Gun values are a funny thing. Some models go up and up, while others level off and even drop in value lately.
That said, I am seriously thinking of getting out of the 7-08 game by selling my very low round count Kimber Montana and reloading dies and components.
What is a 22” non threaded Montana worth now?
This one has the rough textured gray stock, and sometime in my last couple of moves the stock paint has a couple of mars of the texture leaving cosmetic flaws, otherwise the rifle is in near new shape.
The last few Montanas I saw go here for what I thought was around $1300-1400?

The last one I bought was $1250'ish shipped about a month or two
ago. In the present market, I'd think 1400 was a bit optimistic.

It’s been difficult to find many comps lately as Montanas have kind of dried up.
Thanks for the input, that sounds reasonable.

The new ones they have been putting out are only in 6.5 and 308 so far and once the Reed’s guns dried up the cheapest you can find them is $1400. If it’s in good shape, I don’t think 13 to 14 is a stretch at all for a chambering that is desirable and not currently available.

I wish Reeds would get some Montanas in .308 Win....They had a great price on their 6.5 Gaymoor Montana's...Hb

The stock imperfections will be the wildcard.

Considering Kimber no longer offers a Montana in 7mm08, I am of the opinion a "like new" Montana would eventually sell for full retail. Less than retail with imperfections.

Just gotta find the right buyer. 7mm08 still has a following (myself included).

The 7mm-08 Montana is a perfect marriage, IMO. That's been my go to since I bought the first one in 2013. Now have a spare plus a Super America.

Also, what is your timeline?

Do you want to move it this week, this month, or this year?

Price is time dependent. Also applies to new retail sales; too much inventory that hasn't moved quick enough, have a promotion / sale.

Everyone wants "top dollar", but doesn't want to spend time / effort marketing the item to find the right buyer.

I think I gave 1400 for my lightly used Montana 7-08..

The Reeds 6.5 was the best deal yet.

Thanks for the feedback folks.
I have almost 2000 7mm bullets to move too, along with a few boxes of factory ammo, a few hundred brass and a never used set of RCBS dies.
This gun has never been hunted. I bought it over 10 years ago as a rough country do all rifle but my hunting opportunities are now on my own property in a straight wall firearm restriction. I don’t see using this perfect all around hunting rifle during the rest of my hunting career, so I am going to send it on to someone who needs it.

I don’t think you will have an issue moving the gun, components, dies, and ammo.

Plenty of pictures helps.

How does she shoot

Probably going to hate the answer, but what was the Reeds 6.5 creed deal? I live about 45 minutes from Reeds.

Probably going to hate the answer, but what was the Reeds 6.5 creed deal? I live about 45 minutes from Reeds.

They had 6.5’s for under $1200 when the new production first came back online.

Man mine shoots too. Love that little rifle.



First 3 with some old ammo I had kicking around.

After taking a good look at the rifle, it has a number of scrapes in the paint. By the way, who thought it would be a good idea to paint it with such aggressive texture that just dragging a fingernail across it leaves a scar? WTF?
I don’t really want to take the hit on value that a scraped up stock leaves. So I am going to repaint it after laying down the wrinkle finish.
The metal is perfect, the checklist has been gone through( the magazine box was bound up and has been relieved)
It shot factory Hornady Whitetail 140’s into an inch for 3, so careful hand loads should better that.

Saw a beat to hell 300WSM bring $1,200 few months ago.
Traded off my 7-08Ai and was lucky enough that he sold it back to me. Doubt it or my .223 will be going anywhere.

Both my 270 WSM and 300 WSM had much flatter texture and the paint seemed harder. There have been numerous pm’s wanting to buy it, without fixing the paint. I don’t know if I am ready to accept the lower price yet. Since the rent’s not due, I can take some time if I decide to spruce it up.

Given that MSRP just jumped to $1925 on the new Montanas and retail seems to be quickly following suit, $1400 may be a little light. Everything on GunBroker seems to have jumped about $200 overnight.

