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Bergara B14 Wilderness HMR .300 PRC Review: Refined and Capable
- By Chris Parkin
- Last updated: 08/07/2025
When Bergara first launched the B14, it was an immediate success, both in my eyes and among consumers, addressing the longstanding shortcomings of the original Remington 700 platform. Today, with chassis rifles dominating the market and the phrase “Remington 700 footprint” used almost universally, the original Remington rifles feel increasingly outdated. Bergara, however, continues to grow in popularity and relevance.
Bergara began its journey by button-rifling barrels, and this particular 26” (660mm) tube features a No.6 varmint contour and a 21.7mm muzzle diameter. It appears quite slender due to its length, particularly in today’s market, where factory rifles rarely exceed 22”. The rifle comes supplied with a pepper-pot brake which, on a potent cartridge like the .300 PRC, delivers noticeable recoil reduction. Once removed, I found a neatly crowned and threaded muzzle, to which I fitted a Svemko sound moderator. The free-floated barrel is screwed into the action with a pinned recoil lug, which is an effective improvement over the original Remington design.
The receiver features a right-side gas release port and four threaded holes up top to accept the supplied Picatinny scope rail. This long-action uses a two-lug bolt with a 90-degree lift, offering a smooth 124mm stroke. The bolt handle is 70mm long with a 22mm knurled conical knob, while the spiral-fluted bolt shaft reduces friction and operates exceptionally smoothly. Bergara’s design improves on the Remington blueprint by integrating a proper extractor claw and a spring-loaded plunger ejector to flick brass free effectively.
This rifle accepts a detachable, single-column, steel AICS-type magazine with a five-round capacity. The ambidextrous magazine release spans the front of the spacious aluminium trigger guard. The curved trigger blade is comfortable and predictable, breaking crisply at 1,100g in a clean, single-stage pull, and is fully compatible with Remington 700 aftermarket triggers.
The B14 was originally launched with an injection-moulded polymer stock with an internal aluminium spine that provides excellent rigidity and support for a precision-machined bedding block with pillars. That’s all still here, and it’s not hollow, so it won’t resonate on handling or firing.
The hand-painted splatter finish breaks up the rifle’s outline, and there are tactile stippled panels on the rectangular fore-end and vertical pistol grip. Bergara includes twin underside studs on the fore-end, plus flush QD cups on either side, which are mirrored on the buttstock.
At the rear, the stock features an adjustable cheekpiece with 22mm of vertical travel. The length of pull starts at 13” (335mm) and can be extended to 14.2” (365mm) using the three supplied 10mm spacers. The recoil pad is 1” thick and firm, providing a tactile, grippy surface that stays firmly planted in the shoulder.
As a regular shooter of both .300 Win Mag and 7mm PRC, I’m used to similar energy levels. This modern cartridge is designed to match, and slightly exceed, the performance of the Win Mag using a beltless case. I tested the rifle with three Hornady factory loads, and once zeroed, it showed impressive results on paper at 100m. The ELD-X load cycled smoothly and delivered the best performance on paper.
| Ammunition | Weight (grains) | Factory Velocity (fps) | Factory Energy (ft/lbs) | Achieved Velocity (fps) | Achieved Energy (ft/lbs) | 100m Group Size (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady ELD-X | 212 | 2860 | 3851 | 2831 | 3774 | 0.7 |
| Hornady ELD-M | 225 | 2810 | 3945 | 2781 | 3865 | 1.1 |
| Hornady CX | 190 | 3000 | 3798 | 2954 | 3682 | 0.8 |
Bergara guarantees sub-MOA precision, and this rifle lived up to that promise in my five-shot, 100m groups. The rifle is functionally excellent, with a smooth, light controls. The spiral-fluted bolt glides effortlessly, and the trigger is excellent for a factory rifle. The stock is stable, easy to control, and doesn’t vibrate or resonate on firing. The safety catch is located on the right side and operates silently.
Thanks to the stiff fore-end and firm butt pad, the rifle feels well-planted when aiming, and I shot it prone with and without the brake or moderator.
With the brake fitted, recoil was minimal, which was impressive, and the rifle remained well balanced. Still, I was able to keep the target in view and track the bullet trace out to 1,000m.
With a bare muzzle, recoil was notably sharper, yet still manageable. Interestingly, the rifle felt easier to shoot bare than when fitted with the Svemko moderator, despite the added weight. The recoil was significant but clean, linear, and tolerable.
The Svemko moderator significantly changed the rifle’s feel. It offers impressive sound suppression, but the heat build-up from just three shots caused severe mirage. The recoil changed from a sharp impulse to a longer shove, making the gun feel front-heavy and relatively sluggish. So, choose your setup based on your needs; none are wrong, but each has trade-offs.
The Bergara B14 Wilderness HMR is a refined and capable shooting platform. At just 4.5kg (unloaded, without optics), it’s relatively light for a rifle chambered in .300 PRC, which makes recoil management crucial.
In the smaller calibres, the B14 HMR is arguably one of the finest ergonomic factory rifles available. However, in this heavier-hitting chambering, it transforms into a very low-volume precision tool or a heavy hunting rifle designed for one or two critical shots. Make no mistake, .300 PRC behaves much more like a .338 Lapua than a 6.5 or even a 7mm rifle, but like its stablemates, it offers incredibly good value.
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