Kimber 82 (With Holes)

The History of Kimber

Kimber Manufacturing was founded in 1979 by Jack Warne in Clackamas, Oregon. Previously, Warne had established Sporting Arms (Sportco) in Adelaide, Australia, after WWII, and later moved to Oregon in 1968 when Omar Industries acquired his company. Initially, Kimber of Oregon focused on producing dependable .22 LR rifles, later expanding to centerfire rifles, pistols, and eventually revolvers.

In the 1990s, several Kimber employees left the company to form Cooper Firearms of Montana, while Jack Warne founded Warne Manufacturing in 1991, specializing in scope mounting systems. Kimber of Oregon was eventually sold to Bruce Engel, and in the 1990s, Greg Warne and Les Edelman, owner of Nationwide Sports Distributors, partnered to revive the company under the name Kimber of America.

Despite rapid expansion, Greg Warne was ousted when Edelman gained majority ownership. Edelman then merged Jerico Precision's manufacturing capabilities with Kimber's dealer network, relocating production to New York and establishing the company's presence in New York and New Jersey. Over the years, Kimber has developed a variety of firearms, including pistols, rifles, and revolvers, as well as manufacturing accessories to complement their products.

Some popular pistol models include the R7 Mako, EVO SP, MICRO series, California Compliant, and Massachusetts Compliant, among others. Kimber's rifles are available in four action designs: Model 84M, Model 84L, Model 8400 WSM, and Model 8400 Magnum. The early Kimber Model 82 rifle was a predecessor to the Model 84 action series. Revolvers are offered in DASA, Stainless, DCR variants, and special editions. On October 21, 2020, Kimber announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters to Troy, Alabama.

Kimber Model 82 Rifle Review (With Holes)

The Kimber Model 82 is a bolt-action rifle introduced by Kimber in 1980. This classic-style sporter rifle was offered in various variants and calibers to suit different needs. The .22 LR variant was the foundation for the development of other 82 models such as Custom Match, Super America, Custom Classic, and S series. Early versions of 82 models came with 11 mm round top dovetail and later ones had drilled and tapped receivers. This review focuses on the version with holes for scope mounting purposes.

The rear locking action of the Model 82 is made of steel and houses a bolt with two opposing locking lugs. The barrel is screwed into the receiver and twin extractors ensure reliable extraction of spent cartridges. The trigger of the Model 82 is fully adjustable but comes pre-set from the factory at an approximate pull weight of about 910 g (2 lbs). Most 82 models come with a steel checkered buttplate.

On the rear end of the receiver, behind the bolt handle is a rocker-style safety which locks the trigger and can be easily operated with a thumb. Even when the safety is put into the 'safe' position, the action can still be opened. The capacity of internal box magazines depends on the variant of the rifle, usually, the maximum capacity was ten rounds for .22 LR; however, there were even single-shot versions available for the .218 BEE / .25-20 Win. calibers.

It's worth noting that this rifle was made by Kimber of Oregon and should not be confused with the .22 rifles made by Kimber America in later years. Later in production, various calibers were added to the 82 series, including .22 WMR and .17 HMR. The 82A was the first run of the 82s, followed by the 82B which saw some minor improvements made to the action, and then the 82C made by Kimber of America. These subsequent models had drilled and tapped holes instead of a dovetail.

Please note, that due to inconsistencies in mounting standard during the production period, there have been several different screw hole spacings for Models 82. Some models were available with A & C spacings of 21.9 mm on the front and back, some with 12.7 mm on the front and back, and a small number of rifles allegedly came with the combination of both. Before purchasing scope mounts for your Model 82, we kindly ask you to check the distances between mounting holes and get in touch so that we can provide you with a suitable base! Thank you.

Figure 1: Kimber Model 82, chambered for .22 Hornet (Source: https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/kimber-rifles/kimber-82c-bolt-rifle--22lr-factory-box.cfm?gun_id=101395817#lg-5)

Kimber Model 82 Calibers

The rifle can be chambered for the following calibers:

• .17 HMR

• .22 LR

• .22 Hornet

• .22 WMR

• .218 BEE

• .25-20 Win.

Kimber Model 82 Variants

The rifle is available in the following variants:

• Kimber Model 82 Custom Match

• Kimber Model 82 Super America

• Kimber Model 82 Custom Classic

• Kimber Model 82 S

Later Kimber Model 82 receivers come with drilled and tapped holes on the top of the receiver which can be used for scope mounting purposes. Please note, that due to inconsistencies in mounting standard during the production period, there have been several different screw hole spacings for Models 82.

Figure 2: The receiver of Kimber Model 82 with 12.7 mm A&C hole spacings, chambered for .22 Hornet (Source: https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/kimber-rifles/kimber-of-america-82c-classic-stainless---2649.cfm?gun_id=100878505)

Figure 3: The receiver of Kimber Model 82 chambered for .22 LR with 21.9 mm A & C  hole spacings (Source: https://www.proxibid.com/Guns-Military-Artifacts/Rifles/KIMBER-MODEL-82-SUPER-AMERICA-CLACKAMAS-22-LR/lotInformation/72109400)

A: 12.7 mm / 21.9 mm / 21.9 mm

B: /

C: 12.7 mm / 21.9 mm / 12.7 mm

BHU: 0 mm

Ø: 8-40

R1: R14.5

R2: R14.5

Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Kimber Model 82

Rifles That Have One-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Kimber Model 82 

All the rifles listed in the category below have one-piece mounts interchangeable with Kimber Model 82. For one-piece mounts to fit on a rifle, mounting surfaces on these rifles must match in every dimension.

Rifles That Have Two-Piece Scope Mounts Interchangeable With Kimber Model 82

All the rifles listed in the category below have two-piece mounts interchangeable with Kimber Model 82. To meet interchangeability conditions, two-piece mounts must match in all dimensions except the B distance. B distance can vary because two-piece mounts can be installed and adjusted closer or further apart.

• Kimber 84M

• Kimber 84L

• Kimber K-22

• Kimber K-17

Unfortunately, we were unable to gather information about B distance for this rifle, thus we cannot provide you with the full list of scope mounts interchangeability. Should you own this rifle or have any reliable data on the topic, we kindly ask you if you can provide us with some more details and contact us at info@optics-trade.eu

Additionally, please be informed that due to inconsistencies in mounting standard during the production period, there have been several different screw hole spacings for Models 82. Some models were available with A & C spacings of 21.9 mm on the front and back, some with 12.7 mm on the front and back, and a small number of rifles allegedly came with a combination of both.

The upper list of two-piece scope mounts interchangeability and the scope mount suggestion below only apply to models that feature hole spacings of 21.9 mm between the holes in the front and 12.7 mm between the holes on the back of the receiver.

Before purchasing scope mounts for your Model 82, we kindly ask you to check the distances between mounting holes and get in touch so that we can provide you with a suitable base!

Thank you.

Best Scope Mounts for Kimber Model 82

Fixed Scope Mounts for Kimber Model 82

These 30 mm rings manufactured by the American company Talley are a suitable solution for your Kimber Model if your receiver features A and C hole spacings of 21.9 mm and 12.7 mm. The rings are made from high-quality aluminum and come with a 10-year warranty.

Order Talley Complete mount

If the hole spacings are different, please contact us regarding the exact distance between the holes, so that we can provide you with a suitable base for your rifle.

Help Us Build Our Riflescope Mounts Database

If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.

Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: info@optics-trade.eu