Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber Montana question

I have looked at these for a couple of years now and just can't bring myself to pull the trigger but I'm thinking about them again so...

I would like to know if the bolt is still wobbly loose when on safety with a round in the chamber? Everytime I pick one up it bugs the heck out of me to hear the bolt rattle while on safe. And yes I hunt with a round in the chamber and on safe, don't care to argue about running an empty chamber.

Is there a serial number range to stay above to minimize problems?

Do you have any pressure problems with hot loads due to the smaller action? (Loads that would be safe in a 700 action)

I've got a Finnlite and a couple of Rem guide guns but these Montanas just taunt me everytime I walk in the gun store.

TWR,

While the bolt moves some in a Kimber 84M when on safe so does a pre 64 Winchester M70! I don't see it as a problem as its not so loose as to rattle. I does not rattle while on safe. It might make a sound if you moved it with your hand but so then might almost any bolt. If the round chambered was tight that might firm it up there but I FL size my hunting rounds.

I don't see that bolt issue as a problem at all.

My Kimbers are on the older side. I have no sn info for you.

There are no pressure problems with the Kimbers at all. I really like my Kimbers.

Wouldn't a bolt rattling in a "hot" action be a sign of overly generous headspace?

Terry

While it might be the sign of too much headspace both the specs and my handloads work fine with some clearance.

If a shoulder just 'touched' in a chamber that might take up some or all of the situation and as long as that handload was not too tight then it might 'cure' what to me is a non problem anyway.

I didn't say too much. If it works, then, it works.

To be clear, I have never chambered a round in one. I just get to wanting one and when I pick it up in the store, it just seems loose and cheaply made. I did notice some rattle more than others that I have tried. Never used a model 70 type action/safety.

I would not classify the Kimber bolt as cheaply made. Of the four I have, they close up tight in the action with a round chambered with very little wobble. No wobble at all when safety is put in the "safe-safe" position where the bolt can't be operated. Very little wobble on the Montana's when the safety is in the middle position, and no wobble on the Classics when the safety is in the middle position.

Just checked mine,no more wobble than other brands.

With the complaining now about a loose bolt I wonder how much worse the complaining would be when your too tight action locks up in the field because it got a little colder or got a speck of dust in the action!
Read Sako75's post about the "Click" he got with his Stiller action. Missed a deer because of too tight tolerances but hey I bet the bolt doesn't wobble on safe without a cartridge in the chamber.......................................DJ

TWR,
No concerns here, I just checked 7 Kimbers. You need to realize that what the bolt is doing at the store is not how it is giong to react with a round in the chamber.
So quit worrying and start writing............the check.

TWR,
No concerns here, I just checked 7 Kimbers. You need to realize that what the bolt is doing at the store is not how it is going to react with a round in the chamber.
So quit worrying and start writing............the check.

DJ, I'm not effin complaining, simply asking a question about an action type I have no experience with. This ain't no conspiracy as some of ya'll seem to think. Kimber has had a bad run with QC and if the dang Montana wasn't such an appealing design, I'd never think twice about them. Maybe I should have used the word "tinny" that someone else used instead of cheap but it is what it is. So if I want to ask a few questions I will.

bigwhoop, Savage 99, Kimber7man, thank you that is basicly what I wanted to know.

The Montana i picked up felt solid in the action but the pistol grip was too short .My little finger hung over the end ,it needs about .3 of an inch more length!!!!!!

I just checked mine for this wobble issue while on full safety,and it does rattle when the rifle is empty.It is not a headspace issue, but I think what happens is (forgive me if I don't get the technical names of the parts correct)that the sear disengages from the tension of the trigger,etc when the rifle is on full safe. The condition goes away when the safety is moved to the fire position.

I do not know if this condition exists when the rifle is "hot",or not;never noticed. I will forgive this little faux pas because the rifle shoots 100 Sierra's into 1/2" or slightly over when I do my part.

I agree with those who say super tight tolerances in a big game rifle are not such a hot idea,because dirt and grime can seize up some actions,triggers,etc, that a simpler design will shrug off. I've seen snow and ice render M700's useless as in "will not fire".

I notice some of the criticism leveled at Kimbers is that they are not "perfect";sorry, but for $1200-$1300 you don't get "perfection". They are a lot of rifle for the money,even if they do need a bit of tweaking.

TWR, I reread my post and it indeed was worded far too strongly for the point I was making. My apology's for any offense.

The point I was tactlessly making was that sometimes there's no free lunch. If you make a gun tight as a drum to please our like for great machining you can end up with a gun that's too tight -which can be even worse. Old military Mausers can be loose as a goose with the bolt drawn back and have a heavy slow firing pin fall - but they will work in just about any conditions. For a hunting rifle you want tolerances somewhere between old military bolt gun sloppiness and benchrest rifle tightness. IIRC Kimber actualy loosened some of the tolerances found in the first rifles to get better all-around functioning.

Also some Kimbers do have real issues. TC1 posted some pictures of one that had a ridiculously bad stock that absolutely should have been replaced before it left the factory. Others have certainly had real problems too but I still think that most of them out there are darned good rifles...............................DJ

DJ, no problem here. I know sometimes it's easy to post something out of context, maybe my reply was a perfect example...

I'm thinking I'm just gonna have to try one, it's too nice a package not to.

And who knows, you might get lucky......

TWR, I finally was able to dig out my Montana to check it out. Mine does have the spiffy Schmalt Titanium bolt knob but that shouldn't really make a difference in this test.

With an empty chamber and the safety on the bolt does have a mm or two of play, not much but enough if you shake the gun hard it will rattle slightly.

With a round in the chamber and the safety on it doesn't rattle.

With an EMPTY chamber but a round in the Magazine it didn't rattle. With a full Magazine it was even better.

So basically the only time I think it could make a signifigant noise in the field would be an gun with an empty chamber and an empty magazine that you were really rattling.

I'm also a big fan of Sako's. Between the Montana and the Finnlite I see advantages and disadvantages to both of them. I have a couple Kimber 270 WSM's and a Sako 85 Greywolf 270 WSM and the Kimbers outshoot the heavier Greywolf. The Greywolf is plenty accurate - sub MOA but one of my Kimber's especially is a real drill - and it was a pretty early 8400 - the first Kimber I bought.

I noticed that you are a fellow Okie. If I ever get enough time off to make to the OKC Gun Club I'll bring my 325 WSM Montana and you would be more than welcome to shoot it to see if you really want one.

Thanks for being understanding about my bad post - it was all on me, Thanks for pointing it out..............................DJ

djpaintless

I doubt our action went click when it was cold due to too tight of a tolerance. My guess is that it had too much grease/oil on the firing pin and when cold the grease slowed down the speed. Our actions are used on some of the finest guns built for hunting in all areas and conditions and have no problems when correctly used.

That's the point. I've seen old military rifles filled with 40year old grease still work in nasty cold conditions lighting off thick military primers. They have places for chunky old grease to go! Plus the heavy thick firing pins may slow down lock time but they also have greater inertia and work in wider varying conditions than a lightweight firing pin.

I mean no disrespect whatsover for Stiller Actions. I would LOVE to have several of them, they are indeed very fine actions. But I'd be darned carefull about how I lubed the insides of the bolt and what with. I'd be sure to keep the entire action clean.

A Ferarri is capable of higher performance than a Chevy truck but the Chevy truck is more likely to make it through the mud! And you can probably get away with a lot less maintenance on the truck. If you have a tight high performance action you need to keep it maintained more carefully than a looser std action.............................DJ