Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Kimber of Oregon (?) Model 82-G Question

My local gun shop owner inquired of me if I had shot any Ground Squirrels lately with the BEAUTIFULLY stocked Kimber Model 82-G (Government) that he sold to me from consignment many years ago.
I answered I had not used that gun this year but had it out last year and thinned out the Gophers on two or three days then.
He then asked if that Kimber Model 82-G was a "Kimber of Oregon" built Rifle?
I professed "I" did not know for sure one way or the other.
This was Saturday and I went home fetched the Kimber 82-G Rifle and inspected it all over - NO "Kimber of Oregon" marking anywhere - also no Kimber of New York markings either.
It was marked "U.S." though.
I took the Rifle back down to the gunshop and showed it to the owner and we both giggled at the "beauty" of the stock on this "government contract Rifle".
I mean why "waste" the beautiful wood on a "government contract" Rifle that was apparently intended to be used by the military to teach/enhance Rifle markmanship?
Anyway I began trying to research the "origin" of manufacture on this Rifle - serial numbered GM01786x.
I did a computer search and found nothing specific as to whether this Rifle was manufactured in Oregon or New York - these Rifles were eventually re-sold by the C.M.P.
I will be selling said Rifle come July and it would perhaps be a "selling point" if it were manufactured in Oregon?
I did find that the "government contract" 82-G Rifles were made in 1988 and 1989 and "apparently" Kimber moved to New York in 1990???
If anyone has any definitive information on the origin of these Kimber Model 82-G's please advise/correct me.
As long as the Rifle was out of the gun vault room I kept it out and took it along on the Hunt today - and the Rifle with 6.5x20 scope made short work of the Gophers on out to 125 yards.
I did find an online extended owners manual and it relayed how 22 Short, 22 Long and 22 Long Rifle shot shells should NOT be fired in it - NOR should 22 L.R. "hyper-velocity" munitions be fired in it.
22 L.R. Standard Velocity and High Velocity ammo was okay - according to the manual.
Any info or opinions are appreciated.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Customized DIP rail to allow for picatinny options ..


West coast lineage …

Made in Oregon. Go over to rimfirecentral. All of the info you could want. Separate section for Kimbers with lots of 82G info.

I saw one of the 82G the other day at a gun shop. I passed on it as I was not sure about the value of it. They had it marked at $799 and I was/am not up on the pricing so I walked.
Did I screw up?

That’s not a bad price but you could beat it with a little diligence. Big factor would be condition and if it has the original sights.

A lot of these kimbers can still be found in brand new condition…save for the all too common razor blade slice down the side of the stock

I traded for the one recently listed here in the Classifieds (like new, with sights, no razor mark, with box/papers/sight inserts/etc listed for $750). I haven’t shot it yet as I’m waiting on one of the DIP rails posted above.

To answer the OP’s questions - based on my research, being a Kimber of Oregon has no effect on price as they were all Kimber of Oregon from my understanding. There were some marked a star rather than the US on most as they were supposedly found to be more accurate during testing, and those were sold to the civilian market.

It seems quite a few guys on RimfireCentral have stripped and refinished theirs and found the wood was pretty nice. Yours may be refinished as the factory finish was pretty ugly - plain, dull brown.

Most definitely Oregon made. Having a Star mark instead of the the US or no mark is a $2-300 premium. I'd be really interested to see a pic or two of the stock. Occasionally a real beauty shows up, most were very plain.

Sagerat: I have seen maybe 10 of these Kimber Model 82-G's in person over the years and indeed all of the other ones I have seen had very basic, plain stocks.
This one I stumbled into some years ago is definitely the exception.
The VarmintWife is out on the west coast and when she returns I will take and send photos to you.
Thanks to you and all the CampFirers for setting me straight on the Model 82-G's origin.

Certifiable: Thank you for the wonderful photos - my Rifle definitely DOES NOT have that Kimber of Oregon logo on the barrel.
Thanks again.

Smithrjd: I think I am persona non grate over at rimfire central - maybe that was accuratereloading (arabs)?
I will give that a try anyway.

MikeL: That abotu settles it - made in Oregon.
Thank you very much for both those links. I recommend all CampFirers read your linked to article by Wayne Van Zwoll.
Thanks again.

