Caribou Gear

Bergara called me a pansy - Any ABQ area 300WM Shooters to prove it?

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Chingon

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So I've had a very challenging battle with getting my Bergara B-14 300WM to shoot their guaranteed MOA (read about the saga here)...

Long story short - spent $$$ on ammo and sent the rifle in to Bergara. They adjusted the headspace and re-bored the muzzle brake, then claim they shot MOA and shipped it back. I try again, and it's maybe a bit more accurate but still about 2MOA. Gunsmith says the throat is damaged, looks like 1500 rounds through it (just counted brass and it's actually 277 rounds) and can't get a slug through due to tight spot near throat. Bergara's reply to all this is that my tight groups shot with their 6.5CM HMR mean that I'm just a weenie and can't shoot a magnum, and they are refusing to look at the gun again.

So, any ABQ area folks around here with a 300WM that can group? I'm hoping to be able to meet up with a couple folks, shoot their rifle for a group (I'll provide factory premium ammo) and have them shoot mine. This will be at a private range, out of the wind (100yd tunnel).

Thanks in advance.

I'm in the process now of procuring a Nightforce NX8 scope to eliminate one more variable, but hope to be ready as soon as this week.
 
Oh yeah. Hornady ELDX 200gr, Terminal Ascent 200gr, Trophy Bonded 165gr, Nosler Accubond 180gr, Berger Hybrid 185gr, list goes on. Even put it in a HEAVY Magpul Pro chassis.

I have shot MOA with my cheap CVA Muzzleloader/BH209. That kicks more than this rifle it seems.

Thanks for the offer, but unless I have side-by-side proof of shooter abilities I don't think Bergara will believe me. If it is the rifle as I suspect, they'll just call you a weenie too.
 
Chingon said:
Oh yeah. Hornady ELDX 200gr, Terminal Ascent 200gr, Trophy Bonded 165gr, Nosler Accubond 180gr, Berger Hybrid 185gr, list goes on. Even put it in a HEAVY Magpul Pro chassis.

I have shot MOA with my cheap CVA Muzzleloader/BH209. That kicks more than this rifle it seems.

Thanks for the offer, but unless I have side-by-side proof of shooter abilities I don't think Bergara will believe me. If it is the rifle as I suspect, they'll just call you a weenie too.
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I can shoot 1/2 moa with my 338 win mag. 5 ft lbs more recoil than a 300. Shooter ability wouldn't be the question.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding. So you're not looking for someone to shoot it? Lol
 
rjthehunter said:
I can shoot 1/2 moa with my 338 win mag. 5 ft lbs more recoil than a 300. Shooter ability wouldn't be the question.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding. So you're not looking for someone to shoot it? Lol
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Yes, as Jerky stated I need to be able to show that at least one person can shoot sub MOA with a 300WM, and NOT with my 300WM (and I'd also like to prove I can do it, or maybe I am a recoil sensitive and I'll eat crow).

But just having someone that claims they're a good shot shoot my rifle won't be convincing to the Bully Bergara. Unless you have a room full of F-class trophies or something...
 
Makes sense now. I certainly wouldn't be the guy for that. If I wind up down there, I'd be in and out in a day. Did you ask your gunsmith? He might be a good resource to check with! I'd think he has plenty of experience behind a magnum. Or could at least get you in contact with someone who could help you out!
 
That's not a terrible idea - he might have a loaner 300WM I could borrow. Just thought this would be a fun experiment...
 
"re-bored the muzzle brake" and it's heavy. It doesn't kick much. Maybe muzzle blast has got you. Plugs + muffs and safety glasses?

That it could be a scope or mount is another reason why picatinny. Being able to easily swap on a known good high mag scope for testing is very handy.

I don't understand buying a Remington knock off, not expecting to get a cheaply built rifle. Remington was already a cheaply built rifle. Send it down the road and get a better quality rifle.
 
Are you shooting off a lead sled? I had the same issue with my 300 WBY, but I knew I was being a candy@$$. Practice and and lead sled fixed my issue. Now I overlap bullets at 100 with good ammo.

I also noticed on mine that if I used a bipod on a wood table and not anything soft, the recoil would make the gun bounce very badly and throw off the aim.
 
A .300 WM with a brake doesn't kick all that much.

At this point you have a lot of what finance folks call "sunk costs". The emotional reaction is to keep pouring money and time so you don't "lose" money.

