Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing A Kimber of Oregon Model 89 BGR returns to Oregon w/Pics

Well, here goes what I hope will be a semi-productive, or at least visually appealing thread, mostly concerning the Kimber of Oregon Model 89 BGR rifles made by the original Kimber back in 1989-1991. I have a lot to say in this regard and it will take a while to get it out. I welcome any and all to join in and apologize in advance to the bandwidth challenged.

These Kimber of Oregon Big Game Rifles were manufactured in Clackamas and Colton, Oregon, my home town. Post mid-1989, they were barrel-stamped Colton. As some of you know, I worked there for a period riod in 1988-1990. I've wanted one ever since but I was $7 an hour and they were $1400ish for a Super America. Today, I am happy to say, I have myself a Kimber of Oregon Mod 89 BGR, 25 years in the waiting! Its a matte finished Super America, 270 Winchester and it's stamped Colton. It is not perfect and I'll be exploring it further as time goes on.

Since those distant days, there's been various issues come to light regarding these rifles and I know for a fact that in the later days of Kimber of Oregon, many rifles went out the door that should not have. I'd never call it a majority though, as I have read on occasion. Likewise there's been very knowledgeable and well-respected persons, here on the Fire, and elsewhere, whom bemoan and others that praise the ol' Kimbers, the ownership, designs, craftsmanship etc... Truth is somewhat convoluted and clarifying, vilifying, arguing and bitching is not my point here. For clarity sake, the following is meant with respect to those whom have read various posts on here from Dogzapper. My time at Kimber was 100% after Mr Timms', I had never met nor heard of him prior to finding 24hourcampfire in 2010. Nor did I have any experience whatsoever with the prototype BGR rifles. We started building the production 89s several months after I went to work there in August of '88, about a year and a half after Kimber expanded to the Colton facility. Truthfully, I had my share of difficulties with the management, but hold Mr. Warne Senior, Mr. Jack Warne from Australia, in the very highest regard. He's the man behind the origination of Warne Rings. He and his son Greg founded Kimber. Greg had issues, that's neither here nor there, but the fact remains, Kimber was his baby.

I just think it's a darn cool rifle design and I am indeed proud to have been a part of Kimber of Oregon during this time of huge expansion and product development. I'd like to focus the conversation on Kimber of Oregon, so for those whom are unaware, Kimber of Oregon closed it's doors in 1991. A few years later, a company called Kimber of America came about, still with Greg at the helm. I also worked there in 1994-1995. That KoA company is what eventually morphed into Kimber Manfacturing in Yonker, NY that does their stock work in freaking Costa Rica. I'm not interested in the later.

So - my rifle came about - kind of on a whim, sound familiar? I had some funds and there it was on Gunbroker. I read the description, I contacted the seller and asked questions and I read reviews and I paid the bucks, and I waited and waited, and it arrives with a busted stock! I cringed, as I had worked in the stockshop, and and that's one of my main interests. It is my solem belief, Gunbroker seller sappscism, Mr. Maurice Scism, in San Antonio, TX did not disclose the existence of a pre-existing, and now failed, stock repair. Chaps my ass - but whatever. Buyer be ware. I got what I got. I sent a photo of the breakage to several folks here in this forum and all four got right back to me, and the consensus was, repair and enjoy. The following images depict my rifle, as shown on GB, as it arrived, and my repair, blending a bit of what I know and some solid advice from pal, Sitka, and Gnoahhh.

What I bought, yep, the crack is barely - yet plainly - visible:


What I got. Honestly, flash photography makes it look worse, it is not glued solid but its not as open as it looks:



What I did, took it to my all in one motorcycle, butcher shop, and woodworking storage area, aka 1-car garage:


What's inside.


Went all Dremel on it:

Ended up using about 8 layers of fiberglass cloth, one piece at a time.

Filled it up:
[img]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x2WZB4swCrc/VF2Ub5Vj01I/AAAAAAAAE-8/YfuS_azv9Iw/s800/IMG_0019.JPG[/img]
Re-Dremel:
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7JV2xMliw8c/VF2UdNusCQI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/E3Yi0Lix_go/s800/IMG_0021.JPG[/img]
Oh, before the fiberglass, from the inside I drizzled thin cyanoacrylate and flexed the stock to allow it to penetrate the crack. That's my own addition. Be it known, Satellite City green has held the buttplate secure for 25 years and the high quality 3M 20minute expoxy we used, at the recoil lug is perfect, fits like the proverbial charm. Anyways, super glue resulted in this, and took a bit of work with 400grit and oil to,smooth out, good enough for now:
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3yqe5MBcVok/VF2UdiMuONI/AAAAAAAAE_g/YC1_LV-Mt3E/s800/IMG_0022.JPG[/img]

Other than one dip or gouge, the inletting cleaned up good. Also, filed out the bolt release area a bit, it was hitting at the crack origin. Just used clear glue to seal the bare wood, easy peasy.
[img]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iEdAvOhkjgM/VF2Ue0ep_CI/AAAAAAAAE_4/E5d5amx5JmA/s800/IMG_0024.JPG[/img]

Outside, solid as heck:

If you hit it just right with the flash, its invisible!:

My Colton rifle is ready for the range, hopefully. Not bad for a production rifle.


She's a CRF three-position safety blend of Mauser 98 and Winchester. Or whatever, it sure ain't a 700!



I'll be adding more as time goes by. I've been collecting pictures off the web...

Oh, got a couple more cracks to deal with someday. We were using up a lot of Claro... The rings are original Kimbers, period correct... Machined .460" dovetail on the receiver. Shown here with a 4x40 scope...

Cut checkering. I just can't see how the ladies did it, 22LPI with a rotary tool. I was all 80 grit belts and the dust a fly'n. Cheers.
[img]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-QYk13FE54-Y/VF2UvN7n9pI/AAAAAAAAFD0/mDNfKvV1LFk/s800/IMG_0060.JPG[/img]

Here's a few of the past discussions, for what it's worth. There are a bunch more and hope they'll get posted. Having issues with the flashy damned ads lately and tired of trying. Later.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/6848982/Searchpage/2/Main/486686/Words/%22kimber+of+oregon%22/Search/true/Kimber_of_Oregon#Post6848982

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/6756300/Searchpage/2/Main/480300/Words/%22kimber+of+oregon%22/Search/true/Re_Kimber_of_Oregon_416_Rigby#Post6756300

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/447960/site_id/1#import

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...41994/all/I_love_my_Kimber_Mod_89_Super_

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9150085/Re_Kimber_of_Oregon

That ought to hold forever! Good job.

Thank you sir!

Yep, don't think that repair's gonna fail. Years ago, We had an old black guy that was the welder, fabricator, and general repairman at the construction company my FIL owned and he always said,if something's worth repairing, it's worth "double-buttholing" it. I think that meant to make it twice as strong as it was originally. Looks like you double-buttholed that:)
John

LOL. Yep, it's all doubled up.

Was going for confidence - confidence that it would stay put. Without the extra rebuild using the fiberglass, I doubt I'd have the faith I'm looking for.

Liking it more all the time... Very slick handling. Hope its a shooter.

Digging up an old thread:

Doing some research on the Kimber Model 89, and found this old thread. Just curious to hear if there is any more to the story about this rifle? That's some gorgeous wood - how'd the repair hold? How's the gun shoot? Any other problems brought to light by the passage of time?

I’m trying to post a pic of my .270 89 BGR Super America. I’ve owned it over twenty years now, love it, never had a problem with it.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0jnKoXN7ReqC89Lv-IhzyKNEA