I was talking to my hunting buddy last night and he related his story about his Kimber .243. He said that it was a beautiful rifle that would never every shoot under 2.5" at 100 yards with any combination of bullet weight and powder.
That was almost every combo. He took it to a range and shot a mess of 105, 100, 85, 80 and it wasn't until he tried the Nosler BT 70 grainers that the darn rifle produce a .8" group for six shots. I wonder if that Kimber was a real slow twist rate??? I've got my Rem CDL loads with the 70g Nosler BT at 3700 fps and it shoots right at 1" with 3 shots but never under that. I've never owned a Kimber, just admired their appearance.
Questions: Is this a common experience with the Kimbers particulary in .243???? and also should my buddy send his shooter back to the factory?? Is the factory under new and better management??? When a rifle goes back to Kimber, does it return with better performance???
Posts: 1788 | Location: IDAHO | Registered: 12 February 2005
I don't know much about Kimbers, except they are beautiful and there are two camps...one says they can't shoot and the other says they can. I'd like to get one and find out to which camp I belong. My guess is they will shoot but some need to go back for some factory work.
Posts: 2155 | Location: Oklahoma | Registered: 03 October 2006
I like Kimbers rifles and have four of them. There should not be any particular accuracy problem with a 243 in a Kimber. Unless some other change was made to the rifle and now it shoots other bullets well I would contact Kimber on its accuracy.
One of my go to rifles is a Kimber Montana in 243. In the off season I take it with me first over other rifles now. Its accurate and reliable
I have never owned a Kimber nor have I ever shot one. I have two friends that did. One was a 30-06 and the other a 243 like yours. Both of these guys pulled their hair out searching for a good load for deer and elk to no avail. Then they looked for anything that would print a decent group. Both gave up, cussed their rifles and sold them some time back. I have heard other stories at the range, these boards and other boards about their accuracy issues so you're not alone. It's too bad they have this issue, It is obvious they spend a lot of time on the cosmetics of the rifle (one of the best looking IMO) but fall short where it really counts "down range"
Posts: 542 | Location: So. Cal | Registered: 31 December 2009
i too have several kimbers, mostly older ones, but 3 or 4 new ones. i had a bit of trouble with one 260, we found that the bedding was at fault, and once corrected brought it back. i hear stories of them not shooting and poor factory service, but have never experienced that.I'd make a guess that bedding and checking the barrel channel to make sure it has sufficient clearance will fix the problem
I have a Kimber 84M in 7-08 that has been back to the factory two times I finaly found two loads it will shot at about 1 1/2" and started hunting. Try adding a preasure point.
________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment
Posts: 7361 | Location: South East Missouri | Registered: 23 November 2005
glad to read this. I was about to pull the trigger on a 257 roberts kimber as ive been looking for an accurate 257 and thought i couldnt go wrong with a kimber. I guess ill just keep my eyes open for one of the 700 classics.
Posts: 1404 | Location: munising MI USA | Registered: 29 March 2002
Funny thing about Kimber rifles. For years the touted accurate .22LR with a factory 50 yard targetincluded with the rifle. Centerfire rifles at Kimber are not accuracy tested.
________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment
Posts: 7361 | Location: South East Missouri | Registered: 23 November 2005
My Kimber .243 would not shoot any of my handloaded ammo for my other .243s at all. About 2" at 100 was all. Until I tried a 68 gr. Berger and a 85 gr. TSX. Both shoot under 1/2" and in the same place! Using a full charge of IMR 4350 for both bullets.
Some time ago Hill Country Rifles stopped doing their accurizing service on Kimbers. The local shop where I trade quit carrying them because of the problems. He said 2 or 3 of every 10 just wouldn't shoot. He has a pretty high end clientele and was selling them pretty good, but a lot of the people who can afford a better gun will not tolerate their $1000 gun not shooting for anything. He just didn't want the headache or unhappy customers.
LWD
Posts: 2104 | Location: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: 16 April 2006
I have a Kimber Varmint .204 Ruger. It is a tack driver. Just love that rifle. Loved it sooooo much that I bought a Kimber .308 Win Longmaster (same gun as the varmint). I have seen dang few .308's that won't shoot almost anything they are fed decent.
That Kimber .308 would NOT shoot ANYTHING less than 1.5". Worked on the bedding and re-crowned. Now will shoot 1" most times off a bench with 168 gr TSX and Varget but it is still damned picky.
When I talked with Kimber...they said: "Clean the barrel with JB but they only garantee there rifles to shoot 2" or less. They said to not even send it back.
I won't buy another unless it is a used one and I get to try it first.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J. Lane Easter, DVM
A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House
No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.
Originally posted by butchloc: gosh ted - i have test targets with a couple of mine, but they are old ones
I was told by Kimber in one of my telephone conversations with them over my guns poor shooting that they do not test them unless returned and they only have means to test them at 50 yards then. I have a test target for my .22LR but my 7-08 has seen 2 returns and no targets.
________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment
Posts: 7361 | Location: South East Missouri | Registered: 23 November 2005
I've owned 3 and won't buy another. There just not worth the money.
Last one I owned could barely keep a 3 inch group. Having said that I have a 300WSM that I took to Africa twice and it's accounted for over 30 animals.
Posts: 11636 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: 13 February 2006
Originally posted by TEANCUM: I was talking to my hunting buddy last night and he related his story about his Kimber .243. He said that it was a beautiful rifle that would never every shoot under 2.5" at 100 yards with any combination of bullet weight and powder.
