Is Kimber a gamble?

[luke moffat]

Luke, what's your fieldcraft chambered in?

I really like the build and materiels in the fieldcraft, and no doubt barrett is a reputable rifle builder.... my only concern or reason I've avoided getting one in a 308 so far is the barrel is bedded out to the end of the forearm so I've wondered how accuracy would be... care to weigh in?

sorry for the highjack

Mine is in 6.5 Creedmoor. I can honestly say it shoots better than any of the Kimbers I have owned accuracy wise (6-7 now). It shoots 5 shot groups .75-1" every darn time. Whereas my Kimbers may through an occasional 3 shot group into .750" or so but 1-1.5" is more the norm day in day out. It seems everytime I see someone at the range and we both start talking about Kimber accuracy I mention how mine is a 1-1.5" gun (which btw I view as plenty good for the ranges I typically shoot game 350 yards on in or so) and he starts saying how his shoots 1/2 to 1 MOA. Then we shoot 5 shots each and come to find that they both end up being in that 1-1.5" groups. Not saying that Kimbers aren't capable of great accuracy. Just saying that by and large the Tikkas and Barrett Fieldcraft I have seen shoot (3 Fieldcraft personally now) all consistently shoot better than the Kimbers I have been around.

Again the Kimbers are lighter on average certainly, and 1.5" groups is more than acceptable for most of us hunting with rifles of this weight category. But I do find the Barrett in the small sample size of 3 to be a more accurate rifle. If you don't reload you won't care too much about the extra mag box room to allow you to get into the lands and work back to find the best accuracy, but it is nice that they offer that. Couple that with all their caliber offerings have great twist rates, unlike Kimber, to allow for shooting long higher BC bullets if one is so inclined I feel they are superior. And at their price point between an a Kimber Montana and a Mountain Ascent I think they are better than both. Don't get me wrong I still currently have 4 Kimbers in my safe so I still like them...I just have found them to not be as accurate as other options when compared heads up. I wish I could say its cause of me shooting them, but when you have the same nut behind the trigger and the Barretts shoot consistently better its hard to come to a conclusion that its something other than the Kimbers just on average aren't quite as accurate, again still plenty accurate for most hunting applications though.

If you are looking for a Kimber Montana I happened to fall into a brand new in box 6.5 Creedmoor with the green stock and threaded barrel if you are interested. I haven't even shot it yet.

 

[rileybassman]

What COAL's are you guys with the montana getting with a LA like 30-06? My handloads are 3.330"... will that be an issue?

 

[backcountry_hunter]

Mine is in 6.5 Creedmoor. I can honestly say it shoots better than any of the Kimbers I have owned accuracy wise (6-7 now). It shoots 5 shot groups .75-1" every darn time. Whereas my Kimbers may through an occasional 3 shot group into .750" or so but 1-1.5" is more the norm day in day out. It seems everytime I see someone at the range and we both start talking about Kimber accuracy I mention how mine is a 1-1.5" gun (which btw I view as plenty good for the ranges I typically shoot game 350 yards on in or so) and he starts saying how his shoots 1/2 to 1 MOA. Then we shoot 5 shots each and come to find that they both end up being in that 1-1.5" groups. Not saying that Kimbers aren't capable of great accuracy. Just saying that by and large the Tikkas and Barrett Fieldcraft I have seen shoot (3 Fieldcraft personally now) all consistently shoot better than the Kimbers I have been around.

Again the Kimbers are lighter on average certainly, and 1.5" groups is more than acceptable for most of us hunting with rifles of this weight category. But I do find the Barrett in the small sample size of 3 to be a more accurate rifle. If you don't reload you won't care too much about the extra mag box room to allow you to get into the lands and work back to find the best accuracy, but it is nice that they offer that. Couple that with all their caliber offerings have great twist rates, unlike Kimber, to allow for shooting long higher BC bullets if one is so inclined I feel they are superior. And at their price point between an a Kimber Montana and a Mountain Ascent I think they are better than both. Don't get me wrong I still currently have 4 Kimbers in my safe so I still like them...I just have found them to not be as accurate as other options when compared heads up. I wish I could say its cause of me shooting them, but when you have the same nut behind the trigger and the Barretts shoot consistently better its hard to come to a conclusion that its something other than the Kimbers just on average aren't quite as accurate, again still plenty accurate for most hunting applications though..

Thanks! All the reviews I've seen on the fieldcraft have mostly been with the 18" threaded barrel version and accuracy seemed luke warm (was probably good for the stubby) but I'd much prefer the 21" tube. I may have a 308 fieldcraft in my future if they're this good.

 

[luke moffat]

My fieldcraft is the stubby 18” as well....it still shoots great.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’ve personally had great luck with kimbers, I’d buy another one without hesitation, I love my kimbers.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

My fieldcraft is the stubby 18” as well....it still shoots great.

then those are some impressive groups with a shorty....

 

[luke moffat]

then those are some impressive groups with a shorty....

Generally a shorter barrel is a stiffer barrel if both are the same contour so often the short barrels can be more accurate, they just give up a bit of velocity.