Sell, or rebarrel?

[spencerhenry]

I've got a Kimber in 243, very nice fit and finish, light and well balanced, overall a nice piece. Except that no matter what load I try I have never shot better than 1 MOA at 100 yards, more like 1.25 to 1.75. I have tried tried powders, primers, bullets, seat depth, and charge weight.
I like the rifle mostly because it is very light, under 7 pounds all set up. I have plenty of larger action longer barrel rifles in other calibers, this is the only light weight hunting rifle I have.

I have never had a rifle rebarreled, not sure what it costs. I am wondering if I am better off selling this rifle and finding something else. But, I wonder if the whatever else will shoot any better, or if the cost of a new barrel is worth it.

 

[Sandstorm]

Re-barrel to another light cartridge like 22 Arc or a 6.5 Grendel and the will both shoot under 1 MOA
right out of the bag if your Stocks bedded correctly and there are no other issues.?
just my 2c
Happy New Year...
John

 

[DShortt]

I've got a Kimber in 243, very nice fit and finish, light and well balanced, overall a nice piece. Except that no matter what load I try I have never shot better than 1 MOA at 100 yards, more like 1.25 to 1.75. I have tried tried powders, primers, bullets, seat depth, and charge weight.
I like the rifle mostly because it is very light, under 7 pounds all set up. I have plenty of larger action longer barrel rifles in other calibers, this is the only light weight hunting rifle I have.

I have never had a rifle rebarreled, not sure what it costs. I am wondering if I am better off selling this rifle and finding something else. But, I wonder if the whatever else will shoot any better, or if the cost of a new barrel is worth it.

I'd try to determine what exactly is causing the problem to begin with before making any determination.

But. I like to know cause and effect. Some guys just want to 'load and go'.

 

[DLT]

Get another barrel

 

[msalm]

Pretty common for those rifles, new barrel solves the poor accuracy and they are very nice handy rifles.

 

[Savagenut71]

Get a Krieger , a good Smith and re-barrel it to 243 and enjoy it. Have Smith go over action and bedding and have no regrets

 

[charlie b]

Just to be sure....are you trying to shoot 5 or 10 shot groups? Pencil barrels do not usually like to shoot more than 3 at a time. Also try checking the 1st shot, shoot, clean, shoot , repeat.

Second, make sure the stock isn't the problem. Check barrel for free float, even under pressure from the bipod or rest. Check action screws for not too much torque.

Then try some good factory ammo, such as Fed Gold Medal Match.

Factory barrels are "like a box of chocolates". The original barrel on my Savage Axis (.223) became a really nice one, after a couple hundred rounds. And it holds those groups with a cold barrel or a steaming hot one. Would shoot 1/2MOA with the right bullets. My Savage model 12 in .308 was just under MOA, but, it also had to have the right loads. And when the barrel heated up too much it spread quickly, as in a 20 round string. Same mfg, cheap rifle better than expensive rifle.

The Howa in 6.5 that I have now is a barely MOA rifle. It will get a new barrel as soon as I can get the dollars together.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Good cut barrels are in the $500 range now, smithing cost will add that more +.

 

[joshb]

Good cut barrels are in the $500 range now, smithing cost will add that more +.

Yup! These days, it’s almost a grand to rebarrel. I just did a 308 barrel to replace a burned out 243 on a pre 64 Winchester. Might be my last build.

 

[spencerhenry]

I've checked all the obvious thing like loose mounts or rings, bad scope, barrel is floated, action screws are tight. I've shot it one round at a time letting it fully cool, I've shot 3 groups without letting it cool. I've cleaned the snot out of it, and shot it fouled. Bullets from 58gr to 100gr, 3 or 4 different powders with 3 to 5 different charge weights each. It goes from bad to worse.
This is my 2nd kimber, and the 2nd one that wouldn't shoot. I talked to a well known smith years ago about my first kimber, a 300wsm it would not shoot better than 1.25" 5 shot groups, I was told that that was normal for those rifles, Kimber said it met their standard for accuracy. I sold that one.

 

[joshb]

I’ve never been impressed with Kimber products, especially their pistols. Ya might want to look for an old Husquvarna. I bought one in 243 and it shoots pretty well.

