Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber Montana's are Back

I kinda wish I could find a Kimber LA that was a crappy shooter - and the price reflected that fact. I've planned more than 1 plain Jane 280 Rem but haven't pulled the trigger. I was headed that direction last fall when the aforementioned 270 became available. It's hard to justify building a 280 when I have a 270 that is already MOA.

But I'll bet I own a Kimber Montana LA in 280 Rem before I die - a 22 inch barrel 280 is about rifle nirvana to me. I've had a love affair with the 280 since 1981 when I bought my first one. I may have killed a pile of game with that rifle - a tanger Ruger 77. Still resides in my safe and is semi retired. It struggles to reach 1.5 MOA these days. It's only had 45 bazillion rounds fired down that tube.

Are we sure new rifles are being made? I found three Montanas currently listed on GB and one was a WSM. Is it possible that we’re seeing some onesies and twosies coming up for sale?

That is about like my want of one in a 7x57.. Maybe they don't make sense, but damnit, when did that have anything to do with rifles..

The 7x57 works beautifully in the Montana 84L platform. I built one a few years back that was awesome. Unfortunately at the time I had to pick between it and my Montana 7mm-08. That was a tough decision.

I am sure. I have the 7-08 Montana, and the 7x57 is really just a want, but it doe sound like a cool package.

I killed a buck last year at 500 yards during a backpack hunt in a mountain wilderness area.

I was hoping for a shot at 400 and less during that hunt. And there were a handful of opportunities like that but it's big country so not always easy to get closer. Better opportunities if one can shoot well past 400+ there.

Anyway I have also started using a can and prefer shorter barrels for that application. Really short barrels of course hurt velocity but it gets somewhat negated by the high BC copper bullet. They weigh less than the lead core bullets of comparable BC so get back a bit of velocity just with lighter bullet. But they are long so it might be a moot point for a Montana.

I bought a 280 AI Kimber on a whim a couple years ago but sold it because the twist was marginal for the bullet that I wanted to shoot at the time. I have another Kimber that might get rebarrelled.

The nice thing about "operating within a narrow band of mediocrity": all your rifles don't have to be 1-holers.

ya!

GWB

Yes. Whole pile showed up about 3 weeks ago - all chambered in 6.5C.

I wish they’d do 18” threaded barrels and 22” slick barrels.

Are Kimber Montanas back in production, or did some misplaced inventory just get rediscovered?

We can only hope they come with a clean barrel.

Say no to threads and threads protectors!

Lol…give me more short tubes and threaded barrels. I wish I had started buying cans 30 years ago. I’ve got enough old, traditional, long, and loud stuff I don’t need cut and threaded. I don’t care if they get hunted or shot much anymore. Suppressed is better. Short is better for suppressed. Bring back the Adirondack and y’all can have the alpines.

Based on the 3 I’ve owned, Montana’s sometimes need some minor tweaking to shoot really well. My samples were a .260 Rem from 2016 that I should never have sold (prior owner glass bedded the action). A 6.5 Creed that was excellent after I sorted out a feeding issue, and a .257 Roberts, also from around 2016 that I glass bedded myself. All shot well under MOA. The Roberts is the “worst” of them and it’s a consistent 3 shots into .75 MOA shooter. I think it will do better after some more load development—I’ve only tried a couple of powders and one bullet. It the only Montana I still have.

Who would ever think of putting a 7x57 in a Kimber LA?


But it does feed well at 3, 3.1, or 3.2 inches.

I think these are current offerings because the model number in Reeds ad matches whats on Kimber website plus I have never seen a Montana with two sling studs on the forearm.

Reeds Gunbroker Ad

Me either on 2 sling swivels - BUT the most important thing in that sale was the price $1169!

that's a good price and Reed's is a great shop to deal with.

Here's a spread I shot with Staball 6.5 and 162gr ELDxs when I had the rifle.

Thanks. Was wondering how it compared to 160's from a 7mm-08 with a 22" barrel.

Why? How does it affect your hunt or shooting at all?