Bergara B-14 Wilderness HMR Review: 6.5 Creedmoor

One of the most popular growing firearms brands over the last few years comes from the Basque Country of Spain. Famous for their barrels, Bergara has released a whole line of bolt-action rifles based on their B-14 action. And today, we are going to do a full Bergara B-14 HMR review.

Backround: Bergara B-14 Wilderness

Bergara and other manufacturers have introduced factory-made firearms ready to compete with custom weapons to a market once dominated by purely custom rifles. This trend has filled a growing niche in the precision rifle lineup, making it possible for many previously budget-bound precision shooting enthusiasts to compete. The HMR, designated as a hunting/match rifle, is an excellent example.

The HMR line of rifles’ extreme popularity is primarily due to two factors. First, a reasonable price point, and second, excellent quality. Another reason is the Bergara B-14 action.

It uses many of the same dimensions as the extremely popular Remington 700. This was a brilliant move by Bergara’s engineers as it allowed the rifle to hit the ground running with massive aftermarket support. As a result, Bergara rifles have filled a growing niche in the precision rifle lineup.

The rising tide of the precision shooting world has risen a great many ships.

Bergara Wilderness Features

1 One-piece action and bolt

Dimensions similar to those of the Remington 700.

2 Detachable AICS pattern magazine

Ships with a 5-round magazine; higher capacity mags from other manufacturers are available.

3 Threaded barrel

Threaded barrel with radially ported muzzle brake.

4 Adjustable Trigger

Bergara performance trigger.

5 Adjustable stock

Adjustable-to-fit stock.

Wilderness HMR Models

The HMR Wilderness ships with a Sniper Grey Cerakote finish and a grey camo pattern color on the stock.

Multiple calibers are available, including: 6.5 CM/1:8, 6.5 PRC/1:8, .308 WIN/1:19, 7mm REM MAG/1:9.5, .300 WIN MAG/1:10, 300 PRC/1:9, 28 NOSLER/1:9.5

Bergara B-14 Wilderness HMR – Setup and Observations

I’d been greatly anticipating the opportunity to shoot this rifle. I wanted to see if it was as good as I’d heard so many say.

Read on to see the results.

Initial Observations: I was pleased with what I found when I first opened the box. The handsome lines and cuts of the rifle were matched by a dashing and clean finish. The controls and adjustments also appeared impeccable. As I lifted the rifle to install the box, I discovered the bolt stop/release was machined into the left side of the receiver. That’s a nice touch commonly found in quality receivers.

Setting It Up: Once installed, I ran the bolt a few times to see how it felt – it ran smooth and easy, with no sticky spots. The sixty-degree bolt throw comes from a two-lug bolt head, tapered at the front to fit into the brech of the barrel. It utilizes a sliding extractor in front of one of the two bolt lugs and a relatively standard plunger to eject spent cases.

The cheek-rest is adjustable using only a hand-tightened wing nut on the side of the stock, which I found very quick to get just right. On the other hand, setting the length of pull uses the time-honored shim design.

This is hardly the fastest operation, but I don’t find myself adjusting the LOP very often, even on guns easily adjusted without tools.

The stock comes with sling studs both fore and aft, including double studs up front for mounting your favorite Harris bipod. It also includes both front and rear QD cups for adding a sling if you’re in a hurry.

The magazine well is amidship just below the receiver. The HMR arrived with a five-round Bergara-branded magazine, but I also intended to try out some Magpul ten-rounders. You release the mags in a typical fashion by depressing a tab at the rear of the magazine.

The HMR I received included a one-piece scope rail on the action. In fact, it was a nice one, with a 20 MOA cant built into it. Such a feature comes in handy when it’s time to mount a scope – and I was going to do that right now.

I had several scope options and decided to install a US Optics TS25X riflescope, using a set of Warne rings before leveling it and torquing it down. The 5-25X50 is lightweight and robust scope with target turrets which would come in handy on the long-range shots I intended to take.

Scope mounted and preliminaries squared away, I grabbed some ammo and my gear and headed up into the Rocky Mountains.

To the Field! First things first: I needed to zero the rifle.

I had a handful of 140-grain handloads that needed to be used up, so I started with those. A quick bore sight had me on paper with my first shot. After some easy adjustments using the JVCR reticle and turrets, I had a solid hundred-yard zero.

Since I was already at a hundred yards, I figured I’d shoot a quick group to see how consistent this HMR was. Three shots were easily .7MOA, and a five-shot group only increased it to about .8MOA. This was with no customizing or load development.

With the rifle shooting that well, I decided to see what the rifle would do further out. And since I had millions of acres of open country before me, it was as simple as picking out a target.

I found a small rock poking out of the green grass on a ridge across from me. I measured it with my laser rangefinder at just shy of four hundred yards, an easy poke for the Creedmoor. I already had some pretty good dope for this load, so I dialed the elevation turret accordingly and rested back behind the rifle.

