Tale of a Bergara Mountain Rifle/Kimber Mtn Ascent 280AI FINAL

[OXN939]

It my particular case I don’t believe it was a failure of the stock itself but of the inletting. I don’t think any manufactures stock could have withstood the beating this stock took in the same area. There was a lot of recoil force being concentrated to a small area (1/4 inch action screw- thankfully there were aluminum pillars) where the stock web is very thin. If the force would have been applied to the stock at the recoil lug there wouldn’t have been an issue. That area of the stock is built to take the abuse. This situation reinforces my thoughts that all rifles should be properly glass bedded before shooting. Even with todays precise CNC inletting of stocks, mass production assures that not all will be perfect. Bedding makes that precise fit that can be achieved by no other method. Can’t speak for the other gentleman’s stock that cracked along the comb, that is a strange one

Check. Thanks for your thoughtful explanation. Certainly makes sense that an action screw functioning as the recoil lug will probably not do favors for any stock out there. I ask because I'm looking heavily into a Premier Mountain myself. They don't make any attempt at glass bedding their stocks from the factory, huh?

 

[Murtfree]

Check. Thanks for your thoughtful explanation. Certainly makes sense that an action screw functioning as the recoil lug will probably not do favors for any stock out there. I ask because I'm looking heavily into a Premier Mountain myself. They don't make any attempt at glass bedding their stocks from the factory, huh?

I know the last Weatherby Mark V I bought had an attempt at bedding but not a complete bedding job. They just plopped a blob of bedding compound in the recoil lug area which filled in most of the voids but I wouldn’t call that a true glass bedding job. Other than that one, I think most either use an aluminum bedding block or rely on the CNC machine to get a fairly close fit

 

[Murtfree]

I don’t see it as a trend. It’s just the ugly underbelly of carbon fiber. In a thread about cracked stocks, the folks with anecdotes about cracked stocks will show up. Thousands of uncracked stocks out there will stay silent or scroll past the thread. I will probably be bedding my stock now though. I’d like to know your protocol since I’ve only bedded one stock in the past and it was wood.

That would be a long explaination as to how to properly bed a rifle. It usually takes me about 3 to 4 hours of prep work before I mix the bedding compound, I use Devcon Aluminum . And then after the bedding has cured it’s another 2 hours of cleanup and dressing any rough edges. A video would be best. Prep work saves a lot of issues further down in the process. A Dremel tool with various bits is your best friend in prepping and sometimes in cleanup. Make sure everything lines up properly (action screws bolt handle). Make sure action sits flat with no rocking; Rear tang must sit flush in the stock and not lift from barrel weight. If it lifts I may use a wrap or two of electrical tape around the barrel inside the barrel channel near the front. You don’t want any stress anywhere on your barreled action. This is why unlike some people who bed I do not use any tie down or elastic band to pull the action into the stock. I only use the rear tang screw temporarily, one or 2 turns to check thread alignment as a last check to make sure all is still in alignment after barreled action is placed in bedding compound in stock; and then gently remove. Plug off action holes with modeling clay. I use Brownells Release agent in the spray can. I do a lot of masking off to the stock with electrical tape since this is sticky and more flexible than paper masking tape which gives less chance for epoxy getting under it. I also use several layers of electrical tape on the areas I want relieved like the bottom, front and sides of the recoil lug. When you are finished you have all the relief you need with no grinding. I know this is sort of an incoherent list; just things I thought of that I do but not necessarily in the correct order. I am sure there are lots more ideas and tips I could put down here but it would get extremely long. If anyone has any specific questions you can PM me. I learned from a few stock makers that I worked with over the years and over time it has evolved into my own method. I probably made and bedded my first stock over 35 years ago so I’ve done quite a few. I believe Randy‘s Custom Guns may have a short video On the subject under “The Real Gunsmith”

 

[Murtfree]

Just a follow up on this rifle since I just finished up with load work. After about 200 rounds down the tube since the bedding job and stock repair, everything seems to be holding up fine. I am really pleased with it in the accuracy department which is usually the most important thing for me in a rifle. The down side for me was that the gun weighed 6 oz over advertised weight and with mountain tech rings and base and Leupold 3.5 x 10 the rifle weighs in at 7lbs 11oz. Not quite what I had hoped for, but a fine accurate rifle all the same. I’m now working with a Kimber Mountain Ascent which weighs in at 6lbs 8.5oz for comparison with the same scope,ring,base combo. Initial testing after bedding looks equally promising. Picture of a group with my chosen load for the Bergara.

