Bergara B-14R Range Report and Assessment

[Minofbarn]

I won my b14 on a $20 raffle and didn't know anything about it. Thought about selling it as I have never tried any type of competition shooting or really much more than a couple range days a year before hunting season. I decided to keep it and see what the fuss was about and to use it to teach my young kids to shoot. My thought being that why not learn on a very good platform. Long story short-ish I threw on an old Nikon monarch I had sitting around and shot a little at 50yds yesterday. The picture shows the first 20 rounds through the gun. 5 to sight in and 15 in the yellow. Cci standard velocity. No issues at all in the 100 rounds we shot, I really enjoyed the light trigger pull too.

 

[Tokay444]

I've been using https://amzn.to/3crpu2t for dry firing. They work really well.

My snap caps say right on them, “Do not dry fire. Damage will result.”

 

[BreachBangClearRyan]

I have always used cheap yellow drywall anchors as snap caps. You can dry fire on them and they are cheap to replace. You might need to try a brand or two to get ones that feed reliably but they work great.

 

[Burdy]

Still absolutely love mine:

 

[GearMaker]

@Kisssofdeath Thank you for the incredible review! This is exactly the type of in-depth write up that helps me determine whether or not this rifle is worth my money. I had narrowed my decision on what will replace my Savage MkII FVSR down to the Bergara B14R or the Tikka T1x in a KRG Bravo or Oryx stock/chassis. You had me convinced that the Bergara was the way to go, and then you said:

Accuracy wise, this rifle is no different than any other quality made rifle and that is, it's still ammo dependant. My Tikka T1x's have shot just as accurate.

HAHA! So what this tells me is that accuracy won't be the deciding factor. I'll have to decide based on the reliability of the rifle, the potential to mirror a centerfire platform, and the ability to swap in a quality trigger. I still think the Bergara might edge out the Tikka. Thanks again!

 

[grapo]

Thanks for the very in depth review. Excellent info for the community. Just ordered one up!

 

[Yoteman2]

Got out this weekend with the B14r
With TTD trigger with no problem
Fed 922a
Fed UM 22
SK rifle match
Center X
Cci SV
Geco auto match
SK pistol match
All at 100 yards off bench with bipod an rear bag
No fail to function at all
1st time out 1/2 to 1 1/2 groups
With 20” on action bolts with Fed UM
Being best 10 shot groups
Later that day, did clean up stock in action area, to remove overspray
Back to range next day
Much better groups with action screw set at 20” to 40” not a lot of different in poi
Groups between 1/2” to 1”
All 10 shots
Don’t get me wrong there was some around 1 1/2” but think it was me,
I was getting heat wasted
90+* an high humidity
Really enjoying this rifle
Just my 2cents
Yote

 

[Yoteman2]

KOD
Did have half a box of wolf match
But pulled a modified bore snake though bore before shooting
But the last 5 shoots make me wish I had more to try
Maybe worth buying more to do a 10 shot group test
Yote

 

[nakoa01]

Still absolutely love mine:

What chassis is this and color

 

[Yoteman2]

What chassis is this and color

Also would like to know
What chassis?

 

[srt-4_uk]

Shop – PDC Custom

This is where you can browse products in this store.

www.pdccustom.com

 

[Possium8]

Here is some shooting from this weekend. I was trying some thing new with the front rest usually use a bipod.

 

[Possium8]

I was originally at the range for a fun shoot that we are doing it's a shoot at your own pace at 25yds. So I was using my Anschutz for it but decided to try the Bergara for one target. It was a little hard with the Bergara because the Athlon Midas BTR doesn't focus down that low. Both were shot with the same lot of Center - x.

