Well,I was in a local gun shop the other day. They had the Kimber rifle line quite well represented. Looked at one of everything. I gotta tell ya. I thought I knew what a light weight rifle was. I was wrong. I just flat assed couldn't believe how light the Mountain Assent was. Oh sure the numbers on the printed page are clear enough. In person? I never held nuttin like that before. Sweet! Doubt I could shoot it for chit. It sure would carry nice though.

The other Kimber that caught my eye was the Classic Select. Just enough heavier that I may stand a chance shooting it. Friggin nice rifle. Felt good in hand too. I could see taking a chance one of those. My question to you all is just how nice does the wood on one of these things get? Anyone here have a pic or two of an above average Select? I'd have to have one brought in in the caliber I'd prefer. I want to make sure I don't settle for one less than par at least. Ill have the right to refuse it if I don't think it's up to snuff. Just how nice do these get?

The Kimber selects are nice at 6 lb 2 oz but I'd never buy one sight unseen. I've seen more sapwood on Kimber stocks than I have in the forest. I'm still looking for a nice one in 280 Ackley.

If they have a selection ask them to pull them all out, my local brick and mortar pulled out 10 of em in 257 Roberts before I found one I liked.


And you could figure out the mountain ascent, I've got a .308 adirondack and a 338 federal montana that I chopped down to 16.75" and it weighs close to the same. They both kick but with some work they'll shoot MOA. Mountain ascent should buck a little less with more weight out front and overall weight being equal. I think the larger bores do ok with shorter barrels. I wouldn't shoot a creedmoor or .243 out of a barrel that short.

Thanks. Ill take that advise. Some folks like sapwood. I ain't one of em.

Yeah,that ascent was sweet. I had no idea just how light they were. I agree with you regarding the bigger bores and short tubes. Your 338 Fed Montana sounds like the ultimate baited bear rig. Bark a little does it?

I have one with average wood. 257 Roberts I bought about 10 years ago.


Terrible memory but I believe Cheesy(and a few other members here) have some really pretty versions.

Sam,ever try the 110 A-bond in that Roberts?

What do you want to know about the 110 accubonds?

I truly dislike them. In 2015 I was unable to find 120 grain partitions so I settled for the 110 grain Accubonds. I shot two deer in about 2-3 minutes, real similar behind the shoulder, raking-forward shots. I lost 3 of the 4 shoulders to bloodshot. I don't mean a LITTLE bloodshot, I mean soup only vaguely thicker than ketchup. I missed both on-side shoulder blades but shook the on-sides so bad they were goo anyway. The off side shoulder on the larger deer was undamaged, a little pink, but no major problem 'cause the bullet blew up early enough in passing through the chest that the fragments didn't reach the off-side of the rib cage. The off side of the smaller deer was black and purple soup. The bullet blew up inside but close enough to the off-side of the rib cage for fragments to rip through between the ribs and pulverize the meat under the shoulder blade, and hit with enough force to "shock" everything touching the shoulder.

It was [bleep] GOO.

Going into last summer Nosler put out another run of 120 grain partitions. I bought 10 boxes. The rest of the Accubonds moved to the varmint bullet pile for a windy day when I need a higher BC coyote bullet.

You do what you want .. I'm sure not using them on game anymore. There are a lot of non-bonded C 'n' C bullets I'd try before using those things again. .. but I don't have to 'cause this gun shoots the 120 grain partitions about as well as they do any of the other 20 or so bullets I've tried in it, and partitions work, no excuses, no apologies.

Tom

You can learn to shoot the Kimber Ascent well enough for hunting. I have one in .270Win. It is slightly sub-MOA to 1.5 MOA with most factory ammunition and a 4x Swarovski on top. Also, right at 6.0 lbs scoped, empty. If you pick one up, look at ShortActionSmoker's "Pre Flight Check List" for Kimber rifles. I've done most things to my Ascent except bed the action to the stock.

High level of variability in the visual quality of the wood on the Kimber Classic Select rifles. But, like the Mountain Ascents, they also "feel nice" in the hand. The Classic Select that I purchased in .270Win has common wood. However, it was available, the price was right, and I bought it to hunt. I won't sweat any "character marks" that it picks up in the field. Have not yet had time to wring it out accuracy-wise.

Now, if Kimber would only build some Left Hand rifles...

