Kimber Montana vs. Tikka T3x Superlite vs. Savage 16 LWH (308)

[luke moffat]

That 178 grain factory stuff seem good to me. I will take a 1.6" 8 shot group all day everyday!

 

[16Bore]

My first observation is that it sucks. Sucks because you've shot more in 3 days than I have in 6 months. Grrr...

I'd say you've found your ammo for that thing. Federal has never been one of my favs. Nice round groups are good juju.


And I think your shooting is getting better, as compared to the early stuff. Rice-a-Roni and all.

Now twist a turret and run that sucker out...

 

[16Bore]

Oh, and if you decide to try the Kimber again, I'd start with the 178's. Mainly because if I get my mitts on one, that's the first bullet that I'm after. You know, in the name of science and all. I don't mind people chewing my food for me. Well, the first bite anyway. Ha!!

 

[JWW]

I think this has proved what your gun likes. I'm glad you also realize the importance of point of aim and that you found something that works.

 

[Rorschach]

So, I knew that it was an important thing, but I'm talking about the degree to which even the NPA being off by 1", requiring barely any muscular input to get back onto the intended point of aim - it is amazing. I'm guessing that it's a side-effect of rifles half the weight of what I'm used to. Incredible.

I think the Hornady precision hunter has proved that your gun likes it. I'm glad you also realize the importance of point of aim and that you found something that works.

 

[JWW]

Yes hence why a good bag is key to let the gun settle on the point of aim.

 

[Muttly]

Devils in the details....

 

[TBossHSauce]

As always, I get a kick out of the various rifle bashers out there. Each of us has a preference on why they choose a specific cartridge and manufacturer. Chevy vs. Ford vs. Dodge vs. Toyota...all will get you there if you use the proper driving technique.

As for me, I love the Kimber rifles. I love them because I love controlled round feed rifles. I love controlled round feed rifles because I grew up with them. Now this doesn't make one better than the other but that's what I like.

As many have stated, controlling a light rifle is in itself a special skill. They tend to be jumpy and tend to wollup you more but that is just physics. I surmise most accuracy issues are with user technique. Sure sometimes the said rifle can be a lemon....back to the Ford vs. Chevy etc.

Only accurate rifles are interesting...

Many have said that Kimber's aren't accurate. I've owned two and currently shoot an 84L .270. I for one wouldn't own an inaccurate rifle, just like I won't own a dog with bad manners. I shoot factory ammo. Barnes TTSX 130 grain to be exact. Love the round...but that's another argument for another thread. I recently purchased (actually won) a new Kimber Hunter in 6.5 Creed and I suspect she will earn her place in the safe.

I also use a bipod on all my rifles again because I like them and like the versatility. The sylvette Kimber will be quite bouncy but recoil is manageable. The bipod tames some of the hop though.

Back to the accuracy...I'm currently printing cards on all my rifles (ala cooper) so that I can attest to the accuracy if I ever need to sell one.

Here is my lowly inaccurate Kimber Montana 84L using factory Barnes TTSX loads...outside...last weekend at 100 yards. Shame she doesn't shoot....guess I got another one of those Kimber Lemons. Come to think of it...I guess the "L" in 84L must mean lemon...

View attachment 46699

 

[Rorschach]

Attachment doesn't work for me...

I'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch on this; I'm going to mount the scope back on the Kimber and go try it again tomorrow morning, just to make sure I've given it every chance to perform, and for me to have been the reason it did not, initially.

 

[TBossHSauce]

Attachment doesn't work for me...

I'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch on this; I'm going to mount the scope back on the Kimber and go try it again tomorrow morning, just to make sure I've given it every chance to perform, and for me to have been the reason it did not, initially.

Better?

 

[JWW]

Attachment doesn't work for me...

I'm not going to count my chickens before they hatch on this; I'm going to mount the scope back on the Kimber and go try it again tomorrow morning, just to make sure I've given it every chance to perform, and for me to have been the reason it did not, initially.

How many rounds do you have through your Kimber? Every gun is different and often times will shoot more predictably once there is a sort of copper fouling equilibrium. Some foul faster than others due to the relative "sharpness" of the lands and grooves, some take a while to build.

 

[16Bore]

This is about rounds 5-10 through a new, unbedded Montana. I'd consider it the "worst" it'll likely shoot.



Point being I sold it and want one in 308....


Is that a point? Dunno...

 

[luke moffat]

This is about rounds 5-10 through a new, unbedded Montana. I'd consider it the "worst" it'll likely shoot.



Point being I sold it and want one in 308....


