Kimber’s NEW Model 8400! - Rifle Magazine 225 Partial (LO) 2.pdf · May 2006 No. 225 $4.99 U.S./$5.99 Canada Printed in USA 0 74808 01240 4 05 $4.99US $5.99CAN Kimber’s NEW Model

May 2006 No. 225

$4.99 U.S./$5.99 CanadaPrinted in USA

0 74808 01240 4

0 5

$4.99US $5.99CAN

Kimber’s NEW Model 8400!

SYNTHETIC SOUL! A Look at

Modern Rifle Stocks

SYNTHETIC SOUL! A Look at

Modern Rifle Stocks

40 YearsofChange:

America’sMilitary Rifles

40 YearsofChange:

America’sMilitary Rifles

Get the MostOut of Your

IRON SIGHTS!

Get the MostOut of Your

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Freudand

Firearms?

Freudand

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Everybody LovesRIMFIRESEverybody LovesRIMFIRES

Rifle 225

Sportiting FiFirearearms JoururnalalRIF

LEFLE

May-June 2006Volume 38, Number 3

ISSN 0162-3593Issue No. 225

www.riflemagazine.com4

Page 68. . .

Page 60. . .

Page 94. . .

34 Seeing &ShootingIron SightsTips,Techniquesand VariationsBrian Pearce

42 RimfiresBarsness is arimfire junkie.John Barsness

52 Synthetic SoulThree ModernRifle StocksPhil Shoemaker

60 The RangefinderRevolutionUpdate on theLatest InnovationsClair Rees

68 .30-06 SportingRiflesA Roundup of What’sAvailable in 2006Stan Trzoniec

78 Bushnell EliteBinocularProduct TestAl Miller

88 Website ShowcaseSpecial AdvertisingSection -

Page 24. . .

6 Musings on the.30-06Spotting Scope -Dave Scovill

10 MarlinModel 1894MostlyLong Guns -Brian Pearce

14 Five FineBinocularsfor $1,000or LessOptics -John Barsness

16 Montana RifleCompany Model1999Down Range -MikeVenturino

20 Fitting a BarrelBand Sling-Swivel StudLight Gunsmithing -

24 40 Yearsof ChangeEvolution of U.S.

Military RiflesMike Venturino

Page 6. . .

www.riflemagazine.comMay-June 2006

On the cover . . .The new Kimber long action ischambered for the .30-06 on the100th anniversary of the world’smost popular sporting cartridge.A Bushnell 3-9x40 scope ismounted in Leupold bases.Photo by Stan Trzoniec.

90 A Revolution inArms - A Historyof the FirstRepeatingRiflesBook Review -Mike Nesbitt

92 James CalhoonMfg. Custom BuiltVarmint RiflesCustom Corner -Stan Trzoniec

94 Leatherman®

KnivesInside Product News -Clair Rees

10 Freud andFirearmsRifles &Woodsmoke -John Barsness

5www.riflemagazine.comBackground Photo: © 2006 Donald M. Jones

Page 68

Page 42

Page 52

Issue No. 225 May-June 2006

Sportiting FiFirearearms Joururnalal

Publisher/President – Mark Harris

Associate Publisher – Don Polacek

Editor in Chief – Dave Scovill

Managing Editor – Roberta Montgomery

Art Director – Gerald Hudson

Production Director – Becky Pinkley

Contributing Editors

Associate Editor – Al Miller

Advertising

Don Polacek: [email protected]

Mark Webb: [email protected]

Tom Bowman: [email protected]

Advertising Information: 1-800-899-7810

Circulation

Circulation Manager – Michele Morgan

[email protected]

Subscription Information: 1-800-899-7810

www.riflemagazine.com

Rifle® (ISSN 0162-3583) is published bimonthly byMark Harris Publishing Associates, Inc., dba WolfePublishing Company (Mark Harris, President), 2625Stearman Rd., Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. (Alsopublisher of Handloader® magazine.) Telephone (928)445-7810. Periodical Postage paid at Prescott, Arizona,and additional mailing offices. Subscription prices:U.S. possessions – single issue, $4.99; 6 issues, $19.97;12 issues, $36; 18 issues, $48. Foreign and Canada –single issue, $5.99; 6 issues $26; 12 issues, $48; 18issues, $69. Please allow 6-8 weeks for first issue.Advertising rates furnished on request. All rightsreserved.

Change of address: Please give six weeks notice. Send both the old and new address, plus mailing labelif possible, to Circulation Dept., Rifle® Magazine,2625 Stearman Rd., Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rifle®, 2625Stearman Rd., Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301.

Wolfe PublishingCompany

2625 Stearman Rd.Suite A

Prescott, AZ 86301Tel: (928) 445-7810 Fax: (928) 778-5124Copyright © Mark Harris Publishing Associates, Inc.

John Barsness

Brian Pearce

Clair Rees

Gil Sengel

Ron Spomer

Stan Trzoniec

Mike Venturino

Ken Waters

Publisher of Rifle® is not responsible for mishaps of any nature which might occur from use of published loadingdata or from recommendations by any member of The Staff. No part of this publication may be reproduced withoutwritten permission from the publisher Publisher assumes all North American Rights upon acceptance and paymentfor all manuscripts. Although all possible care is exercised, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for lost ormutilated manuscripts.

110

Page 92. . .

16 Rifle 225www.riflemagazine.com

They’re custom built from the ground up by the craftsmen at Brown Precision. Extremely

accurate, lightweight andrugged, Brown custom High Country rifles

integrate only the higestquality components, including BrownPrecision fiberglass or Kevlar stocks.

