Filling the Gap...

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jayquiver

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Calgary, AB
Time for a new project(s)…Need help/input on deciding what. I have 2 rifle builds/tweaks I want to do in 2022.

Currently have

Kimber Montana 7mm-08 with a 22” Benchmark Barrel. Ideal use - deer using 120-140 gr bullets. Lightweight gun hiking/carry rifle.

Cooper Jackson Hunter 338-06, 22” barrel. Ideal use - Large game (Elk and Moose) at close to mid range (under 350 yards). Shooting 200-250 grain bullets.

I have these to work with

1. Kimber Montana 84L, currently a 270 (just picked up) - re-barrel options, 6.5 x 284, 280AI or 30-06…or? ideal use “all around” hiking rifle for deer to moose that could reach out there if needed. Leaning towards 280ai (have dies and brass) shooting 160-175 bullets. I see this rifle being my “go to” when I hunting areas with multiple tags.


2. Winchester Stainless Classic 270 WSM ( 3” mag box) - options 6.5 PRC, 7 Saum, 300 wsm, or …? I will be ordering a Wildcat Composites KS Tac Hunter Stock (Blank) for it and putting a barrel on it. Intention of this rifle will be longer range hunting (max 700 yards, not sure if I would ever shoot that far but would like it to be able to) for all game and shooting steel @ 1000 (+) yards.

Crazy thoughts I’ve had…

1. Could re-barrel the Cooper - will not sell this rifle. The serial # is my birthday and my daughters birthday…will be gifted to her at some point.
2. Chop barrel on the Montana 7mm-08 down to 20” and put my 1.5-5x20 scope on it… hello “Bush Gun”!

Crazy thoughts I haven't had

1. sell everything and go down to one gun. Haha


How would you set these rifles up? Don’t want too much over lap on the 4 rifles at the end of the day. I do reload.
 
I’d do the .280AI because I like 7mm anything. 2nd choice would be to put the classic in a weatherproof stock if it’s not already ( know that some came wearing hardwood stocks) and run the short mag to see how it does before rebarrel. I’ve been doing some research on the .270 short recently and it seems a lot of owners are very satisfied with long range accuracy and performance.p in game. Although I haven’t shot anything with .270 short so that’s based on others opinions. My buddy does like his .300 short though and says it strikes like gods hand…. If it doesn’t work out then rebarrel. I wouldn’t chop your Kimber. Want a bush gun? Get a Remington 760. Leave the poor Kimber alone! Great caliber, nice rifle!
 
No matter what I build, or eventually sell or trade away, I always keep a rifle with a common cartridge around for the ease of picking up hunting ammo at any shop. The one rifle I will never part with is an amazingly accurate Sako 85 in 270Win.

I am not a Kimber fan, but I would keep it as a 270Win to be my reliable, one gun that does everything. I would build on the Winchester 70 and create a long-range hunter in either 7WSM or 300WSM. 24" barrel with a tight twist for long, heavy, and high BC bullets.
 
#1 and 2 are so close as to be identical... If you must alter those two consider the 270win being bumped down to 6.5x55 and the 270wsm to 7wsm... though as is overlap in hunting species. Personally I wouldn't muck about with those rifles as they are quite nice, but my caliber preferences indicate I'd have chosen the Kimber (7-08) in 250 Savage, the Cooper in 30-06 which would leave more appropriate space gaps in which to rebarrel the two 277s to 280ai and 325wsm or wildcat 338wsm.
 
I don’t see a gap in those two rifles. Not what are you asked, but numbers aside and the gap between 28 and 33, exactly what application for hunting with a rifle do you foresee that one of them doesn’t cover perfectly already?

I would buy a nice 223. Find a Montana 223 and keep it forever. Perfect match to your little 7. :)
 
Kimber Montana 7mm-08 with a 22” Benchmark Barrel. Ideal use - deer using 120-140 gr bullets. Lightweight gun hiking/carry rifle.

Cooper Jackson Hunter 338-06, 22” barrel. Ideal use - Large game (Elk and Moose) at close to mid range (under 350 yards). Shooting 200-250 grain bullets.

I have these to work with

1. Kimber Montana 84L, currently a 270 (just picked up) - re-barrel options, 6.5 x 284, 280AI or 30-06…or? ideal use “all around” hiking rifle for deer to moose that could reach out there if needed. Leaning towards 280ai (have dies and brass) shooting 160-175 bullets. I see this rifle being my “go to” when I hunting areas with multiple tags.


2. Winchester Stainless Classic 270 WSM ( 3” mag box) - options 6.5 PRC, 7 Saum, 300 wsm, or …? I will be ordering a Wildcat Composites KS Tac Hunter Stock (Blank) for it and putting a barrel on it. Intention of this rifle will be longer range hunting (max 700 yards, not sure if I would ever shoot that far but would like it to be able to) for all game and shooting steel @ 1000 (+) yards.

My 2 coppers... sell the Kimber Monatana 7-08... it will go fast... buy yourself a range gun that will allow you to shoot alot inexpensively and allow your daughter to start shooting young, most commonly a .223. Leave the M70 alone as a .270 WSM for your long range shooting. Turn your 84L into a .30/06 and sight in with 180 grain bullets for an all around rifle, even though the .270 can fill that roll, I like the option of heavier bullets... and I don't think you will be happy if you don't get to "build" something.... lol.
 
meatsticks said:
I’d do the .280AI because I like 7mm anything. 2nd choice would be to put the classic in a weatherproof stock if it’s not already ( know that some came wearing hardwood stocks) and run the short mag to see how it does before rebarrel. I’ve been doing some research on the .270 short recently and it seems a lot of owners are very satisfied with long range accuracy and performance.p in game. Although I haven’t shot anything with .270 short so that’s based on others opinions. My buddy does like his .300 short though and says it strikes like gods hand…. If it doesn’t work out then rebarrel. I wouldn’t chop your Kimber. Want a bush gun? Get a Remington 760. Leave the poor Kimber alone! Great caliber, nice rifle!
Click to expand...

