Bergara .308 accuracy

[Dd206]

I recently picked up a Bergara Premier Canyon and was very excited about it. Did a full break in, and was ready to shoot test groups with around 10 different loads.
I was extremely disappointed. None of them shot anything near acceptable or consistent.
(Not including all the ammo&grouping info here, just because it’s a lot).
Before contacting Bergara I took one more go, this time using Bergara’s ‘preferred’ .308 ammo - Federal GM sierra boattail in 168 and 175.
The rifle shot outstanding with these - most 3 rd groups at around 1/2 MOA.
So those results obviously cured my heartache over the rifle I was so excited about, then was so disappointed by.
However, it still seems crazy to me that it shoots great with those rounds, and complete shit with everything else.
I have many rifles that ‘like’ certain ammo over others. But have never seen such an extreme discrepancy.
Has anyone else seen this or have other insight on it?
Thanks!

 

[Iowafarmer]

I own a Bergara b14 300wm it’s very finicky on ammo. 180gn nosler partitions turns it into a total scatter gun my buddy has an identical rifle it shoots 1” groups with same ammo

 

[loganwayne]

Guess I got lucky with my .270. I shoot federal terminal ascent 136 grain. And it is .5moa so I never tried anything else.

 

[SDHNTR]

Seen it plenty of times with factory rifles and factory ammo. Sometimes you just have to find something that agrees with all that tolerance stack up.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Half the fun is finding what they like or for me - making what they like.

 

[dieselchessy]

Not sure there is enough info to discuss.

What ammo did you try?
What bullet weights?
What were the groups like?
Any patterns of performance observed?
Cup and core or solids?

The 2 federal loads you listed are heavier, longer bullets, at moderate velocities. Also boat tail bullets with tangent ogive.
In my checking those Federal loads have had better than average run-out for factory ammo.

Maybe your rifle doesn’t like light bullets, higher velocity (hotter) loads, shorter bullets, secant ogive, flat base bullets, sloppy headspace, ect….

Maybe go back and try the original loads again. Maybe the barrel just needed some copper laid down to make it shoot?

You could have a new barrel installed or sell it and get a different rifle.

 

[grfox92]

There should be an entire sub forum dedicated to Begaras that don't shoot.

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

 

[Chainshaw]

I have 2 Bergara B14s and they are both accurate beyond my capabilities. My B14 hunter in .308 absolutely loves the 175gr Terminal Ascent.

 

[centershot]

43.1gr of N-140 with cheap old 150gr SP Interlocks in Starline Brass has turned in many clover leaf groups at 100 yards. Not very fast at 2600fps but whoa - extremely accurate. 180gr SP Interlocks with a max load of Varget is nearly as accurate and just a touch slower. Flat base bullets seem to agree with my B-14 Wilderness Ridge 308. Have yet to find a boat tail bullet that could match the accuracy of the flat bases.

 

[WCB]

I have a Savage High Country that I shot 7 or 8 loads through. It shoots 140gr Accubonds and 135gr Berger Hybrids almost identical POI and group sizes right around 1-1.2 10shot groups. Next closest was like 2.5" and they got worse from there.