Call or write for more information and a price list. Catalog $3.00

P.O. Box 270-R n Los Molinos, CA 96055530-384-2506

email: [email protected]

500 YardHunting RiflesDon’t Growon Trees

For years I’ve touted the

Sharps rifle reproductionsbeing made here in Montana.Now it’s time to take a look at abolt action also made in thisstate. That’s the Montana RifleCompany’s Model 1999, which isessentially a re-creation of a Win-chester Model 70 action. Note theword action. One problem thatdelayed my giving the Model1999 a try was that the MontanaRifle Company is in the businessof selling actions and/or barreledactions, not complete rifles. AndI’m not a stockmaker and wasn’treally in the market for anothercustom rifle.

Brian Sipes of Montana RifleCompany solved that problem.He loaned me one of the fewcompleted rifles they keep aroundso I could become familiar withtheir product. As a long time fanof the Model 70, perhaps I’m prej-udiced, but in my opinion it madeinto a darn nice rifle.

The Model 1999 action is invest-ment cast in the well-known PineTree facility, of either 415 stain-less steel or 4140 chrome-molysteel. Both long and short actionsare available in left- and right-hand versions. The long actionwill handle cartridges such as.375 H&H, while the short actionis the correct length for .243 Win-chester size cases, and the entirerun of new Winchester ShortMagnums. Bolt faces also corre-spond to standard or magnumtype case heads, and magazineboxes of the correct configura-tion are available for the newshort, stout rounds.

Anyone already familiar withWinchester Model 70s will knowtheir way around the Model 1999action, as well as its trigger andsafety. The extractor is the pop-ular claw type, and along with

twin gas vent holes, the bolt isshrouded at the rear to deflectgas in case of case failure. Thethree position safety locks thebolt closed when fully to the rear,locks the trigger but allows thebolt to open in its midpositionand is ready for firing whenpushed fully forward. The trig-ger assembly is cut by the EDM

method and exhibits the smooth-ness that manufacturing tech-nique is known for. Althoughadjustable, the trigger on the testrifle averaged an exact 4 pounds,according to one of Lyman’s digi-tal scales, so I didn’t disturb it.

As befits an action intended forthe custom rifle trade, the Model

M i k eVe n t u r i n o

Photos by Yvonne Venturino

MONTANA RIFLE COMPANY

MODEL 1999MONTANA RIFLE COMPANY

MODEL 1999

DO

WN

R

AN

GE

DO

WN

R

AN

GE This Montana Rifle Company Model 1999 .300 WSM was supplied to

Mike for test firing.

May-June 2006 17www.riflemagazine.com

Precision RiflesmithingBarreling to Benchrest Standards since 1987

Mike BryantBryant Custom Knives & Firearms

7761 FM 592 • Wheeler, TX 79096

www.bryantcustom.comShop: (806) 826-5618

[email protected]

PINAIREG U N S M I T H I N G9438 East ElmwoodMesa, AZ 85207(480) 986-1805 Barrel

Fluting• Cools Faster

• Reduces Weight

• Adds Rigidity to Barrel

• No Reduction in Accuracy

BarrelFluting

HelicalBolt

Fluting!

1999’s floorplate is functional,and it along with the triggerguard are made of steel. Keepingin step with Model 70s, its scopebases are also proper for theModel 1999. One feature thatdoes differ from the Model 70,however, is the bolt release. It isa simple push button affair at theleft rear of the receiver.

The Montana Rifle Companymakes its own barrels at theKalispell facility in bore sizesfrom .17 to .50 BMG, with evensome pistol calibers thrown infor good measure. Barrels aredrilled, reamed, button rifled,stress relieved and then handlapped. Just about any contourcurrently known is available in-cluding fluted and even octago-nal. Twist rates vary from oneturn in 71⁄2 inches for the .17s toone turn in 28 inches for the .50BMGs. Most popular rifling twistrates are available; .30-caliberbarrels come in either one in 8,10 or 12 inches. Likewise riflingdepth is standard, with bore di-ameter on .30-caliber barrelsbeing .300 inch, and groove depthis .308 inch. Montana Rifle Com-pany can chamber for most suit-able factory cartridges and awide array of wildcats.

The sample rifle has a 24-inchround barrel tapering to .64 inchat the muzzle. Chambering is .300WSM with a 10-inch twist, andthe barreled action was given amatte blue finish. Although theMontana Rifle Company doesn’tnormally ship stocked rifles, I’llincidentally mention this one. Itis a very nice piece of black wal-nut with contrasting forearm andpistol-grip caps of rosewood. Ithas real checkering on the pistolgrip and forearm and a solid rub-ber recoil pad of .75-inch thick-ness. Length of pull is 14 inches.It’s an altogether very nice look-ing rifle, with about the only neg-ative I could come up with beingthat by modern standards it’s abit heavy at 8 pounds. Whoeverdid stock this rifle knew whatthey were doing, but Brian Sipes

Rifle 225

four types of Winchester factory.300 WSM loads used. Except forthe 180-grain Winchester Bondedload, the factory loads all easilygrouped three shots under aninch at 100 yards. For some rea-son the 180-grain Bonded loadgrouped between 2 and 3 inches.Functioning was absolutely per-fect, and operation of the actionwas smooth. In short the rifle be-speaks quality.

collectibles nowadays, it makesno sense to tear one apart. That’sespecially true when some thoughtis given to what it takes to adaptthem to many of the moderncartridges. The Model 1999 is aviable alternative.

For more information contactMontana Rifleman, 3172 MontanaHighway 35, Kalispell MT 59901;or you can go online and visit:www.montanarifleman.com.

