Really impressed with the Kimber 8400 Montana and Winchester Extreme Weather SS.

[MCMXI]

I've been wanting a Winchester Extreme Weather SS for a while now and was all set to buy one online when a coworker spotted one in a local gun shop at a better price. I'd never handled one but liked the specs listed on Winchester's website. In recent years I've decided that I won't buy a bolt action hunting rifle that doesn't have a three-position safety (ability to lock the bolt closed) and large extractor so no more 700s for me. Anyway, I headed to the store and they had a 270 Win and 300 Win Mag in stock but I really wanted the 300 WSM version. My coworker suggested I look at some other rifles and before long I had a Kimber 8400 Montana chambered in 300 WSM in my hands and it was love at first sight/touch. I liked both rifles so much that I bought both and at this stage couldn't be happier with either ... maybe a two-stage trigger would make me a little happier but overall the fit and finish and quality of materials of both is outstanding at their respective price points.

I went though such a debacle with the last hunting rifle that I bought, a Savage Weather Warrior, that I was hesitant to buy a Winchester sight unseen. However, these two rifles have restored my faith in US rifle manufacturing and I can't wait to take them out to the range. Here's a low resolution photo of the Kimber and Winchester.

 

[osteodoc08]

I've got a Kimber M84 Varminter in 22-250 and that thing is stupid accurate. Ragged holes at 100 and 2-3" at in ideal conditions if I do my part. Might not be outstanding from a BR guys perspective, but makes me look good and I'm happy with it. Kimber makes more than 1911's!!!

 

[Savage99]

Congrats on the new rifles. I like both of them.

What are you going to scope them with?

 

[MCMXI]

Kimber makes more than 1911's!!!

I have a couple of Kimber 1911s that I'm very pleased with but the Montana is just incredible. I'd thought about buying a Montana in the past but had never handled one until today. Kind of amazing that both of my Kimber 1911s cost more than the Montana. I cycled some loaded 300 WSM rounds through the Kimber and it works great!!

Congrats on the new rifles. I like both of them.

What are you going to scope them with?

Thanks!! It feels great to buy a pair of rifles that won't be "project" rifles. I'm going to put a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40mm on the Kimber and a Leupold Mark 4 3.5-10x40mm on the Winchester. The Mark 4 has M3 turrets and a 30mm tube so it may be a bit much but I'll see how that goes.

 

[Savage99]

What cartridge is the M70 chambered for?

I have a 3-9 Conquest on my 7mm WSM Montana.

 

[MCMXI]

What cartridge is the M70 chambered for?

300 Win Mag. I have other rifles chambered in 300 WSM and 300 WM and have Redding dies, powder, bullets and brass for both. My 300 WM rifles include an AI AW and a custom Remington 700 with a Krieger barrel (for sale) but I wanted a lightweight rifle suitable for deer and elk.

 

[Flatbush Harry]

I love my Win M70 EW in .30-06...enough so my next rifle will be one or a FNH SPR (same action).

The Winny comes with a B&C stock with bedding block and is a sub-1 MOA shooter for me with hand loads, my hunting loads with Barnes TSX and TTSX, Nosler BTs and AccuBonds.

FH

 

[jmr40]

I have both as well. My EW and Kimber are both chambered in 308. I also own a couple of stainless Winchester classics in 300 WSM and 30-06. All 3 Winchesters are in McMillan Edge stocks. All 4 are well under MOA shooters. There are some things I like better about the Winchesters, but it is hard to leave a rifle in the safe that shoots near 1/2 MOA and weighs exactly 6 lbs including the scope and mounts.

Those Kimbers are amazing.

 

[MCMXI]

I ordered Ken Farrel one-piece Picatinny bases for both this afternoon. Kimber states that the approximate weight of the Montana is 6lb-3oz and the Winchester is supposed to be 7lb-4oz. That 1lb difference is quite apparent when you handle them and I would put the Kimber ahead of the Winchester due to the nicer stock, nicer safety and smoother action but the Winchester is also very nice. Both are light years ahead of the Remington 700 and I have three of those before anyone gets bent out of shape.

 

[jmr40]

My short action 308 is 5 lbs 2 oz before mounting optics. Worked out to 6 even after. The Winchester lost 1/2 lb after I replaced the stock.

