Early Kimber Montana issues?

[Scout21]

I'm looking at picking up a gray stocked Kimber Montana. After some cursory research it seems that the gray stock denotes an earlier production rifle. Apparently earlier Montanas were plagued by various issues, chiefly poor accuracy with some reporting nearly three inch groups.

Is there weight to these claims? Is there a high liklihood that I'll be purchasing a lemon? Does anyone know how Kimber's customer support is nowadays (it supposedly used to be awful)? Anyone know if the warranty extends to the nonoriginal owner?

 

[rbernie]

I’ve not heard of this, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not true. I will say that the Kimber Montana is a very muzzle-light gun, and that makes it kinda tricky for many (including me) to shoot off a bench for accuracy. I have found that many of my ‘inaccurate’ rifles were actually pretty hunting-accurate. I just hadn’t figured out the secret to shooting them at first.

 

[eastbank]

my montana in 257 roberts will keep three of my reloads with hybrid 100v and 115gr bullets into under a inch at 100 yards from the bench, the next three go into a 1.5" group. and i can live with that as with a scope it weights in a 6.2 lbs and a delight to carry hunting.

 

[Scout21]

my montana in 257 roberts will keep three of my reloads with hybrid 100v and 115gr bullets into under a inch at 100 yards from the bench, the next three go into a 1.5" group. and i can live with that as with a scope it weights in a 6.2 lbs and a delight to carry hunting.

Would your rifle happen to be a gray stocked one? Apparently improvements were made to later production green stocked rifles and they had far less issues with poor grouping.

 

[eastbank]

grey, serial number # KM25199 .257 roberts. the three shot group on the left was with 115 gr bullets and the three shot group on the right was with 117 gr bullets at 100 yards from a bench rest, same powder charge of hybrid-100v for both groups, 20 minutes between groups. i want to try N-560 as it works well with my 6.5x55,s.

 

[Scout21]

grey, serial number # KM25199 .257 roberts. the three shot group on the left was with 115 gr bullets and the three shot group on the right was with 117 gr bullets at 100 yards from a bench rest, same powder charge of hybrid-100v for both groups, 20 minutes between groups. i want to try N-560 as it works well with my 6.5x55,s.

That's confidence inspiring, thanks!

Is your rifle threaded? I'm trying to find out if any of the gray stocked rifles came threaded or if it's only on the newer models. The pics of the rifle I'm looking at don't show the muzzle so I can't tell if it is threaded or not.

 

[eastbank]

not threaded, a local gun shop had several montana,s at their regular price and they sold them all except the for roberts, no one seemed interested in it and they reduced it by about a third and thru in tally light weight rings. i would like to have a 7mm08 or 308 but they went out the door pretty quick. i shot a large doe last deer season, one shot.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Wow a 257 Bob wasnt wanted....wow.

 

[gotboostvr]

not threaded, a local gun shop had several montana,s at their regular price and they sold them all except the for roberts, no one seemed interested in it and they reduced it by about a third and thru in tally light weight rings. i would like to have a 7mm08 or 308 but they went out the door pretty quick. i shot a large doe last deer season, one shot.

Yeah, a quarter Bob might not be my first choice, but at a 33% discount, plus nice rings... I'd happily bring it home with me too.

 

[eastbank]

as a reloader fanatic i,m just about interested in any thing at the right price. i had several 257 roberts in the remington 722,s and sold them at a good price, but kept the dies-caseing-bullets. so it was not to hard of a push to have another 257 roberts at the price it was offered at.

 

[gotboostvr]

as a reloader fanatic i,m just about interested in any thing at the right price. i had several 257 roberts in the remington 722,s and sold them at a good price, but kept the dies-caseing-bullets. so it was not to hard of a push to have another 257 roberts at the price it was offered at.

Same, I picked up a Gew 98 sporter that was listed as "Between 7 & 8mm, chambering unknown" or along those lines for about the cost of the sights that were mounted on it, not to mention all the other parts.

Figured it was probably a 30-06, but if it wasn't, I could make it work. Turned out it was a 30-06!

