Kimber Montana - not worth the risk?

[SpannerAK]

*cough*savage lightweight hunter*cough*

Mine shoots well, but its far from a perfect rifle. The action is very rough, the cool looking helical flutes get caught on the action and binds, first round out of the magazine likes to miss feed. I honestly should have just bought a another Tikka T3 and chopped the barrel down.

 

[DrQuig]

The consensus among the guys I know who have owned them is that while the vast majority of them are probably great, if you do end up with one that isn't they just don't seem to stand behind the product.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I can't really complain about this from a .300 wsm that weighs 6 lbs. all in. Oh, the shot that was a flyer, high and to the right, was my fault, I flinched. Man, I do love these rifles.

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[Craig Van Arsdale]

My 300 WSM shoots lights out! I was shooting 1-1.5 MOA rocks out to 700 with it last weekend. Gotta find the right load for your gun. I think a lot of guys just buy ammo off the shelf and expect it to shoot...


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[hunting1]

Most of Kimbers problems are in the past. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a current Montana. If elk are in its future I'd get it in 308.

What he said! I have 2-Montana's and both are great!

 

[Zoo Keeper]

I had the same conundrum last season. I ended up going with the Montana Rifle Company X2 in 280AI. It is awesome! It is a little heavier than the Kimber but I was willing to take on a few extra ounces for added quality. Not saying that Kimber makes a bad rifle, but after seeing it in person next to the MRC, coupled with several bad reviews, I opted for the MRC. Couldn't be happier! Pm me if you want more details.

I have a 300 Win Mag in a lefty X2 showing up any day.


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[Brianb3]

I have a Kimber MA in 280AI. Nosler 140 grain Accu bond factory ammo shoots lights out to 300 and my range doesn't go past 3 but I'm easily 1" MOA. I went through a lot of rounds trying to figure out the trigger

I think with the unique trigger and the ultralight gun can be tricky to learn to shoot but After I figured it out it's great.


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[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I can't really complain about this from a .300 wsm that weighs 6 lbs. all in. Oh, the shot that was a flyer, high and to the right, was my fault, I flinched. Man, I do love these rifles.

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Here is my 7.25lb scoped Tikka T3 in 7-08 bone stock (handloaded 145gr LRX) @ 100yd. For the value its great accuracy and fairly light weight. Not the lightest possible, etc. but I enjoy the gun when I have it out.

 

[GKPrice]

each is entitled their own opinion whether it is knowledgably fact based or passed down information - There are no other rifle makers that I know of that build the likes of a Kimber Montana for anywhere near Kimber's price point - I own a bunch of them and the one thing I learned early on was that I had less than adequate shooting technique/skills to shoot a rifle that light in weight until I owned up to that fact and figured out MY form ... problem solved As far as QC, yes Kimber has had some issues, most of which have been resolved recently It seems funny to me that will all the less than desirable things about Rem 700's that have been established as fact there are still folks "out there" that seem to want to defend them to the last dying breath ... go figure - If you want a rifle that weighs in comparably with a Kimber Montana that is "no questions asked PERFECT" then by all means call Mel Forbes or another of the well known lightweight custom rifle smiths and be on your way but if, like a good number of "us", you are looking for a "compromise" for the working man I'd say give 'em a chance, the vast majority are excellent rifles and examples of outstanding "mass" produced workmanship (FYI- google <Montana Tinkering>)

 

[GKPrice]

Here is my 7.25lb scoped Tikka T3 in 7-08 bone stock (handloaded 145gr LRX) @ 100yd. For the value its great accuracy and fairly light weight. Not the lightest possible, etc. but I enjoy the gun when I have it out.

Tikka T3/T3X are very good rifles but what they are not are Kimber Montana's - comparing apples to walnuts

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Tikka T3/T3X are very good rifles but what they are not are Kimber Montana's - comparing apples to walnuts

Nope not the same but the original poster mentioned them, this was my T3 accuracy comparison to the one you posted (easier caliber to shoot I grant you). I would say accuracy is on par generally, weight is slightly higher, cost is less. From there determine what value the other aspects of the gun merit to your wallet (not that a dead elk will really care).

 

[GKPrice]

Nope not the same but the original poster mentioned them, this was my T3 accuracy comparison to the one you posted (easier caliber to shoot I grant you). I would say accuracy is on par generally, weight is slightly higher, cost is less. From there determine what value the other aspects of the gun merit to your wallet (not that a dead elk will really care).

again, I totally agree - I own only two brands of rifles now, Kimber and Tikka I am "old" and my back and knees are my worst liabilities - "IF and WHEN" I decide to do a strenuous hunt that lends itself to ultralight stuff I'll grab one of the Kimbers, otherwise I normally will turn to the superlight and I currently have an unfired T3X superlight leaning next to the loading bench begging for attention (7mm RM - the older I get the more often I return to that chambering ... funny thing)

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Didn't realize they did make the T3X in superlite, cool.

