Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber - How they can build the "perfect" hunting rifle.

Over the years I have been on a continual quest for coming up with the "perfect" rifle for me. Its a journey, not a destination, but here is my current stop. It is a Kimber hunter in 6.5 creedmoor. As pictured, there is a Swaro Z3 3.5-10 scope with a 4a reticle. Rifle immediately went to a gunsmith to be cut to 16" and be threaded. Silencerco Scythe is mounted in picture. 6# 9oz. Should be firing factory 147 ELD-M's at around 2500fps. It has performed well on multiple pigs now. Furthest shot around 250 yards. Penetrated to resting just under the hide after going through both shoulder on a 75 pound or so boar.

So why am I here and where is left to go? Well the right answer to what is the "perfect rifle" is "it depends". It depends on what you want to do with it. I hunt a ranch here in Texas. Most shooting events begin with me riding in a buggy or a truck. The ability to deploy the rifle quickly is important. So I want it to be short to stick out a window or exit to get on foot. That is why the barrel is cut short to maintain a handy length while also wearing a suppressor. I also like to go for walks around the ranch looking for game. So it is not uncommon for me to walk 4-7 miles over the course of an evening. A light rifle with a good balance is important for those purposes.

The Kimber 84m is an action no longer than is needed for the Creedmoor rounds. The action itself is slimmed down to be lightweight. The stock from factory isn't my favorite but it is functional until I identify a better option. Balance and handling is phenomenal even with the suppressor. Below is a picture of the piece of barrel removed and the scythe with ocl mount and Hansohn brothers titanium end cap.






Less than 3 ounces gained by adding the suppressor vs leaving the barrel at factory length. Rifle still balances well and it is comfortable to shoot without hearing protection. Allows me to shoot faster vs having to put on ears to shoot. Also makes a light rifle well mannered when shooting.

I do not love the feeding's smoothness at this time, but it feeds reliably. The detachable magazine allows me to have a round chambered and three down. Magazine holds three but can chamber around, drop magazine and go plus 1. For myself, I rarely use more than 4 rounds before running out of shooting opportunities on pigs, but three is often times not enough. The factory bolt handle is too short. The chris84's titanium tactical bolt handle's added length helps significantly with all aspects of bolt manipulation. chris84 has agreed to make a longer version of his ascent style handle that I think will work with this rifle phenomenally. I look forward to getting some of those in. The bolt can bind a bit in factory form. The longer handle aids in pushing through that. I have also been talking with a smith about more significant changes to aid in that. Perhaps going so far as to add something akin to a pre-64 anti-bind lug. I will also likely go to an aftermarket stock of some variety with an internal magazine that holds at least four down.

The Kimber being CRF matters significantly to me. When I am hunting, I will usually be shooting at sounders of multiple pigs. I am manipulating the bolt as fast as I can. My rifles are usually dirty and dusty from riding and walking around a ranch in Texas. Mausers, Winchesters and so far the Kimbers do not fail to feed and more importantly do not fail to extract and eject. The faster and harder I work the bolt, the more extraction and ejection force I apply guaranteeing that empty case gets out of the way. I cannot say that about other action types I have used. I have had more failures caused by failures to fully extract and eject than by failures to feed. I also appreciate as a reloader being able to ease a spent case out with a crf action.

Kimber packs the most features for the money into a rifle that will work based on what I have found so far. However, I wish they would offer a broader caliber selection and would sell their rifles from their factory with a 16" threaded barrel. If the ATF continues to process form 4's at their current speeds, I believe suppressor use will continue to grow more ubiquitous. As people grow more familiar with suppressor use, I think the market will grow less tolerant of 20+ inch barrels. This is especially true when the current trends of smaller bore+higher section density bullets are proven more and more effective on game. I have found myself moving away from a 7mm bore diameter minimum. A smaller bore allows you to maintain enough velocity from a short barrel while still maintain a high enough section density for bullet performance. I have found the heavy ELD-M bullets from 6mm - 30 caliber to be nearly equally effective on pigs at least. I would have disagreed even a year ago that 6mm or 6.5mm were just as good. I haven't had the opportunity to test 223 bores as well yet, but I suspect I will find them to be sufficient at 77 - 88 grains.

I believe Kimber lengthening the factory bolt handle and adding 16" threaded barrel options to their Hunter line would go a long ways towards what they are making now being better. My wishlist would be for them to add a 223 or Arc cartridge scaled action with 223, 22 arc, and 6 arc options with 16" threaded barrels. No one is really making a stainless mini-action and selling it here in the US. Just look at the Howa stainless thread on this forum to see there is interest. I think that interest grows from here with the massive numbers of suppressors going out into shooter's hands right now.

I have 4 BGR’s. They sure feel good in my hands. I wish I’d discovered them years ago, even though some have issues. Mine shoot well.

The good news is if you want a ridiculously short barrel you can take the longer barrel and do just that to it.

I would say I am obviously aware of that fact based on photos of me doing just that above, but please define ridiculously short for me?

This rifle launches a 6.5mm 147 grain bullet at 2500 fps. This bullet will expand down to around 1800 fps. It doesn't drop below 1800 fps until after 600 yards. Not many need more initial velocity to shoot further. The muzzle blast is non-existent due to the suppressor. What factor makes 16" ridiculously short?

It would have been nice to be able to pick it up from the factory ready to go as I have it now. My argument here is, with suppressors becoming more and more common, why would it not make sense for a factory rifle to be offered to pick up that segment of the market?

I've not put a Montucky together,since yesterday and only had it out to 1300yds(147's at 2680fps). Hint.



Kimber is doing favors,by not getting cute and painting themselves into multiple corners. Montucky Morning today,like most others and had atmospherics to really stretch legs(OEM Ascent Kreed/147's,Custom 7" Lilja Speedmire/88's,Custom PN 9" Mouser/180's). Hint.