That was almost every combo. He took it to a range and shot a mess of 105, 100, 85, 80 and it wasn't until he tried the Nosler BT 70 grainers that the darn rifle produce a .8" group for six shots. I wonder if that Kimber was a real slow twist rate??? I've got my Rem CDL loads with the 70g Nosler BT at 3700 fps and it shoots right at 1" with 3 shots but never under that. I've never owned a Kimber, just admired their appearance.
Questions: Is this a common experience with the Kimbers particulary in .243???? and also should my buddy send his shooter back to the factory?? Is the factory under new and better management??? When a rifle goes back to Kimber, does it return with better performance???
I had a similar problem with a new Rem 700 in .243 -- would not group under 3 inches with any bullet/powder/primer combo I tried. Bought the first box of factory ammo in 45 years and still same result.
I replaced the scope and no change. I called the factory and they would do nothing about it.
Two weeks ago I glass bedded the action and free floated the barrel, and other than the first fouling shot, it put the next 9 rounds into 1 inch with the first load that I tried.
I have a Kimber Montana in .260 Rem. It wouldn't group for crap. I called Kimber, and they said to send it back. I got it back in about 2 weeks. It will now hold minute of "Grey Digger" with any bullet from 100gr HP to 160gr RN at 200 yards.
My kimber 270 wsm was a dog accuracy wise 2" on a good day. Sent it back to them and it was returned with a 1.25" three shot target at 50 yards and a note that said it was in tloerance. I sold it and bought a Rem 700 and will never own another Kimber.
NRA Patron member
Posts: 2652 | Location: Minnesota | Registered: 08 December 2006
My kimber 270 wsm was a dog accuracy wise 2" on a good day. Sent it back to them and it was returned with a 1.25" three shot target at 50 yards and a note that said it was in tloerance. I sold it and bought a Rem 700 and will never own another Kimber.
Wow! If the folks at Kimber think that is in tolerance I won't be buying any Kimbers. Can you imagine paying what one cost and then getting this kind of info? That is absurd--saying that a .243 shooting 3" groups at 100yds is "in tolerance" (that's about what a 1.5" group at 50 yds will translate into).
Red C. Everything I say is fully substantiated by my own opinion.
Posts: 909 | Location: SE Oklahoma | Registered: 18 January 2008
Am a reasonable fellow to please. While I enjoy a accurate rifle as much as the next guy I truly realize that any rifle used for big game is accurate enough if it will hold 3 shots at 100 yards at 1.5 inches max. To finish the story purchased two different Kimber Montana's for my wife and ended up selling both. Oh, not only would one not shoot but it had feeding issues to boot.
My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost.
I won a Kimber at an NRA dinner. A beautiful rifle in .338 Federal.
I tried about every bullet weight, make and powder-nothing worked. Finally, sent it off to be 'accurized' and they couldn't get it to shoot. They suggested a new barrel.
Inasmuch as I won the gun and had little invested, other than time, bullets and aggravation; I had a Kreiger barrel installed in .257 Roberts.
I now have a beautiful gun that is a tack-driver.
Posts: 86 | Location: Indiana | Registered: 12 July 2006
I have a kimber in 300WSM that I have been working on, and can't get it to shoot. 2" 3 shot groups at 100 yds is the best I can get out of it. Pitty, as it is a nice rifle. I have another one in a .260 that is my brides rifle that shoots fairly well.
I am very happy that so many people are having trouble with their Kimbers. That is because one can get real nice used ones for cheap money, like I recently did with my Kimber Montana in .325 WSM. I doubt it had a box of shells through it when I got it for $750 which is well off the lowest retail price.
Fortunately for me I am a terrible shot and so I don't care if any of my rifles shoot any better than a pie plate at 100 yards. Never seemed to matter on game, and I much prefer a very light rifle to a very accurate rifle.
So if anyone has any really good deals on a Kimber Montana in say .338 Federal with the real short barrel let me know!
Originally posted by D B Cooper: I have a Kimber Montana in .260 Rem. It wouldn't group for crap. I called Kimber, and they said to send it back. I got it back in about 2 weeks. It will now hold minute of "Grey Digger" with any bullet from 100gr HP to 160gr RN at 200 yards.
I have owned 5 Kimbers. 1 - 7-08 Montana, 1- 7-08 84 Classic, 1 - Classic 22 LR, 1 - 22-250 Classic Varminter, and 1 - 243 Montana. I was lucky in that all five shot around MOA or better with handloads - never shot factory ammo (save the 22 LR). I still have the 243, which loves 55 NBTs and will put three shots into .5 MOA. I would like to snag a Montana in 25-06.
Lou
**************** NRA Life Benefactor Member
Posts: 3316 | Location: USA | Registered: 15 November 2001
When I talked with Kimber...they said: "Clean the barrel with JB but they only garantee there rifles to shoot 2" or less. They said to not even send it back.
Impressive response. But at least they took your call. Imagine their position if you'd bought and they were selling mass market rifles.
LWD
Posts: 2104 | Location: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: 16 April 2006
I've had 3 Kimbers. Two shot pretty well, sub MOA, and one wouldn't shoot. I give up. I sold my last Kimber and put the $ into another Cooper. If I had just bought a Cooper in the first place I would have saved a lot of money instead of all the bucks spent trading and hoping to get one that would shoot. I've shot 7 ground hogs in the past 3 weeks with it, the nearest at an even 600 yards, the furthest at 749. Next, I'll take that .270 elk hunting. Buy a Cooper, spend your money once and have a rifle that shoots.
Posts: 866 | Location: Western CO | Registered: 19 February 2004
You bought them and they give " very servicable accuracy"!!!