Rocking Rocks and Doping the Wind.

I watched as the rock danced about in the wavy grass through my scope. A recent rain had moistened the mountain tops, so I couldn’t count on a dust signature if I missed it. I measured the rock to be about ten inches wide using the reticle, and with the wind moving like it was, I knew my bullet was hitting downwind of my point of aim.

So, I favored just inside the upwind edge of the rock and leaned into the rifle, straining the legs on the bipod.

I started my trigger press, keeping focus on the reticle until the rifle recoiled. My scope was set at 10X, making it easy to see the bullet’s impact as it hit the rock square in the middle.

I repeated the process at six-hundred eighty yards, and again watched vaporized bullet envelop my target. I spent a good portion of the remaining afternoon at eight-thousand feet elevation chasing rocks and doping the wind.

Love at Long Range. Several trips like the one just described were all it took to fall in love with this rifle. I shot a variety of ammunition, both suppressed and unsuppressed. In the former case, I used a titanium Yankee Hill Machine Nitro N20 that fitted perfectly to the HMR’s threads.

It was an outstanding combination, so much so that I longed for hunting season to begin.

• Accuracy: I attained Sub-MOA accuracy with ease.

• Quality adjustable trigger: I saw no need to adjust it, but that might not always be the case.

• Great ergonomics: the rifle is easily adjusted and feels great in the hands.

• Suppressor ready: the Bergara’s threaded muzzle accepts brake or suppressor.

• Perhaps a little heavy: for a hunting rifle, it could be lighter.

Bergara B-14 Wilderness Features

Bergara Wilderness 6.5 Ammo

I had the best results using Hornady 140gr match and Desert Tech Munitions 140gr match ammunition. Both of those performed well enough for competitive shooting or hunting.

Bergara Wilderness HMR Starter Pack

If you’re looking at a Bergara Wilderness for your hunting or competition needs, chances are you already have a solid grasp of gear fundamentals. However, if you’re not sure what you might need (or you just want some ideas), here are a few suggestions.

We’ll start, of course, with “eyes and ears.”

• Shooting Glasses: All it takes is one piece of rogue hot brass, and you’ll learn the importance of shooting glasses. But not all glasses are built the same. See our recommendations for the Best Shooting Glasses.
• Hearing Protection: Firing a gun without wearing proper ear pro can be very dangerous and detrimental to your hearing. Find out the best hearing protection for you in our full-length review.
• Gun Cleaning Kit: Otis All Caliber Elite Range Box on Amazon or build your own personalized cleaning kit with premium components.
• Targets – If you’re wanting a great resource for shooting practice or zeroing your optics on your optics rifle or pistol, download our FREE Sighting in Targets below.

Bergara B-14 Wilderness Accessories and Upgrades

The scope I used was an excellent choice for this rifle, but I would have also used the US Optics TS20x. It has ten MIL turrets and a 34mm tube.

Bipod: The Harris SL bipod is also a good fit for the 6.5CM Wilderness. It mounts easily to the provided sling stud.

Magazines: AICS Magazines at EuroOptic. Just be sure you grab the proper caliber for your rifle. Oh, and as a reminder, these are not the same as AR-10 mags. They need to be AICS.

Quick-Detach: QD sling cups in the HMR stock are ideal for a Magpul MS4 sling.

Suppress it: A quality suppressor takes this rifle to the next level. My choice after the YHM Nitro N20 is the Dead Air Nomad Ti.

Dial in your Optics: If you don’t already have an optic and rings you’re ready to mount, start out by consulting the Gun University Scope Ring Finder.

Bergara B-14 Wilderness HMR Accessories and Upgrades

1. Harris Bipod		Long-proven durability A necessity for virtually any length of hunt Multiple options, including adjustable.	Check Price
2. DECIBULLZ CUSTOM MOLDED EARPLUGS		Great In-Ear option Custom molded – super easy and comfortable NRR: 31	Amazon
3. Hornady Canister Dehumidifier		Hornady Silica Gel Dehumidifier Canister Keep Your Gun Safe Moisture Free Compact, Easy to Use	Amazon
4. BARSKA Biometric Safe		Quickly Opens with the Touch of a Finger 3-Point Steel Dead Bolt Locking System DOJ Approved for Firearm Storage	Amazon
5. Savage 2 Point Sling		Premium chafe resistant nylon webbing Fits firearms with screw studs already mounted Swivels can be can be removed	Check price

Precision Bolt Gun Maintenance

Unfamiliar with cleaning and maintaining a bolt gun of this type? Give this a watch.

Bergara B-14 Wilderness HMR Resources

• Bergara Wilderness Configuration Options
• Visit the Bergara Academy

Have an opinion on this bolt gun or the ammunition used? Send it!

Now take the opportunity to learn more about the Bergara barrel-making process while you await a response.