My Kimber 84M

[Poper]

Back in 2005 I felt I deserved a special present for myself for successfully completing a couple major projects, so I special ordered a Kimber 84M Select Grade in .250 Remington. And it is a pretty little thing. After 5+ years of trying to get it to shoot better than 4" at 100 yards, I stuffed in the back of my safe and let it collect dust. I have yet to take it hunting.

Then along comes a friend of mine to use my loading bench because he is building a new shop and his stuff is in temporary storage. In the course of conversation, John asked "Whatcha got in the safe?" While showing him some of my treasures, he asked what was hiding in the back.
"Oh, some shotguns - my Browning Double Auto, a 1941 Ithaca Model 37, Russ's Auto 5, a Stevens single shot .20 ga. and a Kimber in .260 that won't shoot for beans." Then I proceeded to describe my frustrations with the gun and that maybe I'd stick it on Gunbroker to see what it would bring.
John is a former gunsmith and said he knew someone at Kimber and I should let him send it to them and they would fix it. I thought, 'Why not? It's just taking up space as it is'.

And so I did and he did. That was a little over two years ago.
Last week John got a phone call from Kimber. <'Bout time, dontcha think?>
Yup. It won't shoot for beans. <Really? Imagine that.>
They think it is the barrel, but they don't chamber .260 Remington anymore. <Just my luck.:banghead:>
Ok. Then rebarrel it in .308 Winchester, if you think you can get it to shoot.
Oh!, It will shoot less than 1" at 100 yards for three shot group or they won't let it ship. And they will send the test target to prove it.
Uh, huh. And how long will that take?
No telling. Can't (or won't) give an estimate.

Well, I have a lot of patience. But I am 60 years old and I have had, er, OWNED that thing for 10 years. I wonder if I'll get the chance to hunt with it before I pass on or am not longer able to hunt?

Glad I only have $1,400 tied up in it.

 

[mtlucas0311]

That is absolutely absurd.

The fact that they said they won't chamber it in .260 alone would be enough for me to ask for my rifle back and offload it. I refuse to believe they don't chamber anything in 6.5 mm, so it's a reamer away from a .260 barrel. I don't understand why you'd accepted that level of performance from a semi-custom rifle (if that's what it is) and just forget about it for years; or again when you sent it back???

 

[mshootnit]

In the mean time, procure some match grade 308, and get ready for some good groups.

 

[Steve S.]

I own an 84M (the CC Limited Edition, AAA French walnut stock) in .308; just a gorgeous rifle from the looker side of things. When I first started shooting the rifle about four years ago, I got the same results and worse. Trying to put my journey with this rifle into words, I "learned" to shoot it - it is definitely a very light rifle that requires a different technique than most. Also, not sure if I am a better shooter with the rifle, the rifle is getting "broke in" or both, but it shoots great now. I have always used basic Winchester 150 gr. factory stuff; on the bench at 100 yards, 3/4 to an inch five shot groups is now standard stuff. I understand your frustration; after about 200 rounds, it all came together. Good shooting.

 

[Catpop]

A very distressing story to say the least! Not only for that fine rifle, but for the Kimberly customer service department! You have way more patience than i.
I hope it comes together for you soon!

 

[Offfhand]

Interesting story, as I had same rifle, and experience. It was the only .260 I've ever had that wasn't accurate. Under the pretty wood the quality just wasn't there either. They took it back, no questions.

 

[jmr40]

Something doesn't sound right. You gave your rifle to a guy who "claimed" he returned it to Kimber 2 years ago and just now heard from them. And for 2 years you never questioned where your rifle was?

It was pretty well known that Kimber had some quality issues with some of the early rifles. Mine isn't my favorite all around rifle. It is just TOO light most of the time, but for those times when I'm in really remote rough country it gets the nod. And I have no doubts about the accuracy.

Also Kimbers, as well as most pencil thin barreled rifles tend to be picky about loads. They shoot some well, others awful. Guns with heavier barrels tend to be more forgiving about shooting most anything well.

Give Kimber a chance to make it right, you just might be pleased.

 

[Poper]

I don't understand why you'd accepted that level of performance from a semi-custom rifle (if that's what it is) and just forget about it for years; or again when you sent it back???

Well, you just don't know Poper. I have been a competitive shooter and hunter since I was 12. My latest shooting obsession is metallic silhouette, so I stay entertained. High Power and Smallbore.

I got lots more toys to play with and the 84M just became the pretty little dust collector. It was easier to just ignore it than to do anything about it at the time.