I have a semi custom built on the Tikka M695, I need to pony up the $$$ to drop that into a lighter stock at some point.

 

[GKPrice]

Didn't realize they did make the T3X in superlite, cool.

I have a semi custom built on the Tikka M695, I need to pony up the $$$ to drop that into a lighter stock at some point.

Here in Oregon, Sportsmans Warehouse carries the black stock superlights, they are closing out the T3 SL for $649 and the T3X SL is $749 with a better recoil pad, steel recoil lug, enhanced mounting screws on the bridge, foam filled stock and the grippiest pistol grip (with different angled inserts I'm told) that I've felt, and sans the rings (which nobody I know likes anyway) which makes the T3X a bargain IMO My new 7mm RM out of the box weighs 6lb on the nose I ordered a Mountain Tactical rail and I'm shopping rings now

 

[lchavez]

I was a 1911 kimber fan many years ago. Fooled myself for a while that fail to feed was acceptable in a 1911 and purchased a total of four kimber models of various sizes and styles. They all had reliability issues......which was always on my mind when I carried. The only good news was that there where many others that preferred style over reliability so resale was high. I was close to buying a kimber rifle a few times, but then I would remember those 1911's.....I have whittled down my collection to what works reliably for a reasonable price. Glock for handgun, franchi for shotgun and most surprising of all (to me anyways) a mossberg patriot for rifle. They are all hideously plain, but fire every time with accuracy. Tikka is also high on my list for value/reliability. If I didn't enjoy the mossberg so much I'd have a Tikka T3 lite.

 

[GKPrice]

I was a 1911 kimber fan many years ago. Fooled myself for a while that fail to feed was acceptable in a 1911 and purchased a total of four kimber models of various sizes and styles. They all had reliability issues......which was always on my mind when I carried. The only good news was that there where many others that preferred style over reliability so resale was high. I was close to buying a kimber rifle a few times, but then I would remember those 1911's.....I have whittled down my collection to what works reliably for a reasonable price. Glock for handgun, franchi for shotgun and most surprising of all (to me anyways) a mossberg patriot for rifle. They are all hideously plain, but fire every time with accuracy. Tikka is also high on my list for value/reliability. If I didn't enjoy the mossberg so much I'd have a Tikka T3 lite.

I'd have to agree with you on the Kimber 1911's, I'm close friends with the owner of a local gunshop, a prolific one, he stocks a lot of Kimbers and is continually disgusted at what comes out of the boxes but the good news is most flaws are easily dealt with by a patient smith with basic skills/knowledge (not that this excuses Kimber for allowing it, not budget priced guns at all) I shoot an older Kimber that took me 30 minutes to have pumping flawlessly but I like "plain" too .....

 

[Muttly]

I like a Mauser type action, and I like light. I,'ve got CZs and Winchester, and one Montana. First couple shots from the Montana had me thinking it might be time to sell the heavier guns and start bringing in more Montana's.
Little .257 Roberts. Next couple rifles will be more Montana's. Unless a Garand or a rolling block catches me unawares.....
The only way to really know for sure if you are going to like the rifle is to buy one. If you dig it, great. If not, sell it, and narrow down your parameters a bit more.
And it doesn't hurt to write down what you,'re looking for in a rifle. If the Kimber is in line with those objectives, take a hard look at it.
If not, keep looking till you find a closer match..

 

[16Bore]

Don't forget 1911 is the year it was built. I've never met one that didn't have to be tweaked ranging from out of the box Colts to full house race guns. It's the way it is. They can be finicky for all sorts of reasons. If you don't have the means/ability/desire to mess around don't buy a 1911 or a Montana. Glocks and Tikka's are different animals all together.

 

[Brendan]

Not a Montana, but the Adirondack in .308. So far shooting just around or a little under 1 MOA, but I've only got one box of shells through it so far.

Posted this on another thread, but here it is again:

 

[GKPrice]

Not a Montana, but the Adirondack in .308. So far shooting just around or a little under 1 MOA, but I've only got one box of shells through it so far.

Posted this on another thread, but here it is again:

GREAT set-up

These are darn nice "little" guns in any of the short cartridge chamberings It's been my experience that Kimbers' accuracy will improve as you shoot it more I find it very difficult to fault a combo like this one for ANY reason