Have read the horror stories (and the good commentary) concerning this model; own a .308 Custom Classic Limited Edition for about three years, sighted with standard Winchester factory ammo stuff (150 gr.), 1" groups at 100 then a safe queen. Just returned from a MO managed deer hunt where I shot two does at about 125, bullet went where I aimed and the deer died - rifle did what it was supposed to do. I was anxious about using this thing after reading all of the bad press but now have confidence in this rifle; a beautiful piece of work with average accuracy - certainly enough for deer in this country. I have not shot anything with the .308 since the Vietnam thing but my opinion is that the .308 may be too much gun for deer - at least around here as the offside of the chest was blown out - the other caliber available in this model (.257 Roberts) is probably plenty of horsepower. Anyway, wanted to share my experience so far with this 84M - I must have purchased a good one. Good shooting.
Kimber 84M Experience
- Thread starter Steve S.
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matrem
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My brother bought a Kimber 84 Montana in .257 Roberts a couple years ago.
No dead animals that I know of with it, but it sure holds it's own on paper at 200 yds with handloads we've tried.
Not sure where your "horror stories" origininated from?
My advise is to ignore them & prove to yourself what works.
No dead animals that I know of with it, but it sure holds it's own on paper at 200 yds with handloads we've tried.
Not sure where your "horror stories" origininated from?
My advise is to ignore them & prove to yourself what works.
I am using the Winchester "white box" 150 gr. lead point; I was amazed at the exit wounds - about three inches on the offside of the chest cavity - just seemed like a large hole to me - a different bullet choice is probably the answer. I read the horror stories (bad bedding, bad in letting, 4" groups at 100, poor Kimber service, etc) on the net at different webs; I know that everything on the net is true and should know better at my age - even after my range experience with this rifle about three years ago - which I thought was fine - I developed some doubt. After this deer hunt, I am calmed down now and all is well - just hated the thought of ridding myself of this rifle because it is just a beautiful piece of workmanship - to hold and look.
Sometimes bullets do weird things when they hit an animal, especially if you hit a fat rib. but it sounds like the round put those deer down fine. Typically a .308 soft point will leave a half dollar sized exit wound in my experience. The .308 is a great deer round.
Poper
Member
Glad to hear your 84M .308 shoots like that! I wish my .260 did.
I have an 84M Select Grade with the Claro Walnut stock in .260 Remington that I special ordered back in 2006. I worked with it almost every weekend for nearly three years trying to get a load that would shoot less than 4" at 100 yards. I gave up and stuck it in the back of the safe. Back in October a friend talked me into sending it back to Kimber and it has been there ever since. I love the gun and it is a pretty little thing, but I felt like it was shooting far too poor for a $1400 gun.
From what I have been told and have read, Kimber had a problem with barrels about the time I bought mine and they also gave the .260 too long of a twist, IIRC it was 1:10 or more when it should really be 1:8 to 1:8.5.
I hope it comes back fixed and still in .260 Remington.
Poper
I have an 84M Select Grade with the Claro Walnut stock in .260 Remington that I special ordered back in 2006. I worked with it almost every weekend for nearly three years trying to get a load that would shoot less than 4" at 100 yards. I gave up and stuck it in the back of the safe. Back in October a friend talked me into sending it back to Kimber and it has been there ever since. I love the gun and it is a pretty little thing, but I felt like it was shooting far too poor for a $1400 gun.
From what I have been told and have read, Kimber had a problem with barrels about the time I bought mine and they also gave the .260 too long of a twist, IIRC it was 1:10 or more when it should really be 1:8 to 1:8.5.
I hope it comes back fixed and still in .260 Remington.
Poper
gbw
Member
M70 v. 84M
I posted this in another thread, not a Kimber hit piece, but I do think the rifle is quite overpriced for the 'quality' provided.
I'm novice at rifles my but experience confirms Kimber is overpriced and over-rated as to build quality.
I recently bought 2 new rifles, a Win. M70 Super Grade .30-06 and a Kimber Select Grade Stainless .308. Both have new Leupold scopes (4-10x40mm for the Winchester and 2.5-8x32mm for the Kimber). I live in a remote area and didn't get a chance to look at the rifles before ordering.
Although Kimber was several hundred dollars more expensive, overall the Winchester is a much nicer rifle, even if they had both cost the same.
Both do have good triggers and are accurate. Both have been reliable. Both are nicely finished.
The Kimber action is rougher, noisier, much more loosly fitted. Winchester is smooth and well machined, fitted, and finished.
The Kimber 'match chamber', which they so heavily advertise, isn't - not even close. It is visibly rough and leaves marks on fired cartridge cases where dull or nicked reamers were used to finish it. Winchester chamber is immaculate.
But the Winchester is fairly heavy and the Kimber is a light, handy, and accurate rifle, if very over priced compared to the Winchester.
Winchester wood is much nicer.
I'd buy another Winchester without hesitation and probably will.
The Kimber 84M is not a bad rifle, but compared to the Winchester it is not nearly worth the cost to me. Perhaps unfair since it's such a small sample size, but there it is.
I posted this in another thread, not a Kimber hit piece, but I do think the rifle is quite overpriced for the 'quality' provided.
I'm novice at rifles my but experience confirms Kimber is overpriced and over-rated as to build quality.