The Model 1999 actions are cur-rently priced at $490 for thosecrafted of chrome-moly and $520for stainless steel. Those pricesare the same for short or long ac-tions and right- or left-handedversions. Prices for barreled ac-tions vary too much to detailhere due to the extensive varietyof features offered. It is safe tosay that someone interested inbuilding a custom rifle can havebarreled action in hand ready forthe stockmaker for about $1,000.The Model 70 action has been thebasis for so many custom rifles,and with them being considered

told me they are adamant aboutnot getting into the custom stock-ing business, so don’t write orcall them about completed rifles.

This sample also shot well.Upon arrival I fitted the Model1999 with a Leupold 6x scope inWeaver bases and rings. Thetable shows the particulars of the

18 www.riflemagazine.com

The claw extractor of the Montana Rifle Company Model 1999 is awelcome feature to many shooters and hunters.

Montana Rifleman Model 1999.300 WSM 24-Inch Barrel

extreme factory load velocity spread comments

(grains) (fps) (fps)

150 Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 3,279 31 extremely accurate180 Winchester Power-Point 2,914 60 accurate180 Winchester Bonded 2,947 12 not accurate – this rifle180 Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 3,002 77 extremely accurateNotes: Chronograph figures are for nine consecutive shots taken with an Oehler Model 35P with thestart screen at approximately 6 feet.

All loads except the 180-grain Winchester Bonded were capable of three-shot groups of less than 1.00inch at 100 yards and five-shot groups of about 1.5 inches from this rifle. The 180-grain Bonded loadgave three-shot groups of about 2.00 to 2.25 inches and was therefore not fired in five-shot groups.

The MontanaRifle CompanyModel 1999action differsfrom a Model 70in that it has apush buttonbolt release.

Hunt Specials for 2006!ZIMBABWE- Ten days elephant all inclusive $14,500.7 days plains game 2x1 $4,950, 1x1 $5,700 for: GreaterKudu, Livingstone’s Eland, Blue Wildebeest or Zebra,Impala, Warthog, Duiker, Steenbok, Jackal, Baboon.10-Day Leopard!-All inclusive $7,750Cape Buffalo-7 days 1x1 $8,700 (Zim.) $8,700 (Tanzania)Leopard/Sable plus 10 other plains game 12 days $16,30016 days photo tour includes Capetown, VictoriaFalls, 5 National Parks-round trip airfare, full board,transfers $4,550 per person.16 days portal to portal-7 days hunting, 5 days tour-ing, 5-star lodge, Capetown, Victoria Falls, 7 trophies,w/air $6,950/single - $10,300/couple (Zimbabwe,South Africa or combination at no additional cost)South African Plains Game-7 species includingGreater Kudu and Gemsbok 1x1 $4,600.Round trip airfare from USA to Africa from $1,210 usdKelly’s Africa Pvt. Ltd. - www.kellysafrica.comAlan C. Kelly - Box 1356, Elizabeth, CO 80107

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Kelly’s Africa Pvt. Ltd.23 Years Experience throughout Africa

Zambia - ZimbabweSouth Africa-Tanzania

•


Remington (top) and Ruger (bottom)are just two of the many companiesthat supply quality .30-06 rifles.

.30-06.30-06Sporting Sporting

IStan Trzoniec

In the 1960s when I finallycould afford quality huntingand the trips that followed,the .30-06 (Springfield) was

the last cartridge on my mind. Aftera stint in the army using the fabledM1 rifle teamed with governmentammunition, there was just toomuch in the way of flat-shootingmagnums and specially tuned riflesto go back to such an archaic car-tridge like the .30-06.

While it’s hard for some of the younger generationof hunters to believe, you do get wiser as you getolder! At one time, I never owned, nor even lookedat, any rifle chambered for the ’06. Now, I own overa half-dozen variations from plain jane, knock-about rifles to nicely detailed wall hangers. Overthe years, I did get wiser and gained more and moreexperience with this popular cartridge. Hunting inthe wide open spaces of the western part of thecountry for mule deer and antelope and combinedwith either the 150- or 165-grain bullet, it’s no smallwonder why just about every gun manufacturerworldwide chambers their sporting rifles for the.30-06. In alphabetical order, here are some sugges-tions for those looking for a new rifle or one to up-date their next hunting trip.

Browning is one of the most prolific riflemakerstoday, and looking through its selection of sportingrifles shows at least one .30-06 variation withinevery model group. The new semiautomatic BARLongTrac was introduced last year, and while itdoes not replace the famous BAR, the LongTracoffers many new design features, including an up-dated stock, enhanced checkering and a modern-ized receiver. The trustworthy BAR is still on the

Browning team and with a wood or synthetic ver-sion offers three variations, all set to go and cham-bered for the .30-06.

When it comes to a bolt gun, the Browning A-Boltand its many variations head the .30-06 list in justabout every combination you can think of. Fromversatile hunting models with wood stocks to syn-thetic guns with blued or stainless actions, ifBrowning does not have an A-Bolt for you, it mustbe doing something wrong! Aside from an endlessselection of hunting specific rifles, extras would in-clude thumbhole stocks, as well as the installationof its accuracy-inducing BOSS shooting system.


Legacy Sports offers a wideselection of rifles.

A Roundup ofWhat’s Available

in 2006

A Roundup ofWhat’s Available

in 2006

Browning A-Bolt rifles are known for their varietyand fast operation in the field.

RiflesRifles

Left, top, Harrington& Richardson UltraHunter is not only easy on the budget but is also made fromlaminated wood for tough outdoor conditions. The stockon the Handi-Rifle (left) from H&R is made from selectedhardwood. Above, with its three-position safety, matchbarrel and trigger the Kimber long action will certainly bein demand.