 

[crich]

Just a follow up on this rifle since I just finished up with load work. After about 200 rounds down the tube since the bedding job and stock repair, everything seems to be holding up fine. I am really pleased with it in the accuracy department which is usually the most important thing for me in a rifle. The down side for me was that the gun weighed 6 oz over advertised weight and with mountain tech rings and base and Leupold 3.5 x 10 the rifle weighs in at 7lbs 11oz. Not quite what I had hoped for, but a fine accurate rifle all the same. I’m now working with a Kimber Mountain Ascent which weighs in at 6lbs 8.5oz for comparison with the same scope,ring,base combo. Initial testing after bedding looks equally promising. Picture of a group with my chosen load for the Bergara.

Murtfree do you mind giving your thoughts on the mountain ascent compared to the bergara? Im looking at these exact two rifles. The hit or miss rifles I keep reading about all over the web have me a little gun shy about the kimber but the weight is more in line with what Im looking for.

 

[Murtfree]

Murtfree do you mind giving your thoughts on the mountain ascent compared to the bergara? Im looking at these exact two rifles. The hit or miss rifles I keep reading about all over the web have me a little gun shy about the kimber but the weight is more in line with what Im looking for.

I was a skeptical of the Mountain Ascent for the same reasons as you, but decided to take a chance for the more than 1 lb weight savings over the Bergara. In my opinion both rifles need some tweaking and a good bedding job to get them to perform. My Mountain Ascent needed the magazine box shortened and relieved (binding issue) and the barrel needed floating after the action was bedded. With winter and the holidays I haven’t had a chance to really put the the Kimber through any sustained shooting tests but intend to very shortly. I have all my components and load data ready to role and I am hoping to end up with a load topped off with either a Barnes 145 LRX, 150 Accubond or 154 Interbond. I’m trying to thread the needle with an optimum load to cover sheep, goat and Mountain Griz. I was able to test the 139 grain LRX load that shot in the Bergara but this load was much too hot for the Kimber, flat primers and heavy bolt were pronounced. I did try factory Nosler 140 grain Accubond and they printed sub MOA groups at about 3100 FPS so I think the rifle definitely has potential with some custom handloads. As for the rifle itself compared to the Bergara, I actually prefer the Bergara push feed action over the control round feed of the Kimber. Stripping the first round off the rails from the magazine for a follow up shot takes considerable force and is a bit gritty. This may get better as things ”break in”. The muzzle break of the Kimber is a nice bonus and does take a noticeable amount of the recoil out of this lightweight rifle. Trigger is also very nice on the Kimber and I have mine set at just over 2 lbs. the Bergara is a nice, accurate rifle but just left me wanting something “less” for a mountain rifle at 7lbs 11 ounces with scope; I already own a Rem 700 Mountain Rifle in 280 Rem that weighs 7 lbs 8 ounces. I hope this answers some of your questions and I should be able to elaborate more in a month or 2 on accuracy comparisons as better weather and daylight give me more opportunity to test my chosen load combinations. This should give me enough of a base to make a definitive decision on which rifle will be heading to the mountains with me.