When sighting it in from the bench I was thinking about moving it along... but after taking it in the field and killing a bunch of hogs with it shooting standing offhand with a galco safari Ching sling I'm keeping it. Recoils not bad when your whole body moves with it. Sound isn't terrible in the open air either.

I have a Classic Select in .270 WSM. Very beautiful piece of wood and light. Light rifles are pretty unforgiving on the bench but it also shoots great with proper bench technique.









I came into two Kimber's in the same week after never having messed with them before and hearing all the horror stories. I love mine but I do believe I'm going to sell my Classic Select over my Montana in .325 WSM. The .325 is lighter, uglier, recoils way harder and doesn't quite shoot as good. But it has a house full of power, packs better, wont bother me to drag it through the brush and rocks, still shoots plenty good, and is a better go to gun the world over.

Good luck,

Todd

Nice shootin iron. And a nice shooting iron.

Otter, I think I did but can't remember for certain.

I have a bunch of 117 SGK's loaded for it now but rarely take it out of the safe.

A 243 Montana stepped in and makes a much better beater rifle!

I have the classic select in an 84l model, and I believe the wood is beautiful.
It almost has a grayish hue to it. Pretty wood, fairly straight grained. I absolutely love the look.
Personally I would reccomend it, shoots great and carries fantastic.

I've shot the 110 AccuBond in my .257 Roberts Classic Select, but with only mediocre results. Several bullets, particularly the Barnes 100 TSX and the Sierra 100 ProHunter shoot much better, both with H4350.

What's she chambered in?

I chose the 270, recoil in that rifle is a whole lot less than I expected out of something that light. Goes 7 pounds flat with my scope.

the wood on my 257bob doesn't suck too hard =]

I have one in .308 I am about to sell, there is some nice wood out there if you search for it

Wow! That is really nice!

IMO that's about as good as it gets in a Kimber.

it was the best out of 10 I made them cut the plastic on before I found that one... there was another that was unique but nothing like her....

I have a really nice AAA 308, but not as nice as your rifle.

The Kimbers are very nice rifles.m Theyt are very much individuals, but the standard overall is quite high. I have never seen one with "sapwood". Think you are talking about the light French walnut they use, which is solid, though I don't like it as well as the darker stuff.Shooting one take technique:: you must hold it firmly back against the shoulder with the off hand, and this has to happen regardless of field or bench. After three shots at the bench, forget anything further until it cools - there is a limitation to slim barrels! I will but another when I can.

Dayem! Those are some gorgeous rifles! I didn't find any like that. I did in fact buy one today. It's just straight grained,but the fit and finish is very nice. The ones I looked at that had figure,didn't run throughout. One side or end was great,the other not so nice. I will be on the lookout from now on for one of the "wood lottery winning" stocks. There was one in 308 that was pretty darn nice,but the barrel channel was tight on the left side,and wide on the right. I handed it back.

Ill get a scope mounted and some pics up maybe tomorrow. Chores are up next. Hard getting any work done with a new rifle in the house.

I really like the red pad. Beautiful rifle!

Wow, that is a stunning piece of timber. The best I've ever seen on a Kimber Select.

I thought I had a nice Classic Select, now I'm envious of some of those posted above. Wow.

My .257 Roberts I bought used off of gunbroker. It shoots very nice with about every load tested in it.

I think (not positive) that Kimber had a run of these with higher quality of wood than their 'standard' Classic Selects. Most of them that you see are pretty blonde in the wood coloration with not a ton of grain.

Suminabitch! I gotta find me one of those purdy ones.

Are those medium Talleys Cheesy?

257 Roberts

I hope Photobucket goes tits up! God I'm getting sick of these 3rd party hosting bull [bleep] things.

They're Talley's, but not sure what they measure, assume mediums. Were with the gun when I bought it off gunbroker.

That scope is a VX-2 3-9x40 that I had as a spare when I first got the rifle. It now wears a proper 2-7x32, or is it a 2.5-8, I forget which one I put on it.

Mine is currently sitting under a VX3i 3.5 - 10. I like the darn thing. Needs a little finer duplex though. Like in the VX2 4-12X.

I wish the shop I bought mine in 257 Roberts had more of a selection. At the time I was satisfied with the wood on my rifle, but after seeing photos of others on this site and on the internet in general I realize now that mine is simply plain jane walnut - nothing fancy at all. But I love the way the rifle shoots and handles.

That is beautiful