Rifle 225

The Model550 is a popular

rifle in the CZ-

USA lineup withwood stocks following

the traditional look mostfavor in a sporting arm. In

addition, the Model 550 is avail-able with a Mannlicher-typestock, and without a break in thewood profile from muzzle to butt,it retains the European flavor at avery attractive price point.

Dakota Arms has pulled outthe stops, with special limited

runs of both its Model 10 singleshot and Model 76 bolt-actionrifle chambered for the .30-06.More to the side of fine collectorguns, they will all feature exhibi-tion grade stocks, unique an-niversary embellishments andare limited to only 101 guns ineach model. Aside from thesespecial editions, regular rifles inthe same series will always beavailable.

Charles Daly – although lim-ited to a few models – has a fieldgrade Mauser action rifle sure to

please the modern and somewhatconservative hunter. With a choiceof synthetic or wood stocks, theserifles are well within the range ofthe most budget-minded hunterand come in either blued orstainless versions.

Harrington & Richardson

produces the Ultra Hunter forsingle-shot fans in .30-06. Placedin the rack of your pickup, theUltra Hunter looks good and fea-tures a laminated stock withhand checkering on both thebuttstock and forearm. A conven-ient side lever releases the breakopen action, and a Weaver-typescope mount is included with the


.30-06.30-06SportersSporters

Left, the Model 700 MountainRifle (top) and the Model 700BDL (bottom) are chambered forthe .30-06. Below, one of themost popular “knockabout” riflesis the Model 710 from Reming-ton. Available at discount stores,this one has a synthetic stock.

May-June 2006

warmth of wood on their per-sonal rifles, the Model 1500Hunter is a good choice and isavailable with either a blued or astainless action with a 22-inchbarrel.

Hunters contemplating a hand-built rifle can turn to H-S Preci-

sion for their choice of a regularor takedown firearm. The price isabove average, but considering

the Pro-Series 2000 action, stain-less barrels and top-quality com-posite stocks, this rifle is aninvestment for years of use in thefield.

Kimber has just announced a“long action” Model 8400 (see re-lated sidebar), and the first runnaturally includes the .30-06. Itwill be available in three modelsand chamberings to include bothstandard and magnum lengthcartridges, including the .338Winchester Magnum.

Merkel makes a wonderfullywispy European break-open riflecomplete with a hinged breech.Called the Lightweight StalkingRifle, it features a Franz Jager ac-tion, select walnut stock and a

24-inch barrel. Checking in at 51⁄2pounds, it just could be the ticketfor those interested in an accu-rate mountain rifle for those longvertical treks after elusive game.

Remington can certainly fillany request you have for a riflechambered for the .30-06. Thenewest of the Model 700s iscalled the XCR (Xtreme Condi-tions Rifle) and with a Reming-ton proprietary TriNyte corrosioncontrol system on all parts willprovide years and years of pro-tection no matter climatic condi-tions. Included in the package isa synthetic stock with rubberover-molding (instead of check-ering or stippling),and for those whomight want a littlemore cover pro-tection, a special

less than $400 price tag. Underthe New England Firearms brand,you’ll find basically the samerifle that it calls the Handi-Rifle,which includes a hardwood stockin lieu of laminated wood.

It’s hard to think of a more de-pendable action than the Howa,and Legacy Sports offers a wide

selection of rifles. Budgethunters will find the Model

1500 much to their liking,as will others if they want to up-grade to the Model 1500 Supremewith a laminated or syntheticstock. For those who like the

71www.riflemagazine.com

Kimber has just announced a“long action” Model 8400.

Right, the Savage Weather Warriorincludes a stainless action combinedwith a synthetic stock. It is availablein right- and left-hand models. Farright, for a more traditional appear-ance, the Savage American Classicfeatures select wood, ebony tipand all the trimmings.

The Sako Hunter line (left) hasselect wood, high polish metaland excellent accuracy potential.The Sako FinnLight (center) isperfect for those who might wantto hunt in the mountains of theWest. Complete with a syntheticstock, it is weather resistant andeasy on the shoulder. Tikka rifles(right) have an excellent reputa-tion for reliability and accuracy.

run for the Rocky Mountain ElkFoundation includes a full-camostock.

The Model 700 CDL (ClassicDeluxe) is another new versiondone in the classic theme com-plete with a very stylized check-ering pattern on the stock thatincludes a traditional forend andpistol-grip cap. For collectors, alimited run of the CDL is beingoffered chambered for the 100thanniversary of the .30-06. If youhave the desire to upgrade, therecently introduced Model 700Custom “C” grade goes the limitwith a fancy American walnutstock and some additional cus-tom shop options, available atextra cost.

Of all the variations made in theline for the .30-06, Remington’sModel 700 BDL still tops the pop-ularity list. Complete with amonte carlo walnut stock, fac-

tory installed sights and near in-stant availability in any part ofthe country, it is surely destinedto be a classic for Remington inevery sense of the word. Addi-tionally, the Model 700 MountainRifle, Model 700 Custom KSMountain Rifle and the tradition-breaking Model 700 Titanium (av-erage weight around 6 pounds)with its fluted bolt and skele-tonized bolt handle could be thething for your next hunt outWest.

Remington’s Model 710 comescomplete with a gray syntheticstock and a factory installed andsighted in Bushnell 3-9x scopeand remains a good value-addedhunting rifle for any occasion. Ifautoloading rifles are your soft

spot, the newly designed Model7400 is a good bet, especiallywith the new stock that has alower comb, making sightingeasier when you pick up the rifle.On the other hand, if you like thefeel and security of a pump gun,the Model 7600 is a perennial fa-vorite and is chambered for the.30-06.

