Help me pick a winner

[Frank Dux]

I have a Remington 700 20” .308 fluted heavy barrel and a Bergara Ridge 18” 6.5 cr with a #5 contour. Even though the Bergara still has a fairly meaty barrel it’s seems way lighter.

The Rem700 shoots 1.5-2” at best with most ammo I’ve tried but shoots .5-1” 100yds with 168 Hornady match with some way less than that if you want to handpick the groups.

The Bergara seems to shoot pretty well (.75-1.25) with just about anything I’ve tried, but haven’t found anything that’s shoots great.

I don’t know what to make of the results. I like that I can go buy off the shelf ammo with the Rem700 and shoot tiny groups, but the way the Bergara shoots everything pretty good makes me think it may have more potential. It’s lighter weight and perhaps slightly better build quality makes me favor it a bit more. It seems like I’ll have to reload to get the best out of the Bergara though. I don’t have that equipment now, but could get it.

Which gun is the keeper?

 

[Billy Goat]

This is Rokslide, so the answer is sell both and buy a Tikka.




I'm not one to ask as I generally just keep stuff, even when I don't use them.


Decide what bullet you want to use, then decide on the platform to launch it.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I’d say pull one of the barrels (bergara IMO) and build what you want with a reputable smith then you are likely to get a shooter. Keep the other rifle as a plinker.

Both are the same boltface and action type so aftermarket support Is plentiful.

 

[hereinaz]

What are you going to do with it?

 

[LeftyWilbury]

it's fun to shoot tiny groups but most of us don't compete in benchrest (or any competition) so really it's about what you want to do with these rifles. the range i have access to has steel at 100 and 300. it's fun for me to shoot .22LR and hear a light TINK at 100 yards. 3" target? 5" target? sure. tink. i have a tikka tactical in 308 that i can bring out and have friends hit steel at 300 and think "wow shooting gunz is easy!" regardless of what factory ammo i stick in there. i could reload and make it a .3 MOA gun. but why waste the time? neither of your guns seem all that bad. grab some ammo and go shoot

side note: and go buy a tikka .223 and put in for a suppressor and at least a vertical grip if not a rokstock(tm)

serious tho, those rifles sound ok to me. but i always support buying another rifle. you're looking at it all wrong. at the very least, "which rifle can i sell to maximize my return so i can buy a better rifle?"

and the answer usually is, save your money and buy a new rifle, no one likes to discriminate against a rifle because it's not .3 MOA

 

[Frank Dux]

Reason I’m wanting to pick 1 is to sell the other and get a Tikka and probably the Rokstok.

I wasn't sure if those results meant anything in one way or another as far as the rifle’s potential to really shoot well.

Just odd how one rifle can be a 1.5”-2” with Federal GMM 168 and then be a tack driver with Hornady HPBT Match 168.

I’m not an experienced shooter but those results were consistently repeatable.

The cheapest Hornady softpoints I could find for the 6.5 shot as well as the Fed GMM in the 308.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Well Berger’s is garbage so sell that one.

 

[Frank Dux]

Well Berger’s is garbage so sell that one.

Ha, there both garbage I guess, what have I not heard about Bergara?

 

[30338]

What kind of optics are you using? Interested in learning how to skim bed recoil lugs? Simply doing that can make measurable differences in shooting. Probably a few things you could do before trading stuff. Best of luck either way.

 

[Frank Dux]

What kind of optics are you using? Interested in learning how to skim bed recoil lugs? Simply doing that can make measurable differences in shooting. Probably a few things you could do before trading stuff. Best of luck either way.

I’ve got a Trijicon Tenmile 3-18x44 and a Maven RS1.2 on the way. I’m basically following Rokslide protocol these days.

Considered bedding, but haven’t because I haven’t committed to a rifle yet.

If I could build a rifle right now I’d go Tikka, but they don’t offer a barrel that’s short enough to run a suppressor for my preference.

