Bergara Premier HMR Pro

[u/looloopklopm]

Talk me out of buying this rifle in 6.5 creedmoor with a 24 inch barrel. It's nearly $3k.

Looking for something 99% range use that I can take hunting maybe one or two times. I've never been hunting before but want to try it out. Main use will be as a target gun at 300 yards or less. I have another range nearby that goes out to 800, but I am not a member. I want to print holes in paper close together. My other guns are an sks, MRA renegade, shotgun, and 22s.

I want to get into reloading but have no setup yet. I will put some sort of $1k-$1.5k ffp optic on this.

My main concerns are:

- price. I wanted the regular hmr, but it's out of stock everywhere and has been for over 2 months. I know I get more for my money with the pro, but is it worth it?

- calibre. Given I want to reload, won't likely go past 300 yards, and might hunt, do I get a 308 instead? These only come in 20 inch barrels. Seems like a waste also to put a 308 into a target rifle chassis, etc like the pro provides. A regular hmr in 308 might make sense.

- What about tikka? I know their actions are smooth, but I've also heard great things about the Bergara hmr pro's. Rem 700 vs tikka systems, mag compatibility, etc. Not like the t3x CTR is in stock anywhere either.

You are me. What do you do?

[u/He4vyD00dy]

I recently bought an Sig Cross in 6.5 Creedmore and I own a gen 1 Ruger Gunsite Scout in .308. If you want to shoot all day 6.5 Creedmore has significantly better recoil. .308 is going to be a lot cheaper to shoot, and the ballistics should be not too different inside of 300 if you know your dope.

That’s going to be a heavy rifle for hunting and expensive at the range. Because you are shooting max 300yds, I would personally buy a .223 wylde rifle for the range this will be more fun/challenging/beneficial skills wise than the Creedmore , and a dedicated .308 rifle for hunting.

Actually that’s not what I would do, what I would do is buy all 3 rifles, .223 wylde target gun, tacticool 6.5 Creedmore, .308

[u/looloopklopm → u/He4vyD00dy]

I appreciate the perspective.

I already have a renegade in 223. It's just not an accurate bolt gun. I want to collect all the calibers so I'm looking 308 or 6.5 as my first full sized cartridge.

I want something that is capable of shooting a deer, so again that's where 6.5 or 308 come in. 308 has the edge. If I like hunting I'll buy a cheaper hunting gun and the hmr will stay at the range.

Main use case though would be chasing extreme accuracy at <300 yards. Reloads as far as I can tell are similar in cost between the two.

I don't really want to ever sell this. Which is why I don't mind building a gun for 800 yards that I only shoot at 300. I might go further eventually.

[u/He4vyD00dy → u/looloopklopm]

I think you will be real happy with the Bergara in that case, just make sure you buy the right scope for what you’re doing, I have a hunting scope on my Sig and I’m finding the crosshairs completely cover a 1 inch circle at 100 yds and I wish I had more magnification and Christmas tree reticle instead.

[u/looloopklopm → u/He4vyD00dy]

I picked up a 24 inch b14 hmr in 308. Almost got the creedmoor but the extra energy in close and the unicorn barrel length sold me on the 308.

What scope would you recommend? Or maybe which scope would you not recommend?

[u/He4vyD00dy → u/looloopklopm]

I’m not super knowledgeable on glass, Someone else would probably give better advice