So this is the rifle my dad decided he wanted to use for his long distance shooting. I picked it up for my FFL buddy yesterday I'm going to go register it on Wednesday so hopefully we'll get a chance to shoot it soon.
My initial impressions of this rifle are excellent. As a note the Premiers are 100% US made.
Fit and finish is really good, the action operates smoothly, and the amalgamation of other designs is both interesting and functional.
Most of the design is Remington 700 with normal custom tweaks, like a side bolt release and an aftermarket trigger (The premiers come with a trigger tech primary). They also use a coned breach Ala Winchester 70, and a Savage style replaceable bolt head that also includes the blast baffle that seals the raceways.
There's very little slop in the action while running the bolt and the bolt lift is lighter than my Christensen's.
The internal design of Bergara's bolts differs from a 700. The threads holding the shroud on are different (finer) and the firing pins are designed differently.
The Cerakote is applied evenly and it looks like they use a rougher substrate than Christensen does. The muzzle and thread protector are Cerakoted as one piece so underneath the thread protector there's bare stainless.
If there's one thing that gave me a pause it's the stock, it feels a little strange having an injection molded stock on a $1,400 gun.
That said the stock is both stiff and extremely well executed. Cheek riser adjustments are easy and positive, and the length of pull, while not push-button easy, is made simpler due to the cutouts in the spacers, Three of which come with the gun.
Another interesting thing I found is that the bolt handle is not threaded, it is one piece and has the oversized tactical knob (or if it is threaded I can't find a seam).
I'm hoping to pick up the rest of the parts to assemble a gun on Monday has my FFL buddy forgot to bring them with him when he brought the gun to town yesterday. I might go out there this afternoon though just to get out of the house for a while.
Rounding out the parts list are.....
A Talley 20moa 8-40 screw (as opposed to a 700 action with 6-48) 700 short action rail.
Sig 30mm medium rings.
Dad also chose my Sightron S-tac 3-16x42 as the scope he wanted on it.
The muzzle brake is going to be a VG6 Gamma 6.5.
I ordered him a set of electronic earmuffs to go with his new noisemaker also.......
I'll update this after I get the whole thing assembling we get out and shoot it.
I'm also looking forward to comparing it directly to my Christensen Mesa Long Range as they're very similar in fit and function.
I'll add some pictures in a little bit. I have to sit down at my computer, or steal my phone back from my son......
My initial impressions of this rifle are excellent. As a note the Premiers are 100% US made.
Fit and finish is really good, the action operates smoothly, and the amalgamation of other designs is both interesting and functional.
Most of the design is Remington 700 with normal custom tweaks, like a side bolt release and an aftermarket trigger (The premiers come with a trigger tech primary). They also use a coned breach Ala Winchester 70, and a Savage style replaceable bolt head that also includes the blast baffle that seals the raceways.
There's very little slop in the action while running the bolt and the bolt lift is lighter than my Christensen's.
The internal design of Bergara's bolts differs from a 700. The threads holding the shroud on are different (finer) and the firing pins are designed differently.
The Cerakote is applied evenly and it looks like they use a rougher substrate than Christensen does. The muzzle and thread protector are Cerakoted as one piece so underneath the thread protector there's bare stainless.
If there's one thing that gave me a pause it's the stock, it feels a little strange having an injection molded stock on a $1,400 gun.
That said the stock is both stiff and extremely well executed. Cheek riser adjustments are easy and positive, and the length of pull, while not push-button easy, is made simpler due to the cutouts in the spacers, Three of which come with the gun.
Another interesting thing I found is that the bolt handle is not threaded, it is one piece and has the oversized tactical knob (or if it is threaded I can't find a seam).
I'm hoping to pick up the rest of the parts to assemble a gun on Monday has my FFL buddy forgot to bring them with him when he brought the gun to town yesterday. I might go out there this afternoon though just to get out of the house for a while.
Rounding out the parts list are.....
A Talley 20moa 8-40 screw (as opposed to a 700 action with 6-48) 700 short action rail.
Sig 30mm medium rings.
Dad also chose my Sightron S-tac 3-16x42 as the scope he wanted on it.
The muzzle brake is going to be a VG6 Gamma 6.5.
I ordered him a set of electronic earmuffs to go with his new noisemaker also.......
I'll update this after I get the whole thing assembling we get out and shoot it.
I'm also looking forward to comparing it directly to my Christensen Mesa Long Range as they're very similar in fit and function.
I'll add some pictures in a little bit. I have to sit down at my computer, or steal my phone back from my son......
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