I Finale Saw and handled in the flesh a Kimber classic 8400 at sportsmans warehouse ,they only had one.

I was real impressed with it, very nice to my tastes. Nice trigger too.



Ive read someones post that has a couple of them and remember he says they shoot very accurate too.



I wish I could have takin the barrel action out of the stock to inspect how the reciver and trigger looked.





Im thinking of breaking down and get a 300wsm.



Whats the good/bad/ugly on the Kimber classic 8400.

GSP7,

I have been shooting a Kimber 8400 but for only a couple of months. It's a good gun and I have had no problems with it.

Do a search here as djpaintles has posted a number of times about the Classic model. He has four of them I think and they shoot very well for the both of us.

The trigger has three screws to adjust the weight, sear engagement and back lash. I have the Classics in the 84M and I expect that the bedding is the same. By that I mean they are glass bedded at the barrel shank thru the front of the receiver and the rear pillar is glassed in. There is a pillar at the front guard screw as well.

The stocks come with Decelarator pads which help a lot as they are light rifles.

Savage ,, Yeah Djpaintless is the guy that was posting about his kimbers and they could shoot !!!

I might get one next gun purchase. For a out of the box gun and that big decelerator pad/trigger/nice wood/ matte finish and those scope bases, seems like a sweet rifle. I liked the stock design too.

GSP7,

You mention the scope bases on the 8400. The factory design is similar to the old Redfield and it's not a good one. So if you buy the rifle have the dealer keep the factory bases and check in here for whats available at that moment.

As of today the only alternative is the standard Talley system. This is a rather high mount but the combs on Kimbers are high as well so that works out. I read that Talley may have their very lightweight aluminum one piece mounts out next year for the 8400.

As soon as someone makes a Weaver style base for that rifle I will get that and use Signature rings if I bought another one.

Savage,,

Whats wrong with their bases?

Ive just seen pictures of their bases and they look like they are contoured nice to the reciver, with dove tail front and windage screw back ,like leupold standard bases.

Mybe you just dont like that style??? and like weaver style better???

GSP7, I've got one in 300 WSM and one of my hunting partners has one in 270 WSM. Quality is very good--we both have Talley mounts. I have had little issue with mine, but my partners rifle had a lot of sticky bolt issues--he shoots factory ammo, had issues with both Win Supreme and Federal ammo. He eventually sent it back to Kimber and he was very impressed with the way they handled it. He spoke to an actual human when he called to ask for some help, and the guy he spoke to was very knowledgeable. He sent it back to them and they did some magic on it, they didn't tell him, but he is pretty sure they rebarreled it, that was something they mentioned they might do when he spoke to them on the phone. It has shot flawlessly (and accurately) since he got it back. Unfortunately for him this is the second gun he had these issues with, the other was a SAKO 75 in 300 WSM--he sent it back and it was gone for about 9-10 weeks, it came back with a work order on it saying "polish chanber" and has worked well since, just wanted to point out that I think the Kimber folks are head and shoulders above most with customer service. Even though I personally don't like the floor plate/follower setup on a rifle, (I just prefer a detachable mag) I really like my Kimber, and I'll probably have another! Try it I think you'll like it!
Regards--Don

GSP7,

Yes the Redfield design is the same as the Leupold with the exception that the Leupold has hardened screws which of course are better.

The front ring on that design requires quite a bit of force to align it. Unless it's perfect it will put stress on the scope. If the rear screws are used in their adjustment mode they will, in theory, bend the scope as the front rings will not yield. In the past the Beuhler front ring would turn easily and then one tightened the base screw to secure it. Not so with the very poor Redfield design. The Leupold dual dovetails are not easy to align either. Of course they can be lapped.

The Burris Signatures will line up almost any situation.

In the mean time the Talleys can be used. The Talleys are really rough on scope finishes. I bent my Talley rings open and then let the top screws close them around the scope. As soon as Weaver style bases become available for the 8400 the Talleys are going in the drawer.

As soon as they do one in .325WSM, I'm gonna haf ta "raid the cookie jar"

Savage,,

Sounds like you saying the front dove tail is real tight? And stress on the scope tube worrys you. OK...

I have mostly leupold standard bases and rings on my rifles.
I have a 1" solid bar stock shaft that I use to turn in and align my rings. I just center the rear ring in the windage screws on the rear base and tighten the screws . Take the top half rings of, set the scope in and check by bore sighteing. Once I install the scope I never mess with the windage screws on the rear base. All my rifles have been pretty dead on bore sighting with the rear ring centered in the base. leupold rings

I have 2 sets of burris signature rings with the nylon inserts just waiting to be used. One set is for a mauser I have that has aliitle off set in the base hieght.

On my leupold rings I cut small pieces of black electric tap to put in the rings to protect the scope. Works great.

Then those opposing rear screws come loose. It always happens it seems. Then I turn them tight and the rifle shoots well again. I have been thru this a lot.

Now I buy mounts that can't do that whenever I can.

I agree with 99... the Redfield design is an antiquated system left over from the days of drilling military reciever's to mount "one of them new-fangled scopes"... the windage adjustment shouldn't be needed with today's scopes on a properly drilled reciever. The two-screw rear base design is a lurking spot for all sorts of Murphoid visitation's...