 

[Yoteman2]

Did a reshoot with geco auto match today
WOW!!!
5 - 10shot groups at 55yards
All stay on 1/2 dots
At $2.50 a box, I can say I broke the law getting back to LGS to buy all of that lot
1500 rounds of
Score!!!
Just saying, give it a try,out shooting
Center x, UM 22, SK,922,tennx
In my b14r
An at 1/3rd the price = more trigger time
Yote

 

[Yoteman2]

Will post pictures when I can figure out how

 

[Yoteman2]

I was originally at the range for a fun shoot that we are doing it's a shoot at your own pace at 25yds. So I was using my Anschutz for it but decided to try the Bergara for one target. It was a little hard with the Bergara because the Athlon Midas BTR doesn't focus down that low. Both were shot with the same lot of Center - x.View attachment 7368571 View attachment 7368577View attachment 7368566

I know you said 25 yards
Would like to see a 10 shot group
At 50
Just want to compare it to my findings
By the way that’s lights out, good shooting
How you liking the MPR
Mine is my best shooting rifle I own
Yote

 

[Possium8]

The first post with the Bergara in it is at 50yds that target is 8 5 shot groups and one 10 shot group at the end.

 

[Yoteman2]

The first post with the Bergara in it is at 50yds that target is 8 5 shot groups and one 10 shot group at the end.

Thanks should have looked before I asked
BTW that is outstanding groups
Yote

 

[Kisssofdeath]

You guys are burning it up. Haven't been on here in quite some time now. GearMaker, Grapo thanks for the kind words. Yoteman2, get all that Wolf you can. I was going to buy a case from https://ammunitionstore.com/ but it was at the beginning of the China virus and couldn't be guaranteed the same lot number.

Just the feel and shootability of the B14R makes it a rifle I can say with 99% certainty I'll never sell.

 

[XgobudX]

Mags in stock.

 

[Yoteman2]

Thanks X
Finally

 

[munsonbw]

Mags in stock.

Thanks for posting this. I see several places have them in stock now. I was starting to wonder when I would be able to get a spare.

 

[NewsShooter]

Mags in stock.

Thanks, picked up a couple more and the price was better too.

 

[Yoteman2]

Shot again this weekend
Dang this b14r coming around
Groups getting down to 3/4”to 1/2”
At 100 yards
Really enjoying this thing
Yote

 

[munsonbw]

Shot again this weekend
Dang this b14r coming around
Groups getting down to 3/4”to 1/2”
At 100 yards
Really enjoying this thing
Yote

What ammo are you having the best luck with?

 

[vaguru]

For those of you on the fence about the B 14-R, I'll post some pics of groups I have shot with mine. Conditions have not been great this spring, but occasionally I get a day that isn't too bad. I'll start with 100 yd groups. I'll start another post with 50 yd groups.

 

[vaguru]

As promised here are some 50 yd groups I shot with the B 14-R. Unfortunately the conditions didn't hold for the top group with SK Biathlon and consequently the group enlarged. I'm sure that had the conditions held, or I read them correctly, the top group would have been much closer to the bottom group. I have more, but I think you get the idea. I'm mainly shooting NRL22 so I'm trying to keep ammo costs down, but enjoy the Bergara. Still not too bad a shooter even with my near 70 year old eyes. I'm really pleased with the shootability and the consistency of this rifle. Would buy it again!

 

[300ATT]

Nice shooting.

 

[Yoteman2]

What ammo are you having the best luck with?

As vaguru showed
Pretty much mirrors mine at 100 an 50
Yards with centerX
Midas+ does a little better
However (don’t laugh me down)
Because I tried some geco auto match.
By all reasonable thought this stuff should not do well,
But hanging around 3/4” at 100
An one big hole at 50yard
Just to disprove my groups had neighbors 9 year old son shoot 2(5) groups at 50
Just let me say I am paying his entry fee this weekend at local 22 match
Shooting the b14r with geco match
Want to see the old fart gamer guys
Scratch there head
The young man can shoot
I have tried
Center x
Midas+
Fed um22
Fed 922a
SK rifle match
SK pistol match
Wolf match
Wolf match extra
Cci sv
In order best to worst top 5
Midas+
Centerx
Wolf both types
Geco auto match
All brands with the lots I have to close to call a outstanding brand
Please understand I have shot ALOT
Of ammo through this rifle
An now loving this bergara
Big joke having a Vudoo built an right now not in any hurry to get it done
Vaguru very nice

 

[Yoteman2]

anyone near hickory nc
We are hosting a 22table too match again this weekend
Check out
Cvrp.org go to calendar

 

[nakoa01]

Anybody else having trouble getting mags to fit and release in a bravo?

