Rebarrel a Kimber or Restock a Winchester 70

[bushpilot]

I am looking for some experiences from some of the forum members here. Growing up shooting Winchester 70s I love the platform and I have owned several of the different variations. Being a backpack mountain hunter I have naturally gravitated to the Kimber line up, because of there weight. However I find besides the stock and flyweight they are generally a lot of work to become functional rifles and I have a hard time being consistently accurate with them.

I own a Kimber Montana that is a pretty good shooter with a couple of loads, but I took a lot of experimenting to get there. Seems like it’s either sub MOA or 2+ MOA gun. So I am wondering if a quality barrel from benchmark of another maker will make it a mores consist rifle.

Or I could pick up a stainless Winchester Featherweight and restock in in a Wildcat composite. Which should bring the scoped weight down to roughly 7.5lbs. Suitable enough for backpacking. Yet it should shoot consistent and may steady the rifle down better for field shooting. I know from my research on here I believe @Stid2677 has a similar setup.

So my question is what do you think is the better route to take? Or do members here have experience with either of these projects they can advise me on that they like or do different.

Thanks in advance your input,

 

[eamyrick]

I rebarreled a Winchester Classic in 30-06. Stocked in a Brown Precision.

 

[Wrench]

A lot of people don't shoot Montanas well. They're light and recoil can affect accuracy.

 

[Wrench]

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I rebarreled a Winchester Classic in 30-06. Stocked in a Brown Precision.

I have a very similar setup. Mine is an MRC and in 375H&H. It makes a very nice hunting platform.

 

[eamyrick]

I have a very similar setup. Mine is an MRC and in 375H&H. It makes a very nice hunting platform.

I have a nice Winchester Classic 375 H&H barreled action. I think I’ll make a twin to my 30-06 when it’s all said and done.

 

[bushpilot]

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I rebarreled a Winchester Classic in 30-06. Stocked in a Brown Precision.

A very nice looking setup. Something similar to what I had in mind.

A lot of people don't shoot Montanas well. They're light and recoil can affect accuracy.

Yes proper technique is absolutey critical from my finding. Which is part of the problem, when I get everything right tiny clusters of bullet holes appear on paper. But when I’m having a off day things get quite pear shaped.

 

[gapfriz]

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I rebarreled a Winchester Classic in 30-06. Stocked in a Brown Precision.

What's the weight on this 30-06?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

A lot of people don't shoot Montanas well. They're light and recoil can affect accuracy.

Seems strange, I've never had trouble shooting Montanas and mountain ascents.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

every kimber I've ever heard of being rebarreled has been done by pacnor FWIW

 

[Wrench]

Seems strange, I've never had trouble shooting Montanas and mountain ascents.

It's not uncommon. You are capable of reproducing consistent recoil patterns.

Many can't.

My kids can drain a milk jug at 600 on a 10# rifle but can't shoot a 2" group at 100 with my light rifles.....even though I have multiple tiny groups with the same rifles.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

It's not uncommon. You are capable of reproducing consistent recoil patterns.

Many can't.

My kids can drain a milk jug at 600 on a 10# rifle but can't shoot a 2" group at 100 with my light rifles.....even though I have multiple tiny groups with the same rifles.

I guess my point is that I've never made any effort to shoot them in a special way and never had trouble with them. I'm not saying people don't have issues with them, I've got a kimber that easily shoots sub 1" groups that I got for dirt cheap because "it wouldn't" shoot.

 

[Wrench]

Form is super important on light rifles. The rifles recoil and the muzzle rises, if the bullet hasn't left the barrel during that event....consistency is not gonna happen.

It doesn't mean the rifle is inaccurate, but it is in that shooters mits.

 

[handwerk]

I've customized over a dozen model 70's with synthetic stocks and have been very happy with the results. I understand the Kimber Montana is a good fit for some folks, I've owned several and always ended up selling them off and sticking with my model 70's.

 

[Formidilosus]

Seems strange, I've never had trouble shooting Montanas and mountain ascents.

Form is super important on light rifles. The rifles recoil and the muzzle rises, if the bullet hasn't left the barrel during that event....consistency is not gonna happen.

It doesn't mean the rifle is inaccurate, but it is in that shooters mits.

What I’ve seen is that people with a “Kimber that is hard to shoot”, had little to no problems after the exact same rifle was rebarreled and bedded. I’ve had two identical Kimbers side by side- same cartridge, mounts and scope, shooting the exact same load- one was “hard to shoot”, the other wasn’t. Fieldcrafts are just as light, and yet they do not have a reputation for poor precision. ULA/NULA’s are just as light but they do not have a reputation for being hard to shoot- even with owners that have Kimbers that are. Why is that?

Yes, extremely light rifles exaggerate shooting errors- or I should say don’t hide them as heavy rifles do, but there is nothing magical about shooting them either.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

What I’ve seen is that people with a “Kimber that is hard to shoot”, had little to no problems after the exact same rifle was rebarreled and bedded. I’ve had two identical Kimbers side by side- same cartridge, mounts and scope, shooting the exact same load- one was “hard to shoot”, the other wasn’t. Fieldcrafts are just as light, and yet they do not have a reputation for poor precision. ULA/NULA’s are just as light but they do not have a reputation for being hard to shoot- even with owners that have Kimbers that are. Why is that?

Yes, extremely light rifles exaggerate shooting errors- or I should say don’t hide them as heavy rifles do, but there is nothing magical about shooting them either.

