lightweight gun - kimber montana vs custom build

Sun_and_Steel_77 said:
I'm sorry blargon...I just can't wrap my head around that quoted weight without a picture. I'm certainly not calling you a liar, and would humbly eat my words if mistaken, but I have an extremely hard time believing that a model 7 action that wasn't worked extensively ( slabbed, mag box milled etc. etc.) with an equal length and contour barrel as the 84M and a hinged floorplate in a composite of your choice could even approach 5 and a half lbs. It would only be possible with extensive work to remove metal. My Montana in 7-08 goes 5lbs 13ozs all-up with low Talleys and a FX-II 4x.
My buddies Montana in .338 goes a few ounces lighter than that. Grab a titanium bolt handle from the member over at the 'fire and lose another ounce on top.
The statement that the Edge is a better stock is purely personal preference.
I really dig the recoil-absorbing design of the Montana's stock, the grip area feels great in my right hand and IMHO the only thing the Edge has over the 84M stock is the checkering. I have hunted with both up and down the scree and never had a durability issue with either stock.

I know it's nit-picking but what better thread to do it in? :p
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I have an EDGE stocked Model 7 that weighs 6 pounds 3.9 oz with a VXII UL 3-9X33, Talleys and GreTan junk in the bolt. It weighed 6 pounds 5 oz with my VXII 2-7X33 on it. So I'm 6.9 oz heavier than a Montana and I only have 1200$ into my bare gun and none of the "kimber issues" :eek:
 
Sun_and_Steel_77 said:
I'm sorry blargon...I just can't wrap my head around that quoted weight without a picture. I'm certainly not calling you a liar, and would humbly eat my words if mistaken, but I have an extremely hard time believing that a model 7 action that wasn't worked extensively ( slabbed, mag box milled etc. etc.) with an equal length and contour barrel as the 84M and a hinged floorplate in a composite of your choice could even approach 5 and a half lbs. It would only be possible with extensive work to remove metal. My Montana in 7-08 goes 5lbs 13ozs all-up with low Talleys and a FX-II 4x.
My buddies Montana in .338 goes a few ounces lighter than that. Grab a titanium bolt handle from the member over at the 'fire and lose another ounce on top.
The statement that the Edge is a better stock is purely personal preference.
I really dig the recoil-absorbing design of the Montana's stock, the grip area feels great in my right hand and IMHO the only thing the Edge has over the 84M stock is the checkering. I have hunted with both up and down the scree and never had a durability issue with either stock.

I know it's nit-picking but what better thread to do it in? :p
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I have a Model 7 KS in 7-08 that weighs right at 5.5 lbs without rings or bases. Granted it has a 20" bbl, but it also has a floorplate. No metal removed of any sort.
 
1899 said:
Why? You aren't exactly the road hunting type.
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I have 2 rifles with bind magazines- a 700 LVSF .223 and a 700Ti .260. While I like both rifles,they both irk me that they don't have floorplates.

Although it's usually no big deal, I find them annoying to unload, but worst is if I don't load a cartridge correctly and it gets hung up in the magazine. With a hinged floorplate I can just dump it into my hand, with the blind mag, I have to start poking at the cartridges with my Leatherman. Yeah, the real answer is to "load it correctly" but sometimes the little .223's don't cooperate with my big fingers.

The other (somewhat theoretical) aspect is that it's possible to jam things up, and if that happens in a high stress situation, you can just pop the hinge, dump the mess on the ground and reload, while a blind magazine you are screwed.
 
archie_james_c said:
I have an EDGE stocked Model 7 that weighs 6 pounds 3.9 oz with a VXII UL 3-9X33, Talleys and GreTan junk in the bolt. It weighed 6 pounds 5 oz with my VXII 2-7X33 on it. So I'm 6.9 oz heavier than a Montana and I only have 1200$ into my bare gun and none of the "kimber issues" :eek:
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O.K. That more or less confirms what I was thinking. Half a pound...the horror :eek: ;)
 
Blind magazines are definitely not my favorite style, but my first bolt action rifle was a model 70 with a blind mag, so I have learned to deal with it. I also don't do any truck hunting so unloading the mag in a hurry usually doesn't occur often
 
archie_james_c said:
I have an EDGE stocked Model 7 that weighs 6 pounds 3.9 oz with a VXII UL 3-9X33, Talleys and GreTan junk in the bolt. It weighed 6 pounds 5 oz with my VXII 2-7X33 on it. So I'm 6.9 oz heavier than a Montana and I only have 1200$ into my bare gun and none of the "kimber issues" :eek:
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have the exact same gun in .308. just a hair under 6lbs in talley's and a 2-7x33 VXII. yes it takes more time to put together then just buying a kimber off the shelf, but the M7's don't seem to have the hit/miss barrel issues either.

if I had to do it all over again, and had some more $$$ to spare, i'd probably grab an HS and be done ;)
 
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All that said, if I wanted a ultra light rifle that I new was going to shoot there are two names to call. Lex Webernick and Melvin Forbes.
Both make up to magnum rifles that weigh 6lbs or less scoped (with normal scopes) and will shoot under an inch. It's only money right :evil:
 
I am a large man (6'5" and 350 pounds) and as it may seem odd, a man of my stature had a desire for a lightweight rifle. I was stuck on the Montana so much so that I went in to buy one. But holding the little rifle made me think twice, and then encounters with other kimber hunters made me change my mind completely.

Kimber makes a beautiful rifle, but I can't say I'm a fan of the montana. They also have the ability to function and shoot well but some require the kind of tinkering and work that I'm just not willing to dish out.

There was a guy not long ago dumping his Montana on the EE for reliability issues and as this may not be all Kimbers there are a few out there.

For what it is worth though, the walnut stocked Kimbers are beautiful.

I'd build one off of a Model 7 action myself, but a custom rifle compared to a semi-custom factory rifle is a debate I'd rather not get into.
 
Archie, Why is yours so much heavier? bartell slipped some lead in your scope before he mailed it? ;) silly .260 users. just worked up a load with 130gr ttsx, puts 3 in 1" at 3000fps

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Amphibious said:
Archie, Why is yours so much heavier? bartell slipped some lead in your scope before he mailed it? ;) silly .260 users. just worked up a load with 130gr ttsx, puts 3 in 1" at 3000fps
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Your scale is lying, everyone knows only a Montana can be that light...:p

Your Hunter's EDGE is lighter than his MR pattern, and your barrel has a bigger bore...:D
What powder are you using with those?
 
Amphibious said:
Archie, Why is yours so much heavier? bartell slipped some lead in your scope before he mailed it? ;) silly .260 users. just worked up a load with 130gr ttsx, puts 3 in 1" at 3000fps

185225_10150752888520051_614545050_20207653_3640968_n.jpg
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LOL! Mine was a 24 hr. order. I'm not sure why mines so much heavier. I had a 1" Limbsaver installed on it and I was told it's a few oz's heavier so who knows :cool:

As for the .260 comment..shat ap :D . That Model 7 may get rebarrelled to .308 or even better .338F :p
 
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