Bergara or Bergarbage Challenge - Anyone near ABQ w/ a 300WM that shoots?

[SDHNTR]

Get rid of the sled before you cause any damage.

 

[KenLee]

Ok, in my quest to die on this hill, I went out and bought the lightest, most recoiling 300WM I could find - a Tikka T3X Superlite without a muzzle brake. Weighs in at just over 6lbs naked, 8lbs with scope.

View attachment 529144

Paired it up with my Leupold VX6HD 3-18 scope, and shooting from a light sled. I've been slowly breaking this barrel in, and it had only about 9 rounds through it so far. This is the first batch of decent ammo I've tried. Hornady Superformance SST 180gr factory loads.

First group after 1 fouling shot:
View attachment 529145

It seems like I am capable of sub-MOA shooting, so maybe now I can send Bergara a link to these posts.

Thoughts on the new Tikka: Man, this thing is nice, and the weight will be a joy to pack around. However, this pencil barrel heats up REAL fast and shooting for groups is an exercise in patience after the first couple of rounds.

I'm going to thread the barrel and see how it likes my suppressor in the near future. If it doesn't, I'll go ahead and slap a brake on, adjust the trigger down, put on the pistol grip and see what ammo it likes best. Hopefully it's capable of 3/4 MOA!

I'd be seriously stoked that your new rifle likes factory SST Superformance ammo. That stuff wrecks everything it hits. Many of my rifles hate it, but the ones that do

 

[swavescatter]

Get rid of the sled before you cause any damage.

It's not a weighted sled, and still has plenty of free recoil. However I do have a bipod I'll slap on to try out...

 

[cuttingedge]

When CVA first offered the Optima Elite with interchangeable bergara barrels, i bought 2 barrels and a complete rifle. I was not in the slightest impressed with the accuracy of any of the barrels.

i had a Weatherby Vanguard Badlands in 6.5CM that I couldn't get under an inch with several different types of ammo tried ($250 worth). I contacted Weatherby about the MOA Guarantee. They said send it in, but if they got it to shoot under an inch there would be a "bench charge". I sent it alright... down the road. I have one in 243 Win that I got 3 shots overlapping with Hornady 75gr V-max factory ammo, and can get under an inch with 2 of my AR's so I reckon it ain't the operator.

Some of these MOA guarantees aren't worth the paper they are printed on.

I have never heard anyone say a bad word about Tikka accuracy. I think I'm gonna sell my X Bolt 6.5 PRC and get a Tikka, although the Browning will print under an inch if you let the barrel cool for several minutes between shots.

I hope you get your issues sorted out. I have owned a couple of 300 WM's that were total tack drivers. Mine had Limbsaver recoil pads and bucked like mules but without any pain.

 

[KenLee]

Ok, in my quest to die on this hill, I went out and bought the lightest, most recoiling 300WM I could find - a Tikka T3X Superlite without a muzzle brake. Weighs in at just over 6lbs naked, 8lbs with scope.

View attachment 529144

Paired it up with my Leupold VX6HD 3-18 scope, and shooting from a light sled. I've been slowly breaking this barrel in, and it had only about 9 rounds through it so far. This is the first batch of decent ammo I've tried. Hornady Superformance SST 180gr factory loads.

First group after 1 fouling shot:
View attachment 529145

It seems like I am capable of sub-MOA shooting, so maybe now I can send Bergara a link to these posts.

Thoughts on the new Tikka: Man, this thing is nice, and the weight will be a joy to pack around. However, this pencil barrel heats up REAL fast and shooting for groups is an exercise in patience after the first couple of rounds.

I'm going to thread the barrel and see how it likes my suppressor in the near future. If it doesn't, I'll go ahead and slap a brake on, adjust the trigger down, put on the pistol grip and see what ammo it likes best. Hopefully it's capable of 3/4 MOA!

Are you going to mainly hunt with the Tikka, or do alot of target shooting?
If mainly hunting, I wouldn't put an ear buster on it.

 

[gerry35]

Been watching both of your threads, can see why you are frustrated. The Tikka looks good like they almost always seem they do so that's nice to see. If it were me I would sell that Bergara as a donor action and stock to someone and move on. Maybe you're different but the whole experience would leave a bad taste that I would always remember.

