Gear
Honest Review: XDMAN Tests KFI Monza Rifle
Today’s article and video come to us in the form of a guest post from The XDMAN Himself!
Driving fast in the left lane on the momentum of success!
KFI Firearms has an all-new bolt-action rifle starting in the pole position: the KFI Monza. Monza, Italy is the home of the Italian Grand Prix, so it’s natural to name this sporty, lightweight, handy, and maneuverable bolt gun after it. Shooters can move fast and engage multiple targets in no time—so it’s perfect for precision shooting and varmint control. In today’s Honest Review, I’m putting the Monza through all its gears.
Specifications
- Bolt Action Rifle
- .308 Win.
- 4+1 capacity with detachable box magazine
- 2 lbs.
- 42” total length
- 20” or 22” barrel options
- 1:10 twist rate
- Great Pricing MSRP $499.00
What’s in the Box?
- The Rifle
- Carrying case
- Manual
- Lock
- Tool kit
- Butt stock extension 15mm/.59 inch
Fit & Finish
The Monza immediately made a good first impression with me as soon as I pulled out the included nylon carrying case—and as you know, there are nylon cases and there are nylon cases. This is one of the nice ones—an attractive gray and black chambray backpack/carrying case. I like the fact that I can wear the case as a back pack keeping my hands open for other things.
My Monza rifle is the Desert version, with a nice Flat Dark Earth (FDE) color that is molded into the polymer, instead of a coating that can get damaged. The barrel and action use a Black Cataphoresis coating which is something that I had not experienced until now. The process, used heavily in the European high-end automotive industry, is for metal parts that need the highest corrosion resistance combined with durability against impacts. The paint is electrically charged and the parts are dipped in the paint for a super smooth coating.
Like my experience with the Impala Plus Shotguns the coating is so thin and even that it would immediately reveal any flaws on the metal components. Just like KFI’s Impala, the machine work on the Monza is flawless with a quality usually only found on more expensive rifles.
The main bolt body is a one-piece design for simplicity and durability; it’s a nicely polished stainless-steel tube. Inserting and removing the bolt into the receiver is a breeze by pushing the bolt release. There is absolutely no binding and the bolt rides in the receiver like it’s rolling on ball bearings…that’s a smooth action!
Even though the Monza was meant to be a sporty hunting rifle, I love that KFI Firearms decided to include an oversized bolt knob, like the ones you often find on tactical rifles. What’s great about that is that it can be easily operated while wearing gloves or mittens.
I am including the manual under fit and finish, because it is great. Turkish firearms have a reputation for manuals written in terrible English, but this one isn’t. Detailed, thorough, and well-illustrated, there are clear and concise instructions for things like adjusting the trigger. Since KFI Firearms is a U.S. based company that imports and distributes this gun, there’s U.S.-based support as well.
Adjustability
The length of pull (LOP) of my Monza was right at 14½” out of the box. Included in your kit is an extra buttstock extension which will give you an extra 15mm/.59” inch length of pull if you have long arms.
The Monza also comes with a nice adjustable cheek rest. For some reason my dominant eye just never lines up properly with the scope. I know I am not the only one, so having the adjustable comb is a great feature that is only found in high end target or tactical stocks.
Then there’s the trigger. Oh, boy, the trigger! The last time I saw a trigger this adjustable, it was inside a rifle meant for Olympic shooting. You can adjust for overtravel, weight, and length of pull … all without having to remove the stock. To adjust overtravel, remove the bolt from the receiver and adjust the screw from the top. To adjust the pull weight, you use a hex head key though the trigger guard. And yes I did say you can adjust the trigger for length of pull. The system is ingenious. You loosen the set screw using a hex head though a hole in the trigger guard. Now the trigger shoe can move forwards or back ways about a 1/2 inch … how cool is that? I don’t think anyone else allows the user to do that regardless of price.
Internals
The Monza’s butter-smooth action is all about the bolt (no treble). It’s positive to lock and unlock with no extra pressure points, and only has a 60-degree bolt throw. This means that the Monza is a fast rifle with nothing to slow you down as you work the bolt.
A really cool feature of the bolt is that you can field strip it without tools. All you have to do is push in and twist the bolt end off, and the cocked status indicator, firing pin spring, and firing pin come right out. The disassembly is so easy I’m actually looking forward to cleaning and maintaining my mean machine.
Safety
On the back of the bolt is a cocked status indicator. If the rifle is cocked you can see the red ring, or feel the exposed nipple if it’s too dark. You should always treat a firearm as if it is loaded, but the more information the better. The Monza has a two-position safety that sits just in front of the bolt handle. The safety has a positive tactile feel and you will know when you move it. It’s easy to remember the position, safe is back and fire is pushed forward towards the target.
An interesting part about the Monza safety is that it also acts as a bolt lock. When the safety is pushed back on safe, an arm reaches over the bolt handle locking it in the closed position. I could see this being helpful if you drop the rifle in dirt or mud—the action will not pop open and let nasty in.
Accuracy
Life’s too short for cheap optics, so for my scope I chose the 4-20X50mm Burris Veracity PH that has a freakin’ digital heads up display! I was able to get sub-MOA performance with some normal hunting loads at 200 yards. (I’m on the East Coast, so long-distance gun ranges are few and far between. Luckily, it’s rather rare to need to take a shot further than 200 yards on the East Coast.) That said, the sub-MOA performance at these ranges makes me confident that it can go Western, too.
I do want to note that my Sub MOA accuracy was with a suppressor attached. All Monza rifles come threaded, and my .308 had the standard 30 cal 5/8×24 thread pitch. It may not seem like a big deal, but I know so many older hunters who are deaf. So having a rifle with the option to mount a suppressor on it is a great thing in my opinion.
Snack time!
Did you know that the Monza has a built-in candy dispenser? Not really, but don’t ask me how I know that the storage compartment in the stock can hold a whole king size Skittles. (Stop judging me. I said stop.) Actually the trap door compartment can be quite useful for holding a few extra rounds, a bottle of oil or a boresnake.
Thoughts for the road
The Monza is a great rifle, and I love that KFI Firearms handles the importation and distribution here in the U.S. This means that in the event you have an issue (or just lonely and want to talk to customer service—stop judging me), it is handled in-house. Just like the Impala Plus shotguns the Monza is a fantastic value. All too often affordability means a bare-bones product, but not so with the Monza. If it cost twice as much I would still tout it as a good value. MSRP $499; KFIFirearms.com–James Nicholas Mr. UnPewFessional Himself!
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