Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Kimber Montana Scope Base Options?

John,

I had Talleys on an 84M with a 6x Leupo and both the front and rear cracked. I know Brad beds his Talleys, mine were not. I replaced the Talleys with Leupo DD and a 3-9x Chicken. Couldn't zero my scope at 100y and discovered the DD cracked. This happened with just a handful of rounds.

I'm using Warne steel bases on my 84M now with Maxima rings and the 3-9x Chicken. Only 60-70 rounds so far but no cracks. The rifle is shooting one big hole at 100y and roughly 1-moa at 490y and 670y, just today. Perhaps I over-torqued the Talleys and DD, or should have bedded the Talleys but so far I dig the steel bases. All of them fit the receiver great with no visible gaps but I'm not a fan of that trough running down the middle of the Talleys or the thin metal on the DD. That said, my first set of Warne bases had a defect and I took them to Warne in person for a replacement. Fella at Warne said they are extruded steel.

I'm pretty sure that the Nightfarce UL rings will fit the Warne base slots as their lug is narrow. I called NF and they said they would not fit weaver-bases but did confirm my suspicion that the lug is narrow enough to fit the Warne slot. But... I've never tried to install them. Other 1913 rings like Seekins absolutely will not fit due to the wider lug. If you've got access to a mill, you could open the slot on the Warne bases.

Or check-out the Kimber 1913 bases. I wish they had the slot offset on the front base or offered an extended front base.

Jason

I've got a set of Leupold DD if interested

19.00 bucks, new in package

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9665415/Re:_+++KIMBER_84M_Leupold_DD_b#Post9665415

That's fine. I'm just making a loyalty statement based on stellar performance with many hunts - including the "quick release" version. No failures from .204's to the 375 H&H. Options are always nice to have though.

I actually got the info by e-mail from NF, below is the response regarding the lug on the UL rings. Only thing... those rings are a smidge higher than Maxima lows, IIRC.



The recoil lug portion of the crossbolt that engages the rail is 1/8" wide.

We do not recommend using picatinny spec rings on a weaver spec rail. They are machined to a different dimension.

Please let us know if we can offer further support.

Regards,


Technical Support, Customer Service
Nightforce Optics, Inc
336 Hazen Lane, Orofino, Idaho 83544
(208)476-9814 p
(208)476-9817 f
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www.nightforceoptics.com

I have some Burris signature Zee rings laying around. I may run them on the Warne bases. But, the lowest the signature Zees come in is medium, a little higher than I like.

John

I like my scopes mounted low too. I like a good cheek weld. the Kimber stock is straighter-higher than a model 70. I got good cheek weld with the Medium Zee rings and Warne steel bases.

My Zee's pictured above are Low's.

Kimber offers both a one-piece and two-piece picatinny base.

http://store.kimberamerica.com/rifles/tactical-rifles/optics-and-mounts-tactical

I picked up a two-piece set for an 8400 WSM and 84M. Just waiting on my Seekin rings to come in.

Picatinni base to 1913 specs are too thick, raising the scope higher than I like. That's why I love the Burris XTB bases so much, because they have picatinni slot width and placement but are much lower profile.

Oh well, I'll figure something out…

John

If you happen to come across a picatinny two-piece base for the 84M that will allow lower profile, please let me know. Haven't seen anything else and Burris unfortunately doesn't offer their XTB for the Kimbers.

After reading about another set of cracked Tally Lightweights, I decided I'm going with the Warne bases and will use the signature Zee rings I have on hand. Also ordered a set of 30mm signature Zee rings for use with the 16x SS for load development.

Thanks for all the input.

John

John, I've probably had close to 20 sets of Talleys and never, ever had an issue or crack. I suspect something else was at work with that rifle's receiver (if we're talking about the same Kimber 7-08).

He also had an all-steel base crack too...

Brad, I think the difference is that you bed your Talleys, whereas I didn't. I did run a hardness test on the alloy and it was definitely in the 7000-series range.

The DD cracking surprised me... but looking at the spot where they cracked the metal is very thin. I saw a post at Rokslide with the same failure and the OP there said that it wasn't the first DD they had seen crack in that spot.

