Lightweight mountain rifle

bmicek

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Oct 13, 2020
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This is something that is commonly asked, but with new rifles being released yearly, I still feel the need to ask.. so I apologize for the repeat question.

Is there any lightweight mountain rifles I need to be considering that would be a better option than the Kimber Montana. So far, I haven’t found anything that offers the features at its price point. There is certainly BETTER rifles at a premium cost, but anything in the same price point that I should consider?

Which brings up the fact that I am struggling to find a 280ai Kimber Montana...
 
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I've never owned a Kimber but there are a LOT of really negative reviews, seems accuracy is especially hit or miss.
I know everyone gets tired of guys suggesting Tikkas, but they really are the best factory option out there without going to the full custom price range.
I had a 7 RM superlite that shot ridiculously small groups at 800 yards, I eventually rebarreled it to a 6.5 saum and its still my go to lightweight setup.

I'd pick one up in 7-08 or 7RM, then drop $599 on a Mesa Altitude stock.
I can guarantee you that set up will absolutely shoot, and you'll have an action with tons of industry support for prefit barrels etc.
 

Jbehredt

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I went through the same debate a year ago. Settled on the Montana. No regrets. Browning hells canyon speed, Winchester model 70 EWSS and the Christensen Mesa rounded out my final 4.
 
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Tikka with a Wildcat Composites stock is the most sensible way to go for the money.

Speaking from the experience of being a two time Kimber lottery looser and being educated by Kimber CS from their book of sorry excuses.

Barrett Fieldcraft is the top choice of you can find one.
 

wildcat33

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I just found a used 280ai montana that's a proven shooter. Couldn't be happier. So I would say hold out for what you want.

Fieldcrafts are unobtainable (and not in 280ai). The only other gun that Ive handled recently that feels as svelte as a montana is the Christiansen Mesa, which has a worse reputation than Kimber.

Weatherby makes the Mark V backcountry in 280ai. Very light. Another might be the Bergara Mountain 2.0, but not in 280.

There is a nice ULA over on 24hr that might tickle your fancy.
 
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Good luck finding one. I gave up and bought a Savage LW Storm .270 with the intention of rebarreling it to a .280ai, but then I lucked into a stainless '06 barrel that shot so good I just went that route. I have no regrets. I was handling a Montana the other day (in .270) and had no real interest in it over my Savage LW Storm.
 
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bmicek

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One thing I really like is the control round feed of the Kimber Montana. I’m fond of that. I have a custom action 223 that’s control round feed and the reliability of it just seems like a no brainer. I have owned Tikka’s as well and they are always proven shooters.

If I was to find a Kimber Montana for a reasonable price used, I’d have no issue rebarreling it if accuracy suffered and customer service was no help. I know price would be getting up there but I still go back to that lightweight control round feed action..
 
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Oct 29, 2016
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For the money you are hard pressed to get something of more value than a Montana.
Ive yet to have a kimber that didn't shoot, I think a lot of this has to do with people not being able to shoot a lightweight properly off the bench as your technique has to be on point.

North of the border It's hard to find a Kimber. There always seems to be mountainous sense kicking around but for the money I don't think it's worth it. If you can find a Montana with an aluminum trigger guard buy yourself an aftermarket both handle like the mountain ascent if you feel its necessary, send it to a smith thats familiar with them to lighten the trigger, bed the rifle, check to make sure the mag box isn't binding and run it.

Carbon fibre stock
Lightweight CRF action
Excellent Trigger

its essentially a cheaper custom rifle and they make awesome donors. Peopke are catching onto this. Its getting hard to find a basic Montana these days. They are scooped up quick.

Try doing warranty on sako, tikka, CA or any off the shelf rifle. They all seem to suck with what i read.
 
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One thing I really like is the control round feed of the Kimber Montana. I’m fond of that. I have a custom action 223 that’s control round feed and the reliability of it just seems like a no brainer. I have owned Tikka’s as well and they are always proven shooters.