 

[crich]

I was a skeptical of the Mountain Ascent for the same reasons as you, but decided to take a chance for the more than 1 lb weight savings over the Bergara. In my opinion both rifles need some tweaking and a good bedding job to get them to perform. My Mountain Ascent needed the magazine box shortened and relieved (binding issue) and the barrel needed floating after the action was bedded. With winter and the holidays I haven’t had a chance to really put the the Kimber through any sustained shooting tests but intend to very shortly. I have all my components and load data ready to role and I am hoping to end up with a load topped off with either a Barnes 145 LRX, 150 Accubond or 154 Interbond. I’m trying to thread the needle with an optimum load to cover sheep, goat and Mountain Griz. I was able to test the 139 grain LRX load that shot in the Bergara but this load was much too hot for the Kimber, flat primers and heavy bolt were pronounced. I did try factory Nosler 140 grain Accubond and they printed sub MOA groups at about 3100 FPS so I think the rifle definitely has potential with some custom handloads. As for the rifle itself compared to the Bergara, I actually prefer the Bergara push feed action over the control round feed of the Kimber. Stripping the first round off the rails from the magazine for a follow up shot takes considerable force and is a bit gritty. This may get better as things ”break in”. The muzzle break of the Kimber is a nice bonus and does take a noticeable amount of the recoil out of this lightweight rifle. Trigger is also very nice on the Kimber and I have mine set at just over 2 lbs. the Bergara is a nice, accurate rifle but just left me wanting something “less” for a mountain rifle at 7lbs 11 ounces with scope; I already own a Rem 700 Mountain Rifle in 280 Rem that weighs 7 lbs 8 ounces. I hope this answers some of your questions and I should be able to elaborate more in a month or 2 on accuracy comparisons as better weather and daylight give me more opportunity to test my chosen load combinations. This should give me enough of a base to make a definitive decision on which rifle will be heading to the mountains with me.

Yeah thanks for taking the time and giving some input. Ill keep a lookout for your report. Im looking into the .280ai as well. Ive been a fan of short action calibers and currently hump a 7mm08 on backpack elk hunts but am looking for something a little more substantial and faster than .308 but manageable recoil. Heard good things about the kimber brake.

 

[Murtfree]

Today I had a chance to test out the Kimber Mountain Ascent in 280AI with 2 loads each in 4 different bullets. My intention was to do a preliminary test to find a bullet that shined above all the rest to use in further load development; figuring the gun was certainly not going to like certain bullets. So I was really surprised to find that the rifle actually did fairly well with all bullets tested. I tried the Barnes 145 LRX, Sledgehammer 150, Hornady 154 Interbond and Nosler 160 Accubond. I used RE26 in all loads since this powder should yield the highest velocities and fired 8 three shot groups at 100yds. All loads were sub-MOA except one and I would be willing to bet that group was operator error, since the shot in question was the first shot I took after taking a lunch break....probably just lost by groove. I really like the Sledgehammer concept and the accuracy was probably best of all bullets tested. What I don’t like is how deep the bullet has to be seated into the case to avoid the lands in the throat. I am losing a lot of case capacity and I may not be able to gain much if any more velocity from that bullet. No loads showed excessive pressure so I will do further testing. Bottom line is, I believe the Kimber has proven itself in the accuracy department and will be my Mountain Rifle for upcoming hunts and the 1 lb + heavier Bergara will be my flat lander rifle.

 

[Dhbwa]

Nice!!!!

 

[elkguide]

Looks like you've got a winner there.

 

[Murtfree]

Just thought I would add a little information to this thread regarding the Kimber Mountain Ascent in 280AI since I have finalized my load development. I had chosen several bullets that were giving me fairly good results in the Sub-MOA range and did a shoot off to check for consistency. And then one last test shooting with a six shot group to see if group size held up(it did at .680”). The Nosler 160grain Accu-Bond seems to cover my needs. Ballistic coefficient, but more importantly for me is sectional density. I am not planning any shots much beyond 300 yds unless absolutely necessary so BC is not a big concern, although with a .531 BC this bullet is no slouch. This will be my Mountain Rifle specifically used for Sheep, Goat, Caribou, Mountain Grizzly and Moose; hence the sectional density priority. I have posted two three shot groups and the final 6 shot group all shot on different days and the combined 12 shot group, if all targets are superimposed, is still well under 1 inch. This rifle checked off most of the right boxes for a great mountain rifle in my opinion. Light weight (under 6.5 lbs ready to hunt) and accuracy were top priorities. The rifle is surprisingly accurate considering it’s weight but required a few tweaks to bedding and inletting. Trigger is very good as well. The only negative for me is the slight binding when stripping a round from the magazine. I plan on making up a few dummy rounds and hopefully after some break in cycling that issue will straighten itself out. If not, it’s not a deal breaker because hopefully the first shot will do the job. This is probably the only area the Bergara was better than the Kimber for my stated purpose.

