Best non custom mountain rifle

[tm7554]

Kimber Mountain Ascent or Winchester Stainless Feather Weight.

For whatever reason the winchester extreme weather is listed as lighter than the feather weight in some calibers. Maybe another option. I love my extreme weather……however, Stid2677's pics make me want that Mountain Ascent.

 

[Stid2677]

I have a couple Extreme Weather too, mine in 325wsm and the wife's 270wsm, they come in over 8 ready to hunt. My Feather Weight is wearing a Mcmillian Stock, that makes it lighter than the EWs.

Had a Remington Alaskan TI as well, but I did not like it and and now stick to CRF rifles.

 

[wyodan]

Stid,

I'm really curious, do you prefer the Winchester or the Kimber? I've been kinda wanting to put together a CRF rifle of my specs.

 

[Stid2677]

Stid,

I'm really curious, do you prefer the Winchester or the Kimber? I've been kinda wanting to put together a CRF rifle of my specs.

Kimber IF you can get a good one, their CS sucks. Kimbers offers a lot in a factory rifle if you get a winner. My Winnys are solid they just weigh a little more. Both the MAs I have are shooters, so nice carrying a 7lb rifle over a 8, 9 or 10.

 

[Shrek]

Stid2677 , if you have had your Kimbers out of the stock are the actions have a round bottom and a washer for a recoil lug or machined flat with an integrated recoil lug like the Winchester ?

 

[Stid2677]

Stid2677 , if you have had your Kimbers out of the stock are the actions have a round bottom and a washer for a recoil lug or machined flat with an integrated recoil lug like the Winchester ?

Machined flat..

Have a look at this link, it has photos.

Cool read too, done by Luke's brother.

http://www.thealaskalife.com/guns/kimber-rifles/

 

[wyodan]

Kimber IF you can get a good one, their CS sucks. Kimbers offers a lot in a factory rifle if you get a winner. My Winnys are solid they just weigh a little more. Both the MAs I have are shooters, so nice carrying a 7lb rifle over a 8, 9 or 10.

Do you prefer them just because of the weight? Also, are your Kimber's straight out of the box, or have you had any work done to them? Last of all my questions for this post, I am assuming the Winchester had some work? Of the 3 which is the more accurate gun?

 

[Shrek]

Stid2677 , after checking out the article it looks like it's round bottomed and notched for the recoil lug and then welded or pinned. The Winchester action is machined from a block with the recoil lug a part of the action and the bottom flat. Thank you for the link.

 

[Stid2677]

Do you prefer them just because of the weight? Also, are your Kimber's straight out of the box, or have you had any work done to them? Last of all my questions for this post, I am assuming the Winchester had some work? Of the 3 which is the more accurate gun?

They will all shoot as good as I can, I don't keep a rifle that will not shoot sub MOA. The Kimbers are as they came from the factory except that I adjusted the triggers. The Kimbers and Winchesters are very similar in form and function. The Model 70 is stock other than the stock change and a trigger job. The brakes do help with Muzzle jump.

 

[bbrown]

Shrek - I am curious why you ask? I am assuming that machined one piece would be better than the 2 piece? Is the washer style recoil lug that you described the same as Remington 700?

Edit - found a picture of the Winchester action and I see what you are talking about but still curious why you ask?

 

[wyodan]

They will all shoot as good as I can, I don't keep a rifle that will not shoot sub MOA. The Kimbers are as they came from the factory except that I adjusted the triggers. The Kimbers and Winchesters are very similar in form and function. The Model 70 is stock other than the stock change and a trigger job. The brakes do help with Muzzle jump.

Thanks Stid, I have been looking at those actions as well as the Dakota. I am pretty sure the last one is out of my price range though.

 

[Sundodger]

I am a bit surprised savage is not on here more. Yeah they have the lightweight hunter, but a regular blind mag 110 is 6.5lbs. I picked up mine for $380 bucks brand new (that included, bases, rings, and scope that have now been replaced), while there are lighter rifles, hard to argue with that combo of weight, accuracy, and cost.