Something doesn't sound right. You gave your rifle to a guy who "claimed" he returned it to Kimber 2 years ago and just now heard from them. And for 2 years you never questioned where your rifle was?

Jumping to conclusions.
For the sake of brevity to spare anyone reading the thread the boring blow by blow account, I tried to keep it short and sweet.

To satisfy folks' curiosity, though:
The "guy", John, is my best friend's brother. Russell died in 2007 from cardiac complications with MS.
John and I have become fairly close friends since Russell passed. John and I and our spouses were at Russell's bedside when he took his last breath. John and I have swapped a guns, reloading supplies and tools over the years. I guess I trust the "guy".

Every few months I would ask what was up and John would give me an update.

Kimber says they are backlogged with government orders and service orders, the greatest percentage of handguns, so getting to it, once it got into the cue, took several months. Then, once they looked it over for obvious defect that could be revealed without shooting (and it passed) the next step was to shoot it. Kimber does not have a range and they have to schedule range time at a range facility that is a considerable distance from their plant. They finally got mu gun to the range and shot it back in August. John got the phone call in late September once the service rep got the report.

Kimber is swamped. I understand that. I don't need the 84M. It was a piece of "jewelry" I bought as a reward to myself. I didn't "need" it.
My Tikka T3 Lite shoots 2 3/4" groups at 500 meters with 140 grain Bergers and IMR 4831. With Vortex 6.5-20x50 Viper scope in Talley rings it is my high power hunter class silhouette gun.
I have a Tikka T3 Hunter in .30-06 that shoots 5/8" three shot groups at 100 yards with 150 grain Sierra Game Kings and IMR 4350. It wears a Nikon Monarch 5.5-15.5x40 in Tikka rings. And there are many more toys I have accumulated over the years in the safe just for fun. Just what is it I need that Kimber for again???

 

[Poper]

Update!!!

Kimber shipped my "repaired" 84M on Friday. UPS says it is scheduled for delivery this coming Friday.

It is now a .308 Winchester.
That's ok. I was down to my last 2 .308's anyway!

Another critter to work a load up for! (Yay!)

 

[Gtscotty]

Well that was pretty quick on the rebarrel anyway, be sure to put up a range report after you see how it shoots.

 

[MCMXI]

I don't believe for one second that it took Kimber 2 years to resolve this issue but good to hear that you got the rifle back with a .308 cal barrel. Kimber now offers a number of rifles chambered for 6.5 Creedmoor but nothing with a carbon barrel yet so that wouldn't have been an option for you anyway.

I refuse to believe they don't chamber anything in 6.5 mm, so it's a reamer away from a .260 barrel.

See comment above.

There were a number of problems with the .260 Remington rifles, mostly with accuracy, so those models were discontinued. There are no such issues with the 6.5 Creedmoor rifles. Here are three targets shot earlier in the year from three different Kimber rifles using factory Hornady ammunition. All targets were shot at an outdoor range at 100 yards using sandbags front and rear.

 

[Poper]

I don't believe for one second that it took Kimber 2 years to resolve this issue

Technically, you are correct. From the date it left my safe (Oct. 24, 2013) to date of scheduled delivery (Oct. 30, 2015) is two years and six days. So a smidgen more than two years.

Believe what you want. I do not lie.
I do not fault Kimber for the extended time frame. They could easily have told me to take a jump through a rolling donut or charged me for the repair. I bought the gun in 2005 and put a lot of lead down range trying to find a load that would shoot. The folks at Kimber are reportedly overloaded with government maintenance contracts that have deadlines and quota requirements. I believe such defense work would be required to take priority. Add to the fact that they do not have their own range to accuracy test firearms, and you have a recipe for delayed service. No big deal. I have plenty of guns to keep me entertained and Metallic Silhouette has since become my shooting sport of choice with a Tikka T3 Lite in .270 Win. that shoots 2-3/4" groups at 500 meters.

As it is, I might take it hunting next fall. This years honors go to my Remington 700 with Montana Rifle Co. barrel chambered in 6.5-.300 WSM, Timney trigger and Vortex 6.5-24x50 in a Remington wood Classic stock with a Tikka T3 Hunter in 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser back up.

There are no such issues with the 6.5 Creedmoor rifles.

I have considered a 6.5 Creedmore. Just haven't got there yet. The 6.5 calibers are my favorites. I'm thinking I'll eventually get me a 6.5 CM, too.

There were a number of problems with the .260 Remington rifles, mostly with accuracy

From what the Kimber representative said, they had a problem with barrels at the time my 84M was made. I have heard other folks had similar issues about the same time. I understand they have corrected the problem.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Give Kimber a chance to make it right, you just might be pleased.

