Kimber rifle accuracy- Post MOA guarantee

[WestNE]

I have always been intrigued by the Kimber rifles, primarily the Montana. In the past, 8-10 years ago, I tried a couple different samples in .257 Roberts and neither would shoot. I'm not talking on the edge of what was personally acceptable, but 3-4 MOA with multiple factory and handloads. At the time this was not unheard of in Kimber rifles and I wasn't in a position to send them off to get accurized buy one of the gunsmiths specializing in making them shoot.

Several years ago Kimber started their accuracy guarantee, I assume they changed something with the production of the rifles that fixed some of their earlier issues.

Any first hand experience with Kimber rifles in the last few years regarding accuracy?

Thanks,
Nick

 

[Amos Moses]

I have a newer hunter in .270 with the sub MOA guarantee. Couldn’t get it to shoot well at first, 3”+ groups at 100 yards. I contacted Kimber and sent it off to be checked. They returned it within a week with two test targets shooting .86 or better. I studied up on shooting such a light rifle and practiced quite a bit. It’s now incredibly accurate when I’m shooting well. Doesn’t take much for me to screw it up though.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Maybe I've been super fortunate, IDK, but every Kimber I've owned (5 so far), have been sub MOA without exception. My first was purchased new back in 2005 (a Montana chambered in .300wsm), and after getting it on paper with the first two or three rounds, the next 3 rounds were all touching at 100 yards using factory ammo. I still own that rifle, and probably will until I give it to my son.

5 consecutive rounds out of .270 Mountain Ascent at 100 yards.

4 consecutive rounds out of .308 Adirondack at 200 yards.

 

[HandgunHTR]

I have a newer hunter in .270 with the sub MOA guarantee. Couldn’t get it to shoot well at first, 3”+ groups at 100 yards. I contacted Kimber and sent it off to be checked. They returned it within a week with two test targets shooting .86 or better. I studied up on shooting such a light rifle and practiced quite a bit. It’s now incredibly accurate when I’m shooting well. Doesn’t take much for me to screw it up though.

You bring up a very good point. Super light rifles are extremely sensitive to bad form or follow-through. Shooting them well from the bench is much harder than a standard or heavy-weight sporter rifle. A lot of times when I help people at my club with "poor" shooting lightweight rifles, it isn't the rifle that is the issue.

 

[6.5Express]

I have 3 kimbers both pre and post moa guarantee. All three will shoot between half and one moa with handloads as long as i do my part. I have:

- pre guarantee 8400 25-06 (blue/walnut)
- pre guarantee 8400 7 wsm (blue/ walnut)
- post guarantee 84 280 ackley (subalpine)

I broke the barrel in on the subalpine with a factory nosler 140 gr accubonds (shoot, clean for the first five,clean after 5 for the next 15). If i recall correctly, 19 were within 1.75 moa and i pulled one out around 2.

 

[schmalzy]

I have always been intrigued by the Kimber rifles, primarily the Montana. In the past, 8-10 years ago, I tried a couple different samples in .257 Roberts and neither would shoot. I'm not talking on the edge of what was personally acceptable, but 3-4 MOA with multiple factory and handloads. At the time this was not unheard of in Kimber rifles and I wasn't in a position to send them off to get accurized buy one of the gunsmiths specializing in making them shoot.

Several years ago Kimber started their accuracy guarantee, I assume they changed something with the production of the rifles that fixed some of their earlier issues.

Any first hand experience with Kimber rifles in the last few years regarding accuracy?

Thanks,
Nick

I have a recent Montana in 30-06 (bought new 1 year ago from europtic with green stock and threaded barrel) that has been superb. Shoots Hornady 178 eldx factory extremely well as does 150 ttsx hand loads.

Love the rifle and would buy multiple more if Kimber would get their act together and start building them again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Smithb9841]

I have 2 kimbers both are post MOA guarantee, a Hunter in 6.5 creedmor have only shot one load that is Barnes factory and it is under moa. I also have a mountain ascent in 300wsm out of 4 factory loads the 150 Barnes and 190 ABLR shot under 1” moa and that rifle is more accurate than I am consistently if I have a flyer with either of these I know it’s me and not the rifle. 180g etips shot ok maybe 1.5” so not great. And 165 Barnes looked like I was shooting a short barreled shot gun when I tried those.

