Bergara BMR Carbon or Steel Barrel
- Thread starter bsekf
- Start date
I have no personal experience with the carbon version but I’ve heard people having some issues with them changing point on impact when they get a little warm due to the barrel walking within the carbon shell. Now you’ll definitely save a little bit of weight going with the carbon version, if you plan on using it for hunting it’s a good way to go but not the best for quick rates of fire during match use.
Guys have had issues with the carbon suppressed if that’s an issue. Due to it being a pencil barrel in a carbon sleeve vs wrapped
I have the carbon BMR, haven't noticed any POI shift after putting 100+ rounds though it in half an hour. I also haven't put my can on it, so I don't know how much that would increase the temperature. 
I primarily bought it to be a light(er) weight woods rifle...so cold bore shot POI shift is more of a concern, it does pretty well in that regard, minute of squirrel head is no problem.
I primarily bought it to be a light(er) weight woods rifle...so cold bore shot POI shift is more of a concern, it does pretty well in that regard, minute of squirrel head is no problem.
I have a BMR carbon. I bought it a yr ago hoping to use it in ARA factory matches. I like the mags, and the gun is very light. But it is not accurate enough to use in match play and be competitive. So, I replaced the BR scope with a nice 3-9x this fall and made it a squirrel rifle. Added a silencer to round out the pkg. With Eley LV hollow points, it is quiet and deadly. As for accuracy walking? During a match, I shoot fast when I am in the bubble and the conditions are not changing. Sometimes at about shot #15-20 I have had it throw flyers but other rifles have done that to me at times. Where it was lacking is the average precision at 50y from the bench was never better than about 1/2” and that just is not good enough. I mostly compete with Lapua CX or Midas but also tried many lots of SK, Eley, and RWS trying to make it work.
I am reminded of the Japanese engineer from Toyota who asked to examine a very costly Samurai sword. With owners permission, he gently removed the handle to examine the hallmarks on the hilt of the blade. Satisfied, he then carefully reassembled the weapon, bowed to the owner and returned it to him, saying only “Thank you very much”. The owner not satisfied, pressed the man for more detail and asked, “Well, what do you think of it?” The engineer bowed slowly and stated, “Would make good steak knife”. It was not what the owner thought it was.
I am reminded of the Japanese engineer from Toyota who asked to examine a very costly Samurai sword. With owners permission, he gently removed the handle to examine the hallmarks on the hilt of the blade. Satisfied, he then carefully reassembled the weapon, bowed to the owner and returned it to him, saying only “Thank you very much”. The owner not satisfied, pressed the man for more detail and asked, “Well, what do you think of it?” The engineer bowed slowly and stated, “Would make good steak knife”. It was not what the owner thought it was.
Thanks very much! I like the idea of dropping a Rem 700 trigger into the BMR but probably won't. By the time you work on the T1X you have an additional $50 in it. And my research shows the BMR and T1X about the same accuracy wise. The $100 carbon fiber barrel gets you nothing. I am still on the fence!
The T1X is a better shooter but come in that crap plastic stock. At least in ARA we are not allowed to change the stock for factory class. To bad Tikka does not offer a better stock like CZ does.
My experience with BMR (steel) is almost exactly like JG26's, about 800 rounds down range, I only had a handful of MOA groups at 50 yds (0.5" of smaller). With the same ammo(s) my T1X 20" shoots muct better than the BMR that I had (which ended up returned for a full refund). I have a T1X 16" inbound, hope it will shoot just as good as the 20" brother.
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I handled a BMR at Scheels like the first couple weeks of its debut. That thing was the grittiest shit feeling action I have ever encountered. I actually stopped and inspected it because I couldn't believe how bad it felt.
I run a early 2019 B14R Carbon. It has ran/cycled/mags locked up perfect for 3 years. Not had a bolt breakage or anything for 6000 rounds of use mostly in a competition format.
I don't buy into the internet b.s. about carbon's shooting bad. Simply because I think I have encountered 1 carbon for 10 steel barreled guns over the course of 3 years. And every fucking time somebody posts online carbons shoot bad.... its always "I hear they don't shoot as good." Not....."My Carbon shoots bad." Statisically speaking....I don't think many people have Carbons to even be giving their fucking opinion.
The 3 Carbons I've encountered....NOT A FUCKING ONE OF THEM shoots any better or worse than a steel on average across production. I've presented 50yd groups here and on other platforms of my performance over a entire summer. Placed in the Top 5 in my region prior to shooting NRL22 Nationals in Nebraska.
Has it been all roses....no. Mine hates my suppressor.... it really pisses me off.