Finally, if you feel you need (orwant) to add something specialmore in tune with your huntingstyle, the Remington CustomShop is there to provide such aservice. From highly polishedmetal, fancy wood or engraving,contact the shop for more de-tails.

Sako has always been a re-spected name in firearms andwith good reason. It produces aquality product with more thanenough variety to suit just aboutevery sportsman. The Model 75Hunter is a good value and offersboth a right- and left-hand modelwith a walnut or synthetic stock.Hammer-forged barrels with vari-ous barrel and receiver lengthsare available depending upon thecartridge, making the Sako oneof the best-looking and propor-tioned rifles around. A detach-able magazine box makes ithandy in the field, and a Deluxegrade is available for those whoprefer the look (and price tag) ofa custom rifle.

Rifle 22572 www.riflemagazine.com

The Model 700 CDL(Classic Deluxe) is

another new version.

Ruger is famous for dependability and offers a stainless action and alaminated stock for just about any hunting condition.

Premium makers like Weatherby also set aside various models for the.30-06. This is the Euromark, complete with a customized action, Pre-mier scope and the barrel cut to 22 inches.


includes a Savage muzzle braketo tame the apparent recoil thatsometimes shows up when usinga lighter, molded stock.

Stevens has always been a re-spected name in long arms, andSavage keeps it in the line forbudget-minded hunters. Basicand economical as they may be,the rifle comes in the long-actionversion that mates perfectly withthe .30-06. With an internal boxmagazine, dual pillar bedding anda synthetic stock, at $316 retail,it’s a great beginners or everydayrifle for farm or field.

Sturm, Ruger & Co. has madeits mark in .30-06 circles and, likeevery other manufacturer, offersmany models and variations incenterfire rifles. The popularModel 77 has a long list of stan-

Rifle 225

cludes a wood stock, distinctivethree-panel checkering and aquality action made right alongside the Sako rifle in the samefactory.

Following suit, the T3 Litechecks in at 6 pounds, 3 ouncesand includes most of the featuresof the abovementioned Sako linebut at half the price! For around$50 more, the T3 Lite Stainless isoffered with a stainless actionand barrel. Finally, the Tikka isnow available with a laminatedstock and a stainless barreled ac-tion for the ultimate working toolon any rugged hunt where the cli-matic conditions can changewithin a matter of minutes.

No rifle seems to combine qual-ity with more than reasonableprices than Savage. Its newly up-dated line includes the Model 12bolt action and the AmericanClassic. Completely classic in ap-pearance, there is no line-disturb-ing monte carlo comb, nor isthere a cheekpiece. This newmodel has a select walnut stock,detachable magazine, is equippedwith a 22-inch barrel and the con-sumer-adjustable AccuTriggerand is chambered for the ’06.

The Hunter Series is a modestlypriced rifle that is now availablein both a right- and left-hand ver-sion. Pillar bedded in either awood or synthetic stock, it isbuilt on the Model 11 action andhas a detachable magazine andthe AccuTrigger. I’ve always beena fan of so-called “kit-guns,” asthey allow new hunters to blendeasily in the fold without the has-sle of mounting and sighting in anew rifle as soon as they gethome. Savage makes this possi-ble by equipping its “Package Se-ries” guns with a 3-9x scope inblue or nickel finish to matchthe gun.

To round out the Savage line, anew Weather Warrior Series fea-tures the Model 116 (long) orModel 16 (short) actions. Withstraight-line feeding, stainless ac-tions and combined with syn-thetic stocks, the AK .30-06 also

THE KIMBER MODEL

8400 LONG ACTION

W ith all the trade showscoming around the first of

each year, the typical greeting awriter usually starts with uponwalking into a booth is: “What’snew?” However, when I steppedinto the Kimber display at theSafari Club show in Reno re-cently, Dwight Van Brunt, Kim-ber’s vice president of marketingand sales, beat me to the punch!

I was taken by surprise, as hereached up to grab a rifle fromthe rack. “This is the Model8400,” he said. And I thought,well, what’s the big deal, they al-ready have a Model 8400 in theline. But wait, it only gets better.

Upon further examination, yes,they do have a Model 8400 butpresently it is only chamberedfor the line of WSM cartridges.By modifying and lengtheningthis action ever so slightly, longerstandard and magnum cartridgechamberings are now a reality.With the celebration of the 100thanniversary of the .30-06, thispopular caliber will be one of thefirst to be offered and will be fol-

For a more rugged and weather-resistant rifle, the Model 75 Stain-less Synthetic is a good choiceand chambered for the .30-06 hasthe IV-sized action, 22-inch barreland, like others in the Sako line,must shoot a five-shot, one-inchgroup before leaving the factory.

Lightweight is good, and to thisend, the Sako 75 Finnlight hasan average weight of only 61⁄2pounds. This is a fully equippedrifle with a two-position safety,injected molded synthetic stockwith soft over-moldings andcomes with the highly acclaimedSako three-locking lug bolt body.

To augment the line and tobring a product out within thebudgets of additional hunters,the Tikka comes from the designstudio of Giugiaro, the sameteam that designs many of theNikon pro cameras. The T3 in-



May-June 2006

Model 77 series offers almost adozen selections with combina-tions that reflect blued or stain-less actions, various stocks andbarrel lengths from 18 to 22inches.

