Can somebody give me a review of what they think about there rifles... good and bad, would they recommend. I am thinking of getting a Kimber 8400 Montana. Originally I was looking at Remingto XCR II then Cooper and Montana Rifle co.... I was liking what I saw in the Xwr from Montana but it doesnt seem to be worth the price. I think I will get cooper down the road. So how is the Kimber Montana
Kimber Montana
- Thread starter roche1982
- Start date
Tonnes of info if you do a search; but the consensus is they are superb rifles. They are a niche rifle though. The good: best factory trigger I've ever tried, extremely light, well priced, excellent stock. Things to know: people sometimes complain about accuracy, but most often this is a result of the shooter not knowing how to accurately shoot such a light rifle. The balance point is different and it takes practice to shoot them well. The early gen WSM chambered rifles are purported to have feeding issues. Since resolved. They are not meant to be range queens, groups will open after that third shot. Also, some people don't like blind mags. I like to think anyone who uses a Montana for what it should be used for doesn't much care whether the mag is blind or not.
If you want great value in the ultra light catagory, it is a great pick. Just make sure that is what you want. Big difference between a heavy beast of a Cooper and a Kimber Montana.
If you want great value in the ultra light catagory, it is a great pick. Just make sure that is what you want. Big difference between a heavy beast of a Cooper and a Kimber Montana.
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Is the 8400 really an ultra light at 6lbs 13ounces? I don't mind having a light rifle, I don't want a heavy rifle for this purchase. I like hearing that it has a fantastic trigger. Yeah Mine won't be a range queen, but it will get practice with different loads. I assume by blind mag, you mean there is no floor plate to drop out? That doesn't really bother me at all. Actually kind of like the idea.
I have had 3 different kimber rifles. A montana 8400 in 300win mag, an 84L in 25-06 and an 8400 classic in 270 win. The 8400's fit me better, and weigh a bit more. Than the 84L. I had amazing accuracy with both 8400's and the 84L was ok, but seemed to give me troubles, it didn't. Fit me the best so I didn't shoot it that well. The recoil on the 25-06 was significantly more than the 300 to me. The 300 was actually the most comfortable 300 that I have ever fired, and I've shot a lot of 300's. The 270 classic fit me the best, and I got a great deal on it. Never did get to shoot it as a great friend was looking for a first hunting rifle so I passed on the great savings to him. He has. Had good luck with it so far. I have a few hardcore mountain hunting buddies in BC and they all have Kimber Montana's. One of them drove over the action part of the rifle and it still shoots under MOA. Overall the rifles are great. If you have the chance to shoot one ar 2 before you buy it would be a good idea to make sure its what you really want. I don't have the Montana's anymore because they were hard for me to hit things offhand.
I had a Kimber Montana .308 for awhile, way back when they first came out...It had a lot of features I was looking for (not the rings though). I put a light Swarovski 4X on it. Then I shot it. I was getting one foot groups at 100 yards with various factory and handloaded ammunition. (I was used to light rifles, having shot different versions of Husqvarana featherweights in 30-06 for several decades. Some I put in fiberglass stocks and did other things to further lighten them...so I was used to shooting and hunting with very light rifles. And I shot full power (honest 2700 fps) 180 grain hunting loads through them. Every one of those HVA rifles would give me 1.5 inch groups with little effort.) I got tired of trying to get the Montana to shoot like that and got rid of it. Its just my personal experience with only one example, so its not a very scientific sampling, but it put me off buying another.
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
That rifle was trying to talk to you but you didn't listen. I bet tinkering with it for the same amount of time it Would take to have a coffee or two would have made it a useable hunting rifle. The Montana's are notorious for having the box mag bottoming out and causing stress on the action. The front action screw and from scope base screws are also too long and need to be trimmed.
There are lots of threads over on the campfire on trouble shooting kimbers and I will agree they should be good right out of the box but try and build some thing similar for the price of a Montana.
Is this an old issue or something still an issue with newer Kimber's.
I currently have a kimber Montana in 280AI, It is very accurate and I have had no I issues with it at all.I haven't had to "tinker" with it at all. I have only fired factory nosler ammo out of it so far and 100 yard groups average around 1/2" with 160 grain partitions. I was iffy when I bought my rifle because it seems everyone says they don't shoot. My kimber Montana shoots every bit as good as my HS precision PHL which cost 2.5 times as much. This is my 3rd kimber and I haven't had one that's inaccurate yet.
Until a month ago, I owned 3 Kimber rifles. (I recently sold a Montana M84).
Of the 2 Kimbers I still have, the workhorse is a long action Montana L84 chambered in .25-06, a true 'feather-weight',
and the other is a short action Stainless Classic, with a pretty AA-walnut stock and with 2 barrels: .243 and .308, and surprisingly light.
Before I purchased Kimbers, I tried going the custom route (M700 with a PGW barrel, and a composite stock),
but the weight was still to much for a comfortable all-day carry.
The Montana solved the problem, in an affordable factory package ..
incredibly light in weight, superb balance, excellent field accuracy (if you learn how to shoot a mountain rifle).