 

[cuttingedge]

Been watching both of your threads, can see why you are frustrated. The Tikka looks good like they almost always seem they do so that's nice to see. If it were me I would sell that Bergara as a donor action and stock to someone and move on. Maybe you're different but the whole experience would leave a bad taste that I would always remember.

I'm with you on this. If a piece of equipment I hunt with doesn't meet my standards, I will never have the faith in it I need to have to trust it.

 

[swavescatter]

Are you going to mainly hunt with the Tikka, or do alot of target shooting?
If mainly hunting, I wouldn't put an ear buster on it.

It'll be for hunting. I have a Banish 30 Gold that requires a muzzle brake/QD attachment, so either I don't touch it at all, or I try out the suppressor (which I really want to do), and therefore get a small brake as well.

My only concern is this pencil barrel not having enough meat to hold up a large suppressor (barrel whip). I'll talk to my smith about it.

Been watching both of your threads, can see why you are frustrated. The Tikka looks good like they almost always seem they do so that's nice to see. If it were me I would sell that Bergara as a donor action and stock to someone and move on. Maybe you're different but the whole experience would leave a bad taste that I would always remember.

I'm with you on this. If a piece of equipment I hunt with doesn't meet my standards, I will never have the faith in it I need to have to trust it.

At this point, it's not at all about cutting my losses. I'm taking the opportunity to learn as much as possible myself/prove my abilities, but also (I hope) to contribute to the community in a transparent manner about how companies stand behind their products, or not.

I was a new hunter just a couple years ago (after having not hunted since childhood), and I wish a thread like this would have been around when I was handling both the Bergara and Tikka in the store. Honestly it was a coin flip to go Bergara...

 

[cuttingedge]

It'll be for hunting. I have a Banish 30 Gold that requires a muzzle brake/QD attachment, so either I don't touch it at all, or I try out the suppressor (which I really want to do), and therefore get a small brake as well.

My only concern is this pencil barrel not having enough meat to hold up a large suppressor (barrel whip). I'll talk to my smith about it.





At this point, it's not at all about cutting my losses. I'm taking the opportunity to learn as much as possible myself/prove my abilities, but also (I hope) to contribute to the community in a transparent manner about how companies stand behind their products, or not.

I was a new hunter just a couple years ago (after having not hunted since childhood), and I wish a thread like this would have been around when I was handling both the Bergara and Tikka in the store. Honestly it was a coin flip to go Bergara...

I understand. I will add a little more from my experiences that might help some folks also.

I owned 2 Franchi Momentum rifles in 6.5 Creedmoor recently. I guess you could say I was a late comer to the 6.5 party. One was a sporter and the other heavy varmint. Neither of these rifle printed sub-MOA groups with premier factory ammo.

I really like the smoothness of the actions, but accuracy was pretty bad. If you are just gonna poke at whitetails under 200, they would be fine. If you are looking for something more, you would be well off to pass on the Momentum for something better.

 

[Outcast]

I owned a Bergera Wilderness terrain chambered in 308. It made the MOA guarantee with one type of factory ammo that I found and really had to work at handloads that made it. Bottom line is it went down the road. Even if they make it but are that finicky it’s not worth the hassle.

 

[cuttingedge]

Get rid of the sled before you cause any damage.

I don't like a using a sled either. I much prefer bags and try to let the rifle recoil naturally.

 

[swavescatter]

The worm turns...

So after the failure to eject fiasco, I took the rifle back to the smith and he found a slight burr, likely caused by a headspace gauge. He gently ran a reamer through it by hand, and that seemed to fix the issue with feeding/ejecting.

I also went out and bought some new ammo - one that Bergara claims to have proofed it with, and some Barnes VOR-TX 180gr that was suggested.

First group with DRT 175gr Terminal Match ammo with the Bergara:


Second group with the same ammo:


Averages out to 1.14 MOA

My Tikka didn't like it:




I was going really slow here, so only had time for one more group with the Barnes:

Bergara with the VOR-TX:


Tikka with the VOR-TX:


More testing to come...

