Kimber, Montana Rifle, Cooper???

gobblr addict

gobblr addict

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Guys...I'm looking to upgrade to a custom rifle...I do not care about the exotic AAA grades of stocks...Most of my guns have synthetic stocks so I really want a wooden stocked rifle.....Also my price range is around 1500.00. - 2000.00. Has anyone got experience with these guns? They all guarantee sub-moa. A few guys in my hunt club have just purchased a Cooper and a Kimber. but haven't had much time to shoot with the season in....I do like the looks of the Montana rifle Co ASR rifle, and the Kimber 84m Classic....I'm thinking either .308Win or 6.5x.284 Norma, or 26Nosler round...gobblr addict
 
woodmoose

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I have had Kimbers,,,,,solid rifles,,,still have two of them,,,,,,(338 federal and 7-08),,,,,

have heard nothing but good about cooper and Montana Rifle Company,,,,expect you can't go wrong with any of the three,,,,,,,
 
Mr.Gadget

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Why not build your own or farm out some but complete it.

May end up with a better gun and know you did some of it.
 
gobblr addict

gobblr addict

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Mr.Gadget said:
Why not build your own or farm out some but complete it.

May end up with a better gun and know you did some of it.
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I have a gunsmith in the club who I haven't seen to ask yet, but I'd have him do it if so desired...H&H Gunsmithing...."Thumper" Barfield...gobblr addict
 
MJ74

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
I think for the money id build one.
Woodmoose said he owns 2 Kimbers so he must like them but I have read on the net that alot of those weren't accurate.
I personally don't know but I do know there pretty rifles.

I do know this, if I drop 2k on a rifle that joker better shoot bugholes consistently.
 
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surffishn

surffishn

Spike
I have a Kimber M 84 in 7 08. Did not snap trigger in store. Got home trigger got crepe and like a 6 lb pull. Was bought at a cabelas store. Took back they sale man says it seems ok to him . They had no other calibers i wanted. Called Kimber next day I was at work did not have serial no. Kimber rep tells me if this year's serial number under warranty if last year I pay for repair.Either way I pay to ship. I had a good gunsmith work trigger .No after market triggers will fit. Gunsmith said he had to grind a lot. Was ok for awhile then developed a slight crepe. I just got used to it. It also took 100 or more rounds of different ammo before it started to group decent. Maybe I got a lemon but the Savages I recently bought In 300 win mag.shoots so much better fo half the price of a Kimber.
 
nccatfisher

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I have a Kimber .22 that is a great rifle, but it was an infatuation thing and was more buying the name than anything.
 
pcbuckhunter

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
My Dad has had a couple Kimbers over the years. He still has a Kimber Montana in .300 WSM. Every one he has had has been a tack driver!! Not really picky either. Shot several different handloads under 1" @ 100 yards. His hunting load shoots 168 gr Ballistic Silvertip into 3/8"- 5/8" @ 100 yards, depending on the day. It opens up a bit in warmer weather.

I'd at least give the Kimber 84M classic a look. The MSRP is definitely in your price range @ $1223.
 
gremcat

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I think it isn't so much a Kimber thing. Ultralight rifles take some learning. Add a heavy trigger and nothing good comes of it. My model 7 in 7mm-08 weighs just under 6 lbs. and if shooting full charge loads takes some getting used to. After a couple rounds it walks up and left a 1/2 " or more at 200 yards. I have heard shooting super thin barrels it is best to take at most 2 shots and wait a few minutes in between when shooting groups. I have had customs not shoot as good as my old TC Icon with a good handload. I assume your looking for a hunting rig by your choice in rifles. At 2k a full custom might be hard for a turnkey. If you buy components on forums at deals it can be done but you have to know exactly what you want. A 700 has alot of options available and most smith's have experience truing them. If you don't care about fancy wood I wouldn't go Cooper. To me that is their niche. Engraving and fancy wood. DSINK on here can build you one as can Precision rifle but he probably has a wait. Clint at Duplin is a great guy and good friend. He may have a wait as well. A lot of good options right here in NC for customs.
 
gremcat

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I will add a used custom that fits your needs can be had by looking at the right forums and cheap. I bought a fully built custom in McMillan setup for LR shooting for 1100 bucks with rail and less than 100 rounds through it.
 
gremcat

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I also like flat bottomed model 70s pre-64. Good factory trigger and CRF if your after that. A FN SPR action from the CDNN sale if you could find it would run maybe 600 bucks and probably squared already so you save that. It won't be an ultralight but for a gun not going up a mountain probably better anyway.
 