And by the way, for a mountain rifle, the .25-06 round is close to ideal for most small to medium sized game:
it's 120 gr bullet provides a flat trajectory and significant killing power with almost no recoil.
Unlike our custom rifles that we tend to piece together from bits and pieces,
the entire Montana package is designed to go together perfectly ..
engineered from the ground up to be as good or better than anything else out there in its category.
Yes, apparently many of the early Kimbers (Kimber of Montana Inc.) had problems,
but the current versions (Kimber of America Inc.) have an enviable record for quality and acc
I do like mine.
Of the 2 Kimbers I still have, the workhorse is a long action Montana L84 chambered in .25-06, a true 'feather-weight',
and the other is a short action Stainless Classic, with a pretty AA-walnut stock and with 2 barrels: .243 and .308, and surprisingly light.
Before I purchased Kimbers, I tried going the custom route (M700 with a PGW barrel, and a composite stock),
but the weight was still to much for a comfortable all-day carry.
The Montana solved the problem, in an affordable factory package ..
incredibly light in weight, superb balance, excellent field accuracy (if you learn how to shoot a mountain rifle).
And by the way, for a mountain rifle, the .25-06 round is close to ideal for most small to medium sized game:
it's 120 gr bullet provides a flat trajectory and significant killing power with almost no recoil.
Unlike our custom rifles that we tend to piece together from bits and pieces,
the entire Montana package is designed to go together perfectly ..
engineered from the ground up to be as good or better than anything else out there in its category.
Yes, apparently many of the early Kimbers (Kimber of Montana Inc.) had problems,
but the current versions (Kimber of America Inc.) have an enviable record for quality and acc
I do like mine.
pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
Kimbers are my favourite production rifle. I have two, a 8400 7mm wsm, and a 84L mountain ascent, both are accurate, have good triggers. I've had no issues with them. Try one.
drummerboy73
Regular
I traded my Cooper .280 AI for a Kimber Montana in .280 AI . I used some leftover hand loads from the Cooper to sight in the Kimber. The very first group I shot grouped 3/4", I was pleasantly surprised. Went home and loaded 20 more and went hunting. The next shot it fired was at a 160 inch whitetail who is now headed to my taxidermist. I haven't had a chance to actually work up a load for it but I have no issue believing it will be a tack driver. The Cooper weighed almost 9 lbs scoped the Montana is around 6.5 lbs. The stock on the Montana is light years better than the B&C stock that was on the Cooper and the trigger, which I have not adjusted whatsoever is also better the I could ever get the Copper's to be. The cooper shot very well and was a nice gun but I don't miss it one bit when I'm out packing the Montana around. I don't think I'll ever buy another Cooper but I'm already planning on adding a couple more Montana's to the safe. You can't build a gun that light with a quality stock for the price of a Montana.
The 2nd half of the following Youtube video addresses your question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6MmjUflJ1A
The Kimber in that video is a Mountain rifle. the 8400 Magnum is not really a mountain or light weight rifle is it. It is still lighter the many others but not significantly so. When your talking an XCR at about 7 and 1/4 lbs and the 8400 at 6lbs 13 ounces.
Sask_Hunter
Could you please elaborate on the issues you mentioned above. I have a Classic Select 8400 that doesn't have the greatest accuracy. It is about 6 yrs. old now. It had feeding issues when it was new, now solved. If I could improve the accuracy of this gun by trimming a few screws that would be great. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
You will find some info in here. Although that thread is about Montanas, it applies to all Kimbers and is a quick check on any bolt action.
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/8495458/1
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/8495458/1
Honestly that seems pretty ridiculous to me. I bought a 700 CDL in 30-06 took it to the range and shot 3 shot groups in an inch or less. Why do Kimber's have these accuracy problems, seems pretty ridiculous considering there prices. Remington gets knocked and Kimber has a good following. You should need to to that kind of work on a $1000+ rifle. Thats QC stuff, just not getting the basics done
Although I haven't shot anything but paper with it yet, Ive been very happy with my Kimber Montana in 7-08. I do find it difficult to shoot, assuming due to its light weight, but with a good bench rest Ive been able to get 1moa ish groups with factory ammo.
The only thing I was unhappy with was the safety. Its very sticky to go from the fire position to the mid bolt cycle position or full safe position.. But if you want a really light crf, 3 position safety rifle I would definitely recommend it.
Yak
The only thing I was unhappy with was the safety. Its very sticky to go from the fire position to the mid bolt cycle position or full safe position.. But if you want a really light crf, 3 position safety rifle I would definitely recommend it.
Yak
pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
I guess it depends on whether or not you like a light weight rifle. Remington's aren't in the same league as Kimber's, as far as weight goes. Remington also have QC issues, as do other manufacturers. Both my Kimbers are accurate and have no problems. I think the issues you hear about Kimber are exaggerated. I think most of the issues are the shooter not the rifle. The price of a 84L and the more expensive Mountain Ascent are a bargain compared to a custom light weight.
