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Joined: Dec 2008
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 |
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
Scot, I always finish up with ring lapping last. And since this weekend I'm going through and doing the entire pre-flight to this Kimber 84L (270 Win), thought I'd detail my ring lapping a bit more. Honestly, I think with a Kimber it's an entirely optional step. Like I said, the receivers are so darn perfect! However, I dislike the amount of "pinch" Talley Lwt's have, and since that's what goes on most of my Kimbers, I always lap them. Heck, I lap all rings... it's the anal thing to do I start by taping off the receiver, and plugging any holes with cotton as I mentioned above... bedding compound wants to go everywhere! I lap with 240 grit. It's important if doing both ring halves together (top and bottom) to keep the top rings consistent (even/parallel) to the lower rings while lapping to ensure an even lap. I continue to tighten the rings as I lap, and double check that the top rings are parallel fore and aft to the bottom rings: When I feel I've gotten what I want, I remove all the screws and drop them into a jar of mineral spirits. The next step is critical IMO... lapped rings are specific to their original location, so I remove the front ring, and with my exacto scratch a F-> on the inside of the ring... F = "Front Ring" and the arrow points towards the muzzle. Next I do the same to the rear with R->. I clean the rings and screws with mineral spirits, and use bits of cotton ball wrapped on a toothpick and dipped in the spirits to clean the screw threads on the lower ring halves. Lastly, I use a rattail file to bevel the sharp edge on the rings created by the lapping. I leave the saran wrap (or whatever) on the rifle during this part to keep all the filings from finding their way into the nooks and crannies of the action: A bit more clean-up and the rifle is ready for a scope.
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,972
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,972 |
Thanks Brad,I really appreciate this. I have a couple of questions please.
What do you use to remove the paint on release agent from the stock? Is it hard to get off? I can see using it sparingly on the outside if it is hard to remove while I might use a lot more just in case if it is easy to remove.
Do you add tape or anything to the bottom of the recoil lug,or is it not necessary since you are tightening the action farmer tight?
I think I see that you are painting with release agent and taping the mag box area?
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
Great thread Brad. If more guys did this to any rifle they own, there would be a lot less threads on poor shooting rifles... BSA, I concur... factory rifles, no matter what they cost, haven't been gone through like a properly constructed custom. All the things I've described cost a fair bit of coin if you're having a smith do it!
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 17,865
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 17,865 |
I want dibs on the next Montana you trip...
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,723
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,723 |
Tag this for when my Montana 7mm-08 comes in
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
PRM, I rate the JB's as slightly "inferior" only because of how it behaves after it's cured. JB's is a bit more brittle and will definitely "crack" with less force than Acraglas Gel. Hit with a torch it definitely loosens up more quickly than Acraglas. But again, that's just my subjective impression, and a man only has himself to please. JB's is undoubtedly "good enough"... my inner perfectionist just isn't happy with it though!
Years back I did industrial coatings and have used literally thousands of gallons of various epoxies... they're all formulated differently. We had one that was mixed with sand for trowel-on applications, and it smelled, looked (color) and acted exactly like JB's! Of the many different one's I used, that was the only one that had the same characteristics. I assume JB sources it from the same Co. as there are only a small handful of epoxy manufacturers world wide.
Yeah, Kimber MT's are outstanding hunting rifles. Not general-purpose rifles, but ideal for backcountry hunting...
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
I want dibs on the next Montana you trip... LOL, no longer selling rifles... everything I have is staying from here on out as I've settled on what I like, and the dang things are not getting cheaper for some reason. But I take that as a compliment
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,998
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,998 |
Great post Brad. I think the reason Kimbers sometimes get a bad rap is that the bedding from the factory looks so good people think they are a bedded action. As you stated, they are bedded to a dummy action, not any particular action. At least they are easy to skim bed and it takes very little material. You sure do a great job! Mine didn't turn out that pretty but it does shoot.
I am continually astounded at how quickly people make up their minds on little evidence or none at all. Jack O'Connor
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
What do you use to remove the paint on release agent from the stock? Is it hard to get off? I can see using it sparingly on the outside if it is hard to remove while I might use a lot more just in case if it is easy to remove. RH, the blue paint-on release agent comes right off with warm water. No harm, no foul. I use it everywhere, inside and out. Do you add tape or anything to the bottom of the recoil lug,or is it not necessary since you are tightening the action farmer tight? I always bed lugs tight, no tape on the front or bottom of the lug. I think I see that you are painting with release agent and taping the mag box area? RH, no tape on the inside of the stock anywhere... chalk that up to early morning (bad) light for photography, or that some of the Montana paint peeled off in the mag box area when scraping out excess epoxy. I paint the blue release agent anywhere I don't want epoxy, inside and out. On a tupperware (plastic stock) it's easier to just brush on paste wax. But since the Kimber already has paint, it's harder to remove the wax. Ditto the inside of a McMillan Edge stock. PS, you a "Tide" fan? Probably a stupid question...
