Kimber Montana vs. Tikka T3x Superlite vs. Savage 16 LWH (308)

[GKPrice]

A base screw just a smidge long will create holy hell.

another missed point - thank you ! Action screws too, which isn't all that uncommon

 

[GKPrice]

all good points, I'd like to add that I have had cause to send 2 different Montana's in for servicing, address is Kalispell MT, and each was back in my hands in more like 3 weeks, even though the 8 week disclaimer was presented at each issuance of an RMA # - I also think it a bit unfair for a person who is giving feedback publicly yet has presented no credentials pertinent to experience or skill set to offer negative advertising for any company (and I realize that I'm a hypocrite for saying this) but as said before, to not give Kimber the chance to exercise and prove or disprove their "guaranteed" claim, possibly discouraging future sales based on this feedback - In simpler terms, and MY thinking, if you don't send it in and give Kimber the opportunity to prove themselves you're doing not only Kimber but other potential otherwise delighted consumers a huge disservice (IMO of course) - You are also not giving yourself the chance to have a "killer" lightweight mountain rifle for a fair price

was gonna say something but nevermind ......

 

[GKPrice]

to all you new or original "Kimber dislikers" I'll say this: Kimber is a production rifle manufacturer who competes with some of the best custom gunsmiths out there, they do it for alot less money and they do a great job on a regular basis - It has been my experience (not opinion) that they try very hard to back up what they say or promise - I've had a couple of Tikka T3's give me fits worse than this thread describes, a 300 WSM and a 338 Win Mag, both SS rifles - Neither would shoot accurately worth beans - I tried calling Tikka (owned by Beretta USA for some years now) and didn't even get a call or email in return, multiple times) So, the 300 WSM turned into a PacNor barrel 270 WSM and the 338 Win Mag I traded off with a full disclosure of "my" experiences with it - I still use and very much like my T3 and T3x, they will hand down to my son, I still like Kimber Montanas and I "think" I like the Hunters I have but I haven't had much chance to wring out the definitive accuracy either can produce, the Creedmor has already given my some very nice groups with factory ammo though - I do continue to procrastinate on sending the '06 Hunter to JES for conversion to 338/06 but I'm going to do that, I promise, that does kind of negate the factory accuracy thing but it will still be a lightweight "model 70 improved" to my mind - (at least when a person calls Kimber CS they get a human on the line, somethin' to be appreciated in that)

 

[wapitibob]

"Kimber is a production rifle manufacturer who competes with some of the best custom gunsmiths out there.."

27 pages pretty much disproves that nonsense.

 

[16Bore]

God forbid anyone here EVER buy a 1911 of ANY flavor. There's shooting, then there's pulling triggers.

Nuff said.....

 

[GKPrice]

"Kimber is a production rifle manufacturer who competes with some of the best custom gunsmiths out there.."

27 pages pretty much disproves that nonsense.

whatever .......

 

[elkguide]

"Kimber is a production rifle manufacturer who competes with some of the best custom gunsmiths out there.."

27 pages pretty much disproves that nonsense.

The three Montanas that I have all shoot and have killed just fine.

Equal to any of the "custom" rifles that I own.

 

[Rorschach]

How do your customs shoot factory ammo, in terms of accuracy? Is their performance in that regard equal to that of your Kimbers? In other words, if you found factory loads that each of them 'like'/'prefer', do your Kimber rifles fire their preferred factory loads equally as accurate as your custom rifles fire their preferred factory loads?

The three Montanas that I have all shoot and have killed just fine.

Equal to any of the "custom" rifles that I own.

 

[GKPrice]

How do your customs shoot factory ammo, in terms of accuracy? Is their performance in that regard equal to that of your Kimbers? In other words, if you found factory loads that each of them 'like'/'prefer', do your Kimber rifles fire their preferred factory loads equally as accurate as your custom rifles fire their preferred factory loads?

even a "custom" will have preferences hence the builder providing load data - the might be a builder or two that will guarantee the same promises with any factory ammo but I've not heard of any that will do that with a -1" promise - McMillan used to offer the option of a Titanium barrel on their lightweight rifle, they stopped offering it because when a "bad" barrel showed up it was too expensive to do it over - are you getting my point ?

 

[elkguide]

I have a Brown Precision Custom rifle in .284. It will shoot into almost one hole with 140 grain Hornady Interlocks but when I tried to use Hornady 140 grain SST's, I had a hard time keeping them in a 2.5" group. With the cheap Remington factory 140 grain loads, it will hold right at a 1.25" - 5 shot group. As I have switched powders and primers as long as I use the Hornady 140 grain Interlocks, it will group better than I can shoot but I have yet to find another bullet that it likes.
Of my Kimbers, I've never shot any factory ammo through the .300 WSM but the .270 WSM shoots the factory Winchester 130 grainers right at an inch. The 7mm08 likes what ever I want to push down the tube from factory to handloads, it will shoot better than I can.