So far, so good with the Warne steel bases

Of the coupla dozen sets of LW's I've shot hard,only (3) that I can recall,have puked. (2) on Montuckys and (1) on a 1st Gen Ti. Might could have been more,but I think that's it(thus far). Though admittedly,I'm hard on Riggin'and weather don't aspook me and shooting is still FUN to me...so I do a bunch of it.

Pards puked a few more sets of LW's this last year too and it seems like the run is largely over. I've seen me default back to Old Reliable,which is Reupold DD's and Signatures,but now 30mm DD Signatures are discontinued. Have shot DD's on everything from K-Hornet to 378Wby less a single "issue",let alone outright puke. I reckon aged DD's are of better mettle,than new and yes...the fhuqking Pun be intended.(grin)

DNZ sucks heavy ass and is hard on scopes,due their ring spacing.

I'm not really a Ring/Rail Guy,though I've a schitload of 'em and typically solely due to more max ring spacing and inclination(the 75MOA extended 1913 Annie 54's double especially,in both departments).




I've got Warne 2pc and rails. Have lotsa Warne Maxima rings and have puked none of it.

EGW Montucky 20MOA 1913 chop. I don't have Lady Fingers and tend to shoot my schit a smidge.(grin)





DD/Signature and rear base shim for 40+ Mils of ele on the erector and a low mount. Ring spacing being the sole concession,but this is THE schnizzle. It wore LW's/3.5-10x Reupold prior.




7Whizzum Montucky/MK4 M3 6x/DD's.

[img]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/674/yOvOAF.jpg[/img]

7Whizzum Montucky/LW's/6x42 Reupie.

[img]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/903/oCy4oY.jpg[/img]

223AI Rocktucky/LW's/3.5-10x. Broke a set of LW's on this one. It is VASTLY superior now,with Reupold DD's/Signatures and 6x Fixed Fhuqker(126.5 MOA remaining on the erector).

[img]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/537/KIXqrZ.jpg[/img]

7 Whizzum Montucky/LW's/6x Fixed Fhuqker.

[img]http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/844/alhu.jpg[/img]

Nobody does rings/bases REALLY right.....................

I am using DNZ 1-piece on mine. Ugly but very effective.

I've got Talley ring-mounts on one Montana, but the other 4 Kimbers are sporting DDs. I like the DDs because I gain 1/2" or so of forward positioning on the rear ring.Some day I'll get around to changing the last one.

It might be a fluke, but I've have to lap a wild amount off the Talley ring mounts. Once is a fluke, twice is a "Hmmmmmm", but when it gets to 3 in a row I have a pretty good idea why some people are cracking them. That's a lot of mis-alignment.

I like them too. I got one for my Rem 660 350 mag. I liked it so I took the DD Leupold bases & rings off of my M70 and bought another one. I used one set of Talley LW and they caused me to use too much windage correction. I thought it was the rifle so I bought a Warne one piece base and Burris Signature zee rings and a set of the offset inserts. With the regular inserts the windage was to the opposite side (and no nearly as much) so I used the inserts and very close to a zero before I used the scope's adjustment.

I like DNZ. Like Stick mentioned you're stuck with the ring spacing that could benefit from being a bit wider...but to date, I've not had a problem from them either with rings cracking or scopes failing from levered out ends. I'm running them on two Montana's and a herd of other rifles.

I've yet to try their 2 piece mounts (Hunt Master), but they would allow you to reverse the ends like Talley's for wider spacing...and leave a bit more room in the middle sans the connection bar. I need to pick up a pair and put them on a high mileage rifle to see how they fair.

I don't think DNZ makes a 2-pc for the Kimber but you could chop the center section like Stick did on that rail and flip the front around for more spacing.

Got the Warne bases in and they seem fine. Best part is that the Burris XTR rings work with the Warne bases. Effective low mount system in my estimation. here it is with a Weaver K6. There's actually a hair < 1/8" clearance between the scope bell and the barrel. Photo angle makes it look like it's touching, but it's not.



As a side note, the wife absolutely digs the Monatna in .223. She spent this evening absolutely wearing out the 200 yard steel. The thing is a joy to shoot, easily allowing you to spot your own shots through the scope.

John