 

[chevy_dog]

I have a Tikka T3 stainless in 6.5x55 SE with a 20" barrel, topped with DNZ mount and Leupold Vari-X III 4.5-14x44AO. This is how I envisioned my mountain rifle, and it was put to the test this year. To say I am happy with how it performed would be an understatement.

 

[unm1136]

I keep having really dirty thoughts about my 13 year old daughter's new rifle. Gunbroker purchased T/C Encore 20" barrel, chambered in .260 Rem. With no effort on my part it weighs 7#12oz with a Nikon 3-9x40 BDC scope (original wood stocks). Recoil is pretty mild, as the 80 pound teenager can go about 6-8 rounds in rapid succession before she starts slapping the trigger. Fantastic trigger. Excellent balance. Accurate. Suitable for Elk and Moose with the right loads. Monometal bullets available. If I weren't dedicated to harvesting animals with my wife's granddad's 30-06 I would "borrow" her rifle. A lot. Depending on the draw next year I may be loaning it to a friend for elk season next year. It is a single shot, but I have gotten pretty good at reloads.

pat

 

[Snyd]

For me I settled on the Kimber MT in 325wsm back in 2005. It fit what I was looking for at the time. Other than mag-na-port, the Kimber is bone stock. (mag-na-port is awesome on the light whippy barrel, tamed muzzle flip) Talley LW rings/bases, leupold 2.5-8x36. All up with scope, sling, scope bikini, nylon ammo holder on stock, loaded with 3 200gr rounds it weighs 7lbs 4ozs. I bought it new and it shot sub moa factory load out of the box. I since duplicated the factory load, 200gr AB @ 2950fps. It holds zero and I've packed it a few hundred miles on my pack, in my hands and on my 4 wheeler. Killed sheep, moose and griz with it.

Since I bought it other rifles have hit the market. If I were buying today I'd be checking out others mentioned here but as far as I'm concerned the Kimber 325 is a winner.

 

[6mm Remington]

Remington 700 MTN rifle in 25-06 is a sweet one. This has a 6x36mm Leupold on it and shoots great. My handload is 120 gr. Partitions at 3000 fps.. I had the same exact rifle in a .280 Remington with a 6x42mm Leupold on it and sold it planning on someday replacing it. It also was a great rifle in another really good cartridge!! Hard to go wrong with either the 25-06 or the .280 Remington.

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Hard to go wrong with a Winchester Model 70 EWSS in a 300 WSM either. It has a Zeiss Conquest scope on it and is a fantastic rifle.

 

[Colo4x4XJ]

View attachment 12737

My trusty ole Savage Model 11 in 270 WSM. With bipod, 4-12x40 scope and 5 shells comes in at 8#. Completely stock and shooting sub moa at 500 with hand loads. It might not be the prettiest or the most expensive but it shoots damn well has been on my shoulder the last decade of elk hunting

 

[Shrek]

Bbrown , I was asking for personal knowledge. Some argue that the flat bottom holds bedding better than the round bottom when used with a heavy magnum but it doesn't really matter imo. The round reciever is less expensive to make and it puts all the torque strain on the lug and action screws but if it was really critical then the Remington 700 wouldn't be so successful. I think that as a basic design the flat bottom and machined in recoil lug is superior but the cost to manufacture overwhelms its benefits.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

WOW, am I the only SS A-Bolt lover here? Excellent price/performance/weight ratio.
My UL rifle was a late 60's era Rem700 ADL .280rem.
Retired & replaced it w/ a SS- A-Bolt II in 7mmWSM.
Also have A-Bolts in .243 & .338Ultra.
Hunt'nFish

 

[JP100]

Id have to go with Tikka T3s. my favourite all round gun. best value for money here in NZ.
Flute the barrel(and shorten if you want) and bolt and a basic 3-9x42 scope and thats a pretty light rig