Fun with Kimber

[bwest]

I purchased a Kimber Montana in 7mm WSM this spring to give me plenty of time to get it sorted out for a Stone sheep hunt this August. The sheep hunt went well but with my sons 270 Browning. To make a long story short i am looking for a Canadian gunsmith who can install the new barrel Kimber sent me. Please note that I have had the barrel on allready but the headspace was so tight i could not close the bolt on a factory round. The gunsmith who did this said that he would have to knock off a few threads and rechamber the barrel but did not have a reamer for that caliber. Does anyone have a suggestion? Thanks

 

[murphy]

Problem With Kimber.

Dear Friend, Welcome to a faternity of people who have had endless trouble with Kimbers. A few people on this forum swear by them, but most swear at them. The one thing I personaly discovered is that they have excellent resale value so trade it immediately and save yourself a lot of problems. I personally had an 84m for 2 years and tried every concieveable avenue to get to shoot and it never did. They are seductive because they look nice but don't be fooled. Reguards Murphy.

 

[3800fps]

I too owned an Kimber Montana........the second barrell wouldn't shoot any better than the 1st crappy barrel. My Kimber was an excercise in frusration. I have owned and do own too many excellent shooters (custom and factory )to waste my time and money tickling this Kimber crap into something it will never be.

Run ... is my suggestion. Have a gun built or buy a Cooper and you won't be disappointed or tortured.

 

[AVanGorder]

Go Custom

...Have a gun built...

Here is my take on rifles...
If you want a nice rifle, something that will impress anyone and everyone, and shoot better than the rest, get Jim Borden to build you one. http://www.bordenrifles.com/

If you want a rifle that can be tossed in the bed of the truck yet still get the job done, buy a Savage.

 

[066wally]

Rent or buy a reamer...

He shouldn't have to take off any threads, but will have to run a reamer deeper if it is just a short headspace issue. Some have had good luck reaming short chambered barrels by hand.
Why did you need a new barrel in the first place?

 

[bwest]

Poor accuracy

Kimber mailed the new barrel to me in response to my complaint to them that the rifle would not put three shots consistently into a group of two inches. They originally told me that they couldnt do anything about it since I was in Canada. I replied that if they sold rifles in Canada they had better have a way to service rifles in Canada. This didnt get me anywhere. When I told them that this story would be printed on this forum and another like it ,it seamed to change their tune.
After returning from the trip I had originally bought the rifle for I have had better luck with 160 Sierra's and 60 grains of IMR4350. I just dont like sierras terminal ballistics so where am I?

 

[murphy]

Problem with Kimber.

Where are you? Up S---- creek without a paddle!

 

[Yote]

I have had better luck with 160 Sierra's and 60 grains of IMR4350. I just dont like sierras terminal ballistics so where am I?

Define better luck? Is it shooting to your expectations?

Even if it is and you can only get it to do so with a bullet you don't like, then that's a compromise. For the cost of a Kimber there should be no compromise.

I could fill your ear full of frustration upon frustration I had with a friends 84M Kimber and Kimber's customer service but I'll spare you the details as you are living them now.

Instead, I'll give you the advice he took. Be at the gun shop when it opens up in the morning and trade that POS on a real gun.

 

[Jefferson]

benchrest gunsmith in alberta

who does quality work and one in bc

unless we know where you are and whom you are would we recommend a quality smith who wants to fix your problems.

sell it and buy a cooper from sako alberta

I won 6 ppc br guns and would not do what you are proposing, the folks who are suggesting you sell it are correct unless the woood is to die for.
jefferson

 

[Worker]

No doubt their stocks are "Pretty"

Looking at nice wood get old? Who really cares? I can't understand how they (Kimber)prioritize a nice piece of wood over a quality BBL. I clicked on Lija site and saw the video clip of a bore scope down a Remington BBL and then a Lija match BBL. What a difference! We all know that most Remington's shoot great.Even with the images I saw of the bore scopes trip down their BBLs.

 

[murphy]

What makes me angry.

The thing that really makes me annoyed about Kimber is that they just don't seem to be lifting their game. I had Kimber rifle troubles nearly four years ago and people are still buying new rifles with the same things wrong with them. Would'nt you think that after having thousands of complaints they would try to improve their product. To build products that they certainly know, don't work properly is bordering on criminal behaviour.