Anyone use a Kimber rifle?

okhunter

New member
I just picked up a new kimber 84m varmint in 22-250. I have no experience with these myself and just wanted to know what people thought of them. Thanks, okhunter
 
I recently bought a new kimber K22 Classic at Cabelas. I have put about 200 rounds through it and am very pleased. Now Im thinking of another Kimber in a centerfire like what you have!
 
Kimber rifles have always been exquisitely beautiful and well made.

However, there was something...geez, it was so long ago.

I had a .17 cal. rifle, custom built by Dick Saunders back in the 80s. (I was asking him if he'd considered using the Kimber action for building .221 Fireball based rimless versions of any of his .17 cal. Wildcats?)

At that time, the "old" Kimber, Kimber of Oregon, was building rifles really close to where I live, over in Clackamas.

Their new, .223 sized action was just out, and many owners were complaining at that time about accuracy problems.

I remember Saunders discussing this with me and the fact that there was a "major design problem" in regards to the bedding method these actions employed vs. the accepted standards for accuracy.

As I recall these problems DID NOT exist for their later Big Game series of rifles.

I sure wish I could remember the details of this...maybe someone else does?

I don't know if these "problems" were ever changed/corrected in later production rifles or not.

But there was "something"!
 
okhunter,

I think that Kimber is the finest made and designed production rifle today. I have bought four of them since 10/03 and they are among my favorites.

Besides the excellent design with the free floated barrels, pillar bedding and glass too in the Classics the Kimbers have outstanding easy to adjust triggers and M70 type safeties. The best thing about Kimber however is that the company cares. This is quite rare today. Sako would be another company that used to make top stuff but the fiasco with the blowing up guns by Tikka also has eliminated them due to the current owners attitude.

I have had my older 84M's safeties changed to the three postion type. If yours came with the factory "Redfield" bases get rid of those asap. I am using Talley mounts mine now but if I could get more Weaver style bases from Warne that's the way I would go.

Good luck with your rifle. Tell us how it shoots.
 
okhunter,
My 84m 22/220 shot 1/2"out of the box, from it's first trip to the range with handloads. Whitebox Winchesters are close. Further tuning of loads will probably shave that a little too.I liked the idea of a heavy barrel on a miniture Model 70, that would still weigh 8.5 pounds scoped and ready to go.Still do. The trigger is great! Enjoy your toy.
Dogleg

Savage 99,
What problems did you have with the Kimber bases? I'm always interested in others experiences. Are you the Savage 99 from over on the Campfire?
 
Kimber got their start "bubba-dizing" Swedish Mauser M96 rifles; in other words, desecrating beautiful pieces of history.

So I boycott. But I'm sure your 22-250 will serve you well.

Dan
 
Have a friend that bought that same gun in the same caliber and it shoots great under 1" with a 6x20 leupold on it. Same as the other responder Winchester White box 45gr. shoots great. He has only taken it to the range once in cold weather so I`am sure it can do better. GOOD LUCK!!!!
 
The Kimber of Oregon rifles and the Kimbers of today are completely different in every aspect. Kimber of Oregon rifles are amongst the biggest POS ever made. Nearly every component on these rifles was out-sourced to someone else. Then the parts would arrive at Kimber of Oregon for final assembly. Do not let the nice looking stocks on some of these fool you, 95% of them are a shooter's nightmare. Rest assured, this is not how Kimber rifles of today are made. As a matter of fact, it's about totally the opposite--2MG
 
Quote:
okhunter,
Dogleg

Savage 99,
What problems did you have with the Kimber bases? I'm always interested in others experiences. Are you the Savage 99 from over on the Campfire?



I never liked the old Redfield design with it's opposing rear screws. The screws can come loose from regular shooting.

I had some accuracy problems with my 84M Classic in 7 mm-08. I tried lots of stuff including scope switching. Finally in desperation I really leaned into the rear screw on the port side and although I though it was tight it turned some! Keep in mind this was after lots of effort on other things.