Let the niche,niche. Hint.

Just sayin'................

That's a good way to put it and I've been down that path. Had a Kimber and thought I was there, but decided it was too light to be an all-around rifle. I think they are great rifles that fill a specific role. I have some Winchester 70's and a Rem 700 with some modifications and sitting in McMillan Edge stocks, but they just don't get used as much anymore.

I'm 66 and a lot more of my hunting days are behind me than in front of me. I've settled on Tikka. Pick your favorite cartridge, 6.5CM, 7-08 or 308 and call it good. I have the 6.5 and 308. I had the 308 barrel cut to 19" and it does everything I need a rifle to do at minimal cost. Mine are blue and cost me under $600 each.

I knew it was gonna be a CM before even reading your post.

Hell the CM cartridge can be shot from a slingshot…..and remain deadly out to 1K yards! 😜. memtb

Way too short a barrel, hung a schitcan on it, and too big a scope.

“Let the niche, niche”. I hear you on that. I will grant you my use profile turns the dial up a bit more than most hunters with how often I carry a rifle and how hard I push them. However, I would say that my use comes closer to the common hunter and shooter than someone who shoots as long range as you do. However, I do strongly value your knowledge and opinion on lower velocity bullet performance as you have a lot that is relevant due to your shooting and hunting at longer ranges.

I would say there are more hunters who are shooting inside of, and most well inside of, 600 yards. So which shooter is more niche for NEEDING more velocity for the bullet to perform. The 6.5 creed isn’t really ideal for this concept. It’s just one of only two calibers Kimber offers right now. The 6mm creed or the 22 creed probably work better. The 6mm creed 108 ELD-m out of a 16” is going to be nearly 2700 fps.

The market as it exists may favor longer barrels, however I think the benefits of suppressors are so hard to deny, as they get more exposure as they are easier to obtain now than ever, a rifle optimized for their use is going to be the more attractive choice. At least for a significant segment. The primary downside will be for those looking to shoot truly long range. That segment is one that is prone to modifications to rifle to eke out ever more niche needs for performance.

I look forward to this. We are all slaves to the perspectives we have from our own experiences.

Again I will ask. Why is the barrel too short? How much more velocity do you need? That’s all that is gained by a longer barrel?

If you don’t like a suppressor, have you ever shot a rifle with one?

Too big of a scope? Well that’s fairly subjective. Do you mean by physical size or magnification? If magnification, I rarely have issues with maintaining targets in my field of view and I like to get close. Perhaps you need to try rifles that point more naturally for you if that’s an issue. If weight, I’m not aware of many with better optical quality for the size. If you know of some, point me to them. I hunt until well after sunset. Brightness is very important for my uses.

I require GOOD Riggin',simply because I'm hard on schit. I have no centerfire barrels shorter than 14"(XP-100) or longer than 30" and I'd be VERY fhuqking surprised if there was a contour that I've not bought,got or shot. Hint.

"Distance" is convenient excuse for Drooling Window Lickers. The ilk are easily discerned,due the schit base/rings/glass they embrace. Hint.

My toolbox isn't factored by Joe Average's "abilities",as few barometers of evaluation are fhuqking lower. I prefer static wares,because Murphy understands/heeds same. Hint.

Mechanics are of far greater concern to me,than contrived Emotions. Hint.

Just sayin'.................

^^^

Don’t sweat those that don’t run suppressors or much less carry them in the brush, in and out of vehicles, box blinds, Treestands, etc.

First, I’ve got an Adirondack in 6.5 in a Montana stock, that’s around 6# with sling, scope, suppressor, and ammo. There are days I’d cut that 18” factory tube to 16”. It’s likely one of the best shooting/hunting setups I have. Heck, I even had a 70 classic stainless in 270 chopped to 18” and threaded. It’s a much heavier setup, but shoots/hunts like a dream and is extremely quiet and easy to shoot well. I’ve got other, noodle barrel rifles, but they sit much more now. Next 308 or 7-08 I set up will be 16-17”, for sure. Anything longer is too long.

Not to slight The Haybale & Crockett Barbed Wire Fence Automated Feeder Gang,let alone their "version" of Topography,Vegetation or Atmospherics,that's as fhuqking farrrrr from fhuqking REALITY,as one could possibly get. Hint.

Pardon my shooting everything thus far cited,along with a schit load that has not. Hint.

Just sayin'..............

Ur the only dude I can think of that throws rifles in tha bushes 🤷‍♂️🤣🤣

The less one "knows","sees" and "does",then the lesser the "requirements"...as you obliviously quantify. Hint.

Fortunately for you,Emoji's are free,so even YOU can "afford" to "contribute". Hint.

Just sayin'............

As for a scope, to 250 yards half the magnification is way enough, and more versatile.

outkast arms will put it in a good stock if your looking

I've come around to "can's" over the last few years, and the Kimber platform is ideal for their application. Start out with a quite light rifle, cut the barrel, and screw on a can. Put a relatively heavy dialing scope on top and you're still well under 8lbs all-up weight.

Nice job, thanks for sharing. It's where I'm headed with tinnitus ringing in my ears as I type this...

You threading 7/16 with a 5/8 adapter?

I think an important point that may have been missed here is that there’s a segment of the market, not insignificant in size, that:

1) wants to hunt with a suppressor
2) wants a well balanced light rifle
3) wants a rifle with a reasonable OAL with suppressor
4) wants this in a CRF factory rifle

I don’t think it’s asking too much of manufacturers(well, primarily Kimber, with their Hunter line) to offer this. Just doing a 16” and threaded fixes this, even in the currently chambered cartridges. That said, I’d sure love to see the cartridges offered to expand with .22creed, 7mm08 and 358 win.