 

[Hunting2019]

Pull your barelled action off and loosen the screw that you see in the picture in front of the trigger guard. May have to push it back some, insert your mag, and work it in and out a few times. If that works then tighten the screw. Otherwise you have to loosen all of the 8 i believe forend screws and push it forward. Hope that works for you!

 

[Hunting2019]

Take your finger and put it inside the mag well push back and then tighten it.

 

[nakoa01]

Thanks fellas

 

[ta6ppc]

I was able to get 3 magazines from grabagun this week they arrived in 4 days!!

 

[Scotty22]

I was able to get 3 magazines from grabagun this week they arrived in 4 days!!

I ordered 2 of them and still haven’t received them and the tracking says preshipment info received. Waiting on item. so hopefully he gets them to USPS soon.

 

[ta6ppc]

I had been googling the pn for the mag ever since I bought the rifle looking for at least 3 spares.. it showed preshipment for me for about 3 days then I got a tracking number showed up fedex as well I just selected standard shipping

 

[Scotty22]

Yea I ordered Thursday after he made the post here. We will see when they show up

I had been googling the pn for the mag ever since I bought the rifle looking for at least 3 spares.. it showed preshipment for me for about 3 days then I got a tracking number showed up fedex as well I just selected standard shipping

 

[XgobudX]

I have nothing to do with the Grab a Gun, I just shared the link to let everyone know. I did receive the 4 I ordered.
Just give it a day or so, my mags showed up yesterday and I got email with the shipping notice last night.
I hope my barreled action arrives soon, I've ordered it on June 26th. By the way, they droped the price on the mags to 29.99, still show in stock as of last night.

 

[Yoteman2]

Up date
We just finished 22 100 yard match
My neighbor 9 year old son
Made me proud
Possible 200 score 20x
He beat everyone with
197 11x
10 ring 3/4” x ring 1/2”
With my Bergara b14
Up against
Walter
Anshulte
Rem 40x
Custom cz 455 an 457
Custom 10-22
Vudoo
He beat them all
‘O’ by the way geco auto match ammo
He also finished 2nd in side match of know your limit
YEA I think the B14R does ok
I did finish 2nd
But he still handed me my a$$

 

[Yoteman2]

Just a heads up
After 3 days an a match today
We ran the b14r very hard
Noticed something not right
When I got home found ejector small pin had worked its way out
Just enough to cause failure to eject
Drove pin back in , covered hole with a dab of jb weld
Just did a test fire
Good to go
It is the top small pin
To be on the safe side jb weld dab both pins
That could have cost us big time in match today
They call it bottom pin
Pm# 33000

 

[Yoteman2]

I ordered 2 of them and still haven’t received them and the tracking says preshipment info received. Waiting on item. so hopefully he gets them to USPS soon.

Same with mey
As of today 7-20-20
Still have not received magazines

 

[docohm]

This will be a lengthy report because I want to show a few photos and explain what might be important to you, the reader. This is not organized and will be written as things comes to mind. This assessment should not be taken as an indicator of how all B-14R rifles will perform; this is how mine performs, yours may be better or worse.

Well, the wind finally stop blowing a constant 15 mph with crazy gust from time to time. Today while shooting I noticed that some rounds and different brands had a pop/crack even when using the Sparrow. They were clearly breaking the sound barrier. Everything I shot was subsonic, temps were around 50°. The temp was the only thing I could think would cause this as I have never experienced this before. Not sure if that contributed to the many "stray" rounds I had but I seemed to have had quite a few. Many of the 5 shot groups were ruined by one round and it wasn't always the 5th shot either. Didn't get any photos of the rifle but will post some showing essentially what it looked like today.

