Bergara is a gun manufacturing company out of Bergara, Spain, that has made a name for itself with the quality of barrels they produce for their rifles. Initially, they started out producing barrels for other gun manufacturers across the globe, from the United States to Belgium and Germany.
Bergara was able to convince the Chief Instructor for the United States Marine Corps Precision Weapons Section to join their production team. Once they were able to get one of the most renowned experts in the world, they continued to bring in the best in the business in barrel production and precision shooting.
Bergara is quickly becoming one of the most respected and sought-after companies for hunting and competition rifles in the world.
Bergara Barrels
Bergara is one of the only companies (Kimber, as well) that I know of to put more emphasis on their barrels and marketing their barrels then they do any other part in the manufacturing process. The amount of time and effort they put into their barrels is incredibly impressive, but what else would you expect from the United States Marine Corps? They use a 5-step process that they highlight in their production to show the world why their barrels are better than most other companies.
Step 1 Barrel Straightening
They begin each barrel by ensuring it’s a straight cylindrical steel bar to make sure there are no warps in the metal or curves in the bar. Once they ensure the steel is straight, they inspect each bar to ensure it has a 4/1,000 (.004) of an inch deviation. This is done to guarantee the barrel exceeds the maximum potential for accuracy in the rifle. This is a step that is time-consuming and labor-intensive, so a lot of gun manufacturers skip it. Once the barrel is straight and has the correct deviation, it’s sent to step 2.
Step 2 Deep Hole Drilling
Once Step 1 is complete, they move the steel bar over to a four-spindle deep hole drilling machine that drills a perfect hole through the length of the bar. Deep hole drilling is done by every major company and is nothing new or revolutionary. However, once this step is done, Bergara sends its perfectly drilled barrels to the Honing phase of production.
Step 3 Barrel Honing
This is just the next step that separates Bergara from its competition because it avoids reaming, which has the potential of leaving tool marks inside the barrel, causing an obstruction and decreased lifespan. Instead of reaming, Bergara uses 3 honing spindles made with diamond-tipped drill bits that polish the interior of the barrel to a mirror-like finish. This process is more expensive and labor-intensive, but it ensures there are no tool marks inside the barrel, increasing the accuracy potential of the rifle.
Step 4 Button Rifling
Instead of hand lapping, Bergara uses a button rifling machine to produce the grooves at the twist rate associated with the caliber of round the barrel is chambered for. They don’t settle for anything more than a 2/10,000 (.0002") of an inch for the groove diameter. This provides an incredibly tight rifling in their barrels, which increases the accuracy potential in every rifle they produce.
Step 5 Stress Relieving
After the button rifling process, there is a small chance that the barrel could have some added stress that prevents it from performing at its top potential. Bergara takes no chance on their barrels having some sort of defect, so they heat it up to high temperatures to realign the steel molecules to ensure the barrel is stress-free and ready to use. After this process is complete, ALL Bergara barrels are capable of shooting at a sub 1.0 MOA at 100 yards, right out of the box.
What is the Bergara Acadamy?
The Bergara Acadamy is a course that anyone can sign up for in a 22,000-acre private property in Belt, Montana, designed to improve long-range shooting. This is one of the most unique and incredible experiences that a company offers to the general public. I speak a lot about how comfortable I am at shooting at longer distances and what max ranges you should be shooting at. I know I am not comfortable shooting at any animal more than 600 meters, but this course teaches you to shoot at ranges of 1,400 yards (1,200 meters)! If I could afford to travel there and take the course, I’d sign up today. You’ll learn from some of the best long-range expert shooters from the United States Marine Corps and champion competition shooters who are comfortable shooting at ranges that would more than double your range.
What’s included in the Acadamy?
| Bergara Acadamy 2020 3-Day Precision Rifle/Long Range Hunter Event | |
| Lodging | ♦ |
| Food | ♦ |
| Bergara Rifles/Ammo | ♦ |
| Transportation to/from airport | ♦ |
| MSRP | $1,895 |
What will you learn at this academy?
I think it’s a fair question to ask if you’re going to spend the kind of money to make this trip happen. What I love about Bergara is they don’t shy away from anything that might compromise themselves, such as production procedures, guarantees, and this revolutionary academy. The following list is most of what you’ll learn during your incredible 3-day trip to the Montana Rockies.
1. Firearms Safety
2. Rifle Design and Construction
3. Basic Marksmanship Fundamentals
4. Scope Theory and Adjustments
5. Positional Shooting
6. Effects of Wind
7. Range Estimation
8. Care and Cleaning
9. Basic Ballistics
10. Understanding Mils
11. Range Estimation Utilizing Mils
12. Rapid Bolt Manipulation Drills
13. Engaging Targets out to 1200 yards
Why You Should Buy This Package
Unfortunately, I can’t afford this dream trip, but if you can afford it, it will be a life-changing experience for you and your family or friends. Imagine being comfortable taking shots at over 1,000 meters and maintaining the accuracy needed to bring down your prey without added suffering. These men will teach you how to reach those distances and give you the skills required to shoot in high elevation, wind, rain, snow, and low light. If you’re a serious hunter that wants to increase your effectiveness at hunting wild game, this is an opportunity that you shouldn’t pass up.
BERGARA RIDGE .243 WIN BOLT ACTION RIFLE
The Bergara Ridge .243 bolt-action hunting rifle is one of the rifles you may shoot at the Bergara Academy to learn how to shoot. Although a .243 Winchester is not my favorite round to use while hunting, I would own this gun in a heartbeat if I didn’t already have too many hunting rifles (happy wife, happy life).
However, if you’re in the market for a hunting rifle capable of shooting at extended ranges and made with incredible precision, the Bergara Ridge is perfect for you. At 24," this barrel is made with the same expertise and precision as every other Bergara Barrel and provides that extra length to reach out and touch targets at longer ranges.
Specs:
| Bergara Ridge .243 Hunting Rifle | |
| Weight | 7.9 lbs |
| Caliber | .243 Winchester |
| Barrel Length | 24" |
| Overall Length | 43.5" |
| Capacity | 4 rounds (hinged floorplate) |
| Trigger Pull Weight | 3 lbs |
| MSRP | $749.00 |
Pros:
- Incredible accuracy
- Best rifle barrel
- Clean and crisp trigger
- Durable
- Excellent price
Cons:
- Nothing wrong with this gun, but I’m not in love with the synthetic stock
Features:
- Drilled & Tapped for Rem 700 Bases
- Sub MOA
- Bergara Curved Trigger
- Hinged Floorplate
Why You Should Buy This Gun
This rifle is one of the more affordable rifles from Bergara and still provides all the attributes that made them so respected in the industry. I would buy this rifle If I wanted to hunt smaller game, such as whitetail deer, Pronghorn, Mule Deer (max size for .243 Win), or a wild hog.
This rifle will leave you amazed by its sub 1.0 MOA accuracy and lightweight feel. If you’ve never seen a Bergara, I recommend going to a gun show and holding one to get an idea of why they’re so incredible.
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *