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Bergara B-14 HMR problems

Sucks to hear about people having so many issues with Bergara products. I only have a sample size of 1 but my HMR Pro 6.5 prc consistently shoots .7-.8 moa with factory Hornady 147 Eldm ammo and
consistently shoots .4-.6 moa with my handloads.
That's good. I'm glad yours is shooting for you. Honestly, I think the issues with precision are mainly with the 308 version of the B-14. That's definitely the version I've seen the most complaints about online, while looking for a solution to my precision problems.

I'm pretty sure the barrel is the problem, unfortunately I haven't found a cost effective way to replace the barrel, besides paying Bergara to rebarrel the gun, which I'm not going to do.
 
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FYI, I took my rifle to my gunsmith. He sent it back to Bergara and they recrowned it and sent it back. I just got it back today and they returned it with tons of little corrosion spots on the bolt and corrosion in the barrel. What a clown show.

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FYI, I took my rifle to my gunsmith. He sent it back to Bergara and they recrowned it and sent it back. I just got it back today and they returned it with tons of little corrosion spots on the bolt and corrosion in the barrel. What a clown show.

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I hate to see you are still having multiple troubles with your rifle.... Kinda glad I dumped mine.
 
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Man I feel for ya. I had an HMR in 7 RM. I didn’t shoot it much, so I’m not sure what it was capable of. Realized it was far too heavy for what I wanted to do with it and sold it. I know it stink to put money in your rifle, but at this point, I think I’d junk the barrel and get a Criterion that’s already chambered and headspace it with a barrel nut. Just my two cents.
 
This is so bad. Had similar experience in the past with one of their shit sticks.
I wrote to Bergara about this and they are telling me that I caused the rust. Lol. If you look at the corrosion in the barrel, it interrupts the copper layer on the rifling. It is obvious to anyone with a functional brain that the rust must have formed after they test fired the gun. They also claim that they cleaned the gun prior to sending it back to me. Just look at the borescope photo. Does that look like a gun that was cleaned?

I figure they didn't clean the gun or apply any kind of oil or rust preventative before shipping it back to me and it picked up the rust while in transit.
 
Man I feel for ya. I had an HMR in 7 RM. I didn’t shoot it much, so I’m not sure what it was capable of. Realized it was far too heavy for what I wanted to do with it and sold it. I know it stink to put money in your rifle, but at this point, I think I’d junk the barrel and get a Criterion that’s already chambered and headspace it with a barrel nut. Just my two cents.
As far as I'm aware, Criterion doesn't make prefits for Bergara. Are you sure they do?
 
Not specifically for Bergara, but are the Bergara barrel threads same as for R700? If they are, then you’d just get a Remage barrel and a barrel nut from someone like Mile High and headspace it yourself with gauges.
 
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Not specifically for Bergara, but are the Bergara barrel threads same as for R700? If they are, then you’d just get a Remage barrel and a barrel nut from someone like Mile High and headspace it yourself with gauges.
Thanks for the suggestion. I had looked into this before. Apparently due to the coned bolt face on the B-14 bolt, you can’t use Remage barrels without modification. It’s just as well really. I think I’ll just sell this turd and get a Tikka.
 
Not specifically for Bergara, but are the Bergara barrel threads same as for R700? If they are, then you’d just get a Remage barrel and a barrel nut from someone like Mile High and headspace it yourself with gauges.

I have a bergara premier in 6.5 creedmoor that I'd love to rebarrel. Scope and mount are good, tried different torque etc, still throws fliers 2-3MOA all the time.
 
I have a bergara premier in 6.5 creedmoor that I'd love to rebarrel. Scope and mount are good, tried different torque etc, still throws fliers 2-3MOA all the time.
Just to make sure you saw it. You can’t use Remage prefits with Bergara because of the cones bolt face.

 
Just to make sure you saw it. You can’t use Remage prefits with Bergara because of the cones bolt face.


I'm just gonna send it in to them see if they can get decent groups out of it.
 
I read the article you linked. I know it was about the Premier series action. Are all the actions done the same way?
 
I read the article you linked. I know it was about the Premier series action. Are all the actions done the same way?
I can’t say for certain. The bolt face on the B-14 is conical, so I would think it applies. If you really want to know for sure maybe contact Criterion.
 
Gotcha. Man, seems like Bergara really needs to get their act together. From lots of unhappy customers and terrible customer service, do us a favor and go out of business.
 