I bought these two used Kimbers over the past few weeks at two different LGS's. The Montana went for $1k OTD and the Mountain Ascent went for $1.4k as scoped OTD. The Montana had been there for weeks. I still need to shoot them but the weather has not been cooperating. I am not a fan of the MA sharp bolt handle.

Did any of you gents get one of the 6.5 Cm montana's that Reeds had listed this morning at the old price?

Pretty easy to change the bolt handle out. Put up a WTB ad in the classifieds and one will turn up.

Nope. Dallied too long.

Same..

Wait......I missed it again!!??

I couldnt have passed either up...definitely not into a 6.5 tho. Love to find a MA in 708. Hell id just love to find a Montana in 243...threaded. Only owned one Kimber and went for good wood. Regretting selling that one and not buying Montanas or MA's when they were a plenty.

I’m waiting on funds for the rifle as I had someone that didn’t care about the scuffs in the paint and was willing to pay what I thought it was worth.
Some of the bullets have sold to friends, but it looks like I will be the rest in the classifieds. Thanks for everyone’s input, it reinforced what I estimated as for value in this market.

With the recent price hike they are likely getting a good deal. Congrats to both.

Rebarreled my 7-08 to 7-08AI with a hart, settled on this load today. Looking for a .30-06 if anyone sees one cheap.

Know where there is a new hunter for 7 and change but assume you want a montana?

Definitely. I find one I’m going to sell my CLR I think.
Montana stocks just fit me.

That’s probably true, and I am happy that it sold and I don’t have to fix the cosmetics on it.

In today’s world it’s almost easier to get a Hunter and send it to OutKast for a stock. Seems like about the same money. 7-08’s seem pretty rare.

All,

chris84 here at the fire makes TI bolt handles for Kimbers. They are perfect. Easy to replace. Getting ready to order my 3rd handle.

^ yep.

Ain’t nothing special about Montana’s. Hell, a real man only needs one to get the job done.

Could you sling me a .223? I have cash...

My “real man” card is on probation until further notice..

🤣

The Hunter model ain’t as sexy but they’ll sure shoot. I have a couple of the Desolv Blak or whatever they call it and they are dead nuts accurate.

Never heard of them, thanks. I dropped them a line. I've got a 270 in Hunter that is a great shooter but that stock it came in isn't confidence inspiring.

It’s Mel Forbes’ old shop. They are turning out great work. There are a few threads here on the campfire about them.

Damn!

Hummm, I would like one those..
That's one rifle I don't have!

One incoming from Chris.

You're making me feel inadequate!

This picture makes me feel better about the over crowding in my safe - lol.

My Montana in 7mm08 would be the last rifle I sell; I would liquidate all others before it. I told my wife to just put in it the casket with me when my time is up:)

We all in the brotherhood togetha!

💪

Why in the world did Kimber drop the Hunter 7-08!
Or so I heard.

WTH!

Or the Montana in 708,243,223....

They’re starting to act like Remington did when they folded up.

Think I heard here somewhere they want to concentrate on pistols. Oversaturated market imo, but hey whatever they thinks gonna make them the most $$$$ I guess

mine would be my 260.....

Yep

Giddy up, Damn, you da man! That is impressive to say the least. Well done and good for you.

Going all in with the man bun.

Man, nowadays, I'd be alllllll over one of the 223's in a Hunter knowing we have a good option to restock them with.

I have a 7-08 Montana, like it much. Don't know that there's a real number that would entice me to give it up. Probably would have to start with a 2 or better and be 4 digits long. Doesn't mean it's worth that but I just see no reason to sell unless it's a bad deal for the other guy. Way bad deal.

My first Montana was a 7-08 one of the fellas on here kindly hooked me up with. I hunted with it the first year and generally thought to myself "where have you been all my life"

I got it pretty late in the year and got a couple boxes of 139 Hornady's and 150 Norma's. They both shot about the same and shot the same at 200, but ended up using the Norma's for a couple deer.