Is that a point? Dunno...

You trying to snipe a .308 out from under me?

 

[Rorschach]

I don't have the number right in front of me, but in the 70's, I believe.

16Bore - that looks like a composite 2.5" group or so. Did you sell it because of that?

 

[AK Troutbum]

As always, I get a kick out of the various rifle bashers out there. Each of us has a preference on why they choose a specific cartridge and manufacturer. Chevy vs. Ford vs. Dodge vs. Toyota...all will get you there if you use the proper driving technique.

As for me, I love the Kimber rifles. I love them because I love controlled round feed rifles. I love controlled round feed rifles because I grew up with them. Now this doesn't make one better than the other but that's what I like.

As many have stated, controlling a light rifle is in itself a special skill. They tend to be jumpy and tend to wollup you more but that is just physics. I surmise most accuracy issues are with user technique. Sure sometimes the said rifle can be a lemon....back to the Ford vs. Chevy etc.

Only accurate rifles are interesting...

Many have said that Kimber's aren't accurate. I've owned two and currently shoot an 84L .270. I for one wouldn't own an inaccurate rifle, just like I won't own a dog with bad manners. I shoot factory ammo. Barnes TTSX 130 grain to be exact. Love the round...but that's another argument for another thread. I recently purchased (actually won) a new Kimber Hunter in 6.5 Creed and I suspect she will earn her place in the safe.

I also use a bipod on all my rifles again because I like them and like the versatility. The sylvette Kimber will be quite bouncy but recoil is manageable. The bipod tames some of the hop though.

Back to the accuracy...I'm currently printing cards on all my rifles (ala cooper) so that I can attest to the accuracy if I ever need to sell one.

Here is my lowly inaccurate Kimber Montana 84L using factory Barnes TTSX loads...outside...last weekend at 100 yards. Shame she doesn't shoot....guess I got another one of those Kimber Lemons. Come to think of it...I guess the "L" in 84L must mean lemon...

View attachment 46699

I agree with this. I'll also add that for me, it's all about a lightweight rifle that performs well in the field. I'd love to go to the range and put round after round after round into a single hole (never actually done that, or even come close for that matter), but I'm not a competition shooter and the most important thing to me is that the rifle I'm using, gets the job done when I'm in the field. I hadn't been to the range in a while and this thread has got me motivated to go throw some lead. So yesterday I took my .280 AI Montana down, I needed to re-site the scope in anyway because I just put a new CDS dial on it. The temperature was right around 0°F with zero wind. So after sighting it in my last four shot group looked like this. This was all done using factory 140 gr. Nosler AB's.

Then, using the dial, I took it out to 300 yards and this is what I got with a three shot group.

Then today I decided to go back down and shoot my .270 Mountain Ascent and try some different ammo that I had never tried before. Temperature today was 14°F and no wind. Using factory 130 gr. Hornady superperformance SST's, my initial group looked like this, and needless to say, I wasn't too thrilled with it.

Then using factory 130 gr. Barnes TTSX's, the grouping tightened up considerably.

These are both fairly new rifles for me, bought within the last six months, and I haven't started reloading for either one yet but I plan on it soon, and maybe I'll be able to get them dialed in a little better. Although, like I stated, if this is as good as it gets, I'm good with that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[16Bore]

I don't have the number right in front of me, but in the 70's, I believe.

16Bore - that looks like a composite 2.5" group or so. Did you sell it because of that?

Adjusted the elevation. Sold it because the idea was to sell my 7RM, but couldn't part with it after trying to shoot up the little bit of ammo I had loaded for it. 120 TSX dialed cold bore at 350 was a dead center hit. Then groups of 120TSX, 140 CL, and 162 Amax all had the same POI. Topped off by the last two 162's on 8" steel at 500. It's called removing the stupid factor before I did something stupider. Kept that puppy...Good DOPE too..

But kinda like you're doing, sometimes you can't Google an itch, you have to scratch it.

You trying to snipe a .308 out from under me?

Nah, line is too long. Don't want a threaded model anyways.

 

[robtattoo]

I'd love to go to the range and put round after round after round into a single hole (never actually done that, or even come close for that matter)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sooo much fun! (5 rounds, 300yds...)

 

[robtattoo]

Although, to be completely fair, that group was shot with a rifle that is probably 16lb above what could be considered 'light'

 

[elkguide]

Sooo much fun! (5 rounds, 300yds...)

You're a little high, right.

 

[robtattoo]

You're a little high, right.

Shuttup...... Load development.

Sent from a mountain somewhere, using telepathy.