If I was to find a Kimber Montana for a reasonable price used, I’d have no issue rebarreling it if accuracy suffered and customer service was no help. I know price would be getting up there but I still go back to that lightweight control round feed action..
It's important to get what you want. I once had an affinity for CRF actions, and owned several Ruger 77's for that reason. But I never found a situation where it was an advantage to me, and frankly I found them to be a bit of a pain in the butt, so it was back to push feed for me. It took me a lot of rifles to come full circle back to my Savages, but that's how you learn what you DON'T want. LOL
 
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bmicek

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It's important to get what you want. I once had an affinity for CRF actions, and owned several Ruger 77's for that reason. But I never found a situation where it was an advantage to me, and frankly I found them to be a bit of a pain in the butt, so it was back to push feed for me. It took me a lot of rifles to come full circle back to my Savages, but that's how you learn what you DON'T want. LOL
You’re exactly right though. I might be at the start of my circle of finding what I really want but I guess you gotta start somewhere lol
 
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I’d start and end with a tikka superlite.

7mm-08 if ya reload, 6.5 man bun if ya don’t.

Kimber Montana stocks arent carbon or Kevlar besides a tiny bit.

controlled round feed is worse then Push. The Finns long ago figured out that keeping the extracter not exposed to the elements is a lot more conducive to function then Mauser style.

mag boxes being short enough to barely fit Saami length isn’t a plus. Good luck getting to the lands with any 84 in factory form.

6-8oz in hand or pack is no big deal. Dudes that being 4 pairs of socks but carry the lightest, most difficult to shoot rifle got their priorities mixed up.


Fieldcrafts are pretty sweet if ya need a 5lb gun. Personally i’d Just get the superlite and eventually flick it into a wildcat stock.
 

Scottyboy203

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Oct 16, 2017
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North Georgia Mtns
Hard to beat the Kimbers. I was sceptical about getting one as well from someof the reviews. I now have 3 a Montana 3006,Mtn Ascent 270 WSM and a Subalpine in 280 Ackley. All shoot awesome and carry great in the mountains. Hard to beat the Montana fir the price point.
 

deadwolf

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May 12, 2013
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Hard to beat the Kimbers. I was sceptical about getting one as well from someof the reviews. I now have 3 a Montana 3006,Mtn Ascent 270 WSM and a Subalpine in 280 Ackley. All shoot awesome and carry great in the mountains. Hard to beat the Montana fir the price point.

If you get one that shoots, but you’re just as likely to get one that doesn’t. But that’s just my experience with them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

BCJR

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Dec 18, 2013
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S.E. AK.
I have 4 Kimbers 84m and L, they all shoot great no issues, Best mountain rifle for the money IMO. tikkas are plastic, although they do tend to shoot pretty well and their price point is attractive, until you upgrade the plastic parts. Either one will kill stuff dead. Even a Tikka with all its plastic parts.
 

thinhorn_AK

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I love my Kimber rifles, mine and all the ones my friends have shoot just fine. Sure the barrel heats up quick but that’s never kept any of us from getting our animals. My 308 will easily shoot sub 1” groups (not sub .5” but I don’t care about that). My dad has been happy with his 300wsm mountain ascent, he short a nice bull elk this year with it and the 223 that lives behind the seat of my truck hits where I aim every time I pull it out to use it.

I have a few tikkas, I don’t find them to shoot any better than my kimbers and I’ve never really warmed up to them, they seem clunky to me. I realize they are good rifles but they are a budget plastic stock gun, seems like most of the time when people start recommending tikkas they also reckon end expensive stocks and other mods.
 

Sanchez

Lil-Rokslider
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Apr 23, 2019
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I got a lightweight stainless Tikka 270 WSM. The perfect mountain rifle in my opinion with no modifications.

Each year when I site in it takes me two shots to verify it hits exactly where it did the year before. Absolutely nothing wrong with plastic if you want a rifle that holds a zero, is lightweight, inexpensive and very durable.
 

khuber84

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Jun 6, 2019
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I'd take a barret fieldcraft in 6.5x55 with the 24" barrel all day. Stuff a lapua case full of rl26 and you'll run right next to a 6.5prc. Unfortunately these are very hard to find anymore. You get a lot of features in a Montana, but you do hear of horror stories regularly. There's a checklist of quality control most owners do as soon the rifle shows up. A lot of the time, accuracy issues are cured by one of the items on that list. However Kimber does make bad barrel or has a poor chamber job from time to time.
 
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I love my 280ai Montana. I have a semi custom 280ai coming from HCA. Not sure what I will do with the Montana but I really enjoy it so it may become a different caliber.
 
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