I've had a Ridge OEM stock (it comes with the Ridge SP), but honestly I took the thing off and tossed it first thing - I was just after the barreled action for a project, so I can't recall if there were pillars in that stock. The HMR stock has pillars, for sure.
The Bergaras are popular on the ground out where I am, but have a rough reputation online. Of the ones I've handled or worked on, all of them came with overspray on the inside of the stock (removed with some sandpaper wrapped around a socket from an automotive tool set), all of them came from the factory with loose and oily action screws and scope base screws (pulled, degreased, and re-torqued to correct), all of them crater firing pins due to factory OEM firing pin channel slop (expected but disappointing, stick to large rifle primers and steer clear of max pressure handloads), and one of them fumbles ejected cases pretty reliably even after going back to Bergara and getting a new bolt assembly.
You'll hear even worse things with a quick search of this forum, and elsewhere.
All of them I have experience with were fine shooters, no issues with the barrels in them for their intended use. I've run an HMR barrel pissin' hot with short 12rd stages in local matches in the summer, and did experience reduced barrel life as a result - completely expected for the barrel profile in question.
They are Remington 700 compatible (stocks, triggers, scope bases) economy options that are usually available locally at reasonable prices and perform exactly as you'd expect for the price. If you are willing to do a little of your own QC, pull EVERY fastener to degrease/retorque prior to testfire, and are willing to send it back if you get a bad one? They'll do.
