Bergara B14 HMR

[Cornish-Viking]

Has anyone had any experience with the Bergara B14 HMR and/or the Bergara B14 HMR Pro?

Im current undecided what to get on my 300 Win Mag slot? Another option I was looking at was the Sabatti Tactial Evo?

Advice and open to ideas?

[ovenpaa]

We had one in storage for a few weeks for a friend. His was the 300WM and he loves it and uses it for AOLQ overland. I had a good look and it seems OK, certainly two thumbs up from me.

[DaveB]

I have a B14 HMR in 6.5 Creedmoor. Had it about a year. The Pro should be better, but at a cost.

With the right ammo, mine will indeed shoot as advertised (sub-MOA). Mine seems to prefer the heavier bullets. It just loves Hornady 147 gr ELD Match, but the lighter 140 grain (and cheaper) Hornady American Gunner BTHP, hovers just over 1 MOA. Wouldn't you just know it, that the cheaper option is the one that it likes least?

That said the rifle is well-made. The trigger is great for a factory rifle (especially one without one of those silly blades in the trigger - hate those), and the bolt action is smooth.

I think these are fine rifles, and would certainly buy it again.

[micken]

I've got a B14 6.5 CM action in a BMP stock at the moment, I also have a HMR stock for it. I was doing some initial load development for it last Thursday with 147 gr ELDM at 100m with Viht N160 loads ranging from 35.6 gr to 41.5 gr. These are the 3 shot group heights for the 10 loads I shot: 1.15", 0.43", 0.05", 0.16", 0.16", 0.19", 0.37", 0.13", 0.12" and 0.17".

I'm in full agreement with @DaveB the Bergara barrel does seem to love these bullets. I shot Sierra 120 gr HPBT Match through it just before lockdown and it easily shot sub-MOA groups but not as tight or consistent as the heavier Hornady bullets. I was also using N140 with the lighter bullets and got significant obturation. Last Thursday's cases were pristine in comparison.

Can't wait to get the heavier bullet out at longer range.

[DaveB]

Those are some nice groups micken!

[micken]

Those are some nice groups micken!

Cheers, the groups were spread a bit wider than the heights due to the wind but at this stage I'm mostly interested in the nodes according to group height. It's interesting that the lightest load seems to be least stable. What I'll do is try out a few 5 shot groups for loads around the nodes. I'll also try the lighter load again through a warm barrel, just to see if the group tightens up.

The top end groups look like that type of load would produce a good hunting round with the similar weight ELDX.

[KidsClays&Cartridges]

Only got experience of the B14HMR in 6.5Creedmoor. Absolutely love it and it shoots. Load development got me a 0.3 grouping load at one hundred yards which is also grouping sub MOA at longer range. Tested out to 500yards so far.

The Sabatti was on my list when I was choosing a rifle but I couldnt find any reviews anywhere, or anyone that had one so went with the Bergara. The Sabatti does look really nice though, especially the heavy barrel.

[meles meles]

Members of our clubs own both, and from what we have seen both are well made rifles capable of excellent groups in the right paws.

It's perhaps worth contemplating for a moment what a game changer Ruger's Precision Rifle was, bringing high end accuracy and adaptability to the mass market and so pushing other makers to respond. As a direct answer to the RPR, we've seen established manufacturers like Tikka introduce the Tikka Tactical, and the likes of Bergara and Sabatti come forward with their own flavours on the theme. More choice, fair prices and all of them great rifles. In most cases these days the shooter is probably the weakest link in the paper perforating chain...

[Pete]

In most cases these days the shooter is probably the weakest link in the paper perforating chain...

T'was ever thus..............

Pete