Kimber rifles

[ssghelmick]

I own two Kimber rifles one is a 7mm Rem mag in the old Calackamas which really is nothing more than a sporterized M98 and the other is a Montana in .308. Both my rifles produce good accuracy MOA or better if I do my part. My question is this: I have read in many posts on other forums that Kimber rifles are not accurate and I'm wondering if this is the case most often? Did I just get lucky twice? If so I'm gonna buy a lotery ticket because it's not very often that I get lucky twice.

[TNrifleman]

Your experience is quite consistent with the "norm" for Kimber rifles. They do make excellent rifles and handguns. My experience with Kimber firearms causes me to discount most of the tales of woe from a few disgruntled guys. Any gun maker can ship a gun that has an issue. Most will make it right, including Kimber.

[Val]

I've got Savages, Winchester Model 70s, a Ruger, a Howa and Remington 700s, a sporterized K98 Mauser and a Sporterized British Enfield made in the early 1900s;  they all shoot under MOA (three shot groups, since I develop hunting loads). I believe the great majority of hunting rifles can be made to shoot MOA or better with proper load develpment effort.

[ssghelmick]

Thanks guys I appreciate the response I was just starting to wonder because I have seen two or three posts on the Kimbers as of late and none of them were positive. They not only said that they weren't accurate but that they are mechanically inferior as well and that their customer service was lousy. Their exact words were "Friends don't let friends buy Kimbers."

[Zachary]

I have a newer Kimber 8400 Montana in 300WSM.  With Federal Premium 180 Nosler Partitions, I get 1" groups or better at 100 yards.  Keep in mind that this is a LIGHT rifle and that, generally speaking, all else being equal, a light rifle will not be as accurate as a heavier one.

As such, 1" groups, from any gun, are good, and from a light gun like the Kimber, are exceptional.

Zachary

[deerman12]

I have a Kimber Montana 270 WSM.  It seems to shoot every thing in the 130-140 grain around an inch.  I shot it yesterday.  I did manage to squeeze a half inch group out of 140 grain accubond and a healthy charge of RL-19.  In my opinion, it is a great HUNTING rifle.  I would own more of them if my wife and bank account would permit.

[cointoss]

I had a Kimber Montana in 7mm-08 and it was a joy to carry and all but all the rifle would shoot was 3 inch groups at best!  This was with after trying 4 different factory loads; plus, different bullet weights as well.  Two different Leupold scopes were mounted, one new and the other proven ok.  Also, it failed to pick up the second shell out of the magazine and this rifle was the newer three position safety model. Talked to the factory and their  claim was send it back but after seeing alot of disgruntled customers already on Kimber, I traded it off on a Sako Finnlight. 

Yes, I realize light rifles shoot differently and that barrels need to cool, but the Sako Finnlight outshot the Kimber easily with any of the factory leftover ammo I had available from the Kimber.   

[sidekick]

I have a Kimber Montana in .308. It will put reloaded Georgia Arms 150 gr. Nosler BT's in a inch group, or less, at 100 yds IF I keep the barrel cool. Shoot it hot, and the group opens significantly, but not unacceptably. This is done with a Zeiss Conquest 3x9 scope. I handload other calibers, but I've not seen the need to for my .308 Kimber so far. I love the light weight.