Kimber's New .22 Rifles

Guns Magazine, Jan, 2001 by Charles E. Petty

Steel expands when heated. So a very precise fixture was made to hold both the receiver and the barrel in proper alignment. Propane torch heads are mounted on either side of the receiver. When everything is lined up, an insulating material is placed between the receiver and barrel and the torches lit. Using color as their guide, the receiver is heated until it expands 0.002" to 0.003" and the barrel is pressed in.

A dummy bolt is in place in the receiver so headspace is set at the same time. Even so, it takes quite a bit of leverage to seat the barrel. When the receiver cools, the barrel is "grabbed solid by the receiver," said Sirkis. Variations of this method are used in the manufacture of many rimfire rifles. "It's not screwed in because a press lit is more accurate," said Sirkis.

Cut And Dry

Everyone wants to know if it is safe to dry fire a gun. Sometimes dry firing can damage rimfires, but the Kimber design is such that dry firing is no problem. Sirkis explained that the firing pin is a very precise fit in the bolt, but comes to a positive stop that allows enough firing pin protrusion for positive ignition but not enough to ding up the chamber. Just out of curiosity we dry fired one rifle 50 times and carefully inspected the chamber. There was no damage or even any evidence of dry firing.

Everyone who is familiar with the old Kimber rifles will recall the classy looks and stock work. A great deal of effort has been expended to maintain the look with a stock that is both pleasing and accurate. Pillar bedding blocks are permanently embedded in the stock, as is a steel recoil lug that engages a cutout in the receiver. The barrel is free-floated.

Speaking of barrels -- Kimber has embarked on making their own. In the past they relied upon barrels supplied by vendors but their experience with making pistol barrels suggested that they could do a better, more controlled job on their own. The very first guns had barrels supplied by vendors, but Kimber's in-house barrelmaking is now up to production speed.

When all is done, there will be four models of the .22 rifle. The Classic, Super America, SVT (Short Varmint/Target) and HS (Hunter Silhouette). The SVT is a special case, but the other three are mechanically alike and differ only in the quality or style of wood and the finish.

The Classic has a plain walnut stock checkered 18 lpi. The 22" barrel tapers to a 1/2" diameter at the muzzle. The HS has a high-comb, Monte Carlo stock, a 24" barrel and matte finish.

Judging from pre-production samples, these rifles will be gorgeous. The stocks are AAA claro walnut, checkered 22 lpi and accented with an ebony forend tip. Metal is highly polished blue, but the mechanical stuff is all the same.

Same But Different

The SVT rifle uses the same action, but all the other features are different. The barrel is an 18" fluted stainless steel tube with the now-standard match diameter of 0.920". The stock is a gray laminate. It has a very high comb and a pistol grip that strongly favors right-handed shooters.