Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires I F ed up on Belgara BMR

The other day stopped into a local shop and they had a like new Belgara BMR carbon

Good deal not great
Called the next day gone
Someone smarter that I

Should have walked out with it
Hank

Yep. You sure did.
I picked up my Bergara BMR steel barrel this last week.
Over the last month a Christensen Arms Ranger, the Bergara BMR and two Pre Warning Ruger 10/22 Deluxes from the early to mid 70’s have come home with me. These join a CZ 455 Thumbhole Target in the safe.
There’s going to be a multiple gun shootout here to see which one of these shoot best with match. and bulk ammo. It should be an interesting exercise.

Go order a Bergara. They're available from distributors.

I'm a rather large man, 6'3 270. Take a 37 inch sleeve. I've pretty much stayed away from 22 rifles all of my life as I can't get a decent LOP. But the Bergara fits me. Put a Jewell trigger in it, even though the one from the factory wasn't terrible. Slapped a EC Tuner on it, and with some match ammo, it's the most enjoyable rifle I own.

Mark

I am looking forward to the shoot out

I am going to text a bud tomorrow and get a price and have him order one for me I think

Hank

I picked up a regular BMR w/ steel barrel and have been very impressed. Man that is a great shooting .22. All I have shot out of it is Fed Bulk Pack and it just stacks them in the same hole at 25 yards, 50 is only a bit bigger, can cover most groups with a dime. I did the trigger mod where you tap the hole in the back of the trigger and put a set screw in. Can take the trigger to around 1# easily. Have mine at 2# and it breaks sharp and crisp. Highly recommend one.

My steel barrel BMR should be delivered to the FFL this week.

I’m thinking you will love it.

It’s odd this Monday something made me question was it still there
I called the Manager Steve and asked would this gun still be there
He said yep should be and it was

Tried to work with one of the new guys but if you have a contact and you have been doing business with the old guys just keep doing it. Steve at Williams gun site (Davison MI) has been my guy for years.

I just walked out with a like new carbon BMR and a bargain price
Can’t wait to shoot it

Hank

Sounds like you did good.
Want to hear the report on it.

Good deal Hank!

Well get good on that trigger job maybe I will send you a second
😁
Hank

I will order enough set screws to do a “few”.
I would really like to shoot your carbon barreled BMR, let’s get together sometime and shoot.

May 14 MI meet

Hank

If you’ve seen one for $399 you better go buy it. If not, tell me where it’s at and I’ll buy it. 🤣

Agreed
That would be an awesome deal
Hank

If it’s not already in your safe you’ll be sorry you missed it because it’s likely gone now.

either the shop made a mistake on the price tag, or you are mistaken on the price... more like $499 ?

Paid $499 for my BMR Steel @ Sportsman's. I see they are now $549. Biggest problem I have is that it's so accurate and fun to shoot that I put a Burris Signature HD 3-15x44 on it. A bit overkill for a .22, but dang that is fun.

An LGS recently got a big stock of rimfires. He called to talk to me the other day about a CZ Jaguar he got in, along with a few European version of CZs (essentially, 1/2-20 threaded versions of rifles we have state side). In talking, he also mentioned getting in a carbon BMR and a black CA Ranger.

After a lot of the discussions going on here and other forums, I’m fighting the urge to go look at all the 22LRs he received.

I’ve resisted the Jaguar since they came out because I hate the brand stamping on the stock, but I may finally crack. Now the BMR and CA Ranger being in the same place.. jeez.

Mark - Did the shootout ever happen between the BMR, Ranger, 10/22s, and 455 thumbhole?

I have a 457 w/17HMR and .22 barrels and a BMR Steel. I think the Bergara is slightly more accurate. Both are very good for sporter rifles.

I have them all scoped up and sighted in, but the only shooting has been with CCI SV or Federal Champion. If the gun didn’t seem to like CCI it got the Federal as an alternative.
The BMR, the CZ 455 and the Ranger all seem to shoot approximately the same with the CCI.
So far, the BMR just seems to be the most satisfying to shoot.
Triggers on all of the guns varied. A bunch.
The Bergara has the best trigger out of the box. It’s 2-1/4 lbs and crisp. At this time I don’t intend on messing with it. At least not until it’s been broken in. The BMR is just a fun gun to shoot.

The CZ needs the spring kit installed that I haven’t had time to do yet. This heavy barreled thumbhole stocked rifle is great off bags and it will probably remain a bench and bipod gun.

And now the Christensen Arms Ranger. It’s a very nicely designed and put together rifle that has a few things that needs fixed. The ejector blade needs tweaking to reliably eject cases. If you don’t snap the bolt back sharply the ejector misses the case being held on the bolt face by twin extractors, and leaves it in the action. Every. Single. Time.
This is super annoying and if there wasn’t something else that needed warrantee work, I would adjust it myself.
Moving on to the other issue, the trigger on the particular example breaks at 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 lbs. it’s a decent feeling trigger, just heavier than necessary. In attempting to adjust it using the Allen Headed set screw in the bottom face of the trigger, I couldn’t find an Allen wrench to fit it. Neither Standard or Metric. Looking carefully the top of the set screw is broken and a section of it has cracked and fallen off.
Christensen Arms has a digital return authorization form on their website and they have sent me a UPS shipping label to send the rifle in to them.
There is a lot of potential in the Ranger, but this one needs some work. We will report back after the Ranger returns and I have time to shoot it along with the others.

I have a BMR carbon in 22LR, put a jewel trigger in it.
Love it. Shoots Aquila standard velocity into 1/2” at 50 yards 10 shots

Trying to wait on the 17HMR version. The 22 mag doesn’t really interest me.