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Ironically I just got my Bergara Ridge back from "warranty" this afternoon. It had stopped ejecting spent cases for the last year. Changed extractor and ejector spring myself to no avail.

Caused much frustration and many coyotes along with a lot of money in a tournament this winter

They claimed they could not replicate the malfunction. You have got to be kidding me! I'd like to full it with manure and ship it back one final time.
 
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Good grief boys. This is starting to be a dumpster fire! Issues all around.
 
Make sure to pack it with rust preventative. Apparently Bergara rent them out as boat anchors while they are in the queue to be tested.

Honestly, I'd rather have a gunsmith who knows what he's doing rebarrel it with a basic blank (say green mountain or douglas) than deal with all the bullshit of shipping and waiting months only to hear that it meets standards and I owe them 115$ for testing it.
 
If you’re thinking of that route, I’d hit up T&C Fisher here on the Hide and have him do it for you.
 
Looks like Bergara caught the Remington flu, I have an early one on barrel #3 the action runs smooth as silk
and have only had one issue where the extractor spring lost its tension after a few thousand rounds. Seems that as their production has increased the quality has decreased.
 
Mine looks and feels great just shoots like shit. 2-3rds in a tight group then a flier 3” off to the side etc.
This is exactly what mine did. I wanted to love it. Everything was great....except the groups/accuracy. Traded it within a month of buying it and lost half my money but I will not have a rifle that shoots as bad as it did. Even after they confirmed it was "good". Now I know some that have them and they shoot very well though. And I have a rimfire that is a tacdriver.
 
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What is clear to me (call me dense) is that now, on this thread alone, I feel we’re getting enough of a sample size to truly say they have issues. Not just that two or three guys couldn’t get them to shoot. Accuracy is hit and miss (quite literally 😂), and customer service is consistent (consistently poor haha).
 
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I have a quirk where when an item has an unusual failure, I never fully trust it again.
I'm not talking about wear, or something like an extractor losing tension, but a full on fuckup at the mfg level. I'm never 100% sure of it again.


My original HMR galled the lugs on the bolt badly. Almost like the lugs were made of aluminum they galled up so eaisly. Lgs swapped it out for an entirely different rifle of the same model. Action felt fine. Still, it sat unfired in the box for almost 3yrs,and I finally sold it.
 
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I tested the gun today. It's still shooting 1.5-2 MOA groups. I literally have a $500 AR-15 that groups better than this. Anyway, I'm done with this gun. I am just going to sell it.
 

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I tested the gun today. It's still shooting 1.5-2 MOA groups. I literally have a $500 AR-15 that groups better than this. Anyway, I'm done with this gun. I am just going to sell it.
You definitely did your due diligence giving the rifle every chance. I suppose it is just a production rifle and there is a percentage that will not shoot well. I feel those of us here that have talked about this for months and can relate with your frustration! Another member posted about never trusting a rifle if it has problems. I totally agree with that, no matter what firearm it is. Once it's in your head it will never go away.
 
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You definitely did your due diligence giving the rifle every chance. I suppose it is just a production rifle and there is a percentage that will not shoot well. I feel those of us here that have talked about this for months and can relate with your frustration! Another member posted about never trusting a rifle if it has problems. I totally agree with that, no matter what firearm it is. Once it's in your head it will never go away.
Yeah, that’s true. Even if I put in the money to replace the barrel and it shot well I would never really be happy with it because of the frustration it caused me.
 
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Long story but I've owned 5
Broke all in by book and then test many ammo brands in each:
3 shot terrible
1 shot sub moa but finish was jacked
1 waa a keeper and shot easy sub moa

The 'keeper" is the one that now doesn't eject and also had the finish go bad.

Theres a pattern here, literally

I've shot examples of most modern lower cost brands of bolt guns available. I'd put Bergara at the bottom. I had really hoped they would be good. They just aren't.
 
I've shot examples of most modern lower cost brands of bolt guns available. I'd put Bergara at the bottom. I had really hoped they would be good. They just aren't.
You usually get what you pay for. Every now and then, you get lucky. But, if you roll the dice with a manufacturer like Bergara over someone like Remington, Savage, Springfield, etc., you stand more of a chance of getting a lemon. There are far more of the other more well-known rifles out there whose problems (and accolades) are more readily known because there are more of those brands in the hands of shooters. For example, Remington's generally have good actions and great triggers, while Savage's usually have cheesy stocks, and sloppy actions, but great triggers and are tight shooters. The more well-known manufacturers can afford to try and make things right, because they sell a bunch of rifles and want to continue to do so. Whereas, a smaller manufacturer might be operating on a tighter budget.
 
