Kimber light weight rifle in 7mm mag

[jpuckett]

Really considering buying a 7mm rem mag in either the kimber light weight or tikka t3. I know they are different price points and different weights. But I'm wondering if it's a bad idea to get such a lightweight rifle in a big caliber. Anyone have experience on this? Does the built in muzzle brake on the kimber help considerably??


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[Dcrafton]

That depends, are you hinting or bench rest shooting. If your hunting, you will be lugging that thing around more than you shoot. They are both accurate rifles. If your bench resting it, too much weight has no play in it.


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[hodgeman]

For pure hunting rifles....lighter is generally better. You can add some of the weight back in better optics and brakes can take the sting out of it.
Lighter than 7.5 finished weight can get a little wispy when you're huffing and puffing.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Really considering buying a 7mm rem mag in either the kimber light weight or tikka t3. I know they are different price points and different weights. But I'm wondering if it's a bad idea to get such a lightweight rifle in a big caliber. Anyone have experience on this? Does the built in muzzle brake on the kimber help considerably??


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Yes, the brake does and will help considerably, both with recoil and muzzle flip/accuracy. That being said, I'm sure it would help equally well on the T3. I have both a T3 and several very light Kimber's and it's my opinion that the Tikka is not in the same category. They are super accurate and the price is right but I don't think they are nearly as well put together as the Kimber's.


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[jpuckett]

I do some backpack hunting so the light weight really appeals to me. Lugging around a 9lb rifle was a bitch this year lol.


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[chuckeglenn]

I've got a 7mm in a Kimber MA. The brake really helps a lot. The kick doesn't bother me at all. It's a great lightweight gun, but it does have some weight behind it to keep the recoil down. Keep in mind this is not the 308 of 4lb 13oz. The 7mm is about 2.5lbs heavier.

 

[chuckeglenn]

I've got a 7mm in a Kimber MA. The brake really helps a lot. The kick doesn't bother me at all. It's a great lightweight gun, but it does have some weight behind it to keep the recoil down. Keep in mind this is not the 308 of 4lb 13oz. The 7mm is about 2.5lbs heavier.

FYI: Mine is just over 8lbs with a vortex viper HST and talley scope mounts.

 

[jpuckett]

That's very good to know!! Thanks for that info!!


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[AK Troutbum]

I will never, ever again carry a rifle that comes even close to 9 pounds on a mountain hunt. My lightest mountain rifle comes in at 6.1 lbs. all in. My plan right now is to take my Kimber MA, mount a lighter scope to it, and get that rifle down to around 5.5 pounds. Every ounce counts and when you can take pounds off of your rifle, it helps big time.


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[JPHuntingAUS]

I would never own a number personally, using my brothers I lost a good stag. Being so light is great for shooting off a rest and hiking is great, but get a deer 100 yards away offhand on a windy day with adrenaline pumping through you and it'll be about as steady as a flag in the wind. I got light be still enough weight that it's steady for offhand shots

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[AK Troutbum]

I would never own a number personally, using my brothers I lost a good stag. Being so light is great for shooting off a rest and hiking is great, but get a deer 100 yards away offhand on a windy day with adrenaline pumping through you and it'll be about as steady as a flag in the wind. I got light be still enough weight that it's steady for offhand shots

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I can't agree with this. I shot my mountain goat this year, at about 50 yards, but running full speed, and a 1 shot kill with my .280ai 6.1lb. Montana. Also killed a Sitka blacktail buck, a couple years ago, at 300+ yards and running with my .300wsm 7 lb. Montana (although this deer I had to finish off up close because I just blew his front leg up on the first shot). The buck wasn't offhand but still a longshot and doable. Anyway, I don't think you need a heavy rifle, or even a heavier rifle to make good shots, even offhand.


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[JPHuntingAUS]

I can't agree with this. I shot my mountain goat this year, at about 50 yards, but running full speed, and a 1 shot kill with my .280ai 6.1lb. Montana. Also killed a Sitka blacktail buck, a couple years ago, at 300+ yards and running with my .300wsm 7 lb. Montana (although this deer I had to finish off up close because I just blew his front leg up on the first shot). The buck wasn't offhand but still a longshot and doable. Anyway, I don't think you need a heavy rifle, or even a heavier rifle to make good shots, even offhand.


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There's no right or wrong just varying opinions.

