Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Inaccuracy with new Kimber 84M Montana 7mm-08

+1 on the Foresters. And a huge +1 for the Nosler 48 Patriot. All the Tikkas I've used over the past 15 years are smooth as silk, feeding cartridges and all.

I'm with Bob here. I have no desire any more to fiddle with a fussy out-of-the-box rifle.

I like the looks of the Kimbers and I generally like their features, especially their weight, and their price. In fact when I built a 340 on a Rem 700 action I had a Sako extractor (I had had a Rem "thumb nail" extractor break on me) and a 3-position safety installed along with a tuned Timney trigger as it was to be an "Alaskan gun." It had a Brown Prec stock and Pach pad -- sort of Kimberesque for a heavy medium at 8.5lbs all up.

I have nothing against the Kimber rifles having never had one; it's a moot point for me as I'm a lefty but this CRF affectation is kind of lost on me. CRF is about as necessary in the "lower 48" as mammary glands on a boar. I won't argue about it as it's been beaten pretty well here and elsewhere. P-Fs have been used successfully everywhere including Africa. It's. It's not that I don't like CRF but neither do I dislike P-Fs.

It's just when it's held up to be a redeeming feature of a rifle and superior to the same with P-F that I wince.

That I can agree with.

For a guy that doesn't like fiddling with rifles, you sure had a lot done to that 340...

As far as CRF, that's not even a factor for me. There still isn't anything that can touch a Kimber Montana. CRF or otherwise.



Travis

Yea, that rifle is just one of the reasons I'm through fiddling.

I'd put a $500 bill on my Tikka 270 and 500 yd groups.

I'd put $1000 on anyone interested in seeing who will top the mountain first and I might even throw on a 20 lb pack just to make it fair.

Shod

For me, a "real" rifle is CRF... I don't pretend that's rational, or that CRF is necessary. It's just my personal bias, pure and simple and I'm very clear on that.

Push Feed rifles are perfectly "adequate."

But no PF feeds as well a "right" CRF... problem is very few CRF's are "right!"

USRAC M70's can be pretty spotty.

A good Mauser chambered in 7x57, etc., can be flatly amazing.

Generally it's just easier for a mfg to make a PF than a CRF action.

After I contacted Kimber in the summer of 2004 and pointed out I thought their feedramp was too steep for good feeding, I was re-contacted and told I was indeed correct, and that by their calculation it was 10* too steep. The ramp was changed on CAD and the design change was slowly implemented after the remaining actions were used up (the old couldn't be re-machined).

If you have an older Kimber (the early 8400 WSM's or early 84M's) you can emery and polish the heck out of the feedramp and it will really help. The WSM's however, because of their case geometry, suffered far worse from the steep ramp than did the 84M's.

Current production Kimbers feed beautifully and I've yet to use any M700 that feeds as well! A 700 is good enough tho.

However, as good as the Kimbers are, nothing beats a pre-64 M70 chambered in a 270 or 30-06!

Well I'm a fan

I don't like to fiddle but anymore but I am Polly Annish and have enough experience with them to believe they will shoot.

For me the attraction is simple. They are like a M70....safety in the same place, operation is the same,stocks intelligently designed and made of good materials.

I do like that it's sort of a CRF because I don't care for plunger ejectors, like a bit more extractor beef on the rim.It mounts a scope low and the stock fits good with a scope.

It's lighter than a M70,so provides a light weight alternative. I like a M70 trigger better but the Kimber trigger will do.

If they chambered it for nothing but a 7/08 it wouldn't bother me at all...the cartridge kills like a 270 and the Kimber is lighter to boot.

What I don't like is that set screw that controls firing pin protrusion but it seems to be not too big an issue. The short action is a meaningless feature to me,but that doesn't mean the 7/08 isn't a good package.

It isn't hard to like.

A response to trigger comments from previous posters...

The Kimber trigger is the best factory trigger on the market today. I've played with every factory adjustable trigger currently on the market. The Kimber wins hands down.

With that being said, I'm still a fan of open triggers. The old Winchester design is still my favorite. Ruger's design isn't far behind if you know how to polish it up.

I'd take a 1-1.5 MOA Kimber over a .5-1 MOA Tikka Uberlanche any day.

Yessir! Anybody who claims the Tikka trigger is better than the Kimber trigger hasn't spent much, if any, time playing with both.

Sweet! You're welcome any time! BTW, what does a $500 bill look like?

Kimber group

I think the proof is in the pudding not on the internet.

Shod

That group will beat my Tikka Jordan, my Tikka routinely will do 3" at 500 yds.

Is that a factory tube on your Montana?

If it is then Yes.....your on.

Shod

Let me guess.

You've never owned a Kimber Montana?



Travis

Bit early to be talkin' to yourself.



Travis

There really has to be something in the water down there.




Travis

Bit early to be talkin' to yourself.

Travis [/quote]

Now hold on pard, I'm not just talking, I'll show up with cash in hand.

I need a reason to get out to Montana anyways and yes Im pretty sure I'd have a sporting chance.

If I loose the $500 in the shooting competition I'll get it back during the climb the mountain test.

Shod

And.............I'm not even drinking......buy I'll do that with you fellas when I get there.

Shod

I've had only one rifle that I couldn't find one thing to tweak or improve. That was my Ed Brown Damara.

My Kimber shot great after fitting a new barrel.

Regarding Tikka, I could post the Fire link of JG's Safari. Check it out.

Each of us has his own experiences which don't negate those of other Fire contributors.

They are what they are...

DF