One of my all-time favorites inthe Ruger line is the Ruger No. 1single-shot rifle. While my pri-mary purpose is to rechamber

and rebarrel this rifle into .22-caliber wildcats, the .30-06 is of-fered in four different modelsthat differ in stock configurations(including a full-length Mann-licher stocked Internationalmodel) with barrel lengths from20 to 26 inches. The breech ofthe No. 1 is famous for itsstrength and, combined with a

Like all Kimber rifles, the Model8400 features match grade bar-rels (24 or 26 inches, dependingupon cartridge) and chamberswith fully adjustable triggers.They are available as we speakand more information can befound in Kimber’s new 2006 cata-log. For more information con-tact Kimber at 1 Lawton Street,Yonkers NY 10705 or on the webat www.kimberamerica.com.

You heard it here first!

dard features to include a classicwalnut stock, hand checkeringand blued action complete withan integral mounting system andRuger rings included in the pack-age. An offshoot to this serieswould be the RBZ designationthat includes a stainless steel ac-tion and a weather resistant lami-nated stock. In all, the Ruger


lowed by the .25-06 Remington,.270 Winchester and the .300 and.338 Winchester Magnums. Thisdoes not replace the presentModel 8400 lineup, as this newaddition is just that – a new addi-tion – which now gives Kimber along action capability it neverhad before.

Presently the Model 8400 isavailable in three models. TheClassic ($1,087) features selectwood, matte finish on all the met-

alwork, the action is pillar bed-ded and the barrel free floated.For those who like a moreweather-resistant rifle, the Mon-tana ($1,228) is Kimber’s answerto a synthetic-stocked version,complete with a stainless steelbarreled action. Finally, the topof the line Super America ($2,036)has AAA Claro walnut, ebonytips, 24-lines-per-inch checkering,a classic-styled stock with acheekpiece and a hand-polished(high-gloss) barreled action.

Weatherby hasits version of a“kit gun.” Thisone includes aVanguard rifle,scope, slingand a case forhunters whowant to get intothe field in min-imum time.

Below, the newer and slightly extended longer actioneasily accommodates the popular .30-06. Bases areby Kimber. Right, the three-position safety is easilyaccessible.

•

Rifle 225

Howa action with a Weatherby-inspired stock makes for an ac-curate and dependable rifleunder all conditions. Aside fromall this, if by chance you don’tfind a Vanguard to suit yourneeds, Weatherby’s Custom Shopwill go to great lengths to helpout and offers such items ashand-picked Claro walnut and upto six color variations of its pop-ular composite stock.

The Mark V has been Weath-erby’s flagship and still todayranks up there with the best inpremium rifles. Combining a 54-degree bolt lift, one piece forged

guard is now available in a stain-less/synthetic rifle, a Syntheticpackage that includes a case anda mounted scope, a Deluxe ver-sion with select wood and a Van-guard Sporter to include yourchoice of blued or stainless ac-tions. Over the years Weatherbyhas promoted and improved theVanguard with good reason.Using any Vanguard in the fieldproves that by combining the

bolt and a cartridge case that isenclosed in three rings of steel,it’s an investment that will last alifetime. For lightweight rifles,the Mark V Ultra Lightweight isnew this year and checks in at53⁄4 pounds in the .30-06 version.The Mark V Synthetic has the fa-mous Weatherby stock profile,and according to Ed Weatherby“puts a Weatherby Mark V withinthe reach of virtually any hunter.”A Mark V without a fancy woodstock is not a true Weatherby, butalas, nothing at this time is avail-able chambered for the .30-06unless you go through its CustomShop. If that’s the case, theSpringfield version can includefancy wood, choice of finish, en-graving and even a custom builtcase to carry it all.

Winchester is synonymouswith the American rifleman, andrightly so. Its pre-64 action is stillin demand with custom makers,while newer, improved rifles arestill in favor with well-informedfield hunters worldwide. Theonly problem with Winchester isthat U.S. Repeating Arms “willclose its New Haven, Connecti-cut, manufacturing facility andeffective March 31, 2006, thisNew Haven facility will stopmanufacturing the WinchesterModel 70, Model 94 and theModel 1300 shotgun.” Surely ablow to all the Winchester afi-cionados out there, it is certainlya sad closing to a great era inAmerican firearms. The onlything that I can offer is that if youstill want a Winchester centerfirerifle, you had better check withyour dealer now.

According to the input I getfrom folks at most all of the riflemanufacturing facilities bothhere and abroad is that the .30-06is still number one in sales formost companies. As one execu-tive told me, “Stan, to build a rifleline without the inclusion of the.30-06 would be suicide. Youmight as well pack it all in and gohome!” That says it all about the.30-06.

classy underlever and built-inquarter-rib, is fine for those whomight want the ultimate chal-lenge of a one-shot hunt.

Many field hunters enjoy theconvenience of interchangeablebarrels, and Thompson/Center

fills that void with aplomb. Thebreak-open Encore is availablewith either a 24- or 26-inch barrelwith a two-piece walnut stock. Ifyou want to upgrade to stainless,the options are still there but in acomposite or camo stock only.For versatility, the Encore is hardto beat as the “system” allowsyou to change from a .30-06 bar-rel to a muzzleloader or a 12- or20-gauge barrel within a matterof minutes. All you have to do isdrop the forearm, knock out thebarrel-retaining pin and changethe barrel.

Weatherby has expanded itsline to include the Vanguard andpremium Mark V series for thisyear. For .30-06 fans, the Van-


•

The Sako Model 75offers both a right- and

left-hand model.



In my judgment, the best

time to test a binocular is atdusk, as daylight fades. Cloudydays aren’t bad; nor snowy oneseither, but under such condi-tions, distant targets often tendto blur, so it’s difficult to knowwhether to blame light or atmos-pheric conditions or the opticalquality of the fieldglass itself forany resultant lack of detail. As aclear day draws to a close, how-ever, shadows fade and eventu-ally disappear. Unusual rockformations, people or animalsthat are still in sight become in-creasingly difficult to make outwith the naked eye. Dependingon a binocular’s magnificationand quality, it can be made to re-main visible for a long time afterthe sun disappears – if the binoc-ular’s lens coatings really do re-duce reflections to a minimumand allow the light rays to passthrough virtually unimpeded asso many of their manufacturersclaim they will.