41magnum

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
gremcat said:
Ultralight rifles take some learning.
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Amen to that.
There was a great article on the techniques required in a recent American Rifleman magazine, ,,,interviewing Melvin Forbes of UltraLite Arms.
The last sheep rifle I built, for a guy in Idaho, weighed 6 lbs 8 oz with a compact Burris scope....and I had to teach him how to shoot it, basically.
 
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gremcat

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
I will have to find the article. I do pretty good with the reduced loads I have for my son. Making kills in the 200 yard range handily. I do ok with regular loads but after 250 am not as competent as I should be. I spent years shooting even big 338 LM and fast large Weatherby cartridges single hand, free recoil. I took a over the shoulder shot with a 9.3 that left a nice scar on my brow last year. The UL does not tolerate free recoil very well. Tight hold and it shines. Going to work more with a sling this year.
 

KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
gobblr addict said:
I have a gunsmith in the club who I haven't seen to ask yet, but I'd have him do it if so desired...H&H Gunsmithing...."Thumper" Barfield...gobblr addict
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I would sit down with thumper and let him know your budget and what you want out of the rifle. He great guy and has outstanding service. He can give you much better advice than me.
 

apexhunter

Ten Pointer
As for Kimber my brother has 2 Montana rifles (.308 Win and 25-06) and bought his son a Classic Select Grade in 7mm-08 for a college graduation present a couple years ago and I have shot all 3. Both Montana's are sub 1/2" guns with the right factory ammo and the '06 is a 1/4" gun with good handloads. The 7mm-08 is a tad more picky but after going through a few different ones we found a load it'll shoot to an honest 1/2" (he learned the hard way to stay away from Superformance with the thin barreled 7mm-08). All are very lively handling guns with damn nice triggers and with the straight stock design even the very light Montana is comfortable to shoot as the recoil is straight into the shoulder versus bucking up into your face. Other than handling and admiring Cooper rifles I don't have any hand's on experience shooting them but as gremcat mentioned their niche is 3X or better wood with a very nice action.
 

ezdemon72

Six Pointer
Go with the Cooper over a kimber. Whittaker's Guns in Owensboro ky stocks a lot of them. You can find one that has been sitting for awhile there and get a good deal. They all come with a target card and Cooper will give you the load data.
 

ezdemon72

Six Pointer
gobblr addict said:
Guys...I'm looking to upgrade to a custom rifle...I do not care about the exotic AAA grades of stocks...Most of my guns have synthetic stocks so I really want a wooden stocked rifle.....Also my price range is around 1500.00. - 2000.00. Has anyone got experience with these guns? They all guarantee sub-moa. A few guys in my hunt club have just purchased a Cooper and a Kimber. but haven't had much time to shoot with the season in....I do like the looks of the Montana rifle Co ASR rifle, and the Kimber 84m Classic....I'm thinking either .308Win or 6.5x.284 Norma, or 26Nosler round...gobblr addict
Click to expand...

I think the 6.5x284 is pretty rough on barrels. There is a guy named David Sink that builds great rifles in Davidson county.
 

Guybo

Eight Pointer
I have no experience with any of these rifles but I have always thought the Kimber 84M Classic is a beautiful gun. I almost pulled the trigger on a 260 rem but ran across a Remington at a deal that I couldn't pass up. Any of the three have solid positive reviews and I'm sure as for accuracy they will all shoot.
As for the caliber, that 26 Nosler really sounds sweet ........ I want one!
 
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gremcat

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
Any over bore like a 6.5-284 26 Nosler, etc. will eat barrels. If not abused they also a lot longer. Shooting strings not so much. If that is the aim a 308 last quite a,while.
 
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