I recently bought 2 new rifles, a Win. M70 Super Grade .30-06 and a Kimber Select Grade Stainless .308. Both have new Leupold scopes (4-10x40mm for the Winchester and 2.5-8x32mm for the Kimber). I live in a remote area and didn't get a chance to look at the rifles before ordering.
Although Kimber was several hundred dollars more expensive, overall the Winchester is a much nicer rifle, even if they had both cost the same.
Both do have good triggers and are accurate. Both have been reliable. Both are nicely finished.
The Kimber action is rougher, noisier, much more loosly fitted. Winchester is smooth and well machined, fitted, and finished.
The Kimber 'match chamber', which they so heavily advertise, isn't - not even close. It is visibly rough and leaves marks on fired cartridge cases where dull or nicked reamers were used to finish it. Winchester chamber is immaculate.
But the Winchester is fairly heavy and the Kimber is a light, handy, and accurate rifle, if very over priced compared to the Winchester.
Winchester wood is much nicer.
I'd buy another Winchester without hesitation and probably will.
The Kimber 84M is not a bad rifle, but compared to the Winchester it is not nearly worth the cost to me. Perhaps unfair since it's such a small sample size, but there it is.
Poper:
There is just no excuse for that. How can Ruger put an already scoped .270 in a box with an MSRP of $299 that will shoot inside two inches and Kimber cannot get their $1400 rifle to consistently hit a coke can. Just no excuse.
There is just no excuse for that. How can Ruger put an already scoped .270 in a box with an MSRP of $299 that will shoot inside two inches and Kimber cannot get their $1400 rifle to consistently hit a coke can. Just no excuse.
I have a really nice 2005 270 wsm kimber 8400m classic bought new old stock a couple years ago. I see a few bad reports here and there. I took a little time to fine tune the adjustable trigger and float the barrel a little better. Now it's probably the most accurate gun I have. I would buy another Kimber 8400m classic
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I have a number of rifles. I have been hunting with my handloads since 1953. Among these rifles is a battery of pre-64 M70's.
I have Kimber 84M's in 243, 7-08, and 308.
Here is a target fired with my Kimber 308 to confirm it's accuracy.
I don't agree with a post above that said Kimber's bolts are rougher than a M70.
That target shot at 200 yds shows two shots very close to the zero mark fired with a cold barrel.
The 243 is just as or more accurate.
The safeties on 84M's and 8400 are smoother and function better than any M70 old or new.
The Kimber 84M is a landmark rifle.
I have Kimber 84M's in 243, 7-08, and 308.
Here is a target fired with my Kimber 308 to confirm it's accuracy.
I don't agree with a post above that said Kimber's bolts are rougher than a M70.
That target shot at 200 yds shows two shots very close to the zero mark fired with a cold barrel.
The 243 is just as or more accurate.
The safeties on 84M's and 8400 are smoother and function better than any M70 old or new.
The Kimber 84M is a landmark rifle.
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Bwana John
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That was my experience with them, but it didnt shoot well enough to make up for the pretty wood, and I traded it.
Saying a Kimber has lower quality than a Winchester is just plain WRONG. Both are good guns and for a standard weight rifle a Winchester is my top choice. But I've owned and handled a bunch of both brands. The upper end Winchesters ain't bad, and are comparable to a standard grade Kimber, but as a rule Kimbers are much better built.
My Kimber weighs 6 lbs scoped. A factory Winchester Sporter will come in at closer to 9 lbs, a Featherweight 8 lbs. after mounting optics. The whole point of buying a Kimber is to get a true lightweight. The only other production rifle of that weight is a NULA and it will cost you $3000. Having the custom work done on a Winchester to get it close to a Kimber would cost you at least $5000. At $1,100 a Kimber is a bargain in comparison. If you don't want or need a 5 lb rifle then paying a premium for a Kimber is a waste of money. If you want an 8 lb rifle a Winchester is my choice too.
You are comparing Winchesters "Supergrade" to a Kimber standard rifle. I've yet to see a standard Winchester with wood that can match what is on most Kimbers.
Actually the MSRP of the scoped Americans is $679 but is not on dealers shelves yet. The unscoped rifle has a MSRP of $449 and has been selling for $350-$400. It is a good rifle and I'll probably end up with one, but I'll not be giving up my Kimber. Which is lighter scoped than the American is unscoped, has CRF, stainless construction and a far better stock which would sell for $600-$700 as an aftermarket option.
Lots of folks complain about Kimbers accuracy. In the vast majority of these cases the rifles are just fine. It just takes a lot more skill to shoot a rifle that is under 6 lbs compared to most standard rifles weiging 8-9 lbs. It took a little time, some burned powder and a lot of dry fire practice for me to become a better shooter. But the effort was worth the results. The rifle was always capable of this, it took some time for me to get there. Don't try to tell me Kimbers don't shoot.
Poper
Member
jmr40,
Tell ya what. When my 84M comes back, if it doesn't shoot better than 2" groups at 100 yards, I'll trade it to you straight up for a Tikka.
Please don't imply I cannot shoot. The attached target of 5-round groups was shot with my Browning in .300WSM.
Poper
Tell ya what. When my 84M comes back, if it doesn't shoot better than 2" groups at 100 yards, I'll trade it to you straight up for a Tikka.
Please don't imply I cannot shoot. The attached target of 5-round groups was shot with my Browning in .300WSM.
Poper
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