Are they really worth the money ?

Some excellent things to ponder over. I've owned and used a pile of guns. Everything from a Savage axis to a Weatherby MkV. The things with the rifles I've owned is that there was always something that bugged me about the gun.
Not quite accurate, Feeding and extracting not smooth, plastic parts, and the list goes on.


It may be time for me to thin the safe out a bit put out some coin to get a truly quality rifle. I really do appreciate workmanship and quality and cookie cutter assembly line mass produced stuff has lost its appeal
IMO the ones to keep are the ones with no niggles.
 
Win M70 Stainless Featherweight, put into a McMillan EDGE stock, Williams Machine Works custom rings and bases...should run right around $1800...

Sounds well over 300$ more than a Montana, cept the Montana is done and ready to roll. No IKEA style assembly required :stirthepot2:


Though assembling toys such as CRF M70's and edge stocks sure the hell is fun :D
 
Win M70 Stainless Featherweight, put into a McMillan EDGE stock, Williams Machine Works custom rings and bases...should run right around $1800...


Model-70-Stainless-Featherweight-MID-535119-m.jpg


stock-ultralight.jpg


Renderedscopering1.jpg

And we have a winner!:rockOn:
 
Buy a Rigby or an H&H - Use it and 30 years from now you can sell it for more than you ever bought it for. Yes they are worth it.
 
Blaser

Nobody has mentioned these,Ive had a few custom builds and a friend has has had more than anyone I ve heard of if you have a change of heart youll lose your ass anyone that says different has never had one.The best I ve seen are the Blasers for accurcy,but you have to shoot caliber heavy bullets.Find a used R 93 in 300 win or weatherby and dont bother with the rest .if you do build custom use a sako action at least.My .02 robin
 
I have picked up a used Kimber for a decent price, my best is .346 @ 100 yds with factory Fusion ammo. I didn't spend 2K on it by any means. The trig is awesome, as Dogleg says. I would buy another, I like the Coopers as well.
 
Why is anschutz not in the mix here? They build some mighty fine hunting rifles. I wouldn't buy a christensen arms at half the price. Have seen too many go back and the fit and finish is very inconsistent, same for many of the newer sako hunting rifles, had to look at three different kodiaks before I found one where the stock was milled right. Seems quality is really falling off.

Unique and sauer make some fine center fires.
 
I currently own several kimber's, 2 kimber of oregon's, several coopers, a few sako's, a nosler 48, a heym, and several customs. I've taken game with many of these rifles and they are all great! That's why I still have all of them :D.

It really depends on what your looking for in your rifle, the new production kimbers are all light, the montana's are lighter but the wood stock kimbers are also light. Accuracy issues (for the most part) have been resolved, there were a few bad montana's at one time but that time has passed. Keep in mind that they are light weights and the barrels heat up fast. There will be bad apples in every mfg but don't let the naysayers scare you. The kimber triggers are by FAR the best factory trigger that I own and I think these rifles are the best bang for the buck when you buy new today.

Kimber of Oregon rifles are beautiful, if you can find one.

Cooper fit and finish is very good, accuracy is very good and they are nice looking. They have a bit of weight to them, I've carried my excaliber a fair bit and you don't forget that it's there. The Cooper trigger IMHO is the downfall, it's very well made but a trigger with round sears is not consistant or reliable. Sometime's the trigger pulls light sometimes its heavy. It's hard to adjust and just plain wierd. For a $2000 rifle you shouldn't have to "make do" with an inferior trigger. If I could put a kimber trigger in the cooper I would. Keep in mind that Dan Cooper started his company after his carreer at Kimber of Oregon.

Sako..... AV's are the best. :p A good used AV $1000 ish will serve you well forever.

I shot a moose this year with a Nosler 48 300wsm. Great rifle, decent trigger it never let me down. I like it alot. It uses rem 700 scope mounts so it's very easy to find an inexpensive mount that you like, I used talley lightweights.

I just got my first heym, it looks great. It's an SR 30 with the straight pull bolt (very cool :cool:). I haven't used it yet but fit and finish are top notch. Cons, expensive and limited scope mounts and a long LOP (typical of euro rilfes) I will have to get the stock shortend for my stubby arms. Also euro rifles are quite often built with twist rates that favour light bullets and they don't shoot heavy's that well, check it out if you look at one.

