In the world of precision shooting, where accuracy and performance reign supreme, one name stands out near the top of innovation and quality: Bergara. With a legacy rooted in crafting exceptional firearms, Bergara has consistently pushed the boundaries of what's possible in the realm of precision hunting rifles. The new B14² CREST is described by Bergara as a high performance ultralight rifle designed for long distance hunting, and especially mountain hunting.

We've been impressed with this rifle, chambered in 6.5 PRC, since we got the Vortex Razor HD LHT Scope mounted and started shooting it. Let us give you some details and take you shooting with us to discuss the action, trigger feel, recoil, and accuracy.

Almost three years ago a good friend showed us a new rifle that he had just bought for each of his kids. Adrian shot one of them and actually took a nice buck two days later with that same rifle. Little did we know at that time, our friend was essentially starting us on a seemingly never ending quest for our favorite NEW rifle - and our appreciation for Bergara.

Our first gun review was actually that rifle - The Bergara B14 Wilderness Ridge.

Not the one that Adrian borrowed, but the one almost exactly like it that we bought the day after she harvested that buck. If you haven't watched that review, check it out, so you can see how much we liked that rifle as well as how different our reviews are now!

Either way, that Bergara B14 Ridge started a long journey that has included shooting many different Bergara rifles. We also thoroughly enjoyed the Bergara Experience last July in Tennessee, where we were able to shoot almost as many of their rifles as we wanted!

And that brings us to our current review.

When they announced the B14² Crest, with its lightweight carbon fiber stock and elevated cheek rest, we knew we had to try it.

As fate would have it, we also have several hunting trips planned for this fall and really wanted to give this rifle a workout.

So far we've had it several weeks and have put a lot of rounds down range from several different ammunition manufacturers. Adrian decided we should attach her Dead Air Nomad 30 suppressor to the business end in place of the provided omni-brake. That combination has been lots of fun to shoot and obviously much quieter.

Based on all that shooting, we're ready to give your our initial thoughts and plans for using the Bergara Crest over the next few months.

Before we get too far into talking about the rifle, we must mention the glass for the top. After several discussions with Vortex, we decided upon the Vortex Razor HD LHT 3-15x42. It has everything we were looking for, including an illuminated reticle. Stay tuned, there will be a review and more information on this scope coming soon also.

The lens quality has been amazingly clear, and I really like the ease of turret adjustments. We haven't had it out in low light conditions yet, but we're planning on that as soon as the season opens.

Here are some specs for the Bergara B14² Crest: (Caliber dependent)

• Weight: 6.8 - 7.2 lbs
• Overall Length: 40" - 43.5"
• Barrel Length: 20"-22"
• Barrel Twist: 1:8 (6.5 CM, 6.5 PRC, 7 PRC); 1:10 (.308 & .300 Win Mag)
• Muzzle: Threaded 5/8x24
• Magazine: Detachable 5-round AICS compatible magazine.
• Barrel Finish: Sniper Grey Cerakote®
• Available in 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win, 6.5 PRC, 7 PRC, .300 Win Mag.

Stock:

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• 100% carbon fiber
• Carbon spine throughout the stock providing greater rigidity and strength
• Adjustable Length of Pull Spacers
• Raised cheek piece built into stock
• Dual front swivel studs for bi-pod and sling mounts
• Front and Rear QD attachment points

Bolt and Action:

• Oversized tactical-style knob
• Fluted bolt
• Smooth bolt cycle with or without ammo in the magazine or chamber
• Classic B-14 action consists of a two-bolt system with a sliding extractor, tapered bolt, and breech stop to ensure smooth cartridge insertion and extraction.

Trigger:

• Easily Adjustable Trigger - measured right under 2 lbs out of the box
• Perfect positioning of the trigger - at least for both of us
• Two position safety right behind the bolt knob, easy to reach and work with thumb

Barrel:

• 4140 CrMo steel
• Fluted Barrel with a Sniper Grey Cerakote® finish
• Threaded 5/8-24 and includes a Bergara Omni Muzzle Brake.

The main difficulty we've found with this rifle is that we fight over who is going to get to shoot it!

We've been shooting several different rounds through it and trying to figure out which bullet shoots the tightest groups at different ranges. And in doing so, we're searching for the bullet that we are planning to hunt with this fall.

The tightest group we've shot so far has been a .424 MOA group at 100 yards using a custom loaded Hornady 143 ELD-X bullet from Pendleton Ammunition.

Accuracy:

I think you can tell from the picture above, we've been impressed with the ability to shoot tight groups with this B-14 Crest. Each round we've tried has been capable of producing sub-MOA groups from this gun, but the Norma Bondstrike (143 grain) and Hornady ELD-X (143 grain) bullets have been the most consistent of the hunting loads we've tried.

Recoil:

I haven't shot any other rifles chambered in 6.5 PRC, but I have shot plenty of other rifles. Both Adrian and I agree that recoil from this B14² Crest, chambered in 6.5 PRC is absolutely manageable. The included omni brake and the suppressor certainly help with that.

In comparison to our B-14 Ridge chambered in 6.5 CM, the recoil is slightly more but barely noticeably more.

And recoil from Adrian's CVA Cascade in .308 seems to be slightly more than this 6.5 PRC.

Thankfully Adrian and I have a lot more shooting to do with this rifle before we can give you an answer to the question, "Should I Buy This Thing."

We have several hunts planned with the B14² Crest in 6.5 PRC, including an elk hunt, several deer hunts, and hopefully a few wild hog hunts.

Between all that shooting, increasing distances while shooting, and hopefully shooting at several animals, we should be able to provide you with a thorough review. As you know, there are usually several "it depends" statements that help us answer the "Should I Buy This Thing" question, and our goal is to find those situations and options for each of you!

If you have a Bergara B14² Crest, please let us know what you think about it.

Reach out via email or comment on any of the videos to give us your ideas. We value your opinions and use them to help us provide the most thorough review possible. Thank you!