Newest Kimber Montana any good?

[dakotakidd]

I'm looking at the newest green stocked, threaded barrel, guaranteed 1moa Montana in 6.5 creed for my wife. Are they really 1moa or better shooters? I've always liked the Montana but have heard good and bad about them. Anyone own the newest model?? Let me know, thanks!

 

[highdrum]

For the price, I'd look for a tikka superlite in 6.5 creed, is under 6#, 24" barrel, known for out of box accuracy, unlike the kimber rifles. Most guys get them to shoot, but they require tweaking 90% of the time. If the lightest weight rifle is what you're after, a wildcat composites stock will reduce the Tikka weight by a half pound. Another option is the Barrett fieldcract.

 

[wbm]

Good review.

https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2016/12/23/review-kimber-montana-bolt-action-rifle/

Would also take a look at the Tikka and Savage Light Weight Hunter.

 

[dakotakidd]

Fieldcraft is probably a little more than I want to spend.

Tikka super lite is on my list but the nearest sportsman's wearhouse is hours away and I'm not going to spend the extra on the camo stocked cabelas one.

Brother has a savage lwh in 6.5 and it a great shooter for the money but the build quality is well...savage.

I've just always has a soft spot for the Montana. I also like that it is threaded so I can run a can on it. Less sound an recoil is really helpful with my wife being a newer shooter.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

I'm looking at the newest green stocked, threaded barrel, guaranteed 1moa Montana in 6.5 creed for my wife. Are they really 1moa or better shooters? I've always liked the Montana but have heard good and bad about them. Anyone own the newest model?? Let me know, thanks!

I bought one of the new Green stocked Kimber Montana's in 6.5CM and it shot 1" out of the box, I had it bedded and the trigger lightened and this is how it shot afterwards with factory ammo ?

 

[highdrum]

Get the Montana, have it bedded. Check the mag box to ensure it's free and not bound up, as well as the follower doesn't have too much play. Check action bolt torque spec/sequence. Kimber has a recommended process. If you search kimber Montana troubleshooting, there are a lot of little qc items that need be checked. I know it seems ridiculous especially for a thousand $ gun. But once you figure em out, they generally shoot well.

 

[dakotakidd]

Are guys just bedding the recoil lug and keeping everything in front of the lug free floated?

 

[Ingwe]

Kimbers are made near where I live and I know people in the factory.
They do start out with a nice action and are glass bedded but that's about it.

After assembly, they are shot at a nearby 100 yard range for a group and from what I heard about them they are usually not 1 moa rifles without tweaking.

I have no interest in owning one but if I did I would buy it expecting to re-bed it, check the barrel channel clearance, and adjust the trigger.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

Are guys just bedding the recoil lug and keeping everything in front of the lug free floated?

My Gunsmith beds the action around the lug and the rear of the action.

 

[FURMAN]

They are "bedded" to a slave action which is completely different than being bedded to the barreled action of yours. With a little tweaking they should shoot but if it does not live up to your standards or your perception of how it should do not expect any customer service form Kimber. They could not care less that you spent 1200-2000 on one of their rifles. What you get is what you get. If I were you I would get the Tikka. It will shoot better on average and cost less. My second choice would be save a little more and get the Field Craft.

 

[LongWalker]

Can't argue with the Tikka but if you drop the Savage LWH in a B&C stock it'll shoot. EABCO makes an adapter plate for the Axis style mag. If you have any pencil barreled lightweights you know to be patient during load development. I'm not and rebarreld mine .

 

[dakotakidd]

I found a Montana in 6.5 for $1,139.99 so it's not a bad price and I don't mind messing with guns to get them to shoot how I want.

Also found a used Forbes 24b in 6.5x55 that interests me. Even though I know the stories of bad quality and not shooting. This one is very nice and it's a 1 moa gun with 143 eldx handloads....so what's a guy to do..

 

[highdrum]

I found a Montana in 6.5 for $1,139.99 so it's not a bad price and I don't mind messing with guns to get them to shoot how I want.

Also found a used Forbes 24b in 6.5x55 that interests me. Even though I know the stories of bad quality and not shooting. This one is very nice and it's a 1 moa gun with 143 eldx handloads....so what's a guy to do..

Tbe forbes action is ideal for 6mm rem, 6.5 swede, 6.5x284. For the -06 length cases, not so much. It is limited to 3.4" max mag length. So in cases like with my 24B 270 win, every bullet is stuffed. My forbes has ugly bedding, a rough bolt, rough parkerized metal, rough feeling stock,but timney pulls smooth and it shoots doubletap 130 ttsx under 2/3". All I've ever shot in it. Its an ugly lightweight workhorse. They swing and feel heavier on point than a Montana bc they have an actual sporter barrel by Douglas. The weight saving is in the stock/action. If you're unhappy with the rifle, I know Melvin Forbes will go through it and work out the imperfections for a small fee. The fieldcract is the continuance of the Forbes 24B after Melvin got f'd over in the business and sold to recover some the losses. If you decide against the 6.5x55 I'd be interested in it.

 

[Ingwe]

They are "bedded" to a slave action which is completely different than being bedded to the barreled action of yours. With a little tweaking they should shoot but if it does not live up to your standards or your perception of how it should do not expect any customer service form Kimber. They could not care less that you spent 1200-2000 on one of their rifles. What you get is what you get. If I were you I would get the Tikka. It will shoot better on average and cost less. My second choice would be save a little more and get the Field Craft.

I totally agree. For their price the rifle should be good to go.

For a bit over $2,500 I bought a trued Remage Action, Trigger Tech Trigger, Criterion Barrel, Manners Stock, and had it bedded by GA Precision. GA also gave me a Mini-Badger Bolt handle and 8x40 screw holes.