Customs, some work some don't. Try some factory rifles out before you build so you know what you like then you don't have to sell it and take a sh!t kicking! I have a 6mmAI rem 700 in an hs stock with a gailard barrel built by guntech that's a great rifle. IMHO use older rem 700 actions (60's-80's vintage) anything from 90's up are not as desireable in my mind. Great part about a custom remmy is that there are so many parts available and most (if not all) smiths will work on them. If you have to sell it you can always part it out if you have too. Old 700 triggers are good too, xmark pro triggers stink!

To sum up, IMHO you need a kimber for mountains, a cooper for the prarie, a sako just because and a couple customs just for fun! ;)
 
If you are looking for a synthetic stocked rifle, look no further than kimber montana. The 8400 weighs 6lb 3oz and thats with a 24" barrell, the trigger is probably one of the best on the market. The accuracy with mine is under 1" at 100yds with five shots, really cant ask for any better with a light weight rifle. Still alot cheaper than a cooper, which is also a very nice rifle by the way. I like lite weights, thats why I chose kimber. Thats my opinion and Im sticking to it. Cheers and good luck with your decision. Pete
 
I should have mentioned that if you find "the one" that works for you, you should never regret spending the $$ for quality. We can blow all kinds of smoke up your a$$ but it's gotta work for you and your shooting/hunting situations. I hate buying junk!
 
If you are looking for a synthetic stocked rifle, look no further than kimber montana. The 8400 weighs 6lb 3oz and thats with a 24" barrell, the trigger is probably one of the best on the market. The accuracy with mine is under 1" at 100yds with five shots, really cant ask for any better with a light weight rifle. Still alot cheaper than a cooper, which is also a very nice rifle by the way. I like lite weights, thats why I chose kimber. Thats my opinion and Im sticking to it. Cheers and good luck with your decision. Pete

From discussions here it seems Kimber produced a few guns with issues. What production dates should I stay away from ?
 
I dont think there was "guns with issues" so much as "people having issues shooting the guns"

Good one!!! From the first trip to the range I was disapointed. Two different types of factory ammo with poor results.Tought it was just me having a bad day.

Went back to the range with plethora of factory ammo (many different brands, and weights)..That got me more discouraged. Changed optics twice, same results..Didn't even bother trying to work up a load it was that bad..

I have an Ithaca LSA-65 in 30-06 that I paid $500, and Marlin MR-7 in 270 I paid $550 for, that made the Kimber look like an ugly stepchild when it came down to accuracy. I bought a lemon plain and simple..Probably not that common, but it left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and it would be very hard to bring myself to buy another...Had a chance on a Kimber 82, 22 Hornet last month. Smokin deal @ ($750), but just couldn't do it.:redface:

This was done with my Rem 7600, in 25-06..The Kimber accuracy issue was not my fault...Buying it was!!!

2506j.jpg
 
Last edited:
Good one!!! From the first trip to the range I was disapointed. Two different types of factory ammo with poor results.Tought it was just me having a bad day.

Went back to the range with plethora of factory ammo (many different brands, and weights)..That got me more discouraged. Changed optics twice, same results..Didn't even bother trying to work up a load it was that bad..

I have an Ithaca LSA-65 in 30-06 that I paid $500, and Marlin MR-7 in 270 I paid $550 for, that made the Kimber look like an ugly stepchild when it came down to accuracy. I bought a lemon plain and simple..Probably not that common, but it left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and it would be very hard to bring myself to buy another...Had a chance on a Kimber 82, 22 Hornet last month. Smokin deal @ ($750), but just couldn't do it.:redface:

This was done with my Rem 7600, in 25-06..The Kimber accuracy issue was not my fault...Buying it was!!!

2506j.jpg

That looks like the target Cooper includes with their rifles, groups fired at 25 yards................ :D:p

In reality, I don't think Kimbers have any more accuracy issues than other rifles. If you can believe it, I had a Savage that wouldn't shoot worth a crap. :eek:
I think most accuracy issues with Kimber arise from the thin bbl and light weight. I don't for a minute believe they are inherently inaccurate. In fact I know they're not, I've had 4 and all shot sub MOA.
 
Back
Top Bottom