I would say if they've had the rifle for two years, they've had all the chance they're entitled to.

 

[natman]

While we're on the subject, does anybody know why Kimber had such a hard time with accuracy in their 260 Remington rifles? The cartridge is plenty accurate in other rifles.

 

[MCMXI]

Technically, you are correct. From the date it left my safe (Oct. 24, 2013) to date of scheduled delivery (Oct. 30, 2015) is two years and six days. So a smidgen more than two years.

Believe what you want. I do not lie.

So you are standing by your statement that the rifle went directly from your safe to Kimber on 10/24/13? Consider that Kimber put a new barrel on your 2006 rifle FOR NO CHARGE before you answer!!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Consider that Kimber put a new barrel on your 2006 rifle FOR NO CHARGE before you answer!!

And they bloody well SHOULD have put a new barrel on it!!

 

[Poper]

So you are standing by your statement that the rifle went directly from your safe to Kimber on 10/24/13? Consider that Kimber put a new barrel on your 2006 rifle FOR NO CHARGE before you answer!!

I wonder about some people's reading comprehension sometimes. I did not say it went directly from my safe to Kimber. If you return to my original post, it went from my safe to the hands of my friend whom had an acquaintance at Kimber. He shipped it. And he called last night and said it was delivered yesterday afternoon. John says it looks great and that the test target measured 0.77" for three rounds at 100 yards with Winchester 168 grain match ammo.

Also, from the post you quoted from:

I do not fault Kimber for the extended time frame. They could easily have told me to take a jump through a rolling donut or charged me for the repair. I bought the gun in 2005 and put a lot of lead down range trying to find a load that would shoot.

I'm actually kind of surprised they did it at no charge. The folks at Kimber could easily have told me a repair would have a price tag and I would have understood. As it was, even though it took 2 years, and granted, Kimber had the gun in their possession for less than two years, I am not faulting Kimber. My rifle was low on the priority list and had to wait its turn in the cue. No big deal. I'm a little disappointed that I lost the .260 chambering, but I like .308s, too.

Quote:
Consider that Kimber put a new barrel on your 2006 rifle FOR NO CHARGE before you answer!!

And they bloody well SHOULD have put a new barrel on it!!

And they did without protest or argument or prodding.

Thank you Kimber!
We'll see how my first ladder of test loads with 168 grain Bergers works out tomorrow!

 

[MCMXI]

I wonder about some people's reading comprehension sometimes. I did not say it went directly from my safe to Kimber. If you return to my original post, it went from my safe to the hands of my friend whom had an acquaintance at Kimber. He shipped it. And he called last night and said it was delivered yesterday afternoon.*

From the date it left my safe (Oct. 24, 2013) to date of scheduled delivery (Oct. 30, 2015) is two years and six days. So a smidgen more than two years.

When did your friend ship the rifle to Kimber? Whether intentionally or not, from your first post you have implied that it took Kimber two years to fix your rifle. Most of those replying seem to be under the same impression. This is misleading if your friend didn't send the rifle in to Kimber until recently, say 9/13/15 for example.

 

[dickydalton]

Wow

 

[Poper]

When did your friend ship the rifle to Kimber? Whether intentionally or not, from your first post you have implied that it took Kimber two years to fix your rifle. Most of those replying seem to be under the same impression. This is misleading if your friend didn't send the rifle in to Kimber until recently, say 9/13/15 for example.

To satisfy your OCD curiosity, [QUOTEthe date it left my safe (Oct. 24, 2013) to date of scheduled delivery (Oct. 30, 2015) /QUOTE]Date John sent it, within a week of his getting it, so no later than 10-21-13. Received from Kimber: 10-29-15.

You do the math. Close enough to two years for me.

I picked it up today. My stock is unmarred and in the condition it left in. The action is unmarred. The new barrel blue job does not match the action. I haven't shot it yet.

 

[MCMXI]

Strange then that an 84M Classic in .260 Rem serial # KM1773X was received at Kimber on 9/14/15 on a second RMA due to the owner not sending it back on the first RMA. Well done for getting a new barrel at Kimber's expense with a six week turnaround (returned on 10/23/15) then lying about it on a forum for dramatic effect.

 

[dickydalton]

I guess I don't know.

 

[crazysccrmd]

Someone sounds a little butthurt.

 

[horsemen61]

I would have stayed with a 6.5 caliber personally

 

[Poper]

Hmmm. Something's not adding up.

RMA?