kimber 84m

HSB

Well-Known Member
Hello all, has any used a kimber rifle? seem to get some good reviews in sporting rifle,gun mart, but some bad ones on websites from the US just wondered if anyone has any experience with them?
 
In the past I had a couple Kimber 82's 22LR and 22 Hornet also had several 89BGR's 270 , 7x57 , 280 , 7mm REM MAG and 300 WIN MAG .
All those were made by the "orignal" Kimber company .And they all shot very well with the correct handload well that is except for the 22LR and that one did very nicely with the old Winchester T22 ammo .

As to the present made 84M's I've had several in my hands but never fired one . I do however have an older friend thats somewhat of an accuracy nut . He likes his deer rifles to shoot like a bench rifle . Anyway he had one in 260 or 7mm-08 I don't remmember which and he claimed the accuracy he was getting wasn't good enough and yes this guy is a handloader . So I am sure he tried any number of different loads to get the rifle to shoot .
 
When I was searching for a new rifle a lot of the reviews on kimbers mentioned accuracy, either you got a rifle that would shoot well or there was nothing you could do to improve it. This isn't personal experience just what I have read in a few places on the Internet.
 
I have a new Kimber Montana 84L in 280AI... purchased last year
Getting .8'' groups at 100m with 140gTTSX pushing around 3200fps (still developing loads)
Nice and light to carry, even with a 2-12 Z6 on top and recoil is no biggy
They can be temperamental to shot off the bench for some reason? but once you set her up right then the groups really start to settle.
I think the accuracy problems are from around 5 years ago when a production issue let a heap of poorly build rifles onto the market. All fixed now!
From that point on, I know of 8 others (in a variety of calibers) that all shoot under the inch no probs and non that don't
I would buy another one with out hesitation!!!
 
Thanks Swado. I have been pretty much responsible for most of the Kimbers leaving Riflecraft since late 2011. I have never had one back, never had an accuracy complaint from an owner and never had one that I couldnt get sub .5 moa with the right factory ammo.

Be wary of "accuracy nut" handloaders, nothing will ever be good enough ( I used to be one till I got to lazy/busy), thats the fun of constantly playing with handloads.

IMHO the Montana is one of the best stalking rifles I have ever shot especially in .308 ( I hear shooters reading this yawning) which is my favourite. 5lb 2oz rifle that doesnt kick anywhere as much as people think, never had one that couldnt hold .5 MOA with Hornady or Federal and with a superb factory trigger.

The reviews on Sporting Rifle are all based on Byron Pace's personal experiences. He's asked to review nearly every model we have in the UK and now has bought his own one.

Very complimentary review, and please remember that hes talking about his own rifle not a review in exchange for paying for advertising.

http://www.theshootingshow.tv/the-shooting-show-goose-shooting-and-kimber-84m-montana-review/
 
My bosses wife has the high spec wooden stocked version in 308. It is very good and shoots well. I am very seriously considering getting one and this is coming from the UK's biggest Sako fan!
 
Byrons review does it justice, just a good, lightweight, stalking rifle.....plenty accurate for stalking/foxing and doesnt look too bad either.
 
A friend of mine bought one of these from a guy who won it in a raffle for one of the game preservation foundations. It is also a 308 and a good looking rifle. It shot no better than my Savage 308 so I guess it's down to what you want to pay for: looks or performance.~Muir
 
A friend of mine bought one of these from a guy who won it in a raffle for one of the game preservation foundations. It is also a 308 and a good looking rifle. It shot no better than my Savage 308 so I guess it's down to what you want to pay for: looks or performance.~Muir

Or weight , balance and handling , but looks help too;)
 
Be wary of "accuracy nut" handloaders, nothing will ever be good enough ( I used to be one till I got to lazy/busy), thats the fun of constantly playing with handloads.

I wouldn't always say that !
The guy I mentioned told me his best groups at 100 were right at 1 1/2" !

He sold his Kimber 84M and got a Forbes New Model Ultralight in 7x57 and that one with his HANDLOADS was in the 1/2 MOA range .

And by your own admission you have been responsible for most of the 84M's leaving the store you own or work at . So being a retailer I wonder if perhaps your own perspective of said rifle is a little tilted .
 
I wouldn't always say that !
The guy I mentioned told me his best groups at 100 were right at 1 1/2" !


He sold his Kimber 84M and got a Forbes New Model Ultralight in 7x57 and that one with his HANDLOADS was in the 1/2 MOA range .

And by your own admission you have been responsible for most of the 84M's leaving the store you own or work at . So being a retailer I wonder if perhaps your own perspective of said rifle is a little tilted .


I have met shooetrs who have had heard of evry make you could name not shooting occasionally.