Duncan Idaho said:
No matter what I build, or eventually sell or trade away, I always keep a rifle with a common cartridge around for the ease of picking up hunting ammo at any shop. The one rifle I will never part with is an amazingly accurate Sako 85 in 270Win.

I am not a Kimber fan, but I would keep it as a 270Win to be my reliable, one gun that does everything. I would build on the Winchester 70 and create a long-range hunter in either 7WSM or 300WSM. 24" barrel with a tight twist for long, heavy, and high BC bullets.
Click to expand...

starvin said:
Sell everything but the 84L .270, haha.
Click to expand...

hoytcanon said:
Kimber Montana 7mm-08 with a 22” Benchmark Barrel. Ideal use - deer using 120-140 gr bullets. Lightweight gun hiking/carry rifle.

Cooper Jackson Hunter 338-06, 22” barrel. Ideal use - Large game (Elk and Moose) at close to mid range (under 350 yards). Shooting 200-250 grain bullets.

I have these to work with

1. Kimber Montana 84L, currently a 270 (just picked up) - re-barrel options, 6.5 x 284, 280AI or 30-06…or? ideal use “all around” hiking rifle for deer to moose that could reach out there if needed. Leaning towards 280ai (have dies and brass) shooting 160-175 bullets. I see this rifle being my “go to” when I hunting areas with multiple tags.


2. Winchester Stainless Classic 270 WSM ( 3” mag box) - options 6.5 PRC, 7 Saum, 300 wsm, or …? I will be ordering a Wildcat Composites KS Tac Hunter Stock (Blank) for it and putting a barrel on it. Intention of this rifle will be longer range hunting (max 700 yards, not sure if I would ever shoot that far but would like it to be able to) for all game and shooting steel @ 1000 (+) yards.

My 2 coppers... sell the Kimber Monatana 7-08... it will go fast... buy yourself a range gun that will allow you to shoot alot inexpensively and allow your daughter to start shooting young, most commonly a .223. Leave the M70 alone as a .270 WSM for your long range shooting. Turn your 84L into a .30/06 and sight in with 180 grain bullets for an all around rifle, even though the .270 can fill that roll, I like the option of heavier bullets... and I don't think you will be happy if you don't get to "build" something.... lol.
Click to expand...

you are right...I want to build SOMETHING. lol.

I have considered selling the 7mm-08. For some reason the stock on the 84L seems to fit me better. I am not sure if Kimber changed the design slightly over the years. I may just shoot it as a 270 and the 7mm-08 for the next while and see which one I like better then sell the other. However I love the Montana's, lightweight, blind mag, CRF, nice stock and a great trigger...hard to beat. As much as I love the Montana's they are the easiest to shoot at longer distances, but maybe I need to practice more, haha.

I am going to modify the 270 wsm somehow this year into a longer range rifle, so I am focusing on that right now. It was make in New Haven, action is very smooth, trigger is good and can be adjusted. But I hate the stock in the 270 WSM...want to try a Wildcat Composite stock that may be better for recoil and longer range shooting, either the KS Tac Hunter or the Vartac or possibly a McMillan

Currently leaning towards a 7 saum over the 6.5 PRC for a few reasons.
1. I can run 160-175 bullets. Will probably settle on 168's
2. Overall cartridge length is shorter than the 6.5 PRC which may be useful in a 3" mag box. **not sure if this is a real concern or not, I am not a expert reloader.
 
jayquiver said:
you are right...I want to build SOMETHING. lol.

I have considered selling the 7mm-08. For some reason the stock on the 84L seems to fit me better. I am not sure if Kimber changed the design slightly over the years. I may just shoot it as a 270 and the 7mm-08 for the next while and see which one I like better then sell the other. However I love the Montana's, lightweight, blind mag, CRF, nice stock and a great trigger...hard to beat. As much as I love the Montana's they are the easiest to shoot at longer distances, but maybe I need to practice more, haha.

I am going to modify the 270 wsm somehow this year into a longer range rifle, so I am focusing on that right now. It was make in New Haven, action is very smooth, trigger is good and can be adjusted. But I hate the stock in the 270 WSM...want to try a Wildcat Composite stock that may be better for recoil and longer range shooting, either the KS Tac Hunter or the Vartac or possibly a McMillan

Currently leaning towards a 7 saum over the 6.5 PRC for a few reasons.
1. I can run 160-175 bullets. Will probably settle on 168's
2. Overall cartridge length is shorter than the 6.5 PRC which may be useful in a 3" mag box. **not sure if this is a real concern or not, I am not a expert reloader.
Click to expand...

I personally think the .270 WSM is a better cartridge than either the 6.5 PRC or the 7mm SAUM... I certainly wouldn't rebarrel the .270 WSM to either of those... but I think the 7mm WSM is the best of the WSM's even though it did not catch on commercially..
 
Ditch the cooper and build a 338-06 on the 270 Montana!

I’ve had 2 Montanas in 280ai and one in 270, several 84Ms as well.

Both the 280s have a ratchety feel to them. I much prefer a case with a nice sloped shoulder in that platform
 
I have thought about that, especially since my daughter probably won't want to shoot a 338-06. Wont' ditch the Cooper but could re-barrel it as it will be handed down to my daughter.
 
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