Pullit: I am NOT up to speed on current prices either - I did do a search and some of the asking prices are quite high - IMO?
Thanks.

TxRam: Thank you for those inputs - I will check my finish.

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Certifiable: I am so embarrassed!
After seeing your photo and the Kimber Of Oregon logo on your barrel I just now went down and fetched my Kimber out of the gunvault room.
My large objective high power variable scope (with sunshade!) completely hid the Kimber Of Oregon logo on my Rifle.
I had to fetch a flashlight and a magnifying glass to see/read it.
My logo actually says "Kimber Of Oregon - Clackamas, Oregon".
Neither myself nor my local gunshop owner could see this logo upon our inspection last Saturday.
Live and learn - thanks again to all.
Against my modest pleadings the gunshop owner made me take (gratis!) a box of German made RWS Subsonic "HP" (hollow-point) 40 grain ammunition - he relayed to me (as he was twisting my arm to take this ammo for free) that his customers that use it rave bout the accuracy and it bonks the Ground Squirrels pretty well.
I finally relented and told him I would bench shoot the Rifle with his ammo and report back to him (and to the CampFire as well).
The RWS box does NOT list a velocity but does relay this - "Special round for low-noise firing"?
Thanks again
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Waiting for the range report

Pullit: A bit to windy today for shooting a rimfire - soon I hope.
These RWS bullets LOOK really good - they have a very slippery almost light oil like finish/lubrication on them.
I have a rim thickness gauge down in my gunroom - I should find it and use it on these beautiful rimfire bullets.
If I get the Rifle sighted in an accuracy assessed and have some ammo left over I am going to use it to put an end to the flocks of nest robbing flying Varmints that are already doing their dirty work on the songbirds.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I just did some testing with some RWS in my Anschutz and found something it likes.
Hope to get several bricks tomorrow

VarmitGuy,
You should be able to "view" anything on rimfirecentral. 82G stuff is in the stickies at the top of the forum for Kimbers. I missed on a BSA MKIII Interational, so got an 82G. Paid $675 with sights and no box cut (CMP originally) Refinished the stock and had a very pretty one. Had a very dull flat brown that covered the figure originally. The BSA came up again and I got it this time.. Traded the Kimber for a Pristine Lyman 24X Supertarget Spot with its original wood case and rubber eyecup and covers for the Kimber. The man I traded with was surprised when he won his first match with the rifle (I was not, because I knew what it could do) I was happy because with my old eye I can't do justice with peeps anymore. With the Lyman I can see and hit what I aim at with the BSA now. RWS is good ammo, also have had very good results with SK and Wolf brands for cheaper stuff.

Seems like the CMP sold them for $425 or something close to that. I didn't feel the need to get one then. Should have.

Blairvt: Thanks for that info - I paid $500.00 (no sales tax in Montana) for mine from a consigned sale here at my local gun shop.
I have been VERY happy with the accuracy and function of my 82-G.
Believe it or not I bought my Kimber 82-G specifically for Hunting Ground Squirrels all spring and summer - in other words no intention of "target shooting/competition".
It works rather well for the Varminting - even though it is heavy and has a long barrel (24") and is a single shot - the accuracy, the steadiness of it's mass and the wonderful trigger makes up, afield, for its listed shortcomings.
I consider the $500.00 invested in that Model 82-G to be money well spent/invested.
Three or four years ago at a sportsmans get together and store-wide sale ("Hunters Rendezvous" at Shedhorn Sports - Ennis, Montana) I spoke directly with the Kimber Factory Representative and among others things I asked him why they quit making Kimber rimfire Rifles and would they ever restart making Kimber rimfire Rifles.
His answer was that the company was so busy making pistols and centerfire Rifles that they became consumed/overwhelmed by those things and put the rimfire Rifles on the back burner!
He said they have saved the rimfire tooling/dies etc and hoped they would someday have the workforce and space to resume rimfire Rifle production - I don't know?
I have a beautiful Kimber Model 22 H/S (Hunter/Silhouette) in 22 L.R. that I also use on occasion for Ground Squirrel Hunting - it is splendidly accurate and the trigger is just sublime.
I for one wish that the good folks at Kimber would resume production of their rimfire Rifles.
Kimber - a fine American company.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy