Bergara rifles

SnowMaker

Ten Pointer
Just curious if anyone has any experience with these firearms. Almost bought one with a carbon barrel yesterday but really just not familiar with the company so kinda stopped me from spending that kinda money. It did seem a reasonable price for getting into carbon though. In the market for a light 308
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
A couple guys I work with have bought Begara rifles this year. On guy has a Carbon Wilderness in .308. Overall it's a nice rifle, but it is REALLY finicky about ammo. He tried about a dozen different factory loads, and the best group he was able to get was just over 2 1/2" for a 5 shot group at 100 yards. He moved in to reloading for it, and is on about the 20th different combo and his best group is just under 2" for a 5 shot group at 100 yards.

He says he about to have more in ammo and reloading components than he spent on the rifle itself.


The other feller has a Ridge in .30/06, it was less picky, but still not what I'd call a great shooter, he's getting 1 1/2" 5 shot groups with Factory Hornady ELDX. He had ordered some Nosler Custom Accubond, but I haven't heard how they shot or if he's even shot them yet.
 

30/06

Old Mossy Horns
Bought Ridge in 243. Gave me fits trying to find a round it liked. Shot about 10 different types of ammo out of it. Finally found the right one and it groups 5 shot clover leafs if you do your job and let it cool. Personally if doing it over again I’d buy a tikka, about the same $ and never heard of anyone complain about accuracy.
 

Dick

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
there is a ton of youtube vids with comparisons of rifles. They did not score high. lots of cheaper rifles shoot really well.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
So far I'm glad I put it down!
good call. Have had 4 of their rifles in different configurations and calibers and none were very accurate. I am in the process now of finding a 6.5 prc 'beanfield' rifle and a 7mm PRC elk rifle. Lots of places have the Bergaras heavily discounted if that tells you anything. I am probably going to just buy a couple of Tikkas and do a barrel swap to proof research barrels.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
Bought this 30-06 for $550 with a really nice case. Loved it but couldn't get good groups with factory ammo but then again I have the same problem with my Abolt. Had to sell it and move on but I still think about how much I liked that gun in that format.
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Deerherder

Ten Pointer
I have a B-14 Wilderness Ridge in 6.5 that shoots well even with the relatively inexpensive Hornady Whitetail ammo.

It is a a traditional steel barrel, not carbon wrapped.
 

Dick

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
anyone running a cva rifles? Looking for a 308 bolt gun. Cva has scored high on most reviews. Roger American gen 2 also. like the kericote of. the cva
 

v8stang289

Twelve Pointer
I have no experience with the carbon fiber wrapped barreled Bergaras, but I do own a BMR in .22lr and a B14 HMR in 308. Both have been issue-free and extremely accurate.
The 308 I've only shot handloads in, but in load development with 165gk, 168smk, and varget powder I didn't have a single group over .75" at 100 yards.
 

Frostcat

Twelve Pointer
I have a friend that has one in 300 Winchester mag. We have tried combo after combo of reloads and factory loads. Finally got some the other day that shoot okay. I have been reloading for 45 years and this gun has been one more challenge.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
man im gonna say i LOVE my bergara B-14s i have one in .270 and it shot lights out with the first ammo i put in it. ive had 2 different .22s and they were also great shooters. I do think that they are a great rifle in the B-14 hunter and ridge lines. the higher end ones i dont think they are the best value rifle.
its interesting they are having so many accuracy issues as Bergara was a premium rifle barrel manufacture before it started making rifles.
 

FireDuck401

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I have a Tikka T3x Superlite in 300WM, cut it down to 20”. It’s very light now.
I reach for it often.


If I were looking for another lightweight, factory rifle, Tikka would my first choice. Howa makes a light rifle too but I have no first hand experience with one.
 

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appmtnhntr

Old Mossy Horns
Just curious if anyone has any experience with these firearms. Almost bought one with a carbon barrel yesterday but really just not familiar with the company so kinda stopped me from spending that kinda money. It did seem a reasonable price for getting into carbon though. In the market for a light 308
Go handle a Tikka T3x superlite and you won't leave the store without it...
 

dfitzy

Ten Pointer
Contributor
If it was me. I would go with a savage with a proof research barrel. Everyone I’ve been around shoots swell.
My savages with sporter barrels shoot well also.
Backfire on you tube has reviewed a pile of rifles. For the price the gen 2 ruger Americans are really nice.
Got an email from Savage this am that there is a $200 rebate for their proof research.
Edit to add link: https://savagearms.com/content/promotions-and-rebates
 

Deerjager

Old Mossy Horns
@Deerjager had to send his back to the factory. I think it's fixed now, but I wouldn't buy one myself.
Yeah, mine had a rusty chamber out of the box, sent it back on an RMA. Should be a thread on it in the do-it-yourself section. Quick turn around on it. I have the B-14 Wilderness Ridge in 6.5 CM. It shoots somewhat ok with factory ammo, not to my standards though. I have not hand-loaded for it yet to see if it is a real shooter. It is topped with a Vortex Viper, so optics is not the issue.

I bought 2 Ruger Go-Wild rifles in 243 & 7/08. Both shot absolutely amazing out of the box with my existing hand-loads & Vortex optics. The 7/08 was around a .4” three shot group @ 100.

I will probably never buy another Bergara. I am considering trading it off for another Go-Wild.
 

Jimbob78

Twelve Pointer
I keep reading online they were a premium barrel maker before they switched to rifles. I had never heard of bergara before they started making rifles. The premium barrel companies were bartlein, Brux, kreiger, shilen, lilja, broughton, obermeyer, etc. My question is: why were they unheard of around here?
 

dubbeltap69

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Jeff goldIf I wanted a Carbon barrel rifle and didn’t want to spend gobs of money I would buy the Savage and never look back.

If I just wanted a lighter rifle with a regular barrel then Tikka super lite all day.
Jurassic Park Ian Malcom GIF
 

Deerjager

Old Mossy Horns
I keep reading online they were a premium barrel maker before they switched to rifles. I had never heard of bergara before they started making rifles. The premium barrel companies were bartlein, Brux, kreiger, shilen, lilja, broughton, obermeyer, etc. My question is: why were they unheard of around here?
They made/make barrels for CVA and also aftermarket T/C Encore barrels. I have been family with Bergara long before they made rifles. I am a big Encore fan, so That explains my knowledge of them before they entered the rifle business.
 

Jimbob78

Twelve Pointer
If I wanted a Carbon barrel rifle and didn’t want to spend gobs of money I would buy the Savage and never look back.

If I just wanted a lighter rifle with a regular barrel then Tikka super lite all day.
Christensen would be my pick over a savage for a box gun.
 
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