Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Montana or Featherweight?

Just an update, picked up my Montana on Friday. Very happy with the whole transaction, good price, fast shipping, and a nice rifle. I work 6-12s away from home, so the next couple weeks will be scoping it then shooting. Hopefully the next report is that of a great shooting rifle.

Have had many and still have a few of both. The Leadweights stay home when it comes to hunting nowadays.

Just an update, the Montana shoots great, sub 1" groups with 125 Partician, Starline brass, and Big Game loading. Took a busted up buck, that combination seems to work great. Thanks again for the "Fire's," input.

I agree with you GWB. I got kicked off of a PNW site for banging the moderators ex wife.. Ol Pharmy knows that site well. The things they will use to kick your azz off a site anymore!! Damn..

Oh, now to answer the OP's question. Featherweight or Montana??.... Well, split the difference and buy a Tikka Superlite. Obvious answer, of course. It will shoot better, out of the box, than either of his choices, and pack just as nicely. 100% reliable, without all the "fluff"..

It seems the OP is pleased with his Kimber.

I've never really warmed up to the Tikka action, kind of clunky to me, I know, that will ruffle some feathers here, lol! But yeah, I really like my first Kimber rifle.

I am with you on the Tikka action Fuelman.

I have a couple Montanas and like them for what they are, a nicely thought out very lightweight practical rifle.
I have many pre 64 model 70 FWTs. some in their factory wood stocks and a bunch in quality synthetics....those rifles I cherish and most of them coming in about 8lbs scoped; are for me in the sweet spot for packing and shootability.
I have a mid 50's fwt. 30'06 in it's original wood stock, with a 1" pad and scoped that weighs right at 7.5 pounds and still prints very tight groups, a delightful rifle.
The Kimber will never have a soul like a pre 64 M70 Fwt. nor will it make that wonderful sound our friend Bob and I love to hear when you run the bolt.

I never handled Montana or any other Kimber but I do have a pre 64 M70 Fwt in 30-06, what are major differences between the two beside the weight, I was thinking about getting a Montana.

There used to be talk that people thought the Kimber Montana was better if it had a green or the early gray rifle stock. Not sure what changed or what the difference was?

I've never owned a Kimber Montana. A local store has one in 270 Win, 325 WSM and 7mm WSM. Not sure if that is a good sign or a bad sign, having that many used of the same item. I would love to have both of the WSM's.

I’m Left-handed and always wanted a Kimber…they actually put out an advertisement that they were going to produce a LH Super America back in the early 2000’s I believe. Then they reneged.
Never thought much of the company or their rifles ever since.

Couple hunting buddies have Montanas…I’ve handled them enough to know what they are and in my opinion, the Model 70 is superior in every way. I’d much rather carry a stainless FWT. But, it’d be stocked in a McMillan Hunter’s edge for sure.
Having said that, Winchester hasn’t offered a LH stainless FWT either….ever! Which is sad.

I never thought much of Tikka either as some have mentioned on this thread. However, after seeing a couple shoot, the wheels started turning in my head and now I own 3 Lefty T3X Superlites…all wear McMillan Hunters Edge Compacts(standard fill). They are twice the rifle the Montana could ever hope to be, in my opinion! But, the McMillan stock was the key for me as I can’t stand a cheap plastic stock on a hunting rifle.

They are super light weight(even in the standard fill McMillan stock). Now, they don’t feel cheap and boy do they shoot!😁

To each his own.

Leftybolt

I see the OP nabbed a Kimber and is happy. More often than not for the last 5-6yrs, when it's time to fill a tag, I find myself nabbing a Kimber of the appropriate chambering.

I have a Kimber MT in 243Win and a M70 SS Classic Fwt in an Edge fill, blind bottom Fwt pattern McMillan. Accuracy different between the two certainly isn't enough to live on. I shoot 85gn TSX's through both @ 3200fps.

The M70 is easier for a less-experience shooter to shoot well. As Brad stated above, it settles faster/easier. The lighter Kimber is certainly the winner in the "handier-dandier" dept.

The M70 would have a distinct advantage were I to re-barrel in order to speed up the twist AND stay in the '08 case family with a 3" box swap. The Kimber would favor the Creed family again in handy-dandy and the '08 and Creed based cases get you to ultimately the same place.

Featherweight 260

Have you ever seen such a cat?

Me too.
Tikkas of any model just haven't impressed me.

They feel like a kid's toy, haven't been as accurate as others claim they are (for me, anyhow) and just haven't given me the warm/fuzzy. I haven't had one long enough to attest to reliability and seriously doubt I'll ever own another.

Rock on to those that like them, but I'll stick to Kimbers, Rem 700s and Win 70s.

Well said HW.. Fully 2nd that comment and I like my little Montanas.

Rifles are tools and the Montucky is simply fhuqking exceptional from a rugged/reliable hard use standpoint. Hint……….