During Nationals I smoked the hardest stage of the match as my first stage of the match on the windiest day shooting out 350yds basically cold. And then damn near cleaned the next 3 stages. Only to have it completely fuck up after the lunch break and not hit the broad side of a barn. I zeroed practically the next 7 stages that day. Went back and cleaned it with a bore snake 3 times and hoppes (cuz thats all I had with me and didn't have the time to walk the 1.2 miles back to the truck) to have the gun somewhat come back. Gun was shooting so amazingly bad. Cleaned it at the hotel checked zero the next day. Day 2 was better. Despite bombing half of Day 1.....I still beat half the field at the end. So I wasn't too happy with that outcome.
I don't sugar coat shit. Expect no pity and don't ask for any. But I will damned if I've seen anyone post anything other than heresay when it comes to Carbons.
The BMR just doesn't impress me. It's not got much in terms of stocks. The only advantage is the weight. You want a BMR...fine. You want it really light? Buy a Carbon. You don't care so much about weight? Buy the steel. I personally don't feel the Carbon B14R is a bad gun for a hunting rig. Yeah it costs more. I wish Bergara would offer a wider forend factory stock for the B14R. And the HMR stock is more akin to a hunting stock with a cheekriser than a dedicated match stock. To me, the pros of the B14R outweighs the cons of the BMR.
I run a early 2019 B14R Carbon. It has ran/cycled/mags locked up perfect for 3 years. Not had a bolt breakage or anything for 6000 rounds of use mostly in a competition format.
I don't buy into the internet b.s. about carbon's shooting bad. Simply because I think I have encountered 1 carbon for 10 steel barreled guns over the course of 3 years. And every fucking time somebody posts online carbons shoot bad.... its always "I hear they don't shoot as good." Not....."My Carbon shoots bad." Statisically speaking....I don't think many people have Carbons to even be giving their fucking opinion.
The 3 Carbons I've encountered....NOT A FUCKING ONE OF THEM shoots any better or worse than a steel on average across production. I've presented 50yd groups here and on other platforms of my performance over a entire summer. Placed in the Top 5 in my region prior to shooting NRL22 Nationals in Nebraska.
Has it been all roses....no. Mine hates my suppressor.... it really pisses me off.
During Nationals I smoked the hardest stage of the match as my first stage of the match on the windiest day shooting out 350yds basically cold. And then damn near cleaned the next 3 stages. Only to have it completely fuck up after the lunch break and not hit the broad side of a barn. I zeroed practically the next 7 stages that day. Went back and cleaned it with a bore snake 3 times and hoppes (cuz thats all I had with me and didn't have the time to walk the 1.2 miles back to the truck) to have the gun somewhat come back. Gun was shooting so amazingly bad. Cleaned it at the hotel checked zero the next day. Day 2 was better. Despite bombing half of Day 1.....I still beat half the field at the end. So I wasn't too happy with that outcome.
I don't sugar coat shit. Expect no pity and don't ask for any. But I will damned if I've seen anyone post anything other than heresay when it comes to Carbons.
The BMR just doesn't impress me. It's not got much in terms of stocks. The only advantage is the weight. You want a BMR...fine. You want it really light? Buy a Carbon. You don't care so much about weight? Buy the steel. I personally don't feel the Carbon B14R is a bad gun for a hunting rig. Yeah it costs more. I wish Bergara would offer a wider forend factory stock for the B14R. And the HMR stock is more akin to a hunting stock with a cheekriser than a dedicated match stock. To me, the pros of the B14R outweighs the cons of the BMR.
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A comparison of the Bergara B14R to the BMR is like comparing the Winchester 52 to the cheaper, lighter, less accurate Winchester 75. The BMR action is rough, and the carbon bbl on the B14 is much heavier than the one used on the BMR. B14R is much better rifle. I have never had a suppressor improve the accuracy of a precision 22. I suppose it could but hanging a few ounces of steel and titanium on the muzzle cause all of my rifles to shoot low by 4/10 mil and left by 2/10’s. Once re-zeroed they shoot ok and if all I am doing is plinking steel or squirrel hunting I don’t notice the difference. So I guess it may not hurt accuracy much but as the bullet passes thru each baffle, some of the gases blast past it and it is hard not to think that this is not throwing some deviation into the rear of the bullet. As deposits build up in the can the shape of each baffle changes and the weight increases. Minor variation to be sure. If I am shooting bench rest matches, I do not use a can. Any other time the variance it adds is so small that it is lost in the noise (which is trapped in the can??), lol 
