Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Kimber Montana rebarrel to 6.5 Creed

Let me start by stating that I have only owned factory rifles.

I have found a donor Montucky in .338 fed for a very reasonable price and am saving up to rebarrel it to 6.5 Creed.

Is there any reason I should not send it to Pac-nor for a supermatch factory dupe? Other considerations?
What specifications do I need to request? I want to shoot factory 140amax through it, then load same or 139 scenar in once-fired.

Any input appreciated, I want to make sure I am happy with the result.

Twist it 1-8. Send them a dummy round with the bullet you intend to use seated to take full advantage of the length of the magazine so that they can throat it to match.

Should I send them a factory 140amax load? I can reload to that length easily.

The PacNor barrels I've shot were shooters, but you might also consider the Montana profile ShortActionSmoker ginned up with Lilja. They shoot great too. Just another option....

I'd do the slightly beefier Lilja personally...

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/8488561/1

Hart has a slightly beefier barrel for the Kimber 84M also. I just had my Montana rebarreled to an 8" twist 7mm-08 AI, finished at 23". Bare rifle weighed 5pounds 2 ounces before, weighs 5 pounds 8 ounces now. Balancce feels really good!

Sorry, I can't tell u any more about it right now, I'm in the process of moving to another state, guns and reloading stuff have been temporarily boxed up and moved into storage. I'll be shooting it before the end of the summer.

David

Does Lilja chamber and install?

I don't have a smith, and would rather have the barrel maker do the work.

I would probably keep the factory contour, thinking of finishing length at 24.
Anything else to be considered? Number of grooves? Twist?
Any bolt face or feed rail work needed?
Thanks

Pacnor will do whatever you want. In the past, I've had them duplicate the factory Montana barrel contour out to just past the tip of the forend, and then taper to .600" at the muzzle. That works well too.

1-8 twist for sure....

Montana in a 6.5 creed is gonna be the cat's ass..

24" on a Montana is beyond gross in my opinion. 6.5 Creedmoor would be fun though and I'd be thinking that Lilja dupe at 22" or less myself. Easy enough to shorten so it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Please watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1DR9g8RUJk

Throat it for the Scenar you want to reload. I would also cut it at 22" and no longer than 23".

Look up the montana tinkering thread and check screw length, bed the rifle, and have the trigger adjusted.

Good luck!

Oh and especially check the magbox for binding!

And after doing all that work if it's not shooting up to par. Don't blame the rifle. If you are not used to shooting a rifle that light you could be the problem. It took me a couple hundred rounds with my Montana to get rid of all my bad habits. Tell you what though, that rifle did more for teaching me proper shooting form than any rifle I've ever owned. I no longer have mine but I'm glad I did get to play with one.

Good luck. Sounds like a great rifle.
22.125" at the very most.

'Just do it'

I did...Not a Creedmoor but its slightly smaller brother.... 6.5x47Lapua


Heavier Lilja "MOD84M" contour Benchmark barrel finished @ 22"


As shown 6lbs 8.8oz with 3-9x40 Leupold VX-2 scope and nylon mountain sling

How do you like the heavier contour?

Cool. Who smithed it?

Mine is wearing a #2 Lilja chambered to 6.5 creedmoor.
I went with 23" figuring I can always lop off an inch or two but am happy with it as is.
Is 7lb with Talley lows, Z3 3-9x36 and vero vellini sling.

I am surprised some of you are making your Montana's longer, fatter or heavier...like a 700 or 70.

I was planning to rebarrel my 308 to 243AI but ordered a 6.5 Lilja 84M.

I like the look of that 6.5x47 lapua. Do you have any pics of the whole rifle?

I like the 24in barrel on my Montana .280ack, I wish I had a 24in on my Montana .223.
Or a mag and ejection port long enough to load 75 amaxes with the ogive out of the case. But I digress.

I seriously plan on shooting a lot of factory ammo through the Creed, Should I have the chamber throated for the factory ammo?