The foothills of the nearbymountains, which tower some5,000-plus feet overhead, wereideal for such a test. They’re lit-tered with huge boulders andslabs of dull gray granite, and thedirt that surrounds them ismostly the same drab color. Oncethe sun and shadows vanished,that absence of contrast wouldmake the 8x Elite’s task eventougher.

The sun went down on schedule

and the mountainside turnedgrayer. Letting the BushnellElites pan slowly across oneslope 670 yards away (measuredwith a laser rangefinder) everyrock, boulder and sand-spillstood out clearly. Switching toanother hillside, 785 yards off(also laser-measured), I watchedas two hikers scrambled down atrail, hurrying to get back to theircar. Both were wearing jeans andblue denim jackets. The colorsweren’t vivid in the dimminglight, but even at that distance,they were plainly distinguishablethrough the glass.

Night swoops in rapidly in De-cember, and this evening was noexception. Nonetheless, half anhour after sunset, it was stillpossible to make out individualrocks and boulders on the hill-side many hundred yards distant.I could have stayed at it longer,but there didn’t seem to be anyadvantage in doing so. It wasobvious that the Elite’s light-gath-ering ability had not been exag-gerated.

Daylight experiments out incaprock country merely con-firmed that. They also high-lighted another aspect of thebinocular’s capabilities that noneof the advertisements concerningit had mentioned: depth of field.

S t a f f

BUSHNELL ELITE BINOCULARBUSHNELL ELITE BINOCULARP

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TS

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TS


By depth of field, of course, ismeant the area of the field of vi-sion that is in focus, from thepoint nearest the viewer to thatwhich is farthest away. As nearas I can tell, when the Elite wasfocused on an object around 130yards away, everything from thatpoint to 700, perhaps 800, yardsout was perfectly detailed. Thesignificance of that is anythingbut minor. It means that, ordinar-ily, out in the field, a hunter won’thave to mess with his focusingknob very often.

It took me awhile to learn that.At first, whenever switching fromone target to another, my fingersautomatically nudged the focusknob in an attempt to rezero thebinocular, to bring the object ofinterest in tighter. As a rule, thatled to additional knob-nudging,since my first attempt had jarredthe target farther out of focus in-stead of making it sharper.

After becoming a bit more ac-

customed to the Elite’s superioroptics, I finally learned to ignorethe focusing knob unless my at-tention – and focus – was beingtransferred from something fairlyclose to something else very faraway, or vice versa.

The spec sheet claims the Elite8s will focus as close as 8 feet. Ichecked. They will. That meansthat small targets like humming-birds can be studied intimately,at very close range, without alert-ing or frightening them – some-thing that should be of interest tobirders. It’s also indicative of thequality and versatility Bushnellbuilds into each Elite binocular.

Out in the yellow, white androse-streaked sandstone mesassome 50 miles northwest ofhome, the Elite binocular demon-strated its ability to transmitcolor faithfully. Those who aren’taccustomed to hunting againstsuch technicolored backdropsoften experience difficulty spot-ting game there at first. Throughthe 8x’s, I managed to pick outa scampering coyote ’way outthere against the base of a rust-stained cliff. Must have been agood 600 yards between us, buthe showed up clearly in theglasses.

A couple rock squirrels haddenned up high on a bluff, theend of an ancient lava flow. Therock was dull black and the denswere shadowy, but at somethinglike 100 to 120 yards, the silhou-ettes of two small heads could beseen through the glasses. Appar-ently, the diminutive critterswere watching me. All that could

SpecificationsMagnification: 8xObjective lens diameter: 43mmPrism system: roofPrism glass: BaK-4Field of view: 372 feet at 1,000 yardsClose focus: 8 feetExit pupil: 5.4mmWeight: 23 ounces

Rifle 225

be seen with my unaided eyeswas the darkened den entrance. Inever would have known any-body was at home there withoutthe assistance of the handy eight-powers.

No more wildlife was seen thatday. Seven years of drought –with more to come, we’re told –has wrought a fair amount ofhavoc with small game popula-tions in this part of the world.Nonetheless, the outing gave mea chance to put the binocularthrough its paces, transmitting analmost endless variety of colors,from the near-garish to the mostsubtle.

Weighing a bit less than a poundand a half and fairly compact (5.9inches tall with eyecups fully ex-tended and 5 inches wide whenspread completely), Bushnell’sElite is easy to carry, quick to geton target and with its wide fieldof vision and great depth of field,strictly hunter-friendly. Optically,these glasses are hard to fault.Their lenses are distortion-free,right out to their perimeters andas far as resolution is concerned,whether zeroed in on a frenetichummingbird 10 feet or so awayor a young peregrine falconperched on a limb 60 yards dis-tant, all the details are there –colors, markings, everything. Totop it all off, prolonged use does-n’t tire the eyes; at least mineweren’t bothered, and they usu-ally protest when they’re pusheda bit too long.

Elite 8x’s are 100 percent water-proof, fogproof and dustproof.To boot, they boast 191⁄2 inchesof eye relief. The lens barrelscan be folded together with aminimum amount of effort untilaligned with the user’s eyes. Theocular eyecups can be extendedas much as .5 inch to suit a user’staste.

