A New Chum

[Grizzly Dave]

Just saying howdy.
I have just joined a few minutes ago.
I am a hunter and have to admit the longest killing shot I have made is on a Mountain Goat in the Kootenay mountains which was 425 yards. I used a Winchester Model 70 in .338 Win mag.
I just got back from Australia and there is a bit of long range hunting going on there as well as New Zealand using rifles like Accuracy International in .338 Lapua as one example.
I have just ordered a Kimber 8400 in .300 Win Mag and have heard good and bad about these rifles as far as Sub-MOA accuracy but I gleaned that the accuracy concerns have been addressed and the newer rifles are fine.
Hope to get some input before I plunk down the $$$.

Thanks in advance

Griz

 

[WildRose]

My impression of Mtn Goat hunting is that range is irrelevant, it's how hard you have to work just to get to where you can see one that makes them such a challenge HA!

Welcome.

Kimber makes a fine weapon, they just aren't generally thought of as Long Range (600+) Guns.

My experience though is if you can hold MOA or less at 100yds consistently with a little practice getting out to 600yds and beyond with accuracy really isn't that difficult.

Out to 600 it's just all about marksmanship mainly with the high speed calibers most of us are using today. It's beyond 600yds where life starts to get complicated.

Welcome to the addiction.

 

[Grizzly Dave]

Thanks for your reply Wildrose, I know it is a light weight Mountain Rifle not really a long range rifle. They market it as having a match barrel and chamber , pillar bedding and a match trigger but some of the posts I read in my research said they had accuracy issues. The threads were from 2009-2011 and some folks said there had been a shake up at Kimber and the newer rifles were indeed accurate to sub MOA.
One thing I wonder about these riflemen who claim it will only shoot 4-6 inch groups at 100 yards is what do they usually shoot? and do they realize light weight rifles need a little more care when shooting off the bench? I see hunters at the range who think it fine to hunt with their rifles if they shoot 3-4 inches at 100.." Good enough for deer" they say... and they are right, but it isn't good enough for me.
I think another old post said the Montana is good out to 1500 yards in .300 win mag. I would like proof of that.
So I joined this forum to ask the question, I thought anyone who is a long range hunter would have a handle on Kimber's quality control and so I will go ahead and buy the Montana, with the idea that it is a mountain rifle not a long range interdiction tool.
Thank you again for your advice Wildrose.

Griz

 

[WildRose]

Well since you've already placed the order your "in it already".

When you get it in try several different loads with it and see what it likes best.

Generally with standardized factory calibers I'll just buy one box each of two or three different types of ammo from different mfg's and if I can find one it likes I'll buy enough to build up a good supply of once fired brass, shot it, and then try and emulate or even improve on the load.

As for the guys that couldn't get a 4" group at 100yds out of a kimber, they should have either sobered up before shooting it again or sent it back immediately as defective.

Kimbers are built pretty much as custom rigs and if they won't shoot 2" at worst with cheap factory ammo something is seriously wrong.

 

[COBrad]

I've had 3; .243, 7-08, .300 WSM. The 243 and 300 both made pretty consistent 3/4 MOA rifles. I shot a lot of marmots with the 243, the longest ones between 450 and 562 yards. It and the 300 were really nice rifles for the money.
I could never get the 7-08 to do better than 1.5 MOA. That would still be fine as a 400 yard deer rifle, but it did not stay around long enough to get tested at that range.
A Montana, or any rifle that light, at 1500 yards is someone's dream... they just haven't woke up yet.
If yours shoots well, and if you can shoot a lightweight well, it will make a 600 yard rifle.

 

[Grizzly Dave]

Thanks COBrad. I am heading up tomorrow to pick it up. The store is about two hous north of me.
I will try to get out soon and get back to you all and report on how it shoots.

Griz