Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Talley light weight for Kimber Montana

Brad, that sucks that you have to put JB weld under your talley bases. I've never had to do that with my rifles. Never had a talley or Leupold DD crack either. Knock on wood...

"Sucks"? How so?

I don't "have to" bed Talley's that way, I bed every type of ring/base on every type rifle that way, and have done for decades.

It's the best way I know to make a bombproof mount, apart from a full integral mount like Ruger. And it may actually be better than the Ruger...

I wonder how many Kimber accuracy problems have been caused by Talley supplying the wrong length screw.

Just a thunk

Brad,

I think bedding the mounts is smart with little to no downside. Seems like standard procedure with many comp shooters. I'm a big fan of the cookie dough cold weld, but it's a lot harder to remove than the JB from squeeze tubes.

I wonder if you'd have the same results if those 20+ rifles weren't bedded?

Interesting stuff.

Jason

Interesting Brad. I like keeping things simple. Enjoy accurate rifles like everyone else here, never had to do that is all I'm saying. One of those "trick moves" we hear about I guess. Since this is about Montana's, I'll concede that you definitely know your chit about these rifles. Some talley lightweights I've had have been switched around so much that I worried more about stripping the threads than anything else I guess. They have always been flawless and Dave Talley is a great guy to deal with. The only time I had problems was when they sent me a set with one Remington base and one Winchester base in it. I was stumped and had to call and talk to Dave at Talley and he sent a new one out immediately.

They speak very highly of their lightweights for being one of the strongest set up's on the market. They also want to hear your story if you break a Talley ring/base:

I don't "have" to do it, I "get" to do it.

It's VERY simple, nor some "trick move" (whatever that is).

It's just one more measure to get the most out of a rifle, especially a backpack/mountain rifle (all mine except my 22lr are).

I'm struggling to grasp how what amounts to a monolithic mount has any downside, and only upside...

Funny, until shortactionstroker pointed it out, I never noticed the "problem" and never shortened mine. All my MT's have had Talleys, and all of them have shot something sub moa, and more than a few shot many things sub moa.

However, starting with my last couple I've shortened the screw, more because now knowing about it would bug me rather than anything I'd experienced.

BUT, bedding my rings to the receiver may have made the difference.

Still, I'm willing to bet the #1 reason for all those poor shooting Kimber MT's is the operator can't deal with the light weight at the bench, and/or is trying to force the damn rifle to "like" a bullet it doesn't.

I like "qick steel" as well and see that as being easier to deal with than runny JB weld. It would also set up faster and be stronger. Brads suggestion is a good one. However, I'm just stating I've never done it before as I've never seen the need to. A montana may need this treatment???

The only thing I've ever needed to do with my Kimber's was add scope rings and scopes. Seems to be working so far.

My 84M 308 in Talley lows and wearing a 3.5-10x40 VX3.

always check every screw length, regardless of make...

I've never used LWs on other rifles. Might be differences in the mount designs for different makes/models of rifles?

The ones that best fits your head, neck and shoulder. Everyone chases the lowest. Never understood why.

for me, that is the lowest. I've never had optics too low on a bolt gun.

but on my Montanas, even the Ti bolt knobs scuff the ocular bell with XLs, unless using the compact/Ultralight Leupolds.

Not to hijack but would a 50mm Leupold require mediums on the same gun??

You're right. The titanium bolt handle is dragging along the ocular of the Swaro Z3. I measured and was surprised to find that the Swaro ocular diameter was less than the Leupold 2.5-8. But only by a tenth or so.

I tried to make the bolt catch somewhere on the scope by putting pressure different ways in different places and I was able to work the bolt every time. But I may go ahead and order some lows to replace these. If something bad is going to happen, it would probably happen in the field when least welcomed.

Yeah, kinda though it'd be dragging.

X-Lows will drag on the VX3 and the smaller VX2's, but not the smaller yet VX2 Compacts.

To me, there's no function issue, just a matter of whether you want to scrape your scope and bolt. Personally I don't, but I'm a bit fussier than the average about that sort of minutia. I don't mind a HARD used rifle, just don't like wear I could have avoided.

Ran the hardness test today. Rather than clutter this thread anymore than I already have, I'll just post a link for anyone interested.

Hardness test

Thanks Brad. I'll probably order some lows and change them out before I take this one to the range.