Stocks

Here's my novice's take on BR.com.

They're only interested in guns that will win matches. Big matches. They shoot other guns, too, but BR.com is about shooting matches and winning them.

They've likely tried about everything in one form or another over the decades and only want to discuss what has a real chance of winning Big matches and setting records.

My take on Kimbers and BR matches: Why buy a relatively expensive Kimber and then throw the stock and barrel away. The Finnfire costs a bit less to start, stocks are readily available and the barrels can be replaced with a hex wrench. Jewell discontinuing the Finnfire trigger has upset the equation though, as has Beretta raising the price of the gun a bunch. Still, when someone calls the Kimber barrels tomato stakes I'm willing to listen, especially when they get no argument. Doesn't make them a bad gun, just not recommended for BR.

Where I might recommend that a new plinker buy a CZ for $200-$300 instead of Kimber for $600 to $1000 or so, they tell a new competitor to look for a used BR gun for $1500-$1800 that somebody paid $2700 for two years ago. Seems there are more than a few people with enough bucks to build a new gun every year or two. Must be nice.

I'm stuck, for now, wandering the middle ground and sorting through the info.

(I've never owned a 10/22 or wanted one. To each their own.)

John

P.S. - Speaking of sorting through details and paying attention to the smallest things, I read something recently about the America's Cup. They were commenting on how they walk around the sailboat and trim the ends off of the bolts. See a few threads sticking out? Whack 'em off. They do everything they can to cut the wind drag. And sailing used to look like so much fun.

Javak--
I received my Classic stock yesterday(was wonderful) and opened up the barrel channel for the HS barrel last night. The wood is amazing--I love it!!! Call the custom shop--914-964-0771, ext.228 I think 228 is right--my notes are in my desk at work. Ask for Dennis or Winslow. They're both great guys and helped me. I was trying to get a AAA Claro stock but they would not sell one --too few available--however Dennis said he'd pick me a nice AA stock--and HE DID!! I got the tip from Mad (thanks Mad). I must warn you, that if you are going to try to put an HS into one of the new Classic stocks--"there is NO room for mistakes--I have about twenty thousandths of wood left on each side of the barrel channel---but it works great--and looks great! The stock was pillar bedded with a pad ,and finished, checkered, with a grip cap, no swivel studs but it was cut & drilled for them--I used the ones off my HS. The piece of wood is incredicle with fillde back figure throughout. I think it was a bout 225.00 plus shipping. Dennis was the guy who picked mine out--he has great taste. As you can tell, I was very happy with the stock and the price--I've paid more for blanks that didn't have the quality of this stock--matter of fact I'm working on one now that I paid more for raw that isn't as pretty. Kimber makes a great product and it's my opinion that those Custom Shop guys are the best!! Kimbers are worth it --to me! If I can help please let know.

kimber vs. bench rifles

Its hard to compare a kimber to a benchrest rifle. Especially a factory kimber. No kimber owner should be ashamed to own one because they don't group as well or whatever. Kimber .22 rifles are probably the finest quality factory produced rifle made in America, and they have an attention for detail that rivals any in the world. For all PRACTICAL purposes, they shoot as well as any rifle available, custom or mass produced. Additionally, in my opinion, they the most handsome and probably the most well thought out and innovative rimfire rifles available. The idea of the 'eccentric' offset bolt design is brilliant. As far as athetics, kimbers just look the best. They are built to be a full sized rifle. Every other rimfire rifle I have ever seen, including the highly esteemed Anschutz rifles look like they were built for childeren's hands. They just don't have the robust look of a serious rifle, and dispite how nice the wood they are stocked in or how shiney their metal finish is, or even how straight they shoot, I just can't get over how nearly every other .22 sporter sports a magazine that hangs out under the trigger guard. I beleive that in this age, we have the technology to make things both extremely functional and very beautiful- there should be no comprimise. I feel my K-22 is on track with this thought. My K-22 hunter shoots 1 MOA consistantly, which, as I mentioned earlier is for all practical purposes, is as good as any rifle. While a serious bench shooter might contest this 1 MOA is nothing compared to what many custom bench guns can shoot, my veiw is from that of practicality. A skilled marksman can hit nearly anything in the field with rifle that shoots 1 MOA. Don't get me wrong- I'm in no way advocating that bench shooting is for the weak or bench shooters are not as tough as other types of shooters. No. If we got into a debate over thoughness, we could have a really heated debate that's been done before a thousand times in which we'd eventually realize that Biathlon is the king of shooting sports and even then, that could probably be outdone if someone brought up the topic of archery... Anyways, all shooters have benefited from benchshooting competitors- their search for perfection has created great innovations for all shooters alike- better barrels, strickter machining tolerences ect.
As far as the fact that no one makes anything for the K-22, you must consider that it is still very new compared to other rifles that have all the fun custom aftermarket gismos and gunsmithing available. In time, as there will be more and more Kimber owners, there will begin to be a greater market for those things. In the meantime if one really wants something badly like a special stock, you should really consider making it for yourself. Something like this would have a lot more sentimetal value and give you much more satisfaction than one that someone else produced could give you. Someday, when I have the money and the time, I plan on making a full length mannlicher stock for my rifle. Additionally there are alot of gunsmith around that could help you turn your kimber into a real one-of-a-kind affair, though this can be expensive. Anyways, I think the kimber action has the greatest potention a bed for that custom sporter rifle or competetion rifle, and its only a matter of time before someone has the balls (or money) to get a gusmith to rework their action and turn it into a something that rivals all those sakos that have had this luxury for some time. Anyways, I love my kimber and wouldn't trade it for any other brand! Enough for my rants. mnagel