Christensen Arms or bergara

[floatwheeldrive]

Curious as to how the break in and shooting in general has gone for you with your CA? I am in a similar situation as you were originally with looking at both Bergara and Christensen. Just looking for as much "real life" experience with the two as I can find.

 

[Nealm66]

Curious as to how the break in and shooting in general has gone for you with your CA? I am in a similar situation as you were originally with looking at both Bergara and Christensen. Just looking for as much "real life" experience with the two as I can find.

Well, i never finished working up a load for it. It’s been a safe queen since last fall. I fought a loose scope base to start and was pulling my hair out. After I figured it out, I was getting some getting some nice groups at 200 with a chronograph strapped to the barrel. I like everything about the gun but it’s heavy for sure. I’ve got that vortex ps3 hd bla bla ( can’t remember the model) mounted on it and that’s the heaviest scope I’ve ever had so that doesn’t help. Haven’t been on this site for a long time. I’d say over all I’m happy. I’ll finish load work up this spring and hopefully it will kill elk and be a good long range plinker as advertised

 

[floatwheeldrive]

Thanks for the follow up. There are so many opinions out there, always good to hear what some real life experience is with brands.

 

[Nealm66]

I have a very good friend that I recommended the same rifle in same caliber so I guess that’s probably my best way to describe it. I don’t have any experience with the Bergara for comparison but I’ve heard good things as well

 

[NeverSummer]

I'm a Bergara fan myself. With CA you either get a shooter, or not at all. I've given up on them. However, I can't imagine lugging a Ridgeback around for elk. I have a Ridge rifle in a Ridgeback stock. It's a shooter but also a dedicated range gun. But I'm not a fan of hybrid range/hunting rifles. I have precision range rifles and I have hunting rifles and they look fairly different.

Speaking to the premier line, I have an Approach in 308 win that I dropped into an AG composites Long Range Hunter stock. Also a range gun, thought I have killed an elk and a couple of mulies with it on front country hunts. My gosh that thing shoots. .25 moa groups with 185 Bergers, 175 grain GMM and 168 GMM. If I were looking at a range gun, I'd buy the Ridgeback and if I were looking at a backcountry elk gun I'd buy their Mountain 2.0. The Premier action is silk and I won't shoot anything other than a Trigger Tech trigger these days.

 

[Nealm66]

I’m doing load work up with the 245 bergers. I was just holding off till I had some n570. It was actually doing well with LRT but never reached pressure or max or even a flat spot. Had a few 3 shot groups inside a 1” square at 200 with the bergers. Can’t say how it did with factory ammo as the base was loose. Although just farting around was hitting a 6” gong at 500 during break in. Glad the gun is heavy as I’m not great with recoil and there’s a lot going on pushing heavy bullets @ 28 -2900 fps.

 

[barrister]

Curious as to how the break in and shooting in general has gone for you with your CA? I am in a similar situation as you were originally with looking at both Bergara and Christensen. Just looking for as much "real life" experience with the two as I can find.

I have a Bergara Premier Stalker rifle in 30-06. It is a discontinued model. It is an amazing rifle. Feels great, the Trigger Tech trigger is amazing and it shoots lights out with factory ammo. I killed an elk at 510 and a mule deer at 440 this past fall. I wouldn’t trade this gun for anything. I think Bergara barrels are legit and the Premier line seems to be outstanding overall.

 

[floatwheeldrive]

I'm a Bergara fan myself. With CA you either get a shooter, or not at all. I've given up on them. However, I can't imagine lugging a Ridgeback around for elk. I have a Ridge rifle in a Ridgeback stock. It's a shooter but also a dedicated range gun. But I'm not a fan of hybrid range/hunting rifles. I have precision range rifles and I have hunting rifles and they look fairly different.

Speaking to the premier line, I have an Approach in 308 win that I dropped into an AG composites Long Range Hunter stock. Also a range gun, thought I have killed an elk and a couple of mulies with it on front country hunts. My gosh that thing shoots. .25 moa groups with 185 Bergers, 175 grain GMM and 168 GMM. If I were looking at a range gun, I'd buy the Ridgeback and if I were looking at a backcountry elk gun I'd buy their Mountain 2.0. The Premier action is silk and I won't shoot anything other than a Trigger Tech trigger these days.

