Bergara is an interesting company. It kicked off during the muzzle loader boom a couple decades back, and they were known for their precision black powder barrels — the blanks were machined in their factory in Spain, and turned locally in their Georgia based facility. When that craze died down, they transitioned to making proper centerfire barrels as OEM parts for other manufacturers using the same barrel supplier and doing the chambering over here. Not content with just making barrels, they slowly transitioned into custom rifles. Now, with years of experience under their belt, they’re finally bringing a production rifle to the market. One of the first examples: the Bergara Heavy Tactical Rifle . . .
The problem with most “precision” rifles is that there are very few parts that are legitimately made in-house. Barrels from one supplier, a stock from another, and the action from another well-known shop. Not unlike the AR-15 market, actually. The Bergara rifle appears to follow this trend at first glance, but at its heart the gun is 100% theirs.
The guts of the rifle — the action and barrel — are manufactured in-house. As with their previous lines, the barrel blanks come in pre-drilled and the shop in Georgia cuts, profiles, and chambers them specifically for each rifle.
The actions are also their own creation, a version of the common Remington 700 action with some added special sauce (the model shown here has a Stillers action for demonstration purposes). The result? A rifle that seems to be all that and a bag of chips.
The Heavy Tactical costs a cool $5 grand, but the accessories are extra. Bergara has teamed up with Dead Air Armament to provide the manufacturing muscle for their new line of silencers, so it only makes sense that the flagship “tactical” rifle is designed to accept a direct thread version of their latest and greatest sound moderator. It’ll cost extra, but the thing works like a charm. The words “repeatable zero shift” come to mind, something the law enforcement folks will most decidedly appreciate.
We’ve been promised one of these guns to review sometime soon so stay tuned.
When will they be offering a muzzle-loading version of that bad boy? Something in .50 or .54 cal, that’ll take a load of 150-220 gr. of FFG? Now that would be something different! The can might need an accelerated cleaning schedule and say goodbye to concealment after the first shot, though. But hey, tactical!
Oh yeah? Where is the bayonet lug?
And the thing that goes up! I only see a thing that goes down…
Obamacare has a little blue pill to fix that.
I prefer the red pill.
On a more serious note – is this the same Bergara that sells the value-priced AR15 barrels through places like Sportsman’s Guide, etc.? When I was looking for a new barrel to build a .300 BLK AR pistol, I did a lot of research on barrel makers and availability. Forum reviews were kind of all over the map regarding Bergara quality and customer service, if it’s the same company.
I’ll look forward to a review of an actual rifle – be interesting if they’ve (seemingly) evolved into a first run custom gunmaker.
What bipod is that?
Oh boy. I’ve been looking to build a .308 Remington 700 for a long time. But by the time you get a Stiller action, and Pacific T&G bolt, and a custom barrel, you’re talking big bucks. And thus, I ended up “upselling” myself into a .338 Lapua Magnum Remington 700 XCR with the MDT Tac-21 chassis reviewed earlier here on TTAG. After I shoot out the stock barrel, I’ll worry about blueprinting the action on my lathe at work and getting a custom barrel.
For 5 Clevelands, this thing better be absolutely spectacular because a Stiller action and super premium barrel with a Jewel trigger and McMillian stock will be WELL under 4 bills.
Looks promising. I’m digging the stock design.
Calibers? I’d love a 6.5 creedmore.
In the words of a buddy of mine, the current bullets from Nosler make the Bergers look lazy!
I don’t see the shoulder thing that goes up or the forward leaning pistol grip?
The fact that the anti gunners are so ignorant and stupid about firearms will be our saving grace. Lets hope they make one in 338 Lupua
It still costs more than building it yourself. Until they can beat what it would cost me, to do the same thing, I see no need. And I would still have money left over for a nice scope and rings! Vortex Razor HD Gen 2 here I come baby!