I recently set out to build up a nice hunting rig for long days on foot hunting Whitetail deer on Ontario, and future trips to Anticosti and out west. I wanted to explore the world of an ultralight rifle. It didn't take long to see that this market is mostly dominated by Kimber so I started reading. "Kimber Roulette" was a term thrown around quite a bit as apparently some guys have not been able to get their Kimbers to group. Yet more research showed me that this was possibly the result of guys not knowing how to shoot such a light gun, or newbies with cash to burn who bought "the best gun" expecting the gun to shoot cloverleafs out of the box. Regardless, I called Omer at Precision Optics and we chatted about the Kimbers, and he re-assured me that they haven't had any Kimbers that they couldn't get to shoot with the right choice of ammo. So I went ahead and ordered a Kimber Adirondack, with muzzle brake in 6.5 creedmoor. Service from Omer and Precision Optics was top notch, I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them again. Plus their scope prices are some of the best around.
Firstly, this gun is light, freakishly light. My wife calls it a baby gun compared to others like my Sako A7 30-06, Bergara or Tikkas. The fit and finish is outstanding. I read about a "pre-flight" checklist that some guys do to these guns, which includes modifying the mag well, shortening the front scope mounting screw, bedding the action... etc etc. My rifle didn't need any of these mods. All came from the factory in perfect condition. The only modification I made to it was the addition of a fluted Ti bolt handle, purely cosmetic and weight savings. I checked the torque on the action bolts, good to go.
I topped the rifle with a Swarovski Z3 3-10x42 in Talley Med rings. Total package came to 5.8lbs scoped. I also tested the Z5 3.5-18x44 and the Leupold VX3i 3-10x40 CDS. The Z3 was the clearest and sharpest to my eye with the easiest eye box to get behind and the weight was perfect. I also like the simplicity and size of the Z3, capped turrets, nothing to bump out of adjustment or catch on a pack.
At the range, the gun didn't disappoint. I did the usual break-in procedure, starting with cheap ammo just to break it in. Even with cheap ammo I could see this gun was a shooter, stacking the cheap ammo in nice clusters. Once broken in, I switched to Hornady Whitetail Hunter 129gr and Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X 143gn. The Whitetails grouped nice, well under 2" without much effort, but the Precision Hunter was phenomenal. Easily groups under an inch with some as low as .5" and I'm not a great shooter.
To say I'm happy is an understatement. From the purchase process with Omer at Precision Optics to the gun itself and ultimately the performance at the range, I couldn't be happier with this purchase.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KEA4C3F43FDHetVN6
Firstly, this gun is light, freakishly light. My wife calls it a baby gun compared to others like my Sako A7 30-06, Bergara or Tikkas. The fit and finish is outstanding. I read about a "pre-flight" checklist that some guys do to these guns, which includes modifying the mag well, shortening the front scope mounting screw, bedding the action... etc etc. My rifle didn't need any of these mods. All came from the factory in perfect condition. The only modification I made to it was the addition of a fluted Ti bolt handle, purely cosmetic and weight savings. I checked the torque on the action bolts, good to go.
I topped the rifle with a Swarovski Z3 3-10x42 in Talley Med rings. Total package came to 5.8lbs scoped. I also tested the Z5 3.5-18x44 and the Leupold VX3i 3-10x40 CDS. The Z3 was the clearest and sharpest to my eye with the easiest eye box to get behind and the weight was perfect. I also like the simplicity and size of the Z3, capped turrets, nothing to bump out of adjustment or catch on a pack.
At the range, the gun didn't disappoint. I did the usual break-in procedure, starting with cheap ammo just to break it in. Even with cheap ammo I could see this gun was a shooter, stacking the cheap ammo in nice clusters. Once broken in, I switched to Hornady Whitetail Hunter 129gr and Hornady Precision Hunter ELD-X 143gn. The Whitetails grouped nice, well under 2" without much effort, but the Precision Hunter was phenomenal. Easily groups under an inch with some as low as .5" and I'm not a great shooter.
To say I'm happy is an understatement. From the purchase process with Omer at Precision Optics to the gun itself and ultimately the performance at the range, I couldn't be happier with this purchase.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KEA4C3F43FDHetVN6
