Got a new Rifle for Christmas

I've sold a bunch when I was in the industry, and without any reservation regarding their quality. Even at their "entry" level the B-14 is crazy accurate compared to most off-the-rack competitor models. Bergara is a more widely known brand amongst muzzleloaders as they make outstanding barrels for thar niche as well.

The action is very smooth, the accuracy from factory has been consistently good, and the HMR model comes with most of the upgrades people end up buying if they start with a standard Rem 700. Honestly, I'd worry less about breaking in the barrel and more about tuning the load that is optimal for its harmonics. Several of my former coworkers ended up buying HMRs in the very nice but over-marketed 6.5 Creedmoor. With a decent, and affordable, Vortex optic they were grouping extremely well at 1000 yards, especially for a factory model. We had an F-Class competitor who hated the 6.5 Creedmoor round, and that rifle in particular, as it made long range "too easy" so any shmuck could get into long range competitions. I considered that praise rather than complaint.

The only downside to the HMR I recall is that it is a little heavy, which makes it's purpose somewhat unclear. HMR is supposed to stand for Hunter/Match Rifle, but that aluminum chassi makes the package balance poorly for unsupported shooting and heavy to lug around in the woods. While it also performs really well out of the box, it isn't 100% a bench rifle by design either, so it is sort of some of both world but not the best of both. Having said that, I'd settled on either the Bergara B-14 HMR or a Tikka T3 Tactical as my next non-custom rifle buy. More likely I'd buy a used Tikka T3 and rebarrel it, for cost reasons.

Caliber-wise, .308 Win is common and suitable for a variety of needs. If you really stretch the legs of that thing, you will HAVE to learn how to gauge distance accurately, read the wind, and dope shots accordingly. It is both practical and a great training caliber for reaching out to long-range. I know people who can really send them out there, but physics is physics and .308 goes transonic right around that 1000 yard mark, depending on load and elevation (density of atmosphere in your location). Destabilization occurs at that point, so most dedicated long-range shooters use a different caliber that remains supersonic well past 1k.

So, yeah, in short I think you made a great choice that is a proven leader in accuracy and reliability at that price point. The only other rifle I might have recommended looking at would have been a Tikka T3, but if you need a threaded muzzle those tubes are too thin unless you spring for the more expensive Tactical or rebarrel. Just 2 cents from a guy who used to work in firearms operations.

Safety first, always, and looking forward to seeing pictures of your groups. I think you'll be surprised by your first 10 string.

Edit: About the optic. I'd use the honeycomb filter, sunshade, but not both. You'll likely lose a lot of light transmission if you double up. I ordinarily consider the Diamondback line very entry level, but the Diamondback Tacticals have been exceptional at their price. I know someone with the exact same rifle and scope pairing, actually. Don't remember what rings he went with, though. All I know is they had 20 MOA built-in.

Thank you for choosing .308 instead of 6.5 Creedmoor or the flavor of the week given your intended use. At most common hunting distances the 6.5 Creedmoor is still traveling too fast to reliably impart it's energy into the target. Now, it's really all about shot placement, but we had just as many reports from hunters of tracking narrow wound-channel through-and-through shots as we had reports of one shot drops.

These days, I'm liking Hornady's offerings for off-the-shelf hunting and match stuff, unless you're willing to pay for Black Hills or something. I even use Hornady projectiles in my subsonic .308 and .300 BLK handloads due to their ballistic coefficient and how reliably the ballistic tips perform. Of course, every barrel is different, so find what works for you.

I also agree with brand choices. I can't get into details due to NDA's but I've interacted professionally with Remington and AAC, back in the day. The AAC people were awesome. The Remington folks... let's just say I don't own any remington firearms anymore. I even sold my PSS.

For ballistics, you can use mobile apps as a temporary crutch while you learn. I like "Shooter" for Android. It's free, but the paid version can also handle coriolis effect etc. I bought the paid version just to support the creator. For iOS, I helped with the QA testing of Knight Armament Corps v2 of the "Bulletflight" app. It's good, but pricy. In either case, one you've settled on a load you can start hand writing your dope cards and begin doing the math with less assistance. Obviously, your friend knows what's up so he'll be able to guide you better than some random dude on the internet.

I think you'll love the Bergara, looking forward to picks of the rig and target!

That's a really nice rifle.

Last year I was looking for a reliable hunting rifle but couldn't find what I was looking for in .30-06, ended up getting a mossberg patriot predator 5+1 bolt action in .308. I have it paired with a vortex crossfire ii 4-12x44. Even with the ammo shortages, when ammo does hit the shelves .308 is much easier to find than any other caliber on the market.

I typically target shoot with federal premium gold medal sierra matchking 155 gr., and hunt with federal premium trophy copper 150 gr.

Another nice thing is the wide availability of load data for .308 Win. Yes, I know those pills don't have a sexy BC like some long-range focused calibers, but you can really multi-role well.

For example, people do push themselves shooting out towards 1k with it. That's harder than it needs to be, but you learn excellent fundamentals while doing so. It has a long track record of excellent terminal ballistics for ethically hunting from medium range all the way in. And, if you are teaching a new shooter or just want the giggles, that 1 in 10" twist Bergara barrel (vs. Remington's standard 1 in 12 for .308, with a few exceptions) can stabilize 208 gr. Hornady A-Max ontop of a little Trail Boss to make consistent and accurate subsonic loads.

I was loading subsonic .308 for use with a can before .300 BLK became a thing. I don't do it as much anymore (because... .300 BLK) but it still puts smiles on faces when you take someone whose been learning on a .22 and put them behind an "intimidating" center-fire for the first time only to feel next to no recoil and have the loudest sound be that of the bullet slapping the target downrange. It helps build confidence, train follow-through, and avoid developing flinch. Then step up to supersonic loads with a can, then take the can off.

So, that bergara is kind of an all-in-one platform, from beginner to advanced level. The adjustability of the stock makes it suitable for almost anyone, and if you do get tired of .308 Win and want to focus more on long range precision, keep in mind that .308 Win and 6.5 Creedmoor use the same bolt-face and magazine dimensions. You could switch calibers just by rebarreling.

I know that's a lot of praise, but honestly the platform sold itself. Can you do better? Of course, but not easily at that price. If you are or know a gunsmith you could potentially custom build from a pawn shop bought action and come close, but chassi systems aren't cheap. The chassi on my Savage below was $600 on its own, but it's also a US company so I was supporting local.