Just got my new Kimber Montana in synthetic stainless in 300WSM, put a Leupold 3.5 x 10 VariX III on it and went to the range. I bought a box of Winchester 180 grain ballistic silvertips. It was obvious that the rifle has potential but I thought I would have better groups than I did. I fired an 8 shot group in 2" without any 2 bullets touching. I was hoping for better. I realize that this load may not be the favorite of the gun and do intend to handload for it so am wondering others experience with the similar gun and what they are shooting and the results. This is totally out of the box, no extra bedding or trigger work at present.

May want to try shortmag.com they have alot of posting on that rifle.

Here is the link to the shortmag site.

http://www.shortmags.org/shortmags/

Mine is a Blued gun but yours should shoot similarly. At 100yds here are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds ever shot from the rifle :




Keep working with the rifle, it's going to shoot. If you are using the factory bases they are the first thing I would change. Try Talley's or maybe Conetrols. I've had 4 8400's and every one has shot 3/4 minute or better at 200 yds for 3 shots (usually better).......DJ

Shoot and clean for the first 10 rounds

Shoot 5 and clean for the next 20 rounds

Then load 69 grains H4831SC behind 180 grain Barnes Triple Shock with Fed 215M primers and you will be within an inch

If not, I'll do you a favor and take it off your hands for 1/2 price

Thanks for the information guys. Woods you are too - too generous. When I get a chance to reload this thing, I'll try out your recipe. I can see that this has potential as there were no fliers, all in a nice 2" square.

Hey djp

Noticed you used 77 grains Magpro. Don't have any of that powder, but load for a lot of 300's, mostly 300 winchester magnums. Worth buying a pound of that? Been using mostly RL22 and H4831SC, can't get accuracy out of 7828. Am looking for a slow powder that will fill the case up and that I can compress a little. Been thinking about RL25.

I used Magpro in the 270 WSM and it left a film on the case necks. I like my brass clean and the usual stuff would not take it off.

Too bad as the load was accurate and fast.

Maybe I could convince myself that it's good for the bore??

I have some Rl 25. Too early to tell on that til I get the chrono. out.

You guys really need to try 180 grain bullets with H4350 and WLRM primers. 2 or 3 long distance bench rest shooters I have talked to state they use the 190 grain bullets with H4350 and WLRM primers. I loaded 180 accubonds and shot a .22" group at 100 yards and a touch over 2" at 350 yards. I don't need to do any better than that.

Woods, I think that Magpro is worth a try. Like Savage said it can be a little odd to work with, but good results in 2 300 WSM's makes me think it would be work you trying it.
I also have a Sako Finnlite in 300 WSM that shoots 77grs of Magpro and 180gr Failsafes very well. It often will put 3 shots into 3/4" at 200yds with the load, but the velocity is a little lower.
77grs is a max load and you should definately start a few grains lower.............DJ

dj,

Can you describe your bench technique with the Kimbers? My 8400 Montana has been giving spotty accuracy since it was new. If I rest the forend on the bag at it's tip it shoots the best.

This is the one with "rubber" for bedding now. So you can tell that all is not perfect.

Another Kimber a 84M Classic in 260 will not do better than 1 moa with light bullets and 1.25 moa with heavier bullets unless its shot hand held. If I support the rifle 100% off my hands from the bench and this means no butt bag it will shoot very small groups.



I shot the target in the upper right at 200 yds with that 260. There are two holes in the black square. I got excited and overconfident and fired the target on the lower right after the barrel cooled.

Savage, I have a Wichita Front rest with standard bag. I use a high bunny ear rear bag. With a lighter rifle or one that kicks a bit I usually hold the rifle pretty firmly into the rests. I make sure that the front rest is far enough back so that the swing swivel isn't interfering in any way and won't touch the back in recoil. Here's a picture of the setup (with my project #3).



When shooting I would have the rest a little further back than in the picture so that the front swivel doesn't hit during recoil. On a harder kicking rifle I will hold the forend with my left hand. On a heavier varmit rifle that doesn't recoil much my left hand will hold the rear bag and squeeze it to adjust windage.
Probably just one way to skin a cat but it usually works pretty well for me............DJ

With the Kimbers, look at the fired primers. Some of these rifles were delivered with weak mainsprings and will barely dimple the primer. Poor ignition=poor accuracy. Incidentally, Kimber factory service is top-notch.

quote:

Originally posted by Stoneybroke:
With the Kimbers, look at the fired primers. Some of these rifles were delivered with weak mainsprings and will barely dimple the primer. Poor ignition=poor accuracy. Incidentally, Kimber factory service is top-notch.

Thanks Stoney. I suspected the mainsprings and infact have talked to Kimber about it. They offered to look at the rifles of course.

The thing is that two of these 84M Classics had been back there for work that included new three postition safeties and I was told that they would be updated at that time. I am not sure if the mainsprings were mentioned or checked but I recall that as a factor.

To pursue this I switched firing pin assemblies and one of the rifles, the 7mm-08 continued to shoot sub moa. The troublesome one, the 260, now has "rubber" bedding and it has shot better in two short range sessions.

One would think that if a rifle has pillar bedding that would be all that's necessary for accuracy. This does not seem to be the case every time.

Savage99: I'm curious. What is the rubber bedding? Did Kimber install it? I sent a 7-08 classic back to Kimber last week. It has a weak mainspring and does not shoot well at all.

Do you guys think there was a problem just pillar bedding these rifles as they are now glass bedded?

I just cut some rubber bands an put them under the action near the screws. The idea was to raise up the rifle and try rubber.

I started a topic on rubber bedding and am still waiting for Mike375 to answer. He is very busy right now but says that he will get to it.

The Kimber Classics are pillar and glass bedded. I need to learn more about how they fit the rifles to the stocks.

Ups delivered my Kimber today. They installed a new barrel and mainspring. Also, replaced base screws my dealer had installed.(Wrong size!) Also included two test groups. Both were less than .7" Can't beat their service.