on your Classic SS M-70?

DF

'whoop,

That's the only "issue" I have with the Talkeetna as well.

I seem to recall Headache (former Kimber employee and had a big hand in the Talkeetna development and design) recommending against attempting to install/fabricate a bottom metal for the Talkeetna.

For a M70 .375 H&H I would look hard at either the Echols pattern or the Bridges pattern from HCR.

I have an Echols Legend on my M70 .458WM and my rifle remains un-scoped. A good firm check weld on the stock is needed for the iron sights.

I recently ordered the Winchester Express New from Rick for my 416 M70. I was considering the Legend and exchanged email with D'Arcy but was concerned about the comb height as well. We shall see.

Bigwhoop,
Really, lack of a floor plate turned you off...because you might short stroke. I'd alway go without a floor plate if I had a choice. Some rifles just aren't available without them...especially wood stocks which I tend to lean towards. Floor plates are nice to dry an action at night, but serve no other real purpose to me.

As I have heard, the Kimber will not allow the magazine to be fed straight down due to the acion opening length being less than the OAL of the 375 H&H. Is this true?

probably but the M70 in .375 also has an ejection port shorter than the .375 H&H cartridge

I'd build, or go with a used 70 at this time and add one of D'Arcy's handles on it when time allowed.

Dober

nice, Mark

You'd like it Toad, and yeepers does it shoot. Thinks it's a yote rifle. Been thinking of putting my 3-10 Leo w/M1 on top again for the elk opener. It has some ranging ability to it.

Dober

Interesting. I was under the impression that Kimber designed the action for the longer rounds.

Dober,

What length is that barrel? I just picked up a used .375 H&H Stainless Classic as posted earlier and am trying to decide on the barrel length. Some like 20.5", others 21". I want to shorten it some, as the factory pipe is pretty beefy. I think a shortened heavy tube will handle better than a long heavy tube. And those Winchester barrels are too good to shuck and replace, IMHO.

I may go with the Winchester Tupperware handle until I decide what to do.

DF

23" and no doubt I'd with with one of D'Arcy's handles

Dober