BERGARA B14 WILDERNESS THUMBHOLE CARBON - Perfect or Pretty?

Opening the box from Artemis Outdoors UK (AKA the Ex RUAG UK), the new Bergara importers, reminded me of a quote from the film ‘The Dirty Dozen’. Lee Marvin is inspecting a squad of US paratroopers and turns to their C/O and says: “They’re very pretty colonel, but can they fight?” We’ll see, but if curb appeal alone was the criteria, sign me up, as this B14 is pretty much everything I like about a modern hunting rifle!

2016+

Bergara is Spanish and needs little introduction. The company was formed in 2006 to make quality, yet affordable barrels, and they quickly gained recognition and soon added rifles to their portfolio. In 2016, they launched the B14 series, and the rest is history. Affordable and eminently shootable, this design has gone from strength to strength.

Although offering both traditional and modern/wood and synthetic stock options, their most prolific design has to be the furniture based around their original HMR (Hunting and Match Rifle). Made from a rigid material, it features an inner metal chassis member that provides a rock-solid base for the action. It’s a bit McMillan A3/A5-style and comes with length of pull (LOP) spacers and a height-adjustable comb.

Suits you sir

Looking at the various B14 models shows that the basic HMR stock has been used and modified to create several subtly different options. But the Wilderness Carbon offers my favourite configuration - a thumbhole layout with an adjustable comb and a simple but effective LOP system. Add in a rigid forend with a generous free-float channel and a camo finish and it’s near perfect to my eyes. But it doesn’t stop there, as this model offers a carbon fibre-wrapped barrel in a select choice of calibres.

Sincerest flattery

The B14’s steel action mimics the Remington 700 design and footprint. However, it has a different bolt shroud and cocked action indicator, plus an extended bolt handle with a tapered knob. The bolt body is spiral fluted and the twin, opposed locking lugs are coned, doubtless for smoother feeding and engagement. The safety catch is the same, being a 2-position rolling lever that’s positioned rear/right. Move it forward for FIRE and rear for SAFE with bolt operation. The finish on all the metal parts is Cerakote’s Sniper Grey, with only the bolt body left in the white.

Feed is from a Bergara, AICS-compatible, 5-round polymer magazine with an ambidextrous paddle release at the rear. The receiver bridges are stepped, high front and low rear. The trigger is weight-adjustable only, but fit for purpose, and from the box, mine broke at a sweet 2 lbs. It will also accept any accessory that fits the generic Remy 700.

Nice furniture

The stock is made from a solid synthetic material and inspection showed a crisp and precise action inlet with aluminium pillars. The finish is camo, with a tan base and a grey/green overlay, plus a black overweb for added hold. The two rubber inlays on the pistol grip and forend are practical, and there’s a thick rubber recoil pad at the rear. There are three QD sling studs and four side-mounted ambidextrous sling sockets as standard.

The ‘set and forget’ LOP adjustment appears a bit basic. There’s an adaptor that sits between the rear of the butt and the recoil pad, to which you can add 0.5” spacers (two included). Total length adjustment is 1”, a little bit short perhaps, but workable. You get three sets of screws including short, medium, and long to suit. All you do is drop the required spacers in, select the correct screws, and wind it all together. However, it’s also possible to move this whole assembly up or down, for fine-tuning. I found it worked best for me, with it dropped down from the centreline.

It’s a wrap

Carbon fibre-wrapped barrels were once a rarity on production rifles, but now seem to be a standard option. There are four calibres/options available: SHORT ACTION - .308 Win | 20” and 6.5 Creedmoor | 22”. LONG ACTION - 6.5 PRC and .300 Win Mag, both at 24”. Obviously, the latter two are heavier due to their longer receivers and tubes. All show a No. 6 profile with a 21.6mm muzzle diameter. On test is the .308 | 20”, with a 1-10” rifling twist rate, which it also shares with the .300. Both the 6.5s show 1-8”.

Carbon offers an appreciable weight reduction, with Bergara stating between 200-400 grams (0.44 - 0.88 lbs), depending on the model. The build uses a carbon-wrapped, slim steel rifled liner with a full-width reenforce and chamber section. Up front, it’s tensioned with an adaptor that is threaded 5/8x24 UNEF. Sub-MOA accuracy is claimed with match ammo.

The Wilderness tips the scales at a mere 6 lbs 6oz and comes with a thread protector and a pepper-pot-style muzzle brake as standard, offering a quoted recoil reduction of 35%. The street price is £1445 (any version), which is impressive!

Getting ready

As always, we have to add the essentials, so I fitted a Harris BRS bipod, which is still the best general-use design around! The moderator is from a Danish company and is called the Nieload GEN-X. It’s a short muzzle-mounted unit which did not look big enough to handle .308-type output, but we shall see. On top, I fitted one of Swarovski’s excellent Z8i 2-16x50 P riflescopes.

So far, so good

So, with seemingly everything going for it, let’s get in some trigger time to see if the promise proves practical. 

At 20”, a .308 is still ballistically effective when compared to other calibres, and the compact nature of the rifle at 40.5”, combined with its good weight, even when fully bombed up, is to be appreciated. However, the recoil was a bit snappy, but the muzzle brake did make it more comfortable.

No complaints on fit, feel, and handling. Both spacers gave my long arms maximum LOP, which was still a tad short, but workable. I nudged up the comb for comfortable eye/scope alignment and head position, plus I dropped the recoil pad/LOP assembly for a better shoulder fit. The rubber inserts on the pistol grip and forend offer a comfortable and hand-filling hold, especially for off-hand use. The single-stage trigger offered a crisp, light, and short break. Of course, you could drop something better in, but why waste your money?

Slick

Bolt operation is smooth and easy, especially with its extended handle and large, tapered knob. The rolling safety operates well, however, being a TH stock means you must break your firing position to operate it, but that’s no big deal. I really liked the 5-round mag, as it was easy to fill and change, with spares at very reasonable prices. Plus, you can literally throw single rounds in through the top if you need to and they will chamber 100%. I also like the side-mounted QD sling option, as it gives a much more comfortable carry than the usual positioning.

Ammo up

I picked a cross-section of lead-cored (L/C) and non-lead (N/L) loads, and a Match option, to see if Bergara’s sub-MOA claim was true. L/C: Norma’s 170-grain TipStrike, Barnes’ 175-grain BTHP Match, and S&B’s 180-grain PTS. N/L: Lapua’s 170-grain Naturalis, Geco’s 165-grain Star, and RWS’ 165-grain HIT.

As can be seen on the ammo table, most figures for the 20” barrel showed similar speed and energy, with a general velocity drop of around 50-100 fps from factory quotes. Accuracy, as ever, shows rifles can be fussy. The Barnes Match proved the promise, although not a hunting round. Everything else was +/- 1”, except the S&B, which was the clear winner. These guys have really upped their game!

End game

Overall, a cracking rifle. It’s handy and eminently shootable, with the added advantages of lightness from the carbon barrel and good accuracy potential. However, in .308 it was a bit snappy, and I guess .300 and PRC would be even more lively. But more powerful cartridges in light rifles are always a trade-off!

I love the stock layout, camo finish, and adjustability, plus the price is a little short of amazing for what you are getting. My choice would be the 6.5 Creedmoor version, as the 22” barrel will get more out of that calibre and the felt recoil will be down too. However, if you want a bit more, the 6.5 PRC looks interesting.