Kimber Mountain Ascent Rifle Review (and customer experience difficulties)

[ida homer]

Kimber offers probably the most well designed rifle and best component to price ratio on the market. Once you deal with their quality control and customer service you figure out where they cut their corners.

I absolutely love my Kimber, but had some issues with it from the factory and miserable experiences dealing with the company sending it back and forth. I finally paid my gunsmith to fix the problems. The time and headache of dealing with Kimber weren't worth the money I'd have saved if they fixed it.

I'm really glad I stuck with the gun though, it's easily my favorite rifle I've hunted with.

^^^ This review probably sums it up best. Pass on Kimbers, good to know.

 

[noharleyyet]

Have history with 2 Kimbers, a Classic and a Montana. Still have the Classic, no problems with either. Love the Classic's lines, carry weight/balance, and finish. The alterations to the Classic..red pad, titanium bolt handle, re-bed & float. were all tinkerer's choices.

The Montana was a 7-08 feather, performed flawlessly, printed well....but went down the road in an equitable trade for something I wanted more.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Interesting read. I almost bought one of these a couple years back.

Same here. I had the $ for a Tikka or a Remmy, but was seriously considering squirreling away a while longer for one of these. I handled and manipulated several at several different stores. I liked how crazy lightweight they are, and the trigger felt amazing, but on all of them I thought the action of the bolt just didn't feel great - it was kind of sticky and I had the impression it didn't fit to slide smoothly in the action, at least not as smoothly as I was accustomed to in other rifles. I also had heard from a friend about the same problem the OP had on the camo pattern wearing off. Ultimately I decided it probably wasn't worth the extra expense and went with something else.

Anyway, interesting read. Good to know stuff like this.

 

[JLS]

I played Kimber roulette and came up a winner. Great rifle, but I was perfectly okay with tinkering with it if problems arose.

Sorry to hear you got a lemon.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Seems that the few kimbers I've been around over the years seem to go 50/50 they either work great or they aren't worth a sh$t. I had a buddy pick one up in a 300wm and he ran 3 boxes through it over a couple days and was freaking out. He just couldn't leave it behind as i tried to talk him out of taking it and sticking with ol Trusty. He was about to get on a plane and fly to a.k. for his sheep hunt and finally came to realization that he couldn't take his new baby. Glad he didn't because he couldn't hit a 5 gallon bucket at 100 yards. And he killed his sheep at 300 yards. Good luck.

 

[mtmuley]

It's ok for a Kimber to not shoot, but not a 700? Wierd. mtmuley

 

[WapitiBob]

Kimbers are for suckers or gamblers.

https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?281104-Kimber-84M&highlight=kimber

 

[NorCal Hunter]

Schaaf,
Interesting to hear from others about the camo stock pattern wearing off. I've heard often, since my experience, about issues with the action. However, I'd not heard from others regarding the stock. Appears my experience is not unique.

Brian in Montana,
Yes, I've found the action is not smooth as other rifles I've used. I accepted this in exchange for a light backcountry rifle.

Sirzonkalot,
Agree, no complaints about the weight. Packed mine around on numerous 12 hour day hunts in backcountry this year and it was nice to lug a sub 6lb rifle with scope and sling. Just wish I didn't have so many issues with rifle and service.

 

[LopeHunter]

At Kimbers price point, for me, needing to return a rifle for repair out of the box is unacceptable. I get stuff happens, but with Kimber it seems it happens too often. How come you can buy a Savage Axis, Ruger American, or Tikka for a fraction of the cost and have 0 issues? What are these manufacturers doing, for way less money, that Kimber is missing?

Agreed that a well-crafted item costing $100s with only a few moving parts should never leave the factory having multiple issues. Heck, I would be upset with one issue. Imagine if had to send your bino or rangefinder back in a couple of times just to have it function as designed? Shooting a rifle is nothing more than unleashing a controlled pipe bomb explosion so getting it right the first time is sort of a big deal.

 

[psycho]

I bought the Mountain Ascent in .308 and added a Vortex scope. I love that it feels like half the weight as most of my other rifles so its now my go to rifle. After taking my daughter hunting i found several nicks and fade marks on it. I cant say it wasn't negligence on her part but it should hold up better for only a four day hunt. The action is very rough. If your not familiar with it and practice than you are likely to short stroke it under pressure. BUT, very little kick for the lightweight gun that it is. And finally I'm getting acceptable hunting size groups out to 500 yards and im not that great of a shooter so it was worth the purchase to me. There are always lemons.

 

[FishN4Eyes]

I have two of the Mountain Ascents, one, in .308 with the Optifade pattern that exhibited the same wear as your pics show.

I also have a .280 AI in Mountain Ascent with a painted stock. Both rifles shoot decent but not what I'd call great and certainly not what I was expecting for the money.

So right now I have two that are safe queens because I don't have the confidence in them to shoot as well as I'd like. I'm a genius I tell ya! I bought not one but two of them sumbitches.

 

[pilsner]

What steps would be required to “scout scope” a Mtn Ascent in 7mm-08?

 

[CampRipleyLF]

Good to know all of your opinions..... I am planning on joining the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers as a lifetime member and was thinking I'd do the Kimber Platinum Life Membership but maybe I should do the Seek Outside Platinum Life Membership.

 

[beginnerhunter]

It's ok for a Kimber to not shoot, but not a 700? Wierd. mtmuley

As a 700 owner, that gave me some lulz.

 

[grizzly_]

Yikes, glad I spent the extra money and bought the Cooper 92 off the HT classifieds. Sorry to hear about your gun.

 

[Dan O]

Has anyone had a Rem model 7 in 300 WSM or have heard any feed back on them?

 

[ol_spark]

It is sad to hear that Kimber has the same problems now that they had 10yrs ago. Buying a Kimber is like a “grab bag” some times you get lucky and get your money’s worth. I have a 708 Montana that wasn’t right and thought it best to be tweaked locally. It’s true, they can be made into good firearms but why do they have to be. I guess uninformed people keep buying them.

 

[Schism]

Good to know all of your opinions..... I am planning on joining the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers as a lifetime member and was thinking I'd do the Kimber Platinum Life Membership but maybe I should do the Seek Outside Platinum Life Membership.

I’m in a similar situation. I’m wanting the Kimber Platinum Life Membership but don’t want to roll the dice with a Kimber rifle. Maybe Howa would be interested in sponsoring a BHA life membership?

 

[Dias454]

I only bin around one kimber montana in 300wsm and no matter what we did we could not get it to shoot forst 2 shots qould be close and 3rd would always be 2 or 3 inches away ended up selln it and buying a rem 7 in 300 wsm zero problems and easly shoots under 1 inch at 100yds

 

[Dan O]

I only bin around one kimber montana in 300wsm and no matter what we did we could not get it to shoot forst 2 shots qould be close and 3rd would always be 2 or 3 inches away ended up selln it and buying a rem 7 in 300 wsm zero problems and easly shoots under 1 inch at 100yds

How did they compare weight wise, recoil etc. Was the mod 7 barrel 22 inches or 20 inches? I've seen both listed.

Thanks,
Dan