There have been a few questions in this thread asking about Bergara's carbon barrels and other models. I happen to have a Ridge Carbon Wilderness chambered in 6.5 PRC in my possession...and here are a few thoughts on it.
View attachment 663440
The action, bolt, and trigger are all the same as the Crest reviewed above. Everything is smooth and slop-free in the cycling of the bolt. The trigger is crisp and was set at 2.5 lbs in the factory. I didn't experience any feeding or extraction issues. Its a stout action with a Remington 700 profile and accepts any 700 pattern rings. I mounted the new
@HawkinsPrecision Featherweight low rings for a very trim package. (they have been awesome rings BTW).
View attachment 663448
The Ridge Carbon comes with a hinged floorplate which I prefer over the M5 bottom metal with AICS magazines. It allows me to carry the rifle with my hand over the metal in a more natural balance point. The magazine will hold three PRC cases and feed them without issue.
View attachment 663450
The barrel on this rifle is 24 inches and is wrapped in carbon. It has the same radial-style Omni brake as the Crest as well as a threaded end cap that protects the threads if the muzzle brake is removed. The barrel is thicker in profile than the crest and is what Bergara calls a No. 6 taper profile. The 6.5 PRC comes with a 24 inch length with other chamberings varying from 20 to 24 inches.
The carbon wrap on the barrel has been durable with any noticeable damage from hunting the mountains. I found the barrel to be consistently accurate shooting a few different brands of factory ammunition. Everything shot under 1 MOA without any issue.
View attachment 663452
The stock on the Ridge Carbon Wilderness is a major departure from the Squared Crest. The shape is a more traditional profile with a angled grip, low comb, and a standard profile fore end. It is coated in a tacky SoftTouch finish which has been very durable and grippy in all conditions. I really like how tacky it is in cold and wet weather.
View attachment 663454
The stock is not carbon fiber so it lacks the stiffness that the superb Squared Crest stock has. There are molded relief cutouts with reinforcing trusses in the fore end designed to save weight and maintain some stiffness. I never experienced any accuracy issues due to stock movement or deflection. The barrel channel is amply spaced with an even gap running the entire length.
View attachment 663455
The lack of issues could be due to the factory installed pillars in the action screw holes. They seem to lock the action in solidly without any binding or flex issues. I was pleasantly surprised to see them when I pulled the stock off.
View attachment 663462
Overall, the Ridge Carbon Wilderness has a been another great rifle from Bergara. The classic stock shape isn't for everyone but the same can be said about the stock on the Squared Crest. It's always good to have choices. The rifle shoots really well, is light weight at 6.85 pounds on my scale, and is great to pack around in the mountains. The price for this rifle seems reasonable at $1499 MSR and can probably be found for less at a dealer.
Check them out at Bergara for more information.
Bergara Ridge Carbon
View attachment 663469
