What to do with Bergara B14

Like you, I'm in north GA. I just drove down to Whidden Gunworks in south GA for some recent work. Good guys there. You could try bugholes in TN that isn't too far. Not sure of their lead times for a barrel though?

What are you doing with it? What was reason you need 75g over 69g bullets?

I have been brainwashed by the gun forums in that a 223 must shoot 75's or 77's otherwise it is useless.

whatsupdoc said:

I have been brainwashed by the gun forums in that a 223 must shoot 75's or 77's otherwise it is useless.

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It is if you want to shoot it further than 500 yards without riding the struggle bus.

I’ll second a .223 Wylde 1:7 from Patriot Valley.
If you want to get a little more serious about launching heavies at distance, you might consider .223AI.

DonE911 said:

I got a decent deal on a hardly fired B14 stoke in 223. I knew it was a 9 twist, and there was a slim hope it would shoot a 75gr bullet, which is what I truly wanted from it. Well it doesn't like 75gr anything, will shoot 69s okay, but it does shoot some of the 60 to 68gr pretty well. This not what I wanted, but I've dropped the little guy into a manners and I really like it.
I'm considering sending it out and rebarreling it to a TCU ( 6, 6.5, 7 ) or 25x45 sharps. I've got 3 lifetimes of 223/556 brass in the basement, so staying on that brass is an easy call. I could easily just put a faster twist on it so I can use the heavier bullets also. I already have a 204 ruger so no reason to go 20 cal.

Who has a TCU on a bolt action? Are you happy with it?

What would you do?

I've decided not to sell it and buy something else. I do want a sendero (ish) profile and 18 to 20" threaded barrel. Maybe carbon if the weight saving is enough.

There are no smith's in easy driving distance for me, so shipping is the only way no matter what I chose to do.

Any recommends on a smith? I don't want to mail it off and not see it for 6 months, so backlog ( turn around ) would be a consideration as well as finding a smith with the reamer.

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I can handle the job and I'm happy to make you what you'd like. Since you're looking for opinions on the internet I'll throw my loose change into the conversation and then make whatever you decide.

The 6mm TCU is probably the only one that has a performance value in my book. The 6.5 and 7 are just too little capacity unless your goal is subsonic ammo, even then I think there are better approaches.

That being said, I made myself a straight 6x45/6-223 years ago and while it's a fun, easy little wildcat I think the value it brings is for short range whitetail and predator work for a youth rifle. After enough years of doing this and trying to find the time to load and take my kids shooting I've been migrating back towards factory options and the performance of a regular 223 or 223AI today is a very good option. With the modern bullets and powders we have no trouble making 223's that will hold steel at 1200 yards. My last match that I show was actually done using a 223 with the 75 TAC bullet that I designed, specifically to prove a point and turn heads. It was a trajectory twin to the 6 BRA's at the event.

I have 224-7 and 224-8 twist barrels in stock as @Rob01 mentioned

I also have the tail end of a sale going on Rock Creek barrels here which is a screaming deal. I just checked and there are a couple 22 caliber blanks left. We're out of 6's and almost out of everything else but the 22's have currently (4) blanks available.

On either of those options you would choose the barrel details you want and the action that you choose is "Customer Supplied Receiver" all the way down at the bottom.

When we fit the barrel it will come back with a laser engraved tag for you to keep so that we don't need to see your receiver again. No gunsmith does actually, they can make a replacement based on the tag alone.

Feel free to give us a shout today if you'd like to discuss

484-696-seven eight seven four

DonE911 said:

Bohem,
Thanks for the reply.. I've gone to the website to look things over. My manners stock has a proof sendero barrel channel. Which barrel contour do u suggest for a nice fit without modifying the stock?

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Cool deal!

The Proof Sendero contour is closest to the Marksman contour in steel.