 

[6mm Remington]

Looks like you did a great job of repairing and bedding the stock. It will be well worth your time and like you said, you should have just taken the time in the beginning and made sure it was properly bedded. It would have been a bit quicker of a fix I imagine by not having to do the intricate work you did on the crack repair.

Nice grouping with that Accubond. I used ONE 140 gr. Accubond on my grizzly bear last fall in Alaska. It sure worked well for me. I hit him tight behind the right shoulder in the lungs at 158 yards. The bullet exited the off-side and left a nice sized exit wound about what I expected indicating that the bullet expanded nicely and did it's job. I sure like the 280 Remington and hate to say it but my 280AI is even better! I think that the 160 gr. Accubond will work very well for what you are wanting to hunt with it. Best of luck!
David

 

[MuleyFever]

I am shooting a Montana in 280ai and getting my best groups with the 160AB too but it's too long for my mag. Seated at mag length I cannot get under .8" 3 shot groups.

If you happen to want to sell any of those LRX or Hammers I would be interested.

 

[Murtfree]

Looks like you did a great job of repairing and bedding the stock. It will be well worth your time and like you said, you should have just taken the time in the beginning and made sure it was properly bedded. It would have been a bit quicker of a fix I imagine by not having to do the intricate work you did on the crack repair.

Nice grouping with that Accubond. I used ONE 140 gr. Accubond on my grizzly bear last fall in Alaska. It sure worked well for me. I hit him tight behind the right shoulder in the lungs at 158 yards. The bullet exited the off-side and left a nice sized exit wound about what I expected indicating that the bullet expanded nicely and did it's job. I sure like the 280 Remington and hate to say it but my 280AI is even better! I think that the 160 gr. Accubond will work very well for what you are wanting to hunt with it. Best of luck!
David

Thanks for the compliments. I have a 280 Rem as well in a Rem 700 but wanted to shed some weight. Interesting on the 140gr Accubond on Grizzly.....I guess I underestimated the ability of a 140 grain bullet to exit a broad side shot on a Grizzly. Good job! Love the AI.....giving me 7 Mag performance in a sub 6.5 lb rifle which I attribute to RE26

 

[Murtfree]

I am shooting a Montana in 280ai and getting my best groups with the 160AB too but it's too long for my mag. Seated at mag length I cannot get under .8" 3 shot groups.

If you happen to want to sell any of those LRX or Hammers I would be interested.

My COAL with the 160 AB is 3.330. I think I just got lucky with the seating depth on these....it appears the Kimber has a very short throat. I was having to seat the Hammers very deep into the case to give enough clearance for the lands. So the longer Ogive on the AB’s was a plus to get some of the bullet into the throat before hitting the lands

As for my excess LRX and Hammers, I have at least 6 other rifles in 7mm bore including a 7STW so I want to try them in some other rifles. Overall the 280AI did OK with them and I really like the 150 Shock Hammers with the larger HP to initiate fast expansion. I am using the 113grain Shock Hammer in my 7MM-08 Carbine for Whitetails.

 

[MuleyFever]

I was going to try the Hammers but thought the 150s would be too much for the Kimber twist. I may have to try them seeing your results.

 

[Murtfree]

I was going to try the Hammers but thought the 150s would be too much for the Kimber twist. I may have to try them seeing your results.

No problem with getting them to stabilize, but because of the very rounded ogive they need to be deeply seated into the case.....lots of case capacity lost

 

[JeffRaines]

Those Kimbers don’t shoot I tell you!

 

[AK Troutbum]

Those Kimbers don’t shoot I tell you!

^^^Yup, what he said. Every single one of mine has been no better than the OP’s, complete junk!


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[Murtfree]

^^^Yup, what he said. Every single one of mine has been no better than the OP’s, complete junk!


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And to think I almost didn’t buy one because all I ever heard was, “They are complete junk!!