@NeverSummer, have you owned CA that wouldn't perform? I do see more of both sides of the opinion on them vs Bergara.

 

[Kiwihillclima]

I own a CA Ridgeline in 6.5 Creedmoor its been the most accurate rifle i have owned straight out of the box . Now before i brought it i looked at the Bagera option and while being 3000 bucks cheaper it was just to heavy . A Bagera costs 1599 here in NZ and the ridgeline is 4700 . You cant really compare them as one is a standard rifle with a plastic stock and the is all carbon fiber . I went for the one that felt the best to me and im glad i did ,although my wallet took a beating its turned out to be a good choice .It shoots 0,3 groups at 100 yards with factory 140 eldm;s . I d recommend going with the one that feels best to you ,they are both well made rifles and which ever you choose ,i dont think you will be disappointed

 

[floatwheeldrive]

I own a CA Ridgeline in 6.5 Creedmoor its been the most accurate rifle i have owned straight out of the box . Now before i brought it i looked at the Bagera option and while being 3000 bucks cheaper it was just to heavy . A Bagera costs 1599 here in NZ and the ridgeline is 4700 . You cant really compare them as one is a standard rifle with a plastic stock and the is all carbon fiber . I went for the one that felt the best to me and im glad i did ,although my wallet took a beating its turned out to be a good choice .It shoots 0,3 groups at 100 yards with factory 140 eldm;s . I d recommend going with the one that feels best to you ,they are both well made rifles and which ever you choose ,i dont think you will be disappointed

Thanks for that. Much appreciated. Wondering how long you've owned/shot the CA for? I agree, the weight of the Bergara is what is holding me back on them. That and the 2 shot mag capacity in the 28 Nosler caliber.

FWIW, I've heard mixed comments on CA customer service, but the other day I had a question on one of their rifles and so I decided to call the factory. Had a live person answer the phone and was able to answer my question (about a specific spec on one of their Lipsey's made models) fairly quickly and easily. So that gives me a decent idea of if I ever had to reach out.

 

[Nealm66]

That was my experience as well. I called them before I purchased and was asking some questions with good responses. In the end, I’d love to own them both but if I had to choose all over, at this point I’d stick with the choice I made for the same reasons. Looking forward to some warmer weather and some trigger time.

 

[barrister]

I own a CA Ridgeline in 6.5 Creedmoor its been the most accurate rifle i have owned straight out of the box . Now before i brought it i looked at the Bagera option and while being 3000 bucks cheaper it was just to heavy . A Bagera costs 1599 here in NZ and the ridgeline is 4700 . You cant really compare them as one is a standard rifle with a plastic stock and the is all carbon fiber . I went for the one that felt the best to me and im glad i did ,although my wallet took a beating its turned out to be a good choice .It shoots 0,3 groups at 100 yards with factory 140 eldm;s . I d recommend going with the one that feels best to you ,they are both well made rifles and which ever you choose ,i dont think you will be disappointed

I can't speak for every rifle in the Bergara line, but the Premier Series Stalker I have is built with a carbon fiber stock. It is not plastic. Given the prices you quote, it looks like you compared the CA Ridgeline against the entry-level priced Bergara models, not the Premier Series Bergara models. Regardless, sounds like you got a great rifle with your Ridgeline.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I'm a Bergara fan myself. With CA you either get a shooter, or not at all. I've given up on them.

How many CA rifles have you owned?

 

[Kiwihillclima]

At the time that i made my choice we only had the base line Bergera's available . This the first one i have owned and to be honest they are not that common here in Nz . I have since seen the carbon stocked one and its a bit cheaper here around the 4000 mark . Again i didnt like the feel of it but thats just my preferance, I like Sako carbon lites but at 5600 to rich for me . I am very happy with it i may have gotten a good one so i am thankful for that . It bagged this 9.5 inch Chamois buck