I have two sets of bases now for the 84M's from Warne. Talley makes both the aluminum one piece and thier old steel bases for the rifle. There are some others now too but I am at a loss to recall who else is making the mounts now.

After that screw base turning the rifle began to shoot 3/4 moa most of the time.
 
Kimber has gone through lots of ups and downs in the last 20 years. The name has changed hands at least several times.

As for top quality, off the shelf rifles, there are better choices. Dakota Arms and Nesika are at the top of my list. And I have to include Kelbley as an almost off the shelf rifle.

Jack
 
Thanks evryone for the replys. I still have not had a chance to shoot this gun but as soon as I do I will let you know how it shoots. okhunter
 
"I think that Kimber is the finest made and designed production rifle today."

Of course the Dakota products are "finer" but they are neither production nor even close in price or features for that matter.

Kimber has a niche now in lightweight production rifles with features that many riflemen prefer. The Kimber Montana stocks designed by Mel Forbes are state of the art. The bedding is on pillars and best of all the company cares. For a grand they are grand.
 
I agree. For a grand they are a good rifle. I also agree with Jack, but we are talking about two totally different classes of rifles here. Kimbers are good rifles, but they are more comparable to a Sako or Weatherby or maybe even Win70 Super Grade. Dakotas and Nesikas are much more refined, and the prices definitely reflect that--2MG
 
How about Coopers?

They're right "in there" in the same price range.

They seem like good rifles. I think some of the people involved were once with Kimber of Oregon..
 
Is Cooper ever going to make a repeater? Plenty of people, including myself can't get past the single shot bolt action thing. If they made a repeater I would order one.
The Dakotas' are fine weapons, wish I had one. It might not be realistic to compare $1000 guns to $3500 pieces though. I think Dakota owns Nesika now.
Dogleg
 
If you are into accuracy you need to forget about that "repeater" thing. Cutting a big hole in the bottom of the action is not something that helps action stiffness and accuracy. Not like it is a big deal because with practice a single shot can be fired about as fast as a magazine bolt action.
Top level benchrest competitors routinely shoot at better than a shot per second with single shot actions and a few approach 2 shots per second.

Jack
 

Man, I love this site!

I enjoy reading the opinions of others and comparing it with my own limited experience. Sometimes I differ. I own two Clackamas Kimbers as well as a current 84 and 8400. The latter two had to be sent back to Kimber for some fine tuning (extraction problems, wood to metal fit) but were returned promptly, fixed and shoot well. OTOH, I view the Clackamas models as superior in fit and finish and it seems current market pricing reflects this. The wood is better, the blueing is better. The accuracy about the same.

Now, it could be that I have two exceptional models but I've looked at a few others and prefer them over the current offering. That isn't to suggest that the 84s or 8400s aren't worth the price, they certainly are and it is a joy to take them hunting, varmints and big game. In fact, they are excellent dollar values.
 
I've owned three. First was a Super America 22LR. Beautiful gun. Fantastic wood, beautiful blueing...but did not shoot worth a dam. Nothing would make that gun shoot. It now resides at a different address. Next cam a 8400 reasonably good looking but it too will not shoot. It is looking for a new home right now. Then came a Kimber of Oregon in 25-20, yes I said 25-20. It took some work but it is a jewell.

Cooper came out of the old Kimber of Oregon group. I have 7 Coopers with number 8 on the way. I have a 22LR, 17 HMR, 19 Calhoon (2), 221 FB, 223 Rem (2) and a 220 Swift on the way. In all my years shooting I have never had rifles consistently shoot as good out of the box as the Coopers do. The latest, the 22LR with Eley Target ammo can consistently put 3 bullets into the same single bullet hole at 25 yds. The 221 FB is a sporter weight rifle and will shoot just short of 1/4 MOA. Assuming of course the dummy 16" behind the trigger does his job.

My days with Kimber are over, except for my 25-20 "rat" gun.
 


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