Each binocular is encased in aheavy-duty nylon carrying casethat is equipped with a .5-inchwide shoulder strap. Case andstrap are colored black. A neck


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Spacemaster Spotting Scope

Last month, some so-and-sosneaked into my pickup andmade off with several items, in-cluding my old and trustedSpacemaster spotting scope. Los-ing that scope put a sudden andunexpected crimp in my range-testing activities. That faithful,old 20-40x scope was a tool ofthe trade. It had accompanied meto various rifle ranges every timefor the past 25 years or so. Infact, it was part of my range gearfor so long, I really can’t remem-ber exactly when it was acquired.

It came in a neat pack-age: scope, adjustablemount and protective car-rying case. The latter wasmade of hard plastic withmoulded-to-fit compart-ments inside that heldscope and mount sepa-rately. When closed, thecase was firmly heldtogether by a couple ofsnap-hasps. A briefcase-type handle made it easyto carry in one hand. Atthe range, it usually tookless than two minutes toopen the case, connectscope and mount, then setthe unit up on a bench.Disassembly then snug-ging scope and mount

back into the case was equally ef-fortless. Admittedly, the scope’sgray enamel coating was wornhere and there, but optically theold scope was as sharp as ever.

Since a replacement was needed,backed by that kind of a trackrecord, it never even occurred tome to shop around to see whatelse might be available. In shortorder, another Spacemaster wason its way to my address.

Everything changes in time, ofcourse, and so it is with theSpacemaster. Some of the differ-ences between the old model andits current replacement are im-provements. Others are – well –you’ll have to make up your ownminds about those.

Like the new scope’s finish, forinstance: It’s rubber-armored, ob-


strap is also supplied for thebinocular itself. It’s also made ofblack nylon.

About as weatherproof as any-one could make it, blessed withexcellent optics, protected by adull, rubberized coating, simpleto adjust, portable, responsiveand dependable, I’d estimate

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Leatherman is a house-

hold word, remindingeveryone of the super-neat multitool Tim Leather-man invented a couple ofdecades ago. The originalmultitool has been widelyimitated but that hasn’t pre-vented Leatherman fromselling more than 35 millionof his innovative, do-every-thing tools since the com-pany was founded in 1983.

Now the Leatherman ToolGroup has turned its engi-neers and designers looseon an entirely different proj-ect. “Our new folding knivesare something we’re very ex-cited about,” said LeathermanCEO Jake Nichol. “Customershave been asking us for this kindof product, and now we’re re-sponding to their requests.”

Of the half-dozen knife modelsfirst introduced, I chose thee306x to review for Rifle readers.I selected this model because itoffers a bunch of innovative anduseful features in a compact 3.9-inch package (folded) that weighsjust 4.2 ounces, With its 2.8-inchblade extended, the knife meas-ures 6.7 inches in length. The

handle is made of machined alu-minum with contrasting black,glass-filled nylon inserts. Whilethis knife fits handily in yourpocket, a two-tone nylon sheathis also provided if you decide tocarry it on your belt.

The blade alone is sufficient jus-tification to buy this knife. It’smade of 154 CM stainless steel –a material said to hold its edgethree times longer than thestainless steel typically used inconventional knives. The bladefeatures a no-nonsense modified

drop-point design and asmooth (not serrated!)cutting edge keen enoughto shave with. Leather-man’s e307x sports acombination straight andserrated edge for thosewho prefer this arrange-ment.

The e306x Leathermanfolder features a lockingliner, along with a pro-jecting thumb stud at thebase of the blade for easy,one-handed opening. Butthat’s not all! This knifealso features the BladeLauncher™ – a patentpending tab that opens

the blade with a flick of your fin-ger. No springs are used in thisinnovative device, so you haveto flick the tab pretty sharplyto fully extend the blade. Onceyou’re accustomed to operatingthe action (this took me all of 15seconds), the blade flies openwith minimal effort, while the tabdisappears inside the handle.This is really slick!

A combination carabineer ringand bottle opener pops out of thehandle’s other end. A springlocks the carabineer to a back-pack, belt loop or anything youattach it to. You’re not likely tolose this knife no matter whereyou clip it. Pushing the carabi-neer inward allows it to foldback into the handle. There’s the

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obligatory belt clip, too, but thiscan be quickly removed if youdon’t use it.

A sturdy bit driver folded along-side the main blade accommo-dates three double-ended bitssupplied with the knife. Thisgives you quick access to PhillipsNo. 1 and No. 2 blades, 3⁄16-, 1⁄4- and1⁄8-inch flathead screwdrivers anda Torx No. 15 bit. Bits not in usetuck neatly away into recesses inthe handle. Additional bits areavailable.

I own and use a number ofknives, but the new Leathermanfolder really impressed me. It’s aquality knife with the multiplefeatures you’d expect from anytool bearing the Leathermanname. The Model e306x knife Itested retails for $86; a kit con-taining 21 extra two-sided bits(42 different tips) costs just $10.

Leatherman’s new feature-richknives all carry the company’s

25-year limited warranty, withfast service guaranteed.

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Contico

Silver Wolf

Gun CaseWhen Contico sent me one of

its new Silver Wolf gun cases, myfirst impression was that it ap-peared light and flimsy comparedto the heavy-duty, hard-sidedcases I’d long depended on. Iwasn’t sure the 16.4-pound casewould survive the punishmentairline baggage smashers doleout.

“Probably okay for haulingrifles in the back of a truck,” I

Documents

Kimber’s NEW Model 8400! - Rifle Magazine 225 Partial (LO) 2.pdf · May 2006 No. 225 $4.99 U.S./$5.99 Canada Printed in USA 0 74808 01240 4 05 $4.99US $5.99CAN Kimber’s NEW Model