Put a different scope on it, added a Classic 338 Federal to the mix, then a 6.5 CM Montana and then a 308 Win Montana. All of them have been very easy to shoot and pretty accurate across the board.





So, Teal says it right, it'd take alot for me to get rid of them, maybe not worth what I'd want, but they are that good as hunting rifles.

Still kick my own butt for not getting a 223 Montana from Whitakers when they were blowing em out.

I've never really felt I needed "more" than the 7-08 but now that you mention a 338Fed, man, sort of sounds like perfection for black bears.

120 factory ballistic tips from an 18" barrel ballpark speed? You all have some fine looking rifles?

7mm08

Which cartridge 6CM?

It's kinda fun since the plain old cheap bullets work great. I used the plain old 200 grain Speers, 16 bucks a box this year. Worked as well as anything I could have paid 3X for.

7mm08

I'd hazard a guess at 2700-2800.

Thanks. Not a bad speed for an 18'' barrel.

You guys feel the same way I did about mine.
Being realistic about it, there’s very little chance that I would ever get the chance to use it. If it was a heavyweight long range /chassis setup I could see keeping it. But it’s not.

I’m at a little over 2900 with a 20” hart on my Montana in 7-08AI, 44.5gr RL-15 under a 120gr NBT .010 off the lands for the best accuracy with that load. I’ll chrono to be certain this weekend if you’re truly interested. Light guns aren’t accurate though….

I'm a fan. I'd have more if they still made them.

From right to left:

.223 Rem
.22-250 with Brux barrel and trued action
.25-06
.25-06AI with Broughton barrel and trued action
6.5 RPM with Benchmark barrel and trued action
.270WSM
.300WSM with Bartlein barrel and trued action
.300WM (to be built into a 28 Nosler after I have fun shooting out the factory barrel)
.300WM with hang tag (to be built into a 30 Nosler after I have fun shooting out the factory barrel)
.338WM


(oops, found a .338WM stashed to the side, so I redid the photo)

That bad boy is a hammer! Great shooting my friend. Whenever you get around to it, I'm going to be laid up for 2 months or more.

Thanks

Impressive for sure. That is a royal flush. Which caliber do you like the best?

I bet that 22-250 is a sweetheart. What is the twist on it?

Shinbone,
Who did the rpm for you?
TIA

Thanks guys.

I had to make an edit: the .22-250 has a Brux 8T barrel, and is indeed a sweetie. So is the .223 Rem. It is a full-size rifle that carries like a little .22lr, but that easily shoots out to 300 yds. Ammo is cheap, too.

The 6.5 RPM was built by Kevin Weaver. It started life as a 25-06 in Kimber's original standard sized action. I wanted a little more omph, and Kevin suggested the 6.5 RPM as being about the most powerful cartridge that would fit. I get .264WM ballistics in a standard sized action.

Favorite caliber in that collection would be the .300WSM. Easy to carry in the elk mountains, but hits with undisputed authority; or easy to crawl through the prairie and still reach way out there. That rifle was built by Greg Tannel about 15 years ago. I feel real lucky to have this rifle. I recently worked up an antelope load with Hammer Hunter 124gn bullets. I get just north of 3800fps with H4350. I backed down to the 3700fps range for accuracy, though:



I am on the lookout for a Kimber Montana in 7mmWSM. I always seem to miss them by a day when they come up for sale in the classifieds.

Shiitt happens....

I like where your head is going with this AK..

Numbers tell the story. The ATF website publishes manufacturing data by US manufacture, itemized by pistol, revolver, rifle, and shotgun (so much for keeping your company data private from your competitors when the ATF publishes it.....).

Link to ATF statistics

My summary of Kimber's manufacturing data:


Rifles account for at most 6% of the annual volume.

Kimber has doubled their handgun sales in roughly eight years.

As much as we all like Hunters and Montanas, they simply can't compete with handguns.

I load 120TSX and V-max to 3050 from 22" bbls w/R-15. They're both right @ 3000 from 2 different 20" bbls.