 

[16Bore]

I had 2 custom tubes that shot for shit. Then I learned all about bullet runout and making straight ammo. Then Tikka fixed all that.


Now read this and see WTF....

Secrets of the Houston Warehouse

 

[GKPrice]

my final point on this is: 1) there are few rifles, custom or not, that will shoot everything well and if you have one KEEP IT ! - I concede that this Montana (these 530 comments are about) may very well have some fault that it should not have BUT rather than fret over it and cause all of this stir the Montana could have been on it's way back to Kimber for CS and vetting the gun, fixing the gun, replacing the gun or whatever, it would have been in Kimber's hands and correction of the "problem" in their court - complaining about a timeline while wasting any part of that timeline makes no sense to me, particularly when it's been openly stated by OP that he's not into "projects" - Sell it, send it in THEN sell it or keep it and be happy with it, just do something that is constructive FGS .....

 

[16Bore]

You can tune a piano (or rifle in this case), but you can't tuna fish.

 

[GKPrice]

You can tune a piano (or rifle in this case), but you can't tuna fish.

Ha ! good point ....

 

[Rorschach]

Has any wrongdoing occurred, in your opinion, by testing this rifle and putting the information up for all to see? Or, does your consternation only have to do about how illogical you feel it was to test the rifle to this extent before sending it back? Or my preference of not wanting to wait 8 weeks for it to be handled (maybe) by the company? Or that I posted something that in some people's opinions could reflect poorly on Kimber? Or something else entirely?

complaining about a timeline while wasting any part of that timeline makes no sense to me

Surely, you can't literally mean that - how about a year long timeline and 'wasting' (arguable that this word can be applied here) a day?

Not going to argue with you - last word is yours. I've posted my experience with it, been transparent about everything, so there it is. Get mad about it, love it, rant and rave about how what my opinion should be...there it is.

 

[16Bore]

Don't be fooled by randomness..

 

[Rorschach]

Kimber Montana 308win: Fifth range session, 2/14/2017

***Update: Fifth range session with Kimber Montana (308win).

Rifle: Kimber Montana 308win (Feb. 2016 date of manufacture)

Conditions: Sunny, 28-32degF, calm to slight breeze (0-2mph).

Procedure:

Targets were set at 100yds. Fired three 8-shot groups.

For each string, the blind four-round magazine was loaded with four rounds, they were fired, then four more were loaded and fired. A period of about ~10min for cooling was allowed between all strings.

Again, strings of 8 were chosen rather than 10 so that the results could be compared with those same groups as in the previous range sessions, which were 8-round groups (due to having run out of the Precision Hunter ammo, originally).

All were fired front of the stock resting on a bag. Rear of stock supported by rice-filled sock.​

Types of ammo (all 308win), in order they were fired:

1) Federal Fusion 150gr
2) Federal Gold Medal Match 308 168gr
3) Hornady Precision Hunter 178gr
​

Observations:

Fired 150gr Fusions again because the only 3rd group fired heretofore had been small relative to the other types of ammunition fired.

No group was super-impressive today, although the 168gr FGMM (308 variety vs. 7.62x51 as previously fired through both rifles) turned in something that some might consider 'decent'.

Round count is now at 135.​

No further testing is planned for the Kimber.

Feel free to offer critique, agreement, disagreement, other observations, etc.

Links to other range sessions:
Kimber 1 (1/27/17)
Kimber 2 (1/29/17)
Kimber 3 (1/31/17)
Tikka 1 (2/4/17)
Tikka 2 (2/6/17)
Tikka 3 (2/8/17)
Kimber 4 (2/9/17)
Kimber 5 (2/14/17)

Target:

 

[rileybassman]

vertical is looking pretty good... seeing quit a bit of horizontal stringing - which can be due to bedding...

 

[Rorschach]

When I had the action out of the stock, the stock looked good, the mag box didn't bind, and I torqued everything back down to proper values.

I have no idea what it could be.

vertical is looking pretty good... seeing quit a bit of horizontal stringing - which can be due to bedding...

 

[BigWoods]

Curious if you noted shot order? If those 5 in the center on both the Fusions and GMM were the first five, then you've got a pretty fine shooting rifle (3/4" if I'm looking right) ...at least until it heats up. If those out hits were earlier in the string then there's definitely some randomness going on.