An 18” 6.5 creed with #5 profile would be something like I’d want so that’s how the Bergara got picked.

 

[Frank Dux]

Can anyone point me to a thread that details why Tikka is so much more preferred?

 

[30338]

Grab a 20" barreled Tikka creedmoor off eurooptics, use the $75 rebate to pay for most of the chop and thread to 18".

Or if the Bergara has the contour you like, simply skim bed the lug and see if it shoots way better.

 

[Billy Goat]

Can anyone point me to a thread that details why Tikka is so much more preferred?

Triggers are safer, and they have a good factory one. Actions are pretty true from the factory, unlike r700's or copies(not meaning cutom copies) . It surprising just how not flat the top of most 700's are.



I still have 700's that I likely won't get rid of, however I definitely won't be getting anymore. I think the t3 is just a better platform. Not saying best, but for price I think it's hard to beat.

 

[Vern400]

I can tell you something about the Remington. There's a good chance it's throated pretty deep.
That means the rifling starts a long way from the bolt face. I had the same situation.

I measured the OAL of a cartridge with the bullet jammed in the rifling. It was significantly longer than mag length. I used a kinetic bullet puller just slightly pull the bullets forward. Then I press them back to 2.85 which was just slightly longer than mag length.

My groups went from 1.6 to 0.8 inch. I didn't believe it, because a three shot group can only prove you are BAD. So I did it again and shot three groups in a row with the largest being 0.82.

I started using Sierra number 2125 game Kings loaded out to 2.83 and they shoot really well. I sent my varmint rifle off and had the barrel rethreaded and rechambered to pull the rifling closer to the bolt face. It is freaking awesome.

You'll find a lot of the hunting ammunition is loaded at 2.70. That means you're probably jumping at least 0.150 ! Sierra even makes a 165 hollow point boat tail game King to address that exact issue. The ogive is just a little closer to the tip of the bullet. My gun will shoot tacks with that bullet.

That's about all I can tell you. Good luck.

 

[Frank Dux]

I can tell you something about the Remington. There's a good chance it's throated pretty deep.
That means the rifling starts a long way from the bolt face. I had the same situation.

I measured the OAL of a cartridge with the bullet jammed in the rifling. It was significantly longer than mag length. I used a kinetic bullet puller just slightly pull the bullets forward. Then I press them back to 2.85 which was just slightly longer than mag length.

My groups went from 1.6 to 0.8 inch. I didn't believe it, because a three shot group can only prove you are BAD. So I did it again and shot three groups in a row with the largest being 0.82.

I started using Sierra number 2125 game Kings loaded out to 2.83 and they shoot really well. I sent my varmint rifle off and had the barrel rethreaded and rechambered to pull the rifling closer to the bolt face. It is freaking awesome.

You'll find a lot of the hunting ammunition is loaded at 2.70. That means you're probably jumping at least 0.150 ! Sierra even makes a 165 hollow point boat tail game King to address that exact issue. The ogive is just a little closer to the tip of the bullet. My gun will shoot tacks with that bullet.

That's about all I can tell you. Good luck.

Thanks!

 

[Frank Dux]

Seems like maybe I need to find a cheap used Tikka action and build from there rather than spend more on these.

 

[ArcherAnthony]

I own a Bergara and it's also my best shooting rifle. it's 6.5 prc. I was surprised when it shot Norma whitetail 140gr the best. It also really likes Hornady precision hunters. Have you tried the Berger ammunition out of it? Im pretty sure they are known for their consistency in bullet diameter in factory loads. I bet you can get that Bergara to shoot tighter. Also how are you shooting these rifles? Front bipod and rear bag or lead sled type device? Keeping the 6.5cr is never a bad idea. Ive never been to a store that didn't have at least 5 different brands of 6.5cr in stock

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Tikkas are hit and miss honestly. Eurooptic had the Sako S20’s marked down pretty low. If they are available I would get one of those.

I have 1 rem 700, a 223 that is a tack driver and one that I will never get rid of.