Kimber Talkeetna

[Sodbuster]

270 grain TSX will knock a Moose right over.

 

[Marbles]

Anyone have any new insights, thoughts, or experiences with the Talkeetna?

Conversely, anyone know of a stainless, CRF action alternative? Or a stainless, CRF offered in .416 Rigby? I wonder at what size the strength of CroMoly is needed.

 

[SkunkCabbage]

I ended up getting one and had my smith do a few mods.

Chopped to 22” balanced it out
NECG larger front bead
Proper full bedding job.
Some cosmetics.

I’ve only shot 250gr TTSX hand loads out of it with iron sights using the OBT method and verifying timing nodes with the Labradar.

Magazine is set up for book length and has a fairly long throat so there is a bit of pressure loss. I could only fit so much RL17 in the case.

2667fps is what I got out of it at 104.4% case capacity.

 

[Runningwater]

You might also take a look at the Sako "Bear" series....

 

[SkunkCabbage]

I’ll say that those have better iron sights in comparison to the two.

If you run a scope expect dented case necks, magazine will dent shoulders and the ejection does not even compare to the true CRF M70.
I’ve had multiple 85s and got rid of both of my Kodiaks in favour of the Talkeetna. JMHO

 

[Marbles]

You might also take a look at the Sako "Bear" series....

I’ll say that those have better iron sights in comparison to the two.

If you run a scope expect dented case necks, magazine will dent shoulders and the ejection does not even compare to the true CRF M70.
I’ve had multiple 85s and got rid of both of my Kodiaks in favour of the Talkeetna. JMHO

The Sako Kodiaks have inspired lust as they are good looking guns and they are one of the few stainless medium bores. However, having owned a Sako 85 in 30-06 and replaced it with a Kimber Montana in 30-06 I'm not inclined to try another 85 any time soon.

Edit: changed "big bores" to "medium bores."

 

[Marbles]

I forgot about this thread, I did end up getting a talkeetna but sold it recently to pay for a Winchester 70 stainless classic I found. I preferred the m70 over the talkeetna and really, I only had a talkeetna because it was the closest thing I could find to a m70 stainless classic.

How does the stainless classic compare to the Talkeetna in weight, smoothness of the action, and balance?

 

[AK Troutbum]

My factory m70 SC 375H&H weighs 8 lbs 4 oz. The listed wt. of the Talkeetna is 7 lbs. 12 oz. All up with steel Warne QD’s, VX-3 2.5-8x36, and Butler Creek caps, I’m just under 9 lbs 8 oz.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wapiti1]

Anyone have any new insights, thoughts, or experiences with the Talkeetna?

Conversely, anyone know of a stainless, CRF action alternative? Or a stainless, CRF offered in .416 Rigby? I wonder at what size the strength of CroMoly is needed.

I built a .505 Gibbs on a stainless action for a fellow that wanted a stopping rifle. It isn't the steel, it's the size of the action. A skilled gunsmith can fit the .416 Rigby in an M70 without a lot of fuss. Stainless or CrMo. The easiest is to get a stainless RUM M70 and convert to .404 Jeffery. Very little machine work has to be done for that. Almost a simple rebarrel job save making some follower and mag box mods.

The problem you run into is that there is no market for stainless big bores for the most part. .375's work wonderfully in Alaska, and the .416 Ruger in the stainless Hawkeye is close to perfect.

Jeremy

 

[SkunkCabbage]

7.5lbs is what mine rings up on the scale with irons. I swapped the alu trigger guard for a stainless one. Also chopped to 22" to balance it out.

I concidered a M70 SC but the price of them used when the did come up it did not make sense for what I concider to be less of a gun. For the same cost I could get a carbon and kevlar stock. Was a no brainier at least for me.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I concidered a M70 SC but the price of them used when the did come up it did not make sense for what I concider to be less of a gun. For the same cost I could get a carbon and kevlar stock. Was a no brainier at least for me.

I bought mine for $652 at Kmart back in ‘03, when they were going out of business.

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[SkunkCabbage]

Not a common gun to find north of the 48 on the used market for both of them. Not to mention our dollar isn’t as strong
I like my Talkeetna, a m70 stainless classic would fit the bill 100% too

 

[pyrotechnic]

The Sako Kodiaks have inspired lust as they are good looking guns and they are one of the few stainless medium bores. However, having owned a Sako 85 in 30-06 and replaced it with a Kimber Montana in 30-06 I'm not inclined to try another 85 any time soon.

Edit: changed "big bores" to "medium bores."

What were your issues with the Sako? I've been lusting after an 85 arctos in 9.3x62 as my "irrational want" recently. Ejection issues with a scope?

Thanks.

 

[Marbles]

What were your issues with the Sako? I've been lusting after an 85 arctos in 9.3x62 as my "irrational want" recently. Ejection issues with a scope?

Thanks.

Yes, ejection issues with a scope. With low optilock one piece rings it would drop the brass back into the action. Moving to low two piece optilocks fixed this, however the neck of the brass would get dented by the windage turret. It was a Weaver K4 scope, so one inch tube and turret stuck out only about 1/3 inch from it. I flipped the scope on its side, which worked, but when I decided to upgrade the scope I decided it was time for a new rifle.

There is also very little aftermarket support for a Sako. Plus the Sako action is not CRF, it is more of a CRF/pushfeed hybrid.

The Sako has a smoother action than the Kimber. It is easy to bind the Kimber (or the Winchester M70s I have handled), I have to really work to bind up the Sako bolt, and even then it does not bind completely. The Sako DBM is really well designed as well. As long as you like how a Sako is set up, nothing on it needs to be changed (other than the ejection). I cannot say the same of my Kimber.

High rings would probably fix the issue with mine. Of course Sako could also move the inertia ejector to the left and it would not be an issue any more.

Here is a picture of the scope with a AAA battery for perspective.

 

[pyrotechnic]

Thank you for the detailed explaination.

 

[9.3koolaid]

What were your issues with the Sako? I've been lusting after an 85 arctos in 9.3x62 as my "irrational want" recently. Ejection issues with a scope?

Thanks.

Do it. I just got a Black Bear in 9.3 and it's awesome. Puts a small dent in the case mouth but nothing too bad. Shoots 250gr TTSX handloads really well.

 

[AlaskaLiving]

Greetings from Ak. I own a Kimber Talkeetna and have used it in Alaska for almost 10 years. 2 bull moose and several bears. As a former FFL, I have a safe full of fancy rifles and the Talkeetna seems to be the rifle that I trust the most. That includes this bull moose, running, at 100 yards, that awesome 375h&h GMX 250gr bullet went through two small trees and dropped the bull moose. You can see the results in the attachedBull Moose Hunt in Alaska video.