Anyone have experience with one of these? I handled one today in 7-08 and definitely liked the way it felt in the hand, etc.
Anyone have experience with one of these? I handled one today in 7-08 and definitely liked the way it felt in the hand, etc.
I have a Kimber Montana in .308 with a 2-7 Leupold, that I bought for an Elk hunt that never happened. The Montana and Adirondack are pretty close. It can get a lively at the range, the couple times I've had it out, I had enough after 20 rounds.
In the field it's so light that it's very hard to hold steady and turning the scope up from 2x tends to magnify the wobble more than help.
It's a great deer and pig rifle, for me 80 yards would be a long shot. Not so good for coyotes where the shots are further and the lack of stability really becomes a problem.
Want to bring this thread back from the dead as I just put an older (grey stock without the threaded muzzle) Kimber 84M Montana in 7mm-08 on layaway at the LGS and am looking for optics. I tend to favor fixed power scopes and will definitely go in that direction for such a light rifle. Right now, I am considering the Leupold 2.5X Ultralight. But I am also considering a red dot.
The purpose of this rifle is deer hunting in fairly hilly areas in north Alabama and southern Tennessee. More carrying than shooting is the expectation. Chose 7mm-08 because I like the .308 class cartridges and this rifle was on the shelf. All shots should be well under 150 yards. I would need to purchase the Leupold 2.5X while I already have an Aimpoint T1 in the safe. The T1 is about 2 ounces lighter than the Leupold. Usually I would ignore a 2-ounce difference, but this rifle weighs just over five pounds. Has anybody mounted an Aimpoint Micro on a hunting rifle? If so, what mount was used? Am I crazy for considering this?
I’m just gonna say don’t limit yourself to rock throwing distance with any Montana but especially the 7-08. Load a 162 Amax or now I guess an ELD and shoot as far as you want or as close as you need. The 7-08 is probably the best caliber for that gun.
I have 3 of them in different calibers and one wears a Leupold 2.5-8, another wears a 3.5-10 and the other one wears an SWFA SS 3-9 HD scope. Even the heavy 19 oz 3-9 is still very packable but obviously lighter is easier. I call coyotes with mine and shots are usually under 100 yards but I’ve killed more than a few at over twice that with just a monopod rested against my knee. They are not hard to shoot just different.
Edit to add, I would prefer a little magnification over the Aimpoint unless y’all do deer drives or run dogs.
Thank you for the reply. In the fourteen years I have been here, the longest shot I have taken on a deer was much less than 150 yards. 75 yards is more likely than 150 yards where I hunt. The terrain runs from flat where my primary residence is to quite hilly on our mini-farm. There are few places where I can see four hundred yards, namely across a field that usually has soybeans, corn, or cotton planted, but not too many. I typically still hunt but I am not a fan of blinds. As such, I tend to walk long distances to get into position.Originally Posted by TWR
I really do not need this rifle; it was a bit of an impulse purchase. That being said, I have wanted a lightweight bolt-action rifle for a while. I had one of the first Remington Model 7 rifles in .260 Remington that was sent down the road and never replaced. I went to the LGS to look at the new straight-pull Savage just because I think the design is cool and found this Kimber on the shelf. First one I have seen in a few years. With the current supply/demand dynamics, it is likely to be the only one I see for the next five years. So the Savage will have to wait. Once I had the Montana in my hands, I did not let it go. I figured if I did not buy it, someone else would have that day.
My usual deer hunting rifle for the last fifteen years has been a Browning 1885 Low Wall in .243 Winchester topped with a Leupold 3-9X Compact. The reason it has that scope is because it was wearing it when my wife gave it to me. I am a fixed-power fan. The 1885 is a light rifle, and .243 is a good fit for the local deer. I also have a Ruger No. 1 in .243, but that rifle is considerably heavier than the 1885. If I ever went after a larger animal, the 7mm-08 offers that ability. That being said, I do not expect to be chasing elk with the Montana. The Montana will likely make the trek with me up and down the hills of the mini-farm.
I do have a Leupold M8-4X (4X33) that weighs a bit over nine ounces and a ten-ounce "wide Duplex" FX-II 6X36 that are not mounted. One of those might end up on the Montana. But I am leaning towards the 2.5X Ultralight with its very forgiving eye box. I am also considering multiple optics for this rifle, including the aforementioned Aimpoint T1 and the FX-II 6X. I may put all of the optics in mounts, add a Picatinny rail, and see what makes sense.
I love my Aimpoints and nothing is better on closer, quick shots in good light but what happens when the deer of a lifetime steps in and out of cover at almost dusk? A scope will let you make the shots a red dot won’t. And to be fair, a red dot will allow you to make shots a scope won’t. So having different optics zeroed in QD mounts on a rail could be a great setup.
You’ve got a great rifle that will handle any situation you come across. The 4x M8 would be a great choice given your conditions. Enjoy your new rifle.
Fair comment about dusk. Something I should consider even though I am never in the woods before dawn and out of them well before dusk as I hike into and out of the woods during daylight to avoid accidents. I do tend to hunt on overcast days, so magnification can be very helpful. I also need to consider that I am starting to develop cataracts, and my low light vision is not what it once was.
Pretty hard to beat a Leupold VXIII 2.5-8X or VXII 2-7X for what you are going to use it for. Another contender and one that I just put on my Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 Creedmoor is the Trijicon Accupoint 3-9X40. About the same weight as the 2.5-8X Leupold but has no battery illumination. A lot of my whitetail hunting opportunities happen right at dark so it is helpful especially in the woods.
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