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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,233 Likes: 41
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,233 Likes: 41 |
Dan,
All good, and all true, but a Kimber Montana is within 3 ounces of a mountain ascent - and can be had (used) by a patient buyer for well south of 1k.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383 |
I’m running a pair of Kimber Hunters and am completely satisfied with their performance. 6.5CM & 7-08. They both shoot better than I do..... SWFA’s riding on them.
I pretty much like everything about them. Stainless steel, 22” tubes, composite stock that has great ergonomics for me. Excellent triggers! I wasn’t too sure about the DM on them, but have come to like the feature very much.
The FDE colored stock is the perfect canvas for a personalized paint job and if you want any added weight in the fore end thats simple to do with a little bird shot and epoxy.
The only add-on I’ve done to mine is a Ti Tac bolt handle from Chris84 here on the fire and a bit of paint......
I’ve shot Tikka’s and they’re a fine rifle, but I don’t care for long actions for short (308 based) rounds.
The Fieldcraft I handled (24” 6.5CM) was nice, but I wasn’t crazy about the stock and saw nothing to convince me that they’re worth we’ll over double what I can get a Hunter for..... ymmv Fieldcraft is worth every Penny, to say otherwise is simply foolish. You handled but did not own, Priceless.
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 205
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 205 |
Dan,
All good, and all true, but a Kimber Montana is within 3 ounces of a mountain ascent - and can be had (used) by a patient buyer for well south of 1k. According to Kimber, the Montana in 30-06 is 5 pounds, 10 ounces. 5 ounces heavier than the Mountain Ascent and 8 or 9 ounces lighter than the Tikka T3 Lite. My Tikka T3 Lite is 6 pounds, 2.88 ounces, but it also has a Limbsaver added and I don't know how much weight it adds.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 29,383 |
Dan,
All good, and all true, but a Kimber Montana is within 3 ounces of a mountain ascent - and can be had (used) by a patient buyer for well south of 1k. According to Kimber, the Montana in 30-06 is 5 pounds, 10 ounces. 5 ounces heavier than the Mountain Ascent and 8 or 9 ounces lighter than the Tikka T3 Lite. My Tikka T3 Lite is 6 pounds, 2.88 ounces, but it also has a Limbsaver added and I don't know how much weight it adds. My T3X 30-06 weighs 6 lb 2 oz. My Kimber montana 270WSM weighed 2 ounces less. It could not hang with the Tikka in the accuracy department, it went down the road.
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 205
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 205 |
I will admit I have been tempted by the Fieldcraft and Mountain Ascent in the 6.5CM. Less recoil and lighter rifles. Honestly though, that just tells me I am not spending enough time at the range. My Tikka 30-06 is braked so the recoil really isn't terribly much more than the 6.5CM. Especially if I shoot lighter weight bullets or lower powered rounds.
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,254
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,254 |
Dan,
All good, and all true, but a Kimber Montana is within 3 ounces of a mountain ascent - and can be had (used) by a patient buyer for well south of 1k. Got both of mine, brand new old stock (no threaded muzzle,which I prefer), in the box with all paperwork and hang tags, for $700 each on internet auctions. 7-08 and 257 Roberts. Both shoot .7-.8. More than I could have hoped, for a 6# hunting rifle all up.
My heart's in the mountains, my heart is not here.
My heart's in the mountains, chasing the deer.
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,233 Likes: 41
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,233 Likes: 41 |
Dan,
All good, and all true, but a Kimber Montana is within 3 ounces of a mountain ascent - and can be had (used) by a patient buyer for well south of 1k. According to Kimber, the Montana in 30-06 is 5 pounds, 10 ounces. 5 ounces heavier than the Mountain Ascent and 8 or 9 ounces lighter than the Tikka T3 Lite. My Tikka T3 Lite is 6 pounds, 2.88 ounces, but it also has a Limbsaver added and I don't know how much weight it adds. Could be. We weighed a buddies 6.5 ascent and my 6.5 montana and they were 3 ounces different - but call it 5 to be certain. It’s still an expensive 5 ounces if sticking with the kimber platform.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,294 Likes: 24
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,294 Likes: 24 |
Of those choices the 700 Mountain is the only one I'd consider. Christensen Arms I have little experience with, but what I do have wasn't totally positive, though if your max range is 300 yards I don't forsee any issues.
Kimber Montanas make a lot of sense in your situation and even if you get a "bad" one, there are simple fixes.
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,294 Likes: 24
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 20,294 Likes: 24 |
Double post
Last edited by T_Inman; 11/07/20.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,387
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,387 |
Kimber Montana in 25-06 with a Kahles 3-9x42 scope: ![[Linked Image from photos.smugmug.com]](https://photos.smugmug.com/2018/Guns/i-hvXnwgg/0/7999d0fc/XL/IMG_3526-XL.jpg) ![[Linked Image from photos.smugmug.com]](https://photos.smugmug.com/2018/Guns/i-KdTNQBk/0/ff2e7e19/XL/IMG_3527-XL.jpg)
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,967 Likes: 5
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,967 Likes: 5 |
I chased light rifles for a long time. Thought I had perfection with a Kimber Montana that with a carefully chosen scope would still be a hair under 6 lbs. But the more I used it I found it to be too light. I'm now of the opinion that something between 7 to 7 1/2 lbs scoped is where I want to be with about 7 1/4 being perfect. That's not too heavy to be burdensome in even the roughest terrain, yet with enough weight for me to still shoot well in field conditions.
A Tikka and a Leupold scope gets me there out of the box with the least effort, expense and with exceptional accuracy. I have other rifles that I find more aesthetically pleasing but it's hard to go wrong with a Tikka. One of my favorites is a Winchester EW in 308 that I have a McMillan Edge stock on. I like it a lot, but I can buy 3 Tikka's for what it would cost.
Most people don't really want the truth.
They just want constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
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