You usually get what you pay for. Every now and then, you get lucky. But, if you roll the dice with a manufacturer like Bergara over someone like Remington, Savage, Springfield, etc., you stand more of a chance of getting a lemon. There are far more of the other more well-known rifles out there whose problems (and accolades) are more readily known because there are more of those brands in the hands of shooters. For example, Remington's generally have good actions and great triggers, while Savage's usually have cheesy stocks, and sloppy actions, but great triggers and are tight shooters. The more well-known manufacturers can afford to try and make things right, because they sell a bunch of rifles and want to continue to do so. Whereas, a smaller manufacturer might be operating on a tighter budget.
except Bergara costs more than Savage or Remington, and is advertised as an gun that is more premium than those. Also, Remington, at least before it's new merger, were trash. They were good back in the day, but now not so much
 
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Update: I sold my Bergara. Man am I ever glad to be rid of it. Once I had the money in hand I rushed down to the courier to send that turd on its way and out of my life.
 
Update: I sold my Bergara. Man am I ever glad to be rid of it. Once I had the money in hand I rushed down to the courier to send that turd on its way and out of my life.
Damn it! I am glad you got rid of yours as I was mine. Now for my current dilemma. I am contemplating a 300PRC or 7PRC. I have my tried and true custom rifle maker that ironically has one in lefty which I need, in stock. No 9 month wait. But..... Bergara makes a 7PRC in lefty. I am debating on the reduced cost and 50/50 chance it will be accurate. My 6.5 creed was a dud but my rimfire bolt action is a hammer! I feel like I am at a casino playing the worst odds game in the building though even considering this! Sadly there are not many that make a left hand action rifle. I wish Seekins would get in the left hand game but to date they have not.
 
Damn it! I am glad you got rid of yours as I was mine. Now for my current dilemma. I am contemplating a 300PRC or 7PRC. I have my tried and true custom rifle maker that ironically has one in lefty which I need, in stock. No 9 month wait. But..... Bergara makes a 7PRC in lefty. I am debating on the reduced cost and 50/50 chance it will be accurate. My 6.5 creed was a dud but my rimfire bolt action is a hammer! I feel like I am at a casino playing the worst odds game in the building though even considering this! Sadly there are not many that make a left hand action rifle. I wish Seekins would get in the left hand game but to date they have not.
I’m left-handed as well but I’ve never bought a left-handed firearm. If you want to resell it you are excluding 90% of the market and unless you’re firing it offhand it essentially makes no difference, IMHO. Either way, I’d rather set myself on fire and have it put out by a herd of elephants than give Bergara another penny.
 
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I’m left-handed as well but I’ve never bought a left-handed firearm. If you want to resell it you are excluding 90% of the market and unless you’re firing it offhand it essentially makes no difference, IMHO. Either way, I’d rather set myself on fire and have it put out by a herd of elephants than give Bergara another penny.
I knew you would say that and felt the same way last year when I started that battle! Hey, look at it this way! It is a way to keep this thread going lol!
 
I’m left-handed as well but I’ve never bought a left-handed firearm. If you want to resell it you are excluding 90% of the market and unless you’re firing it offhand it essentially makes no difference, IMHO. Either way, I’d rather set myself on fire and have it put out by a herd of elephants than give Bergara another penny.
I would add. My dud Bergara was my first left hand bolt action. It made me realize I really like it for training regarding PRS style shooting. All by GAP rifles with only a few exceptions are now left hand actions.
 
I would add. My dud Bergara was my first left hand bolt action. It made me realize I really like it for training regarding PRS style shooting. All by GAP rifles with only a few exceptions are now left hand actions.
Interesting. Maybe I should give them a try too.
 
Interesting. Maybe I should give them a try too.
I ran right hand all my life. Now using left hand action just feels "right" I guess. Much better at staying on target through the glass and applying the same fundamentals that right handers do regarding continued rear bag tension.
 
I'll make a note to never buy a used rifle on this website LOL!
Hey, according to Bergara it is “match” level precision. I sent it to them to get it fixed twice, so it must be good. 😂 Who are you going to believe, Bergara or your lying eyes? All the guntubers sponsored by Bergara say it has unmatched precision as well.