Lots of folks complain about Kimbers not shooting well. It is almost always traced back to poor shooting form. If you've been shooting a rifle that weighs 8-9 lbs with optics you can get away with a lot of shooting errors and still shoot well. A 6-7 lb rifle requires perfect form. Don't get discouraged if you don't shoot it as well as others at first. Also don't worry much about the light weight and recoil. The stocks are well designed and they come with excellent recoil pads that really make them comfortable in spite of the light weight.

I think you will like both. They are at the top of my list if suggesting a new rifle to someone.

 

[dubya450]

Congratulations! You'll be very happy with the winny. I picked uo a m70 extreme weather 338 win mag about 2 months back, topped it with a Leupold vx-3 2.5-8x36 scope and absolutely love it. One of my favorite rifles ever.

There are three reasons I didn't buy the kimber:
1) every one of them I've handled felt just a little to small for me. Mainly the LOP.
2) from people I've talked to who own one (in person not online) it seems it's about 50/50 as far as getting a "shooter" thats accurate.
3) I'm a die hard model 70 guy and have a few new ones that are great.

 

[MCMXI]

Don't get discouraged if you don't shoot it as well as others at first. Also don't worry much about the light weight and recoil. The stocks are well designed and they come with excellent recoil pads that really make them comfortable in spite of the light weight.

I think you will like both. They are at the top of my list if suggesting a new rifle to someone.

Great advice ... thanks!! I know exactly what you mean about free-recoil shooting vs. really having to hold onto the rifle. However, I'm not concerned about the recoil at all. I've shot my Remington 700 Alaskan Ti chambered in .300 WSM and I've also shot my friend's .450 Dakota and .375 H&H and they're both in the 7 to 9 lb range with optics so the .300 WM and .300 WSM won't be a problem.

Congratulations! You'll be very happy with the winny.

Thanks ... I can see some more Kimbers and/or Winchesters in my future. I'd eventually like a .260 Rem or 7mm-08 Rem and something like a .375 H&H (or larger) to bracket the .300 WM and WSM.

 

[MCMXI]

I mounted a Ken Farrel base, Seekins rings and a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40mm scope on the Kimber and managed to shoot a few rounds today. I zeroed the scope (got close) at 100 yards using some Remington 150gr PSP Core-Lokt ammunition and then shot some groups using some two-year old reloads that I was planning to try in a Remington 700 but never got around to it. The Kimber shows some real promise and has exceeded my expectations. The group below was the best group of the day (shot 67.6gr, 67.9gr and 68.2gr) so I'm more than happy since this is the first time shooting this rifle and I really wasn't expecting to be under an inch on the first day out. The 67.9gr load had velocities close to 3,000 fps so a little on the slow side for a 150gr SST according to my shooting partner today. I have three more loads to try from this batch, namely 68.5gr, 68.8gr and 69.1gr so the groups could be smaller yet. I think that the Kimber is worth every penny and probably more.

 

[MCMXI]

I didn't like the Ken Farrel bases being both too heavy and too high so I set up both rifles with lower, lighter and longer EGW HD Picatinny bases (aluminum), Seekins 1" low rings (aluminum) and Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40mm scopes with RZ600 reticles. I used a mill to cut a chamfer on the rear of both bases to match the ocular bell housing and allow me to mount the scopes further forward. I painted both bases with Cerakote. I'm going to continue with load development once it cools off a bit ... maybe September!

 

[Robert]

something like a .375 H&H (or larger)

It is tough to beat the M70 Safari Express for that. I would go with the M70 over a Kimber for the simple fact that the Winchester Safari Express is less than half of a Kimber Caprivi price wise. And what the M70 lacks in bedding I can have done by a smith after I buy it and still come out cheaper. Not knocking Kimber, they make fine rifles, but for me it is a price issue.

Either way you have a couple of great looking, and shooting, rifles.

 

[MCMXI]

Robert, that's a good point about the cost difference, however, I'd probably buy the Kimber Talkeetna chambered in .375 H&H over the Winchester Safari Express. I simply prefer stainless over blued, and prefer painted stainless over stainless (can DIY) and I'm not a big fan of wood although the Caprivi does have some nice wood. If I were going to Africa on a Safari I think I'd buy a Caprivi or a Dakota Arms Model 76 African but I don't ever plan on doing that so I'm back to the Talkeetna which I could use in Alaska.

http://www.kimberamerica.com/rifles/specialty/talkeetna

 

[Flatbush Harry]

Winchester has a very nice stainless Alaskan with laminated stock in .375 H&H. Get the stock glass-bedded if needed and you've got a great heavy duty super durable hunting rifle.

FH