Kimber 84L Montana

[Eustachius234]

Does the Kimber 84L Montana come with a hinged floorplate?

http://www.kimberamerica.com/rifles/model-84l/montana

Also is there any reason other than velocity loss, not to cut the barrel down to 22"?

 

[pubthumper]

Yes. And no. What caliber?

 

[Eustachius234]

30-06

 

[pubthumper]

Great choice. In that caliber they come in at 24", right? Nipping the tip wont hurt. Folks do it all the time. I've recently heard that Kimber has some serious QC issues. I was thinking of a Kimber Montana in .338 Win mag, but have since reconsidered and am going with another manufacturer. For what you will be paying, there are some nice options out there. Just my 0.2.

 

[jmr40]

The wood stocked versions have a floorplate, the synthetics are blind mgazines. They show the 84L availble both ways, but I'm not sure the synthetic version is available yet. Last I heard the wood stocked version was available, but not the synthetic. That may have changed recently.

If you want to cut the barrel from 24" down to 22" you'd lose about 50 fps which is no big deal. But I wouldn't touch the barrel on the Kimber. Cutting the barrel also effects the way a gun balances. Kimber puts a lot of effort into how their guns balance and I wouldn't want to mess that up. Most companies who build lightweights mess with the barrel, either making them too thin, or too short and you end up with a gun with poor handling qualities that does not shoot well off hand.

I've recently heard that Kimber has some serious QC issues. I was thinking of a Kimber Montana in .338 Win mag,

The QC problems were from years ago and have long ago been corrected. My 3 year old 308 is a 5 lb tackdriver with perfect balance that just hangs on target when fired offhand. It routinely puts 3 shots into well under 1". My best 3 shot group with it measures .113". Never done that well with my 10 lb target rifle.

But I wouldn't want 5-6 lb rifle in 338 mag. Kimber builds great lightweight rifles, but are at their best in the 84M model in the short action chamberings, or the new long action 84L. I do not care at all for the 84M in magnum chamberigs.