Kimber for Custom Build

[Levy_ken]

Dosent MPI make a nice ultra lite Kimber stock?

They do make stocks inletted for the Kimber actions, however I haven’t heard or seen much from people actually using them, and I don’t love the geometry of the ones they have posted on their website. Also still $850-$900 for a finished/pre-bedded stock.

 

[handwerk]

I have an MPI on my 84M 6.5 CM and rather like it.

 

[HuntWyld]

They do make stocks inletted for the Kimber actions, however I haven’t heard or seen much from people actually using them, and I don’t love the geometry of the ones they have posted on their website. Also still $850-$900 for a finished/pre-bedded stock.

Yep them and Pendleton stocks are the only two I’m familiar with that make custom stocks for the Kimber. But they are “traditional” geometry, no lighter than the carbon Montana stock, and they require your action for months for fitting. I know this because I chose to go with Pendleton after talking with both companies.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

They do make stocks inletted for the Kimber actions, however I haven’t heard or seen much from people actually using them, and I don’t love the geometry of the ones they have posted on their website. Also still $850-$900 for a finished/pre-bedded stock.

They are not cheap. I guess it just comes down to what you are looking to build. For me, the MPI seems good because on a Kimber, I’d be prioritizing weight over things like vertical grip type stuff.

The Kimber I have now is a Montana which I bedded, cut the barrel to 18” and had threaded for 5/8x24, I installed a titanium bolt handle, trigger guard and a trigger tech trigger. I think it weighs 4lb 14oz bare.

For a long time it had talley light weight rings and a leupold vx3 2.5-8 but I decided to take a few ounces of a weight penalty and beef up that system. Now it has warne bases, I had them ceracoated because they rust (downside is they are steel) and warne mountain tech 1” rings with a trijicon accupoint 3-9.

With my TBAC ultra 7 it’s still under 6.5lbs. I like having the light weight but also not feeling like I need to worry about bumping it.

You could also try the Rostock lite, they are making that for Kimber. It wood so sort of weird but could be pretty cool.

 

[HuntWyld]

I have an MPI on my 84M 6.5 CM and rather like it.
View attachment 890185

Yep basically same geometry as my Pendleton I had made, it does fine and is lightweight but I would prefer some more modern ergonomics.

 

[huntsd]

going to throw a wrench in the mix. I too have a dilemma on what my next gun is. Not sure if it will be a 22cm or 6cm. Here are some numbers on what you are looking at based on factory ammo at POI 1800 fps. Looking like the 22 creed will get the nod for me....still not sure

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have an MPI on my 84M 6.5 CM and rather like it.
View attachment 890185

I like that too.

 

[Levy_ken]

You could also try the Rostock lite, they are making that for Kimber. It wood so sort of weird but could be pretty cool.

I did see that - anyone have any idea when they’re coming out with this in the Kimber inlets?

 

[HuntWyld]

I did see that - anyone have any idea when they’re coming out with this in the Kimber inlets?

Allegedly… they have multiple times when directly asked said they “plan” to inlet but no other details have come out on if it will be blind box or bottom metal and they have never stated that they “will” inlet for the Kimber so I wouldn’t hold my breath.

 

[Stocky]

I'm pretty sure that no aftermarket stock could weigh any less than a Hunter stock ridded of it's gel and and replaced w/ spray foam. You could make it a chassis or change the shape of the stock, but would be really tough to get it any lighter.

My chassis is a smidge lighter iirc. A smidge heavier with the sig folding knuckle.

 

[HuntWyld]

My chassis is a smidge lighter iirc. A smidge heavier with the sig folding knuckle.
View attachment 890222

Well now where did you get that?

 

[Stocky]

Well now where did you get that?

It's an NZ only option i would guess. Was part of a small run of 4-6 made. It needs some improvements personally (which I'm designing up now) but it was offered to me cheap as the buyer couldnt source a montana magazine. I'll get it running as good as I can then sell it and make a version that's a little more trim that takes aics mags and has a longer handguard shorter trigger reach. Maybe telescoping pdw style stock.

 

[z987k]

Echelon might inlet if you call them. Just as light as mpi after paint and bedding. Much better geometry.

 

[Levy_ken]

My chassis is a smidge lighter iirc. A smidge heavier with the sig folding knuckle.
View attachment 890222

I did see this on another forum - kinda interesting but I think he only ships to NZ.

 

[Stocky]

I did see this on another forum - kinda interesting but I think he only ships to NZ.

Not to speak ill of it but personally it's not greatly thought out his howa Chassis is much better. Its the only AR grip rifle I've felt the trigger reach was long on (due to grip screw location) it also with minor tweaking could have been made to not require a magazine box at all. The folding knuckle also doesn't match up well. But it gives me some more experience on how I like using a folding chassis in practice before I go through the hassle of machining my own.

 

[packgoatguy]

The lack of aftermarket stock options is the primary limitation of the kimber 84m rifles. I've been working on a 3D Printed chassis for my kimber rifles. Features I wanted that I don't get with the factory stock:

1. pistol grip with close trigger reach
2. Arca rail
3. Detachable or folding stock (so that my rifle can quickly be made small enough to fit inside my pack when in the field)
4. Negative comb cheek riser set to my proper height (or be adjustable)
5. Rigid design that can be easily bedded
6. Fully free-floated barrel channel
7. Compatible with AICS style mags
8. Relatively lightweight

I've come up with a couple designs. My custom 18 inch 22CM 84m was permanently bedded into a carbon-fiber tube stock with a 3D printed trigger well and grip mount. Bare rifle weighs about 3.75lbs (attached pic of the groups it shoots at 400 yards).

The other version is going on my 6.5cm Hunter 84m that was cut down to 18 inches and threaded. It is fully 3D Printed except for the removable stock portion. Bare rifle is about 4.5lbs, which is about as lightweight as I want a 6.5CM... and the fully setup rifle is just under 8lbs including a trijicon credo 2.5-15x42, dnz 1 piece rings, scope caps, custom tripod, ball head, and a 9 inch Jolene Suppressor, 3rd mdt magazine, and 4 loaded rounds.

Also attached for comparison are pics of an unmodified kimber hunter stock and modified hunter stocks.

This 3D printed stock setup weighs about 23 ounces right now (it could easily be printed several ounces lighter without compromising strength/rigidity). My "full featured" modified kimber stock was about 22oz. The lightest modified kimber stock I've seen was about 16oz including mag... but it lacks a lot of features that make an ultralight rifle shootable IMO...

I'll also add... I was considering rebarreling this to a 6CM, but when I realized I could get 2700-2750fps with a 140eld and RL16 in this 18 inch factory barrel, and still be under book max, I decided to stick with the 6.5CM. That gets me to 775 yards before the bullet drops below 2000fps, and to 970 yards before it drops below 1800fps. By comparison, my custom 6mmCM built on a rem700 clone action gets to about 2880fps with a 108eld and N555, which puts me to about 680 yards before it drops below 2000fps.

I can get to 2.86" OAL with the MDT mags. Limitation is the location of the feed ramp, not the mag.