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 17,865
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 17,865 |
I want dibs on the next Montana you trip... LOL, no longer selling rifles... Where have we heard that before?!? 😉 What did you settle on as the perfect quiver?
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,972
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,972 |
What do you use to remove the paint on release agent from the stock? Is it hard to get off? I can see using it sparingly on the outside if it is hard to remove while I might use a lot more just in case if it is easy to remove. RH, the blue paint-on release agent comes right off with warm water. No harm, no foul. I use it everywhere, inside and out. Do you add tape or anything to the bottom of the recoil lug,or is it not necessary since you are tightening the action farmer tight? I always bed lugs tight, no tape on the front or bottom of the lug. I think I see that you are painting with release agent and taping the mag box area? RH, no tape on the inside of the stock anywhere... chalk that up to early morning (bad) light for photography, or that some of the Montana paint peeled off in the mag box area when scraping out excess epoxy. I paint the blue release agent anywhere I don't want epoxy, inside and out. On a tupperware (plastic stock) it's easier to just brush on paste wax. But since the Kimber already has paint, it's harder to remove the wax. Ditto the inside of a McMillan Edge stock. PS, you a "Tide" fan? Probably a stupid question... Thanks Brad,yea I'm a Tide fan but I'm not as extreme as some and will root for the other home team when the're playing someone else.I'm actually not a really big sports fan. I enjoy watching a game with friends but I'm not the guy who will only hunt till game time.
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,034
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,034 |
Brad,
Thanks for taking the time to post this information and share your knowledge and techniques.
Based on the prior posts I think I may have bought from you the only Kimber Montana that you did not work on (grin). That 7-08 received the SAS treatment and resides in my first string line up.
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
WW, I think you did! I bought it, never did anything to it, and sold it!
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
I want dibs on the next Montana you trip... LOL, no longer selling rifles... Where have we heard that before?!? 😉 What did you settle on as the perfect quiver? AK, right now I have a Kimber MT 308, Kimber MT 270 (barrel cut to 22.5"), Winchester M70 308 EW and 1990's M70 SS Classic Fwt 270. The M70 EW is in an Edge, PT&G Bottom Metal, X-Low Talley Lwts, and a 3.5-10x40 CDS on top. Lovely rifle, and really a better general purpose rifle than the Kimbers. The M70 270 Fwt is the last to be put together. It will go in an Edge, PT&G bottom metal, open sights, 6x36 LRD in detachable mounts. A Finn Aagaard-esque "practical" rifle. I have a MT 257 Rob barrel, and the 308 "might" get converted to that... or stay as it is. Or get re-barreled. We shall see! Here's this years elk, a decent 7x7, with the 308:
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
Thanks Brad,yea I'm a Tide fan but I'm not as extreme as some and will root for the other home team when the're playing someone else.I'm actually not a really big sports fan. I enjoy watching a game with friends but I'm not the guy who will only hunt till game time. I'm not much of a sports fan either, only reason I ask was I was recently in Starkville, MS with a client and watched the Tide roll-up the Bulldogs... what an amazing team. Really like watching an NFL team. I'd never been to an SEC game... really more of a religious event!
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,275 |
I'm 3+ hours into my Kimber bedding job. And learned to NEVER, EVER use straight Acra Glass again. I thought skim bedding I'll use a thinner material. It got under my masking tape, ran out the "stud", generally made a mess. I'm not hugely hopeful its going to come out the way the gel/SS versions usually do. I've got it all cleaned up but that stuff is garbage. I'll bet I'll be re-doing the bedding.........
Again - thank you for the thread and pics. I've done 20-30 rifles but I always learn something by looking at how other folks do things. Hadn't thought of the shim thing - I've always used 2-5 layers of electric tape to center the barrel in the channel. Bill, yeah runny epoxy is a zero in a rifle... really not sure why Brownell's even sells the stuff. It's a specialty item, not for any kind of bedding I know of, unless thickened. Glad you like the thread. R H CLark really inspired me to do it. He put up a post yesterday requesting any Montana bedding tips, and since I was quite literally just starting one, thought I'd oblige. I've gleaned a lot from various guys on this site over the years, and it's only right to take some time to give back something that will hopefully help someone else. Merry Christmas all...
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 12,123
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Brad, Thank you for the time and effort to post. As said above, a picture is worth a thousand words... Much appreciated...
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 17,173
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 17,173 |
Nice work Brad. I'm sure it make those Kimbers shoot 'mo-betta'
Randy NRA Patriot Life Benefactor
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
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