Have your smith check mounts, likely already done, switch (do not buy) to a known reliable scope, then it either groups or it doesn't.

Sorry. Factory rifles are a crap shoot.
 
howl said:
"re-bored the muzzle brake" and it's heavy. It doesn't kick much. Maybe muzzle blast has got you. Plugs + muffs and safety glasses?

That it could be a scope or mount is another reason why picatinny. Being able to easily swap on a known good high mag scope for testing is very handy.

I don't understand buying a Remington knock off, not expecting to get a cheaply built rifle. Remington was already a cheaply built rifle. Send it down the road and get a better quality rifle.
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Yeah I've always shot with ear pro, usually doubling up.

perma said:
Are you shooting off a lead sled? I had the same issue with my 300 WBY, but I knew I was being a candy@$$. Practice and and lead sled fixed my issue. Now I overlap bullets at 100 with good ammo.

I also noticed on mine that if I used a bipod on a wood table and not anything soft, the recoil would make the gun bounce very badly and throw off the aim.
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I've tried it all, prone, sandbags, bipod, and now usually shoot in the tunnel (no wind) off a concrete bench and a light sled that allows free recoil.

longbow98 said:
A .300 WM with a brake doesn't kick all that much.

At this point you have a lot of what finance folks call "sunk costs". The emotional reaction is to keep pouring money and time so you don't "lose" money.

Have your smith check mounts, likely already done, switch (do not buy) to a known reliable scope, then it either groups or it doesn't.

Sorry. Factory rifles are a crap shoot.
Click to expand...
Oh, I understand the concept of sunk costs. I'm simply stubborn and try my best to be a "man of my word". I expect those I enter into an agreement with (such as purchasing an item with a gurantee) to uphold their word as well. My financial plan in life is to live it to the fullest, and if I time it just right the check for the funeral home will bounce :ROFLMAO:

I've learned a ton already troubleshooting this, and if it turns out that I'm the issue that's great to know and I can improve. If it turns out to be the scope, well that's another expensive lesson to learn, but OK. If it turns out to be the rifle, then I'll sleep better at night knowing that I've proven Bergara to a manufacturer that should not be trusted to honor their warranty, and will point anyone asking about rifle purchase recommendations to these threads.
 
I know you probably don't want to spend any more money but if the factory wont help I would send to Steve West ( Pendelton Ammunition) for a load development. He is a Bergara dude and will tell you what it will do. When I bought my Nosler .30 I sent him my gun for load development. For me it was well worth the money. I use his ammo in some other guns also.
 
Thanks, but I've already started working with a gunsmith here that specializes in Rem 700 accurizing. He looked at the rifle and couldn't get a slug through the barrel - too tight near the chamber. Throat looks like it's had 1500 rounds through it (actually 277 single fed shooting for groups with slow barrel break-in).
 
howl said:
I don't understand buying a Remington knock off, not expecting to get a cheaply built rifle. Remington was already a cheaply built rifle. Send it down the road and get a better quality ririfle.
Click to expand...

This has Zero to do with the quality of Bergara rifles. How did you decide that Bergara and Remington are "cheaply built"? mtmuley
 
Chingon said:
Yeah I've always shot with ear pro, usually doubling up.


I've tried it all, prone, sandbags, bipod, and now usually shoot in the tunnel (no wind) off a concrete bench and a light sled that allows free recoil.


Oh, I understand the concept of sunk costs. I'm simply stubborn and try my best to be a "man of my word". I expect those I enter into an agreement with (such as purchasing an item with a gurantee) to uphold their word as well. My financial plan in life is to live it to the fullest, and if I time it just right the check for the funeral home will bounce :ROFLMAO:

I've learned a ton already troubleshooting this, and if it turns out that I'm the issue that's great to know and I can improve. If it turns out to be the scope, well that's another expensive lesson to learn, but OK. If it turns out to be the rifle, then I'll sleep better at night knowing that I've proven Bergara to a manufacturer that should not be trusted to honor their warranty, and will point anyone asking about rifle purchase recommendations to these threads.
Click to expand...
My laughing response was to the funeral home check bouncing, not to the other content. There used to be a good guy at Bergara named NateT. I emailed him on another forum to see if he is still there; maybe he could help. Best of luck.
 
FWIW, I have a bergara ridge in 300 WM. It shoots 165 gr Barnes ttsx factory ammo extremely well.

Also, with all the loads you’ve tried, make sure you’re deep cleaning whenever you switch loads.

Good luck
 
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