I personally put weight on the one Percenter's. To me its not about the typical 50 yard offhand shot or a 300 yard shot off a bag, it's when you are staring down the barrel at the biggest deer you've ever seen with your body shaking from adrenaline on a windy day 100 or 200 yards away and having to make the shot count that the finer differences come into their own.

Its the same as why I own high end optics instead of cheaper optics, it might only get me an extra ten minutes of light but its those ten minutes difference that changes the story from "the big deer I saw with too little light left" and "the big deer I shot right on last light".

My brother still loves his kimber, but for me when it came to the crunch the gun was too light to keep steady offhand under non ideal conditions and one of the best stags I've ever seen to this day got away with nothing more than a fright. Because of that I happily pack another lb or two and just this year managed a 200 m (220ish yard) offhand shot right into the boiler room of a sambar stag with a bit better balancing rifle.

As I said each to their own.

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[njdoxie]

I have a 338 wm that weighs 10 lbs loaded, it gets heavy, but god the money I'd have to spend to buy a lightweight rig makes me happy with the status quo

 

[tyeager2964]

I have a Tikka t3lite in 7 mag. I put a limbeaver pad on it and can't tell the difference in recoil between that and savage in 06. Both weigh right at 8 lbs scoped according to my bathroom scale. I don't think a brake is necessary but it does have advantages and disadvantages to be thought of. As far as accuracy goes my Tikka averages 3/4 MOA with federal factory 160 nosleep partitions and has about 3 other factory offerings right at 1 MOA

I can't speak to the Kimber

 

[Upcountry]

Another option, which will save you several ounces, and only set you back about $80-$100 more... Sportsmans Warehouse offers the Tikka T3 Superlight in 7mm RemMag. It's a stainless version of the T3, but with the addition of a factory fluted barrel. I picked one up two years ago and absolutely love it. I paid $699 for it. Mounted a Vortex HP 4-16x42 with the DNZ one piece scope mount/rings. And added the Limbsaver bolt on replacement that is designed to fit like the factory pad. It's sitting at an ounce over 7 pounds.
It shoots the Federal Nosler Partitions(both 140g and 160g nearly identically) at under an inch. I zeroed the scope at 200 yards and the BDC reticle on the Vortex scope is spot on out to 700 yards. There have been a few days at the range where I've put 30 rounds through it without much discomfort. And it's a dream to carry out in the field.

 

[luke moffat]

Another option, which will save you several ounces, and only set you back about $80-$100 more... Sportsmans Warehouse offers the Tikka T3 Superlight in 7mm RemMag. It's a stainless version of the T3, but with the addition of a factory fluted barrel. I picked one up two years ago and absolutely love it. I paid $699 for it. Mounted a Vortex HP 4-16x42 with the DNZ one piece scope mount/rings. And added the Limbsaver bolt on replacement that is designed to fit like the factory pad. It's sitting at an ounce over 7 pounds.
It shoots the Federal Nosler Partitions(both 140g and 160g nearly identically) at under an inch. I zeroed the scope at 200 yards and the BDC reticle on the Vortex scope is spot on out to 700 yards. There have been a few days at the range where I've put 30 rounds through it without much discomfort. And it's a dream to carry out in the field.

Dang that Tikka Superlite is 5 pounds 12 oz before a scope?

 

[charvey9]

I have a Tikka T3 Lite in 7mm I built last year to have a lighter mountain rifle. Love the gun, and it really is tack driver after some time on the reloading bench. Could not be happier with the results of a rifle at that price point.

I did not put a brake on it. Its not a benchrest rifle to shoot all day long, and if I can't handle a few shots from 7mm every now and then I would turn in my man card.

 

[belly-deep]

Dang that Tikka Superlite is 5 pounds 12 oz before a scope?

I didn't run the numbers but was wondering the same thing.

 

[belly-deep]

if I can't handle a few shots from 7mm every now and then I would turn in my man card.

I know a crusty old elk hunter who didn't like the recoil of his 7mm so he sold it and bought a .243

I would just about guarantee he's more "man" than about 99% of the guys on this board, including myself.

There's a lot more to being tough than shooting a magnum rifle

 

[AK Troutbum]

I know a crusty old elk hunter who didn't like the recoil of his 7mm so he sold it and bought a .243

I would just about guarantee he's more "man" than about 99% of the guys on this board, including myself.

There's a lot more to being tough than shooting a magnum rifle

Kinda sounds like a pussy if ya ask me. I'm surprised he made it to what would be considered "old".


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