Ever had a Kimber Montana???

[Deleted]

How do/did you like it? Any idea who built the stock?

[Snyd]

I have a 325 wsm Kimber MT that I bought new back in 05 I think it was., Maybe 06. It's the only high powered rifle I have and need. I still need a few more handguns though

Kimber makes the stock in house. Kevlar composite. The only part of the rifle not made in house by Kimber is the Pachmeyer Deaccelerator pad. I read an article about the development of the stock years ago. Kevlar hired a known custom stock builder to come in house and design the stock and get them set up in it's production. I remember I liked the fact that only raw materials go in to the Kimber plant and out comes a rifle. With the exception of the butt pad.

I have not babied this gun. I've packed it into the sheep mountains 8 times now which translates into about 85-90 days of rain, sun, snow, cold and heat. That means about 250-300 miles of packing it on my pack or in my hands, dropping it on the ground, dragging it around, etc. on rocks, mud, water, blood. I've had it buried under gear in the back of small plane a couple times, had it bouncing around on my 4 wheeler for miles and miles moose hunting and it has NEVER lost it's zero, ever. I have a 2.5-8x36 Leupold VXIII on it with Talley LW one pieces bases/rings. All up with light sling it weighs 7lbs. I love this gun.

Light barrel makes for muzzle flip and the gun kind of "torques" and want to twist a little. I had it Mag-na-ported... not muzzle braked and it totally tamed the muzzle flip. I love this gun.

It shot sub-moa out of the box with Winchester factory ammo, 200gr Accubonds at 2950fps. I chronied the load at it avgs about 2940. I have since duplicated the load with my handloads with the 200gr accubonds and have taken sheep, moose and an Interior AK griz with it. My buddy used it on a ram also. I took the griz with a 220gr Gameking load that shoots as good as the 200gr Accubond but the 200gr AB has become my go-to load. Did I say I love this gun? I have total confidence in this rifle and it's proven itself in some pretty harsh field conditions over the years.

[zeus]

Those are some awesome trophies!

[curmudgeon]

Snyd: Sounds and looks like a keeper to me. :-)

[Deleted]

Thanks Snyd for the information. Maybe Zeus needs to buy me one of these!

[Thunderjet]

Owned two, both .308 Montana's. After spending about 6 months with each they were sold off because about the best they would do was 1.75 - 2 inches at 100 yards for 3 shots.

[bradshaw]

Held a piano shoot a couple years ago. Play a piano to death with gunfire. One of the boys brought along his favorite hunting rifle, a Kimber .325 Winchester with synthetic stock. Participants put out a few extra targets here and there. Propped some clay pigeons in an old apple tree 240 yards from the picnic table, which served as a rest for some side shoots. Finally, one clay remained in the tree, acting immune to various attempts to bust it. One bullet left of .325 WSM handloaded with the Nosler Accubond 200, and I was invited to try it. I had watched a couple of previous shooters through a spotting scope and thought that, as their bullets drifted slightly right, they needed to hold a taste left. As I squeezed the little orange dot disappeared. Stock felt good. The action, a slimmed version of the old Model 70, worked and fed smooth. Recoil felt mild for the power. Am impressed with that rifle.

As a practitioner of the .338 Win Mag, with a fondness for the classic M70, I am forced to say that the Kimber .325 I shot is a beauty. IBelieve the scope was a Pentax, but can't be sure. Snyd, my M70 .338 wears the Leupold Var-X III 2.5-8x36mm with German #4 reticle. From woods to canyon, a worthy piece of glass.
David Bradshaw

[Snyd]

I think that what makes the 325wsm is being able to get it in a light, handy package like the Kimber MT. When I bought mine I did not want a 26inch barreled, 9lb 338 or 300wsm. If that wasn't an issue I'd have just bought a 338. But, at 7lbs all up with a 23inch barrel, it's a nice mtn rilfe for sheep hunting that flings a 200gr 8mm at 2950fps. That duplicates the ol' Rem 8mm balistics and is griz medicine if needed. With modern powders the Big 8 can surpass the 325 or, the "Little 8" as I call it. But, your're back to a long barreled, long action, heavy rifle. Might as well get the 338.

I've had real good luck with the performance of Accubonds. I've recovered bullets from 2 moose. First one was from the moose above. It was a factory load, the bullet has the black coating Win put on them at the time. I spine shot the bull at 315 yds. It retained 70% of it's weight like Nosler claims. Second one was 365yds, busted some ribs and far shoulder.

Of course the sheep we've shot with it ( 4 in all) have been complete pass troughs out to 400yds. The griz was 165 yds with the 220 GameKings and were all passthroughs including shoulder and spine. That bullet was designed for the Big 8.