There's one sitting in my local gunshop and I've never paid much attention until I picked this one up. The guy said it was an "early" Kimber and of good quality, which it looked the part. 30.06, very nice wood, steel bottom metal, mag spring and follower. Very nice 3 pos. safety with a large bolt shroud and it was smooth. No iron sights but what really struck me was the double square bridge or integral scope mounts front and back. Receiver was sorta plum colored but the rest of the metal was blue. 4 digit serial number and barrel was marked Kimber of Oregon with a city I can't remember. It waas 98% condition and the asking price was 1499 including qd rings and a nice Leupold. Any opinions here on this rifle. Is it an "early" one of better quality. It sure felt nice and that receiver looked strong as train smoke.

Forgot, I think this was a 'supergrade" if that's the correct terminology. It has the black forend tip.

Sounds like the Super America model. I've been looking at one locally in 270, also with a Leupold, a 4X in Warne rings that fit the integral bases. Only the Super America has the integral bases.They are a cast reciever like a Ruger 77 or an MRC action. They are a very close copy of a Pre'64 Model 70.

They had one other model that had the integral base, it was called the sporter model. It was made in the last year of production and they were using up parts. The wood was not as good and it did not have two screw sling swivel bases. I have one in .257 Roberts. They are overpriced. There are better guns to be had for the same money. Mine shoots well but that is often not the case. Cliff LaBounty told me that they used the best $7 barrels you could buy. He was not joking.

1500 is a bit overpriced but not badly. there seems to be quite a bit of differance between the buying and selling market on these. The last one I sold was a 270 & I got 1100 for it. This sounds like a early model, which will bring a bit more, but I belive 1250 would be a reasonable price to offer

I have had two Kimber of Oregon rifles, one a Classic and one a Super America, both of them had functional issues although they were "pretty". Frankly, I wouldn't buy another one at any price and you can get into a really fine rifle, such as a P-64 Mod. 70, Brno 21-22 series or ZG-47 for the price asked for that mediocrity. An even better approach is to save your shekels and buy a nice used custom rifle from a guy like Chic and this is where you will actually get real value although the initial price may be higher. YMMV.

How would one put a date on one of these Kimbers? The one I'm looking at has a serial number starting with 89.....1989?

Although the more I look at it I think maybe even a new M70 Super Grade with the Williams bottom metalmight be better. , one could add a Williams extractor....?

I have one of these rifles too, a .375 H&H. My is a slick barrel, and does not have integral scope bases. It will shoot 3-shot groups at one-half inch at 100 yards with the Remington Safari ammo with the 300 grain Swift A-Frame.

From my sources the actions were cast by the same Oregon foundry that is producing the Nosler Custom Rifle.

Prices are set by the market, so we will see if it sells there or for some other number.

Some were good, some were not. For any that you buy I would ask for a return after shooting warantee.

jim