These barrels do heat up very quickly and groups spread fast. Especially on the 300wsm

 

[hunting1]

Mine are all MOA or better, all Montana's, no tinkering 308W and 300WSM. The 308 you have to hold on tight or it will throw shots.

 

[83cj-7]

I owned an older 84m 7mm-08 and it would not shoot under 3 MOA. I’ve known others that have owned them and they were 1.5 MOA at best.
Recently I bought a Hunter model in .270 and I was blown away with the accuracy. It shoots a couple factory loads just at or under MOA and hand loads are half MOA out to 500 yards. The consistency amazes me, it has no cold bore deviation at all. I took a chance on this one because another buddy bought the same rifle and it also shoots half MOA.
This week I bought another Hunter that I’m cutting down to 16.5”. We will see how this one shoots.

 

[83cj-7]

This is 6 consecutive shots from the 270 at 300 yards in a 8-10 mph wind.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have a few kimbers as well and they have all shot well for me. I honestly don’t feel that I change my technique at all compared to heavier rifles.

 

[roosiebull]

I had a hunter in 7-08 a couple years ago and wish I had kept it, but I sold it to fun an AR for hunting big cats… in hindsight, I should have kept the kimber, it was a really nice rifle for the money and shot great. There was one mono I shot that was not good, but besides that it shot everything well and was a really soft shooting gun for me, even for a 7-08. I didn’t dislike anything about the rifle, of course didn’t love the plastic trigger guard, but if that’s my only complaint, that’s pretty good imo

 

[TxxAgg]

How are the triggers on these?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

How are the triggers on these?

Pretty good but the trigger techs for kimbers are even better.

 

[BCsteve]

I'm one of the unluckily ones. I have a Montana in .260 Rem and the best I could do after trying numerous powder/bullet combinations was +/- 3" at 100 yards. Most loads wouldn't print on a 8.5x11" sheet of paper. It's finally at the gunsmith getting rebarelled as we speak.

 

[MTWop]

Pre-guarantee gray stock Montana in 270 win. My only Kimber. Shoots any factory ammo I’ve tried sub MOA and Barnes 130 ttsx half MOA. I almost sold it earlier this year and I’m glad I didn’t

 

[eaglemountainman]

I have two Montanas from around 2012. One is a 7-08 and the other is a 257 Roberts. They both shoot .7" - .8", and sometimes, better.
I also have a Classic Select (unknown DOM) in 7-08 that is easily capable of .3" - .4".

These are all hunting rifles, and wear Leupold 2-7X33 or 2-8x36 scopes, whose reticles cover a lot of real estate. I believe if I had a finer reticle, and a bit more magnification, I could wring out a bit more from all three.

 

[Macintosh]

I bought my wife a Kimber, either an 84 or 8400, not sure. I’m not sure if it’s pre-or post guarantee, but it would have been about 10 years ago. 7mm08. It’s a really light gun, my wife loves it, although I think it kicks harder than some of my heavier cartridges in a slightly heavier gun, so I’m not sure it’s a great gun for somebody who is recoil sensitive. It’s got a pretty low powered scope on it, and my eyes are not as young as they were a few years ago, so I know, for a fact I could shoot it better, but it usually prints about 2 inches at 100 yards. It would not at all shock me if I played around with ammo more and put a little bit more magnification on it if I could get it to hold an inch. I don’t think the accuracy is anything to write home about, but it also has a crazy thin barrel, a wood stock, it weighs next to nothing… Given what it is, I’m reasonably happy with the accuracy. The only problems I’ve had with this and other Kimbers is around feeding issues, but really, I don’t feel like I can complain about the accuracy.

 

[Wrangler13]

Had a couple 7-08 pre guarantee that shot well and a few post that shot well too. Sounds like Montanas will be available again in May but only in 6.5cm, .308, 280ai, 300wm.

 

[rgroves79]

You bring up a very good point. Super light rifles are extremely sensitive to bad form or follow-through. Shooting them well from the bench is much harder than a standard or heavy-weight sporter rifle. A lot of times when I help people at my club with "poor" shooting lightweight rifles, it isn't the rifle that is the issue.

I have a Hunter in 6.5 that will shoot MOA with the proper technique from the bench and letting the barrel cool between shots. I think the barrel being hot has as much or more to do with groups opening up