Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber montana question

I picked up a 84m in 308 today and when I removed the bolt I noticed the three numbers under the bolt handle don't match the last three of the serial number. The other two Montana's I have the numbers match. I was afraid to shoot it fearing there may be a headspace issue. Has anyone ever seen this before?
Thanks

Used gun? I'd definitely have the headspace checked.

Yep, especially with an odd bolt.

Yes it is used. I'm calling kimber in the morning to see if they can explain this.

Somebody swapped the bolt out. Get it checked out for a few bucks, and you'll be all set.

Did they have more than one used Montana where you bought it. I’d check the shop.

That was my thought, OR did the other one get sold already??

And my guess would be the shop does EVERYTHING it can to fix/check the issue.

This was the only one they had when I was there. They could have had more than one before I saw this one. I'm not shooting it until it gets checked. I'm calling the shop this morning.

At a minimum headspace will have to be checked.

The seller is out of their mind if they don't insist on taking the rifle back... and I wouldn't want a rifle with a non-matching bolt, regardless if the headspace is correct. A mismatched bolt certainly devalues a factory (non-custom) rifle significantly.

I agree w/Brad. I'd try to return it. I wouldn't want it even if it does check out.

I suspect Kimbet won't be of much help with this beyond what you have already learned here.

Called kimber twice and spoke to two different 's reps. The first guy says they hand fit the bolts to the rifles and if the original one had a issue they would have put a different one in when they did the final check. I wasn't satisfied with his answer so I called back and got a different person. She said let me check with product support to see what they say. She came back and said they told her that this was ok since they sometimes change out the bolt before it goes out the door and the numbers won't match. I told her that I'm not in the gun manufacturing business but it would seem to me the number engraving would be the last step in the fitment of bolt to receiver. She assured me what I had was normal in some cases and it was ok to shoot the rifle, yea right. This sounds obsured to me. I'm going to have the headspace checked if I decide to try it. I probably should just go get my rifle back that I traded for this and forget this one like y'all have suggested. Thanks for all your thoughts about this.

Have never heard that, or seen that ever... she doesn't have a clue.

Be an interesting question for MCMXI...

LOL!

Yeah, doesn't sound like an accurate reply. How in the world would anyone including Kimber know what bolt a gun is matched to? Anyone could send in a toasted bolt with a gun under warranty and get it repaired. Makes little sense, especially since the bolts are obviously hand scribed in a rough fashion, indicating that it's probably done at the end of assembly.

Just checked my kimber hunter. Bought new sealed in their factory packaging. Last 3 numbers on the gun 527. number on the bolt 530
It works excellent.

Terry

That's not the serial number on the bolt...it's the number of times it's been worked on.

LOL