Kimber Montana Rebarrel options - what would you do?

[elkhunter11]

Looks good, post up the range results, after you shoot it.

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by chuck

Nicely done!

Here is a Bergara Kimber barrel btw.

Looks a little off centered

[fishnguy]

^ Illusion because of the notch.

[marky_mark]

Hope so
But kimbers see know to have barrel issues

[fishnguy]

Just knowing Chuck from here, I don’t think he could live with an issue like that, lol.

[waldedw]

That looks like a sweet little package, 7-08 is a great cartridge, ny guess is will shoot well.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

Hope so
But kimbers see know to have barrel issues

It is not off centre. The breech is coned. That gives the illusion of greater surface area on the off side.

[stob]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

338 federal would be a cool cartridge for 300-400 yards

X2 ... had one in a montana once...very effective

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by chuck

It is not off centre. The breech is coned. That gives the illusion of greater surface area on the off side.

Ya I took a Better look when I wasn’t driving down the highway lol

I’m interested to see how it turns out for the op
Hope it’s a shooter

[Prairiekid]

So the 7saw uses a standard bolt face? If you wanted to use a mid for caliber bullet weight 140ish you wouldn’t have to worry about mag length as much.

[TangoKilo]

Awesome project!!

Benchmark tube on a Kimber action and stock, all whipped together by Henry is bound to shoot great!!

Lapua makes 7-08 brass.
What bullet are you going to shoot?

[brewster29]

Originally Posted by TangoKilo

Awesome project!!

Benchmark tube on a Kimber action and stock, all whipped together by Henry is bound to shoot great!!

Lapua makes 7-08 brass.
What bullet are you going to shoot?

Try 120 TTSX with 44.0 gr Varget.

This combination gives me 3050 fps from a 21" tube, and very nice three shot groups (.6 or less) from my #1 contour barrel. A heavier contour premium barrel should do a fair bit better.

That's a really sweet rig, too bad the bolt is on the wrong (right) side.

[jayquiver]

I'm going to try Barnes in a few weights, 120-145 to start with.

Had it at the range yesterday for barrel break-in and had a few mis-fires/light strikes with factory ammo. Need to have a look at the firing pin so unfortunately the load development will need to wait.

...so the Cooper Jackson Hunter 338-06 running 225gr Accubonds @2425 fps will be coming with me this week hunting. Should work for where I'll be hunting.

@100 Yards


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[Manning74]

Originally Posted by jayquiver

I'm going to try Barnes in a few weights, 120-145 to start with.

Had it at the range yesterday for barrel break-in and had a few mis-fires/light strikes with factory ammo. Need to have a look at the firing pin so unfortunately the load development will need to wait.

...so the Cooper Jackson Hunter 338-06 running 225gr Accubonds @2425 fps will be coming with me this week hunting. Should work for where I'll be hunting.

@100 Yards


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Staball 6.5 and 150 gr eldx is my go to with my Montana in 7mm08, very good velocity and accuracy with this load. Im sure the staball would do well with the barnes projectiles aswell.

[Blockcaver]

Originally Posted by jayquiver

Had it at the range yesterday for barrel break-in and had a few mis-fires/light strikes with factory ammo. Need to have a look at the firing pin so unfortunately the load development will need to wait.

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You probably need a different (stiffer) firing pin spring. I had the same issue, as did a friend....both 7mm-08 Kimber Montanas purchased used nearly a decade ago. Our excellent local gunsmith squared them both away rather quickly after checking that firing pin protrusion was in spec...it was. New springs...no misfires ever again. And he used spring stock he had, didn't waste any effort to get a Kimber spring. This is a known problem on some older Montanas.

If the bolt opens very easily when you lift the bolt up cocking it...starting from the fired position on an empty chamber, that is a sure fire indicator of a weak spring. My two other Montanas never showed that issue, but the 7mm-08 sure did prior to the new spring. It would almost fall open.

Good luck with it...bet it is a quick cheap fix.

[Homesteader]

Nice job!!

That’s the same weight as my T3 Superlite in 06 with a freedom 2-7 on it.

[Jordan Smith]

Originally Posted by RickF

Regarding going to a standard larger contour barrel like some random #2 or whatever and cutting on the factory stock, DON'T!!! Benchmark, Lilja and others have what they call a modified 84M contour. It follows the contour of the factory barrel until after it exits the foreend tip, and THEN the taper slows to a 0.60" or so muzzle instead of the factory's 0.55". That gives you an extra couple ounces out front, but doesn't require any modifications to the stock. I have a quick twist 243AI on an 84M Montana set up this way.

I would call Bighorn Sales in Houston, BC and order a Benchmark. They are great barrels. I have had several, and see a bunch annually on the competition silhouette line. They have all been extremely accurate, don't foul and are long wearing.

Regarding which cartridge? The 84M is a great action, but the 2.81" mag box sucks for modern bullets on the 308 case. Modern bullets are getting longer and pointier, which means longer from the ogive to the tip. So if you want to use a long pointy VLD type bullet, by the time you fit it in a case to fit the mag box, be sure the ogive is not below the case mouth (shorter case more better). And the larger the diameter, the progressively longer VLD bullets are getting.

I would sweat over which bullets you want to use, and with your gunsmiths reamer which cartridge / bullet combo lets you seat to get out to the throat yet still fit the mag box. You may not seat that long, but believe me when you have to seat to fit the mag box and your bullet has to jump a tenth or more to reach the lands it's not a path to happiness. Your rifle may shoot fine set up that way, but the smart move is to design so you can seat off the throat or out to it, and you won't know which your rifle prefers with any particular bullet until it tells you.

Honestly, of those I would go Creedmoor as the case is a tenth inch shorter than the 308 based rounds, which gives you more room in front of the case mouth for bullet.

I would go large primer brass if you will hunt cold temps as stated above. And I would cut to balance how you like. If you go 0.6" muzzle a 20" barrel will be more neutral than a longer barrel which will give a slightly more muzzle heavy feel (my preference). What do YOU prefer?

Personally, I would order an 8 twist Benchmark in their "mod84" contour with a 22" finish length.

If you want, PM me your cell number and I can text you some pics of the standard vs "mod84" contour.

+1

[Jordan Smith]

Originally Posted by sns2

The only thing I have ever read about this was a thread on 24 hr campfire over a year ago where someone said that two gun store clerks told them they are using Bergara barrels.

Who / where did you hear this? I am sure a number of us would be interested. Thanks.

"Look at the extractor cut in the breech end of the barrel and if you see a B it's a Bergara, or a C and it's a Criterion."

If no stamp, it's made by Kimber.