Obviously I work in a gun shop, wholesaling and retailing. My opinion is based on dare I say it, having alot more experince with rifles, bolt , semi and auto than most people who work in a gun shop. I also sell every other make on the market including the usual suspects such as Remington, Savage, Blaser, Sako, Tikka etc. etc. I just like Kimber because they are slimmer, lighter and as I said all the ones I have sold shoot like a dream. I have never had a problem with Sako or Tikka either but they are heavier and for my customers if perfomance is equal then its done on weight and balance. Thats when the Kimbers really hold their own.

There is no make of gun on earth that has never had an issue.Honestly never sold one that would'nt shoot, ever. Beleive me if I said that on here and it was anything but the truth there would be a whole lot of incoming flash traffic :)
 
I have met shooetrs who have had heard of evry make you could name not shooting occasionally.

Obviously I work in a gun shop, wholesaling and retailing. My opinion is based on dare I say it, having alot more experince with rifles, bolt , semi and auto than most people who work in a gun shop. I also sell every other make on the market including the usual suspects such as Remington, Savage, Blaser, Sako, Tikka etc. etc. I just like Kimber because they are slimmer, lighter and as I said all the ones I have sold shoot like a dream. I have never had a problem with Sako or Tikka either but they are heavier and for my customers if perfomance is equal then its done on weight and balance. Thats when the Kimbers really hold their own.

There is no make of gun on earth that has never had an issue.Honestly never sold one that would'nt shoot, ever. Beleive me if I said that on here and it was anything but the truth there would be a whole lot of incoming flash traffic :)

You just haven't sold Kimbers long enough. I sold them in the 1980's and they were the prettiest boat anchors a guy could own. Their "Super America" .22LR was an outstanding bit of gunsmithing but any $49 chinese import would out shoot it. They are a different company now, of course.

Having been in the gun business for many years I am needing to ask: Do you often get a customer who special ordered a rifle that came back in and told you it was terrible? Most of mine would rather swallow rusty fish hooks than say they got less than what they were hoping for! :D ~Muir
 
It's funny... people either love Kimber rifles or go out of there way to rubbish the crap out of them
A high % of the negative is an old production issue/issues, long sorted (I personnally believe that Kimber has got it sh!t together now). Then add the people that have read it on the web, so it's obviously still happening...
Dare I say... It's a pity we cannot all live in the now and move on...

Maybe, HBS, see if you can get someone to give you a play with there rifle and test it out for yourself... if you like what you see and how she feels then base a decision from that.
 
I have a Kimber Classic .204 & I can shoot a sub 1" group at 100 yards - I'm no marksman ;)
 
I've owned 2; a long action 84 and a tactical. Both were bought new.
They are light and handsome guns, possibly the most handsome yank guns I've ever owned. Accuracy was very much a trial. The tactical could be very accurate but I spent a fortune in time and ammo. It was unbelievably ammo fussy. The 84 was one of the most infuriating rifles I've ever owned and I still remember to this day the relief I felt when I got rid of it.
whenever asked my opinion, I always answer ' get a Sako 85.' You'll have a little change left in your pocket, it'll do everything you'd want the Kimber to do, it's alot easier to live with and will retain more value if selling.
I should note in fairness that I haven't shot one in about 4 years and I believe the new dealer is Riflecraft, who I've never dealt with.
​Almost forgot, have you experience of shooting light rifles? There is a difference and a skill to it.
 
It's funny... people either love Kimber rifles or go out of there way to rubbish the crap out of them
A high % of the negative is an old production issue/issues, long sorted (I personnally believe that Kimber has got it sh!t together now). Then add the people that have read it on the web, so it's obviously still happening...
Dare I say... It's a pity we cannot all live in the now and move on...

Funny thing I had better results with the older Kimbers then my friend did with the new one !

Granted "his" rifle may have been an oddity (I kinda doubt that) , but I've known this man long enough to take his word for it .

Now with that being said I still would like to try one in the 338 Federal cartridge .
 
The 338fed is a handy little round under 150-200m
I just got rid of one, a tad slow for my likings 9limits its uses), was thinking of get a KM 84L action and re-barrel to 338-06 AI to get the light weight and up the fps...
 
The 338fed is a handy little round under 150-200m
I just got rid of one, a tad slow for my likings 9limits its uses), was thinking of get a KM 84L action and re-barrel to 338-06 AI to get the light weight and up the fps...

I had one of those Thompson Center SOB Encore's and one of the barrels I had for it was a 28" in 338 Feberal . Thing shot very well with my handloads just never did really care for the Contender/Encore stuff although lord knows I had plenty of them over the years !

If I want faster I have a 338 Win Mag on a Ruger #1 .

Incidently I saw a Ruger #1AB NIB in 338 Federal for sale on Gunbroker . Thing had a tad lighter contour barrel then the 1B and instead of being the usual 26" it was only 22" if my memory serves !
 
I have an 84M in 308 and have no dramas - think it is great.

The key difference is that its light and therefore different to shoot, and the match grade barrel heats up (accuracy can be affected after a few rounds). By the time people get used to using it the barrel is probably too hot to maintain sub 1" MOA. From watching others using mine any issues are generally with the workman, not the tool.
 
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