 

[SDHNTR]

Interesting. I certainly do not understand how a headspace gauge could cause a burr, but ok. I’d also be willing to bet he just simply cut that chamber out by another thousandth of an inch, and that’s what made the difference. Or that burr was there all along from the factory chambering. Either way, glad it seems to be working out better for you.

 

[Balderdash]

Interesting. I certainly do not understand how a headspace gauge could cause a burr, but ok. I’d also be willing to bet he just simply cut that chamber out by another thousandth of an inch, and that’s what made the difference. Or that burr was there all along from the factory chambering. Either way, glad it seems to be working out better for you.

Must be one hard gauge. If it did cause the trouble, I'd be concerned about the hardness of the affected area. But it looks like you got it shooting, so might as well run it now.

 

[General RE LEE]

Don’t get overly obsessed with group size at 100 yards if you are getting around 1 MOA, especially for a hunting rifle. You’d be surprised how well a 1 MOA rifle can make hits in a vital sized target at 500-600 yards.

I had a rifle that was consistently around 1 MOA with handloads. I would get frustrated by little fliers that would upset a 0.5 MOA group. I decided to just use it as a “steel buster”. It turned out it absolutely hammered steel targets with the same consistency as my Tikkas that have bug hole 100 yard groups.

This 1 MOA rifle picked a crow clean off a corn stalk at 230 yards. Don’t give up on the gun just yet. Shoot it.

 

[MidGAHunter]

Don’t get overly obsessed with group size at 100 yards if you are getting around 1 MOA, especially for a hunting rifle. You’d be surprised how well a 1 MOA rifle can make hits in a vital sized target at 500-600 yards.

I had a rifle that was consistently around 1 MOA with handloads. I would get frustrated by little fliers that would upset a 0.5 MOA group. I decided to just use it as a “steel buster”. It turned out it absolutely hammered steel targets with the same consistency as my Tikkas that have bug hole 100 yard groups.

This 1 MOA rifle picked a crow clean off a corn stalk at 230 yards. Don’t give up on the gun just yet. Shoot it.

Sigh...

Those "fliers" weren't fliers. They were within the cone of fire of your rifle. Most rifles (yours included) are not legitimate 1 MOA or less rifles. A 1 MOA rifle will hit a 1 MOA target (regardless of distance) on demand. A single 3 shot group does not a 1 MOA (or otherwise) rifle make.

 

[General RE LEE]

Sigh...

Those "fliers" weren't fliers. They were within the cone of fire of your rifle. Most rifles (yours included) are not legitimate 1 MOA or less rifles. A 1 MOA rifle will hit a 1 MOA target (regardless of distance) on demand. A single 3 shot group does not a 1 MOA (or otherwise) rifle make.

Dear lord please don’t say “sigh”. That’s what liberal, trans people say on Twitter lol

Yes I listened to the recent Hornady “Groups too small” podcast. 30 shot groups are a better indicator of the ES for the rifle. Mean radius is a pretty good measurement of what the rifle will shoot on average.

 

[MidGAHunter]

Dear lord please don’t say “sigh”. That’s what liberal, trans people say on Twitter lol

Yes I listened to the recent Hornady “Groups too small” podcast. 30 shot groups are a better indicator of the ES for the rifle. Mean radius is a pretty good measurement of what the rifle will shoot on average.

I'm not liberal. I'm not Trans. I'm not on Twitter. And your rifle isn't legitimately sub-MOA. Come on down to Mississippi and I will prove it to you (and buy you a case of beer of your choosing that we can enjoy together).

 

[General RE LEE]

I'm not liberal. I'm not Trans. I'm not on Twitter. And your rifle isn't legitimately sub-MOA. Come on down to Mississippi and I will prove it to you (and buy you a case of beer of your choosing that we can enjoy together).

Sorry brother I didn’t think you were.

I have a couple Tikkas that are about 0.85 MOA verified by 30 shot groups with handloads.

 

[MidGAHunter]

Sorry brother I didn’t think you were.

I have a couple Tikkas that are about 0.85 MOA verified by 30 shot groups with handloads.

Your Tikkas aren't true sub-MOA rifles (and I love Tikkas). Take me up on my offer and I will prove it. I'll buy the beer, provide your lodgings, and we will shoot and enjoy the weekend. Just tell me when. But leave your feelings on your rifle and scope in TN...