Anyone have one? Curious how it shoots, feeds,handles, real weight etc. I haven’t had a “Hunter” yet, just the montana version of limbers rifles.

I don’t have a long action but do have 3 of the shorts. I bought the first as a donor and liked it enough to grab two more. Took the gel out of the stocks and all are easily under 5lbs. Accuracy has been like all of my Kimbers the last few years- MOA without much if any work.

No real complaints.

I have Hunters in 270 and 7-08. Fabulous rifles! Maybe not as sexy looking as the Montana but damn fine tools.
Also have a 308 but haven’t put it in the wind yet.

They handle great. I had a 6.5 and it shot 3/4” at 100 with federal fusions.

I'm really interested in this exact rifle myself. I've not owned a Hunter but have 3 Montanas and more than that pass through my hands. I've been a bit skeptical of the molded trigger guard and 3 shot magazine but given the scarcity of Montanas, I may be talked into a Hunter. After all they are a tool.

You should buy one and thoroughly test it

My neighbor’s wife has one that she hunts with. They claim it’s a good rifle, but his idea of shooting is maybe once before hunting season. Her family is a lot more serious and she has taken long range shooting classes with a custom built 6.5 CM. If she says it’s accurate I’ll take her word over his for it.

I might. My primary is a 6.5 k Montana.

I have stacks of the 145 horn ph and 129lrx factory ammo. Be tough to not get the job done with either.

You aren’t breaking that trigger guard without trying.

How difficult was it to get the gel out of the stock?

Takes about 2-3 minutes with some WD40 and a long flat head screw driver. Spray, work around edges, center punch and work it out. I believe all three of my stocks had pretty close to 8 oz of gel.

IME Two .308's and a 300wsm Montana and now a 7mm-08rem in a Hunter. All shooters easily. Thank god as w/this Hunter time has been limited and it sticks 120gr TTSX into a 3/4" group! Can't wait to get reloads in this one. Love Kimbers Best of luck to ya and happy hunting!

AKduck did you notice any increase in noise through stock?

How is the balance?

Thinking of doing that to my 6.5CM Hunter.

I put grocery sacks in the stocks to deaden the sound. Spray foam would work too. I’ve have a 6.5 and a 308 both cut to 19”. They point in well and feel good in the hands.

So is the gel for dampening noise or?? 8oz is definitely worth doing away with.

I believe the gel was added to push it to a higher weight than the Montana version for sales (poorly quoting MCMXI) My 308 is at 4lbs 9oz with a chop, Ti handle, and gel removed….and cost significantly less than the Mtn Ascent version.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/15540533/1

Here's the gel that I just worked out of my 6.5 CM. A touch over 8 oz.

Wow! Any in the grip?

My son has had a 6.5 since about when they first came out and likes it. I put five through it and found it pretty lively on the bench as-is, so I’d be leery of digging out the gel until I gave it try as-issued.

Does the gel add any strength or support to the shell, or is it just for sound deadening?

Yep. I don't get the "it's not a metal trigger guard" crowd. If you did something to that gun hard enough to break that trigger guard, you're in a situation anyway and that will be the least of your worries.

I think there is a very small amount in the he grip, but I have think I could damage the grip cap trying to remove it. I'm leaving it be.😁

Pretty sure the gel was added just to add weight. Kimber didn't want their "budget" version lighter than the Montana. It shoots sub MOA without the gel. I stuffed the butt stock tight, full of packing peanuts. Added no weight, but got rid of the hollow sound.

Maybe not the Hunter one, but the RAR .17 I bought a few years ago had the guard broken off in the shipping box, maybe by the bolt that was loose in the box when it landed, but how much impact force could that bolt generate in normal handling? There was no visible damage to the box. Ruger sent me a new stock out pronto, and free of course.

Wonder what it’d take to bust the guard on one of the old boatpaddle 77/22s? That’s some tough stuff.

Not the water-soluble ones I hope!😜

Lol! Nope!

Anyone have issues with surface rust on the barrel? Years back I looked at buying a Kimber Hunter in .243 but the brand new rifle the shop had, had surface rust on the barrel even in the factory plastic bag. I ended up buying a Winchester Model 70 FTW in .243.

Never had a rust issue on any of mine. Although they do get an Eezox wipedown once a year.

The older Montana’s would get some nasty discoloration. I think it was determined they were bead blasting with the same stuff they used on cm stuff which left trace amounts of cm on the ss. My newer one doesn’t suffer from it.

I ran into a guy that had one of the Longmaster 84 rifles with the SS barrel and he found the same thing regarding the CM steel particles embedded in the finish.

I'm a huge fan of my Hunter in .270. I had an 8400 Montana that just didn't ever feel right in the hand. This cured that. I'd like a stiffer stock but for $1000 more? I think no. I got the real tree with KimPro. I might paint the stock sometime but that's about it