Need a feather weight rifle. The Savage Light weight hunter is calling me.Any others?

Nice Rifle!

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I'm not sure about the scope and ring combo. I think that large of a scope will look out of place on that rifle. Plus the weight of the Talley's and the scope will put you right at the 6.5lbs mark, and with a little patience and forethought you could have put together a M70 FWT for about the same weight for the same price you bought the Kimber for since you bought it for around $1000-1200 as that is the going price for them at most places.
 
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As far as high end optics go, the Leupold VX6 3x18 with firedot is not that heavy for what it brings in quality. Its actually pretty light for a full blown every option optic.
It weighs exactly what my Docter 3x9 40mm. The light weight Talleys are the lightest I have found or that I have seen. There is nothing Winchester has that's close to a 5.2 lbs gun. My "feather weight" is only in name (6lbs 12oz) and is a mid weight sportster by today's standard. This Kimber scope combo will weigh less than a bare Winchester Feather weight with no optics.:D

I have studied weights of guns for sooooo long and I realized putting together a quality top shelf mountain gun and optics isnt cheap. $2000.00-2500.00 is a realistic number to do it right.

Gun is 5.2
Scope is 19 oz
Talley one piece aluminum mounts can't be much.

I have the exact same scope on a Winchester Feather weight JOC custom.

Leupoldscopenet.jpg
 
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I'm not arguing the quality of optics, but your Kimber is a more petite rifle than your JOC rifle. I just think it might change the balance and feel of the rifle, just saying.
 
Need a feather weight rifle. The Savage Light weight hunter is calling me.Any...

I put 3-10's on all mine, plenty of scope for out to 500. But everyone's got tastes, needs, wants...


Post pics when you get it all set up.

This is the .243 w Leupold 3-10 x 40. I don't use the bipod on it, just had it on there to take a pic.
 
I totally had that as a concern until I checked the measurements of a gun I was familiar with and compared the scope / gun combo. The issue is the 30mm tube. I can't go back to a 1" tube, I just can't. The 44mm lens is about as small as I can go and stay in that caliber of optics, most are 50mm. I was worried if the Montana would be over scoped but its the same length and size as my Feather Weight, it just has a shorter action. A 3x9 is enough scope but a 3x18 is enough with a side of awesome.:D I hunted this year with the VX6 and it was truly a useful addition. To go into the woods with the advantage of a high magnification scope yet not loose any field of view in the low power with a huge eye relief and firedot was as good as it can get. It set a new standard of optics with my eyes. I know I am gushing over the optics but its really a game changer.
 
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Mystro said:
I totally had that as a concern until I checked the measurements of a gun I was familiar with and compared the scope / gun combo. The issue is the 30mm tube. I can't go back to a 1" tube, I just can't. The 44mm lens is about as small as I can go and stay in that caliber of optics, most are 50mm. I was worried if the Montana would be over scoped but its the same length and size as my Feather Weight, it just has a shorter action. A 3x9 is enough scope but a 3x18 is enough with a side of awesome.:D I hunted this year with the VX6 and it was truly a useful addition. To go into the woods with the advantage of a high magnification scope yet not loose any field of view in the low power with a huge eye relief and firedot was as good as it can get. It set a new standard of optics with my eyes. I know I am gushing over the optics but its really a game changer.
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Me like nice scopes too :D no need to explain to me... Lol
 
Need a feather weight rifle. The Savage Light weight hunter is calling me.Any...

Mystro said:
Kimber84,

Nice. That is a great mountain rig. What factory loads does it like???
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Not sure, all I run are hand loads.

Right now I'm using the following:

Win Brass
Rem 9 1/2 large rifle primers
34.5 grains of H4895
95g Hornady SST bullets seated .010 off the lands.

I think I was right around 2850 fps, mind you that's a 22" barrel too

Accuracy is .75 MOA, I'm still tinkering with some other loads here and there, but that's my go to as of now. Kill lots of coyotes with it along with the occasional groundhog
 
That's put em in there. I try to pick the best factory load as a default first, then after I am satisfied there are a few factory loads that will work, I try to improve from there with my reloads.
 
Mystro said:
That's put em in there. I try to pick the best factory load as a default first, then after I am satisfied there are a few factory loads that will work, I try to improve from there with my reloads.
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Yep, that's a good place to start. I'll say this, if you're having a bad day don't try to shoot the Montana from the bench and get good groups. You have to be focused when shooting such a light rifle, pretty easy to pull shots. I carried the classic model in 06' out west this past fall, it weighs about a pound more than the Montana ( plus its an 84L, long action) so its not a direct comparison. Either way, it was an absolute pleasure to carry and hunt with, didn't even feel it when I ended up shooting my mulie. As we packed the deer out on frame packs my buddy and I took turns carrying the rifle, he says " man this thing feels like a toy"
 
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