Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Kimber in .338, .300 Win Mag, or .300 Short Mag

I already own a 30-06 but it is an auto loader and I have been doing a back pack trip for in Colorado every year and we go in a long ways. I want to get a light weight bolt action and as long as I am doing so I have been considering a alternate caliber. I like the idea of going for moose someday and possibly an alaska trip in the future. Having said that I would love to use this thing for whitetails in my home state of WI as long as I will be putting some money into it. So any thoughts on the .338, the .300 Win Mag, or the >300 WSM? I like the Kimber Montanna but any other thoughts on brands would be great!

The Kimber Montana LA 8400 in 300 WM and 338 WM is not a lightweight... more like a heavy-midweight.

The Kimber Montana SA 8400 in 300 WSM is close, but still a midweight.

If you want a true lightweight (something under 7lbs all-up weight), I'd suggest the 84M Montana in 308 or, alternatively, wait until Kimber brings out the 84L Montana in 30-06.

My 308 MT scoped and loaded with sling goes 6lbs 6oz's. If I went with a lighter scope I could get it right at 6lbs 4oz's all-up. That's a lightweight...

Tag-listen up as Mac (aka Brad) has been a student of this stuff for a long time and knows his stuff

Dober

If it were me, I think I'd look at perhaps a .300 wsm since you're backpacking into the back country. I think I'd keep my .30-06 for deer hunting locally. You don't mention what you might come to Alaska for but the .300 WSM and, I might add, your .06 would really work for anything in the state. For a Brown Bear, you MIGHT want to look at a .338. BTW, I do use a .338 on moose but I know a bunch of guys using .30-06's just fine. My perspective of hunting is from the Alaskan point of view and I seldom think of how you guys in the Lower-48 do it. I have 2 primary calibers for hunting. Two .27 cals. (a .270 Win. & a .270 WSM) and a .338 mag. The .27's are for sheep, caribou, etc - & i'd use 'em on moose too. My .338 is mainly for moose but would be used up close & personal for a grizzly. Both cals. work fine here.
As to a new rifle, it would be a Win. Extreme Weather for me. Absolutely no Kimbers. Have played "Kimber Roulette" & lost. Just my thoughts. Good luck & have fun deciding.
Bear in Fairbanks

I'd either go with a .308 or .338 Federal for the lightest rig or step up to either the 300 WSM or .325 WSM. I have a .325 that shoots very well with 180 TSX, 200 Accubonds and 220 A Frames. I get the same velocity in my .325 with the 200 gr Accubonds as I do in my .308 with 150 TSX.

As far as Kimber roulette goes, I have the .308 and the .325 and both shot very well out of the box. A .338 Federal, not so much.

How does the Winchester Extreme Compare to the Kimber? Any big issues with going with a 30-06 compared to the magnums as far as elk hunting goes? Based on my experince shots are not pass 300 yards are more commonly 100 yards or less.

No comment on the guns.

My experience with moose is that 30-06 is more than capable. My Dad has shot 31 moose with a 30-06. My brother's .270 has done great under 200 but not near the stopping power past 200 yds. I have a 7 mm rem mag and it does great. If I was buying a new gun I would be looking at something lightweight in 30-06. JMO

Tag, I personally like the older Winchesters with the Pre-64 style trigger. I'm building my 6th 300 WSM right now... have had three Kimber MT's and three M70's... I prefer the M70 in the 300 WSM.

My blueprint is a circa 2001 SS M70. Barrel cut to 23" and Tubbs firing pin installed (drops an ounce off factory pin). Replace factory bottom metal with PT&G aluminum and save another four ounces+. Bed the whole thing in a McMillan Hunters Edge Compact with Leupold 6x36LR on top in Talley X-Low Lightweights. Add uncle Mikes Mountain Sling and three rounds and you have an all-up wieght of 7lbs 8oz's and a rifle that is hell-for-stout and has more barrel weight than the Kimber for "settling down" for the shot and less muzzle jump.

As to cartridge... under 300 yards you're perfectly fine with a 308 Win. Heck, over 300 yards you're fine with a 308 Win. The 300 WSM will give a more noticeable reaction to the hit than the 30-06 or 308, but they don't really die any deader. Ditto the 338 WM.

All my elk have been taken with either the 308 Win, 30-06, 300 WSM or 338 WM. All do the deed just fine if pointed properly...

Great stuff Brad!

For a turnkey solution I'd go 300 WSM Montana myself, over the .308... I've packed my .325 around quite a bit and certainly never thought it was too heavy. And the 300 WSM shooting 200's is a solid notch up from a .308 in terms of ballistics, both flight and terminal.

BUT, your statement that (to summarize) dead is dead is valid fer sure!

I have a 30-06 in an original Rem 700 Titanium. It goes 6lbs with a 3x9 khales scope. Lightest rifle I even seen except for A NULA.

So with sling and rounds it should go about 6lb's 8oz's. Nice.

My Browning 300 Win Mag Stainless Stalker with Nikon 3-9X40 scope and strap comes in at just under 8lbs. Love the balance and feel of the gun. Guess it is probably considered a mid-weight gun but personally, don't think I'd want a mag. much lighter than this.

Though not on your list, I'd go with a Montana in 338 Fed, or I would buy a Montana in 308 or 243 and rebarrel to 358 Win., but that's just me.

I have an 8400 Montana in 338WM and it weighs at 7lb 8oz. Very light compared to some of the 9-10lb boat anchors I usually drag around.

With sling and rounds?

I'd go with a .338 Federal. Shoot 185gr TSX and absolutely hammer chit and kill 'em DRT.

I'd rather use a 180 from the 308... or better yet, a 165.

Get a Kimber 300wsm Montana. It'll be perfect. Got a buddy who kills a sheep and a moose just about every fall with his, not to mention a few Sitka Blacktails and a nice mule deer last fall. He shoots the 168ttsx with RL17.

oops! double tap

Why? The Fed shoots as flat or flatter than both and without question hits harder at all practical hunting ranges. And, of course, in terms of hole size, .338 > .308.

I guess the .308 might be better if you're hunting rabbits, but I'm taking about game animals the size of deer, and especially larger.