 

[jelenko]

I've checked all the obvious thing like loose mounts or rings, bad scope, barrel is floated, action screws are tight. I've shot it one round at a time letting it fully cool, I've shot 3 groups without letting it cool. I've cleaned the snot out of it, and shot it fouled. Bullets from 58gr to 100gr, 3 or 4 different powders with 3 to 5 different charge weights each. It goes from bad to worse.
This is my 2nd kimber, and the 2nd one that wouldn't shoot. I talked to a well known smith years ago about my first kimber, a 300wsm it would not shoot better than 1.25" 5 shot groups, I was told that that was normal for those rifles, Kimber said it met their standard for accuracy. I sold that one.

As mentioned, I'd have it bedded.

I don't have a lot of experience with bolt action rifles but the first one I had was a Sako varmint in 308. It wouldn't shoot under 1 1/4" at 100 yards - over a couple hundred groups.
Had it bedded. The first 5 shot group was nice and round and completely covered by a quarter => less than .64 MOA.

 

[Oldbloke]

Sell it.
Rebuilds are a lot of stuffing around.
Howa now build light rifles.

 

[Knotwild]

I’ve never been impressed with Kimber products, especially their pistols. Ya might want to look for an old Husquvarna. I bought one in 243 and it shoots pretty well.
View attachment 1726596

I agree - no more Kimbers for me. There’s nothing like buying a 1911 with a plastic mainspring housing or a 22 Hornet with 3 inches of throat gone in 200 rounds or less (2 times fixed under warranty).

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Yup! These days, it’s almost a grand to rebarrel. I just did a 308 barrel to replace a burned out 243 on a pre 64 Winchester. Might be my last build.

I’m very close also.
Then I see a deal like this today and wonder “what if it shoots”.https://eabco.com/eabco-accuracy-ba...-blue/?searchid=0&search_query=Remage+barrels

 

[joshb]

I’m very close also.
Then I see a deal like this today and wonder “what if it shoots”.https://eabco.com/eabco-accuracy-ba...-blue/?searchid=0&search_query=Remage+barrels

Ehhh..probably not, but? It might be an act of desperation but I just bought a used barrel for 150. It came in today and looks great in the borescope. Maybe I got lucky? Hope it shoots.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Ehhh..probably not, but? It might be an act of desperation but I just bought a used barrel for 150. It came in today and looks great in the borescope. Maybe I got lucky? Hope it shoots.

Good deal. I bought a used Savage 6.5 Creedmoor Sporter barrel here that a member thought he had saved for an accurate one as a takeoff. $60 and I shot a coyote with it at 328 yards the other day using the second dot on a VII one inch LR reticle scope. Dropped him like a sack of potatoes. I’m sure some luck was involved!

 

[spencerhenry]

It is pillar bedded.

I looked up the Howa, pretty cheap. But, its 1 pound 5 ounces heavier than the Kimber 84m.

Cheap is not a primary factor. I like nice wood, nice fit and finish. The (almost) only guns I have ever regretted buying were bought because they were cheap.

I have a model 70 classic in 264, I got it in trade. It has great wood, nice rich blue, but shoots about 1.25". In that rifle I don't care, I have it for shooting deer and antelope and I know how to get close enough that that accuracy is ok. I bought a Montana Rifle Company 264 that was supposed to be good, it wasn't finished nearly as nice, wood was very plain, just not a pretty gun. It didn't shoot much if any better, I sold it and kept the pretty one.

I'm going to see what a local gunsmith would charge, probably do it in a 243AI with an 8 twist

 

[Kracken McGraw]

It is pillar bedded.

I looked up the Howa, pretty cheap. But, its 1 pound 5 ounces heavier than the Kimber 84m.

Cheap is not a primary factor. I like nice wood, nice fit and finish. The (almost) only guns I have ever regretted buying were bought because they were cheap.

I have a model 70 classic in 264, I got it in trade. It has great wood, nice rich blue, but shoots about 1.25". In that rifle I don't care, I have it for shooting deer and antelope and I know how to get close enough that that accuracy is ok. I bought a Montana Rifle Company 264 that was supposed to be good, it wasn't finished nearly as nice, wood was very plain, just not a pretty gun. It didn't shoot much if any better, I sold it and kept the pretty one.

I'm going to see what a local gunsmith would charge, probably do it in a 243AI with an 8 twist

You might even check to see if the barrel is torqued to the receiver tight.

 

[Tangent]

What brass are you using?