I'm going to buy one of these rifles and have a semi-custom made on it. I've got a nice piece of English that I will restock it with. I'm leaning toward the Kimber mainly because the bottom metal is superior (so I've heard) with the mag release inside the trigger guard. Opinions? Normally I'm a M-70 guy, and would replace the Winchester bottommetal with an aftermarket Blackburn, etc... But let's face it, the featherweight is not a lightweight rifle. I'd like the finished rifle to weigh between 7.5-8 lbs scoped. (Please-no opinions on rifle weight vs. recoil, etc..., I know what I like) I also do not care for the wedding band bolt on the M-70. Kimber owners care to comment? I also appreciate the fact that each rifle is an individual, and some of each will be exceptionally accurate while others will be minute of shotgun. I'd like to hear opinions on the relative quality and merits of each rifle.

sounds to me like you already have yourself talked into buying the Kimber!

My Kimber 8400 is 7mm WSM, not 270, but I'll share what I've observed since I own several M70 Featherweights.

The Kimber barrel appears to have a slimmer profile barrel.

The wood on the Kimber is much nicer than the Winchesters, perhaps I was just lucky and received an exceptionally nice stock.

Fit on the Kimber is nicer, barrel nicely floated and centered in the channel.

The action on the Kimber is necely bedded, not an issue if you plan on restocking.

I like the extractor better on the Kimber.

Bottom metal is better.

I like the matte finish on the standard 8400.
All that being said though, I haven't found that the 8400 shoots much better than my 270 WSM or 300 WSM Featherweights.

I just started shooting a .270 WSM Winchester Model 70 Stainless Classic with the Ultimate stock (black composite with grey accents where the checkering normaly is on a wood stock). It was inexpensive and with a Ziess 4.5X14 Conquest is shooting lights out groups. If you want looks get the Kimber, if you want utility get the Model 70, this little honey handles like your other favorite hand. Good luck and good shooting.

If you want the weight to come in at 7.5-8# scoped, I would buy the Kimber and not even consider the M70.

nyrifleman, I have a new kimber 84M and also a new winchester SG, which is in stages on the custom work now. I choose the SG over the kimber.
The Kimber has perfect wood, fit and finish but the action was rough as hell, not really important if its going to be a custom as you can have it stoned and smoothed. On the other had the Winchester action was smooth as silk straight from the factory.
The Kimber wears a 4.5-14 leupold and tips the scales at 8.25 lbs bone stock
The Winchester wears a 3.5-10 Leica and tips the scale at an even 10lbs
Good luck on your project

Thanks for the input gentlemen.
22WRF - not yet, but leaning that way.

Jimmy-10 lbs is not a rifle I would care to spend much time with in the field-other than a big bore in Africa. On the other hand 8.25 lbs sounds perfect for a 270 WSM.

Anyone else have opinions on the smoothness of the Kimber action?

I don't notice much difference in smoothness of action between my 8400 and Featherweights. I haven't handled many Kimbers though.

I have a few Kimbers including a 8400 in 270 WSM, and also own several Model 70's, my good shooting buddy has a 70 FW in 270 WSM. He shot a Hog at 300yds with it just a couple months ago and is tickled pink with it.
I think that the Kimber is more likely to be very accurate, although the Winchester in 270 WSM is likely to shoot well too. The Kimbers are usually chambered better and bedded far better. Both have excellent triggers, though the Winchester will require more work to get it where you want it. The Kimber stocks are much nicer and occasionally superb but this may not be as big an issue if you are going to restock. Both have the same safety and claw feed. The biggest 2 differences are the price and the Weight. The Kimber is definitely much lighter, and if you are going to buy Blackburn bottom metal for the M-70 you'll pretty much loose any price advantage. Kimber warranty service has been by all reports superb, I doubt that the Winchester's service in anywhere in the same league service wise. Everyone whom I've let shoot one of my Kimbers has bought at least one.
Don't get me wrong I like model 70's very much, I've built a couple customs off them myself. But if you are going to have to buy different bottom metal you don't really gain much price advantage with the Model 70, and the Kimber simply put is a nicer, lighter rifle........DJ

Thanks JimD.

djpaintles-I was leaning toward the Kimber. I believe you just pushed me further. Thanks for the info on the trigger BTW, another reason to go for Kimber.

NYR, In case you need a little more nudging, Here's a group from my Kimber 270 WSM. It's the best of the saved ones, but I've shot a number of similar groups though of course in windy Oklahoma not every time.....



In fairness by buddy PRDATOR has some pretty good groups out of his M-70 270 WSM (which he bought after shooting my Kimber - he wanted a Kimber but got a deal on the M-70), but I don't know if he saved any quite as tight........DJ

DJ-
Have how do you shoot your groups (1 shot them wait or 3 right after one another)?
Mine shoots 2 tight like the ones you have touching, then progressively open up the group on successive shots. Cool down periods in between shots seem to keep the groups close. Have you noticed this also.
Sorry to hijack your thread nyrifleman.

Jim

DJ has some good rifles and many are Kimbers. They all shoot incredably well for him. He is a trigger man. I would like him to explain how the kimber trigger is easier to set than a model 70.

Many good suggestions already. You may recall the observations by Bill Leeper that some of the Winchester WSM's have out of round chambers due to the broached thru action and tight barrels.

I have such a gun in the SS Classic 7mm WSM and my chamber too is .0019" out of round. Winchester has refused to fix it. This tied up the rifle for nine months. On the positive side the restocked M70 has a smooth action and feeds very well and is accurate in it's new stock.

The Kimber 8400 Montana I have in 270 WSM is a good gun to hunt with as I like them lighter now. It has only fair accuracy but good enough for big game. It's feeding is reliable and positive but abrupt. The feed ramp on the 8400's is very short and it's not smooth but it works.

The wood stocked Kimbers come with nice wood and are glass and piller bedded. You might save that blank for some other project.

The M70 triggers used to be easy to adjust but the new M70's have more sear engagement than necessary and too heavy of a spring. They really require metal work now to get them good.

The Kimbers triggers are adjustable for sear engagement, weight and backlash. They are easy to adjust yourself and to quite a light weight as well.

As to Kimber actions seeming rough I feel that was due in inadequate lubrication and a tight fit. The latest Kimbers have that bolt/action fit opened up a tiny bit and they should feel smoother at first. If you lube your new action up and work the bolt some it should smooth out. This goes for other brands as well.

I have over a half dozen M70's but most of them are the old ones. I am not buying any more M70's after this last fiasco. The last four new bolt rifles I bought were Kimbers. That company is on a roll now.