I hope and believe the rifle will shoot better than the targets show. Sample size was with nine different brands of ammo that didn't include any Eley. At some point, I will be playing with the torque settings on the action bolts. Today all targets were shot on 20 in/lbs. *EDIT* ONE PLATE WAS SHOT WITH CCI SV AT 40 IN/LBS. Eventually I will use CCI SV and see if the rifle has a "sweet spot". It took 60 in/lbs on my Wheeler FAT wrench to break the bolts loose when I removed the stock for trigger work."

I'm new to this and I have a question, why did you torque action to 20 in/lbs? I put mine that I got this week in a KRG Bravo and they say 55 in/lbs in their manual. Will it shoot better at 20? I have already gotten <0.25 in groups at 50 yds with CCI Std Vel.
Thanks in advance and nice review...

 

[Yoteman2]

Some action/stocks have a sweet spot
Use your cci sv are whatever
Make sure all same lot #
Start at 20” lb shoot 2- 5 shot groups
( I like to make sure that 1 group back the other up)
Go to 30”lb do the same
40”lb an so on
You may find what the rifle prefers
An you may (if bedded correctly) not.
If you do then go 5”lb under an over that setting
But remember 22lr is the most unforgiving dang rifles I shoot
Lol
Yote

 

[docohm]

Some action/stocks have a sweet spot
Use your cci sv are whatever
Make sure all same lot #
Start at 20” lb shoot 2- 5 shot groups
( I like to make sure that 1 group back the other up)
Go to 30”lb do the same
40”lb an so on
You may find what the rifle prefers
An you may (if bedded correctly) not.
If you do then go 5”lb under an over that setting
But remember 22lr is the most unforgiving dang rifles I shoot
Lol
Yote

Thanks! I will do that next week and see how it goes!

 

[Yoteman2]

Thanks! I will do that next week and see how it goes!

D
You may want to check as I did
The action inlet in stock
The paint Bergara use on stock can overspray into inside action area
You may want to clean that up
I used an dowel with 600 grit sand paper.
The over spray comes off pretty easy
Do over do it. But the pillars should be nice an clean
I had problems with the torque setting before I cleaned overspray
Now all good
My bad you are changing stocks
Start with what they recommend then go backwards
Did not read your post correctly
You said 50 temp dang
Our match today high 90s
With 98% humidity
We were sweating out as much as we we’re drinking
Let us know how it goes
Yote

 

[orkan]

Had an issue when trying to run a suppressor on my B14R Carbon. When attaching the suppressor, I'd have extreme POI shift. 10+ mils, and groups opened up hugely. I tried 5 different brands/models of 22lr suppressor with similar results that varied per can. Those with larger bore diameters shifted less, which led me to believe it was baffle strikes. I've experienced this exact same thing with other carbon tension barrels of this design, such as volquartsen, and others. The shoulder on the barrel is comprised of a threaded nut, that is tensioned against a carbon fiber sleeve. Sometimes, that nut gets off axis from the bore, so when you tighten up a suppressor, it will pull it off axis. Other times the tool used to interface the two holes in the nut, damages the two holes, and causes a bit of material to stick up which will contact the suppressor before full lockup. This is not specific to bergara, but rather can happen with any barrel of this design. Without the suppressor attached, the rifle shot great.

With the barrel setup true to the bore in a lathe, you can face off the nut, and square it up. This solved the issue 100% and I can now attach a suppressor with only a couple tenths of a mil of shift, (which is very minimal) and the groups are nice, just as they are without the suppressor.

Before:

After:

 

[Yoteman2]

Thanks orkan
Very nice post an videos
Was thinking about a barreled action carbon, for lite weight small game
As my b14r steel is a heavy tank
If I go the carbon route will definitely check that run out

 

[Yoteman2]

Orkan did you remove Barrel when you put it in lathe
If so what is tread pitch on Bergara action
How hard would it be to change out to a custom barrel

 

[orkan]

Orkan did you remove Barrel when you put it in lathe
If so what is tread pitch on Bergara action
How hard would it be to change out to a custom barrel

Not that hard with the right equipment. I have no idea what the thread spec is, but if you can cut threads and time extractor slots... it’s the same as most things.