Which Kimber should I buy?
- Thread starter hawk-i
- Start date
A pound here and a pound there because it doesn’t matter can get out of hand pretty quick and you end up with 20 pounds too much crap on your way into a long backpack hunt. For shorter hunts and day hunts I agree and I’ll happily pack a model 70 something heavier like a model 70 or Mauser. A svelte 6 lb scoped fast handling kimber that still sends a 160 accubond at 2950 is a beautiful thing on a 2 week sheep hunt though. More like a specific tool than an all around rifle.
90% of my whitetail deer hunting is still hunting in the big woods carrying my rifle “at the ready” as shot opportunities can happen at any time. After a full day of doing so I appreciate every ounce saved by my Kimber rifles. Not classic “mountain hunting” per se, but does illustrate a niche perfectly filled by these rifles.
I agree...
Going light makes sense in pack hunting scenarios, however I have always felt that the LAST place the I will endeavor to lose that weight is off my rifle... I would not give up 1% in accuracy for a 25% lighter rifle... and just because the rifle weighs 8 pounds doesn't mean you are not committed to dropping the weight in all other areas. I have hunters arrive proudly brandishing their (new) custom ultralight rifles against the backdrop of their sagging bellies and bulbous packs... what is the point of that... I don't see the benefit of compromising on the one thing that delivers the bullet at the moment of truth.
Having said that, if a hunter can find a rifle that delivers amazing repeatable accuracy and happens to be ultra light, then awesome, that is the "go to"... but there are just some tradeoffs I am not prepared to make... for me personally, I have plenty of weight to shed off my fat azz.
All my Kimber mountain rifles (3) will shoot under 1 MOA of the bench, 1/2 MOA 3 shot groups are quite common.
So I don't see how one is giving up any accuracy with these light rifles, unless you are varmint style high volume shooting.
For me I also find the lighter rifles, say +/- 6.5lbs all set up hunt ready are far easier to shoot accurately off hand.
When I was a young man in my 20's I'd carry a heavy barrel varmint 7-08 M700 when sheep hunting, the weight wasn't even a thought! Now it is
So I don't see how one is giving up any accuracy with these light rifles, unless you are varmint style high volume shooting.
For me I also find the lighter rifles, say +/- 6.5lbs all set up hunt ready are far easier to shoot accurately off hand.
When I was a young man in my 20's I'd carry a heavy barrel varmint 7-08 M700 when sheep hunting, the weight wasn't even a thought! Now it is
Sure light weight rifles can be accurate. But they aren’t as forgiving to shoot as a heavier gun wrt shooting form.
Lightweight guns have no advantage other then their weight. And I’m suggesting that that difference is mostly in your heads
Lightweight guns have no advantage other then their weight. And I’m suggesting that that difference is mostly in your heads
Classic argument that doesn’t make much sense. Nobody suggested that a lighter rifle allows you to be a fat mess in the mountains. Less weight on your back is less weight regardless of your fitness level, and 2 lbs off your gear is a lot different than 2 lbs off your gut.
Totally agree! If lightweight rifles were as accurate and easy to handle as light-middle, heavy-middle or heavy weight rifles, I'd be on board to hunt and shoot them. However, that is not the case. Target shooters all have heavy rifles, for just cause................... I hunt with 9.5 to 10 pound rifles for that same cause.
Yes, but the only advantage to a light weight rifle is it’s light weight. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Laughing!
Also, its a lot easier to buy a ultra-lite rifle than lose 25 lbs...
Not if you are looking for a rifle that weighs -17 pounds and defy's gravity.
My post was hyperbole, not literal... my point is, I am not going to give up accuracy to save weight on the rifle... I will find the weight savings elsewhere.
That’s a personal problem. Here I am, in the field, shooting a 6.5 lb rifle at 500 yds. No problemo. I’m just heading out to shoot 1000 yards with an 8lb rifle. Wonder if that will work? How much accuracy do we need in the field?
I'd venture a guess, target shooters all shoot heavy rifles because they are shooting multiple rounds in a short period of time.
Most hunts end with a single shot...big difference
I can shoot a little pea-shooter like the 6.5 Creedmoor ALL day at the range. Apparently this is what EVERYONE is shooting, from what I have read.