 

[chickasaw_hunter]

I've had a .308 Kimber Montana since about 2012. It has always shot nice tight groups. A light rifle can always be a challenge to get small groups and you need to be on your game to get the best out of it. Oh yeah, mine came with a grey stock.
I've been a rifle nut for a lot of years and every rifle I own I've fiddled with, like glass bedding, re-stocking or something in search of that tighter group. One rifle is an exception. Before I did my bedding job on the Kimber, I decided maybe I should shoot it first. I did and I haven't touched the Kimber except to screw on the scope.

 

[SwampWolf]

I will say that the Kimber Montana is a very muzzle-light gun, and that makes it kinda tricky for many (including me) to shoot off a bench for accuracy. I have found that many of my ‘inaccurate’ rifles were actually pretty hunting-accurate.

I have kind of the opposite experience. If a lightweight barrel is ever going to be accurate for me, it's while shooting it off bags. When hunting and especially when shooting offhand, is when a light barrel gets tricky for me to shoot accurately. I much prefer a medium weight barrel when hunting at anything much over 100 yards, even if it's more of a burden to carry around.

 

[Scout21]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I asked the seller and the rifle isn't threaded, so I'm most likely going to pass on it.

I'm really thinking about the Hunter Pro due to it being threaded. I'd much prefer the internal magazine of the Montana, though.

 

[horsemen61]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I asked the seller and the rifle isn't threaded, so I'm most likely going to pass on it.

I'm really thinking about the Hunter Pro due to it being threaded. I'd much prefer the internal magazine of the Montana, though.

Getting a rifle threaded is no big deal I wouldn’t let that stand in the way of me getting something I wanted

 

[Scout21]

Getting a rifle threaded is no big deal I wouldn’t let that stand in the way of me getting something I wanted

I considered it, but what they want for the rifle is right on the cusp of what I'm willing to pay, so an extra hundred bucks or so for a smith to thread it pushes me over my set limit. May throw out a lower offer and see if they bite.

I've never had a smith thread a barrel, so I'm not sure of the intricacies of doing so. Assuming a smith does his job correctly, are there any potential issues threading such a thin barrel? Would it be possible to have it cut for 1/2"x24 threads without shortening the barrel?

 

[Seamaster31]

Some fellows love the Montana, other certainly do not. Mine needed some work done to it to make into an acceptable (barely) deer rifle. I guess they shoot better on internet forums than on the range.

 

[troy fairweather]

Most of it is guys not knowing how to shoot light rifles, I'm planning on picking up a hunter pro this year myself.

 

[Poper]

I'm thinking you probably made the right call.
I bought a Kimber 84M in .260 Rem. Select Grade way back when. Couldn't get a group smaller than a pie tin no matter what was stuck in the chamber. Kimber's customer service? AWOL. Practically didn't exist. Kimber finally re-barreled it but by that time they were no longer chambering in .260 Remington. I requested a .308 substitution and then sold it on GB at auction for less than half of what I paid for it, and was glad to see it go. Probably the worst NEW firearm purchase I ever made and I will never buy another one just because of the gawd awful CS. You might be able to give me one, just so I could sell it.

 

[Poper]

Most of it is guys not knowing how to shoot light rifles, I'm planning on picking up a hunter pro this year myself.

Well, Troy, FWIW, my Tikka T3 lite in .270 will put 5 rounds into one ragged hole at 200 meters. That Kimber 84M couldn't put 5 rounds into a paper plate at 100 yards. BTW, as I recall, the Tikka scaled almost an oz. lighter.

It is what it is, as they say. And whatever blows someone's skirt up is just fine with me.
Me? I'll save a bundle and find another Tikka to go with the 3 T3's (2 Hunters and 1 Lite) and the T1x in the safe.

 

[LoonWulf]

Ive only seen one of the early ones, but they are fairly popular out here. Ive seen guys have issues with the new ones, and Ive shot one myself that the owner was having issues with. Ill admit I didnt get the kinda groups ID like to see, but I'm also positive that the gun being 6lbs all in wasnt helping. Still he was getting acceptable groups for hunting but we both did better with my 1lb heavier Mesa.
The safety is a deal breaker for me, but otherwise, I really rather like them.