I must just be an incredibly good shooter.

 

[Formidilosus]

I must just be an incredibly good shooter.

How so? Because you have shot a handful of Kimbers and they shot fine? I don’t doubt that you have. However I do doubt that the meaning of “shoots good” differs between us. I’ve shot dozens of them. Some shot ok, some great, lots not good. Newer ones are markedly better than older ones.
There are multiple threads on multiple forums about fixing Kimbers with 37 truck moves- that most Montana’s had wrong from the factory. Horribly bedded stocks, mag box feet that needed to be trimmed, base screws that hit barrel threads, poorly cut chambers, etc.

That fact that you haven’t seen it does not mean it wasn’t or isn’t real. I’ve had good ones, and I’ve had very, very bad ones that were mechanically screwed from the factory.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

How so? Because you have shot a handful of Kimbers and they shot fine? I don’t doubt that you have. However I do doubt that the meaning of “shoots good” differs between us. I’ve shot dozens of them. Some shot ok, some great, lots not good. Newer ones are markedly better than older ones.
There are multiple threads on multiple forums about fixing Kimbers with 37 truck moves- that most Montana’s had wrong from the factory. Horribly bedded stocks, mag box feet that needed to be trimmed, base screws that hit barrel threads, poorly cut chambers, etc.

That fact that you haven’t seen it does not mean it wasn’t or isn’t real. I’ve had good ones, and I’ve had very, very bad ones that were mechanically screwed from the factory.

I get it, you shoot more than everybody here and know more than everybody here and your standards are much higher than anybody here. You have taken issue multiple times in the past with my claims that I have never had trouble with a kimber. It's strange, shoot your tikkas and whatever other top secret stuff you have access to.

I get it, we all get it.

I was simply stating that I have never had any issues shooting the kimbers I have owned well enough for my needs, thats the only sample size I need. I'm basing my experiences on my own opinions and nothing more, I've bought a few kimbers that "wouldn't shoot" and they worked fine for me, I'd do it again. I don't really see much point in basing my feelings about anything other than my own experiences. I'm sorry you have had kimbers that don't shoot. For the record, I never had an old one, all 2016 and newer.

 

[Formidilosus]

I get it, you shoot more than everybody here and know more than everybody here and your standards are much higher than anybody here. You have taken issue multiple times in the past with my claims that I have never had trouble with a kimber. It's strange, shoot your tikkas and whatever other top secret stuff you have access to.

I get it, we all get it.

Interesting, as I was actually agreeing with you in my original post- light rifles, Kimbers included- aren’t that hard to shoot. Can you point out a single time that I said your Kimbers don’t shoot well? Or are you just trying to use fallacies to ignore the conversation?

Yes I shoot a lot. With a lot of different rifles. The only point to that is sample size. The irony with your rant, is that I am generally on the side of incremental decreases in group size doesn’t matter that much.

I was simply stating that I have never had any issues shooting the kimbers I have owned well enough for my needs, thats the only sample size I need. I'm basing my experiences on my own opinions and nothing more, I've bought a few kimbers that "wouldn't shoot" and they worked fine for me, I'd do it again. I don't really see much point in basing my feelings about anything other than my own experiences. I'm sorry you have had kimbers that don't shoot. For the record, I never had an old one, all 2016 and newer.

And I agreed with you. At no point did I get personal about an inanimate object. The only thing I disagree with you on, is that you generally try to push that Kimbers don’t have issues, despite the reality that their problems are well documented by a lot of people.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Interesting, as I was actually agreeing with you in my original post- light rifles, Kimbers included- aren’t that hard to shoot. Can you point out a single time that I said your Kimbers don’t shoot well? Or are you just trying to use fallacies to ignore the conversation?

Yes I shoot a lot. With a lot of different rifles. The only point to that is sample size. The irony with your rant, is that I am generally on the side of incremental decreases in group size doesn’t matter that much.




And I agreed with you. At no point did I get personal about an inanimate object. The only thing I disagree with you on, is that you generally try to push that Kimbers don’t have issues, despite the reality that their problems are well documented by a lot of people.

It just seems to me like the majority of kimber complaints are from guys who got 1.5" groups from their rifles back in 2003 or something, of course I'm exaggerating but I've had several, still own a few and know a lot of people with them, Last I really asked around, I'd say there are roughly 25 kimber rifles between me, friends and hunting buddies, none of us have issues. Of course we aren't sitting at the bench trying to shoot tiny groups, they are hunting rifles. I stop load development once I get 1" groups and call it a day. I'm hoping to get a few kimber hunters that won't shoot in the next few months for projects.

 

[Formidilosus]

It just seems to me like the majority of kimber complaints are from guys who got 1.5" groups from their rifles back in 2003 or something, of course I'm exaggerating but I've had several, still own a few and know a lot of people with them, Last I really asked around, I'd say there are roughly 25 kimber rifles between me, friends and hunting buddies, none of us have issues. Of course we aren't sitting at the bench trying to shoot tiny groups, they are hunting rifles. I stop load development once I get 1" groups and call it a day. I'm hoping to get a few kimber hunters that won't shoot in the next few months for projects.

And I can buy that. However, they being hunting rifles have no bearing on function or precision. Are these people and yourself the kind to shoot one or two, 3 round group and call it good? What happens when that group is two rounds close and one 1-2 inches away- do you ignore it?



In any case, I apologize. It wasn’t my intent to to argue.