Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber mountain ascent

Yep - I've grown accustomed to 7 lb rifles but will at least give an 8lber a try. When I first started Western hunting, I was dragging around a 9lb 338 WM. For some reason.....

If I'm being honest, a 7lb 270 pushing a 150 AB 2950-3000 in a Kimber Montana doesn't leave much room for improvement over the 7RM. My current load pushes the 150 AB at 2900 using 52.0 grains powder. It recoils really soft for such a potent package.

HaHa, that's exactly the combination I began with, especially for elk, Sako AIII, 338.

Finally made up a 338 that weighed just over 7 lb, scoped & finally ended up with a 270 (Sako) that still weighed 8 lb.

Finally made the move to lightweight in 7-08 & 280.....................You carry it a LOT more than you shoot it, even or horseback, & today's bullets have just made the smaller cartridges that much more effective.

I've had complete penetration on Shiras moose with 150 gr Partitions from a 270, so I think that's enough.

MM

Good deal on the Moose! Any pics?

A 150 and a 270 is a heckuva great combo, especially in a Montana.

I agree here, that combo is very hard to beat.....Hb

+1. The idea is, you're going to carry it more than shoot it. Dont get me wrong, I have no objections to a standard cartridge, and yes, my weathery ul 280 killed that elk. But, for a cross canyon elk, and no ability to get there in time, im comfortable with the 300 doing the job with less thinking involved. I guess I've been shooting a 300 of some sort for years and if it came down to owning one big game rifle that would be it. I will say the 180 grain partition is a little hard on antelope, but the 180 grain hornady eased up on them, and the browning I had only shot them 1 inch lower than the partition so I got lucky there.

Yes but as we chatted about, it's those shots over 400 that cause me to pause a bit. That big 7 pushing a slippery 175 is answer. I'm exploring a bit with the Mtn Ascent 7 RM.

I agree. That is what I'm talking about, 400 plus with a good bullet. I'm not worried about a 1 to 300 yard shot, I can do that with anything. Makes me cringe when I see folks hunting elk with a 243, but I've seen a bunch killed with it. Still makes me nervous, and I'm here to tell you, im backing you up whether you like it or not. My wife's first elk was taken with a 25 06 and a 100 grain partition, it was dead. But, still made me nervous, and I now shoot the 120s. I'd take an elk all day long with that combo at 3 to 4 without thinking too much. That particular bullet hits like a truck. My girls all shoot clrs in 270 and 140 accubonds, and they have killed elk with them, that is knowing your rifle and cartridge. Ill be honest, I've never been a huge 7 rm fan, what it can do, the 300 can do better imo. Not trying to piss folks off, just how I see it. I guess with my 300 bias, and thinking about the wsm, the idea is a good one, if its done right. I just don't know that it is.

You know my thoughts, I don't think you're crazy at all. While I can shoot light rifles fine, my 8'ish pound Mashburn is/was quite nice over a backpack looking at elk at the 600 yard line. Plus, I knew I had enough oomph to make it happen as well.

Yes sir. Only thing left to add is ammo.

Well, since we're all just having fun here & the thread is already sorta highjacked,


If you run the ballistics on:

270, 150gr, LRAB @2950
280, 175gr, LRAB2750
7 Mag, 175gr, LRAB2900 (Yes, I know, but that's real world from a 24" barrel)

And use a really long, but kinda sane range of 700 yards...........

You'll find that the difference are not really enough to make a real difference, especially with wind drift & remaining velocity, which are the factory that matter most.

Yes, there is a slight edge for the 7 Mag, but it's neither a deal maker nor a deal breaker, & I'll take a 22", relatively lightweight 270 or 280 with those ballistics over a heavy, 24" 7 Mag any day of the week, or maybe a 7-08 or maybe a 6.5 CM..............& remember that you will always be shooting that light rifle from a decent rest of some sort at that kind of range.

YMMV, just my view of the world.

MM

Shiras moose, 270 Win, 150 NPT.

MM

Nice bull MM, what rifle was your 270 in? Range? I have 9 points in Utah, when I'm about a hundred and thirty years old, I will probably draw that tag. So I have that going for me, which is nice. Where I hunt deer up blacksmiths fork, we see good bulls fairly often. Congrats on yours! He"s beautiful!
As to your thinking on ballistics, and data shared, I'm sorta with you on that. And lighter is nice, especially on about day 5. . .

Nice. What optics as I am fiddling with a couple?

I’ve had a several Kimber MT’s in 300 WSM. I always used a Leupold 3-9 with dots in Talley Lwts, and a Butler Creek Mountain sling. With three rounds down it came in at 7lbs 4oz’s. I only ever used 180’s in the 300 WSM, and mainly the 180 Partition. I took a number of elk, deer and antelope with it, and it and the 308 Win are the most consistently eager to please rounds I’ve ever worked with. The Kimber 8400 stock is far and away, for me, the best recoil mitigating stock I’ve ever used. All in all, it was a great package.

Were I wanting a lightweight 300 WSM again, I'd do the Kimber 8400 MT, cut the barrel to 18" and put a can on it. Now that Lapua makes brass for it, it's even more attractive.

Nice moose MM!

Wow MM that's a dandy Shiras! Some day when I grow up I want a nice moose....... I'm 60 so I better hurry

I have also gacked the numbers, almost identical to your choices. I haven't killed anything with an ABLR yet. My only hesitation with the 270 150 LRAB is what it might do at 30 yards. I've watched the penetration videos, gel tests, anecdotal reports from users and remain a bit cautious. I really want to believe in the LRAB and other high BC hunting bullets but I'm leery how they perform at close range and high velocity. I default to the AB in the 270 but am sticking my toes in the water with the 7mm/175 LRAB.

While it isn't gel, check out what the fellas are doing on Front Line Rejects (You Tube). They water jug test a pile of bullets and just recently did the 165 ABLR from a 270 WSM.

I know water jugs are taboo, but they lay their info out pretty well and its a nice, quick watch.

I was talking with a fellow shooting buddy the other day about the ABLR and the Hammer bullets. They both do about the same thing, the front end comes unglued and a small base is retained to keep going. Granted, the Hammer seems like it typically has more base left after, I think the outcome will be about the same. It is sorta what got me onto trying the Hammer in a few of my rifles this year.

Sako, McM stock. Range on that was only about 70 yards, jumped him with a cow, 150 Partition.

Back side of the Tetons in WY, drew that tag on my 1st try; tried for 20 years to draw a late season deer tag in Idaho's Swan Valley area............still trying, LOL.

MM

I just used the LRAB for comparison because the bullet is a LR version available for the 3 rifles as a comparison..................I don't really plan to shoot 700+ yards, except maybe in special circumstances & being well prepared, so probably 90% of all the animals I've killed has been with Partitions. They just work. Longest range I've killed an animal was an elk right at 500 yards, & a big mule deer a little under that.

MM