Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Bergara Premier Highlander

Does anyone own one? I have yet to see one in person, but from the reviews and a couple YouTube videos I have seen it looks like a really nice rifle. I’m looking for something that could be used as a general purpose deer hunting rifle, but primarily as a tree stand rifle. I have decided on the scope, a S&B Klassik 3-12x43 with L3 illuminated reticle.
My biggest concern is with stock dimensions, LOP, thickness at wrist and foreend. And stock construction, strength, and if it has a hollow sound to it.
I know it should be a good shooter from everything I’ve read about Bergara, especially the Premier line. It will be chambered in .308 Winchester.

You need to read some more. Not that exact version, but I've owned 3 Bergara's. The Hunter in 6.5CM was a good shooter. I liked it well enough to try a 308 with a heavier light varmint contour, it was a disappointment and I sold it. But I really wanted to like Bergara enough to try again a couple of years later.

It wouldn't shoot for me either, but I liked it well enough to send it back. Bergara tweaked some things and returned it with a target showing a .5" 3 shot group. With $60/box factory loads that I could not locate anywhere at the time. With several of my handloads 1.5-2" groups were the best it would do. Ammo that produced 1/2"-3/4" groups with my Tikka 308. I sold it and use Tikka now.

Based on my experience some shoot, some don't; and they are picky about what they will shoot.

https://www.bergara.online/us/rifles/premier/highlander-rifle/
Apparently the Highlander has been discontinued, but I’m still finding several for sale. $1499 from Europtic is the best price I’ve found. It would be replacing a Remington Model 7 stainless in a HS stock. I’m not entirely sure it would be getting me anything more than I already have.

Not a highlander, but I'll give you my opinion on the 2 bergara that I've used.

I bought a B-14 Wilderness Ridge in 2021 in 6.5 creedmoor. It was very nice, smooth bolt, good factory trigger, and the barrel hardly fouled. It was extremely accurate. The DOWNSIDE. ? Heavy. It weighed a just under 10½ pounds scoped. I hunted with it for 2 hunts and killed 2 deer.

In January of 2023, I picked up a Premier Mountain 2.0 6.5 creedmoor on a dealer shelf. I fell in love with the way the AG composite stock felt, the thinner taper of the barrel and the smooth tactical bolt handle. I bought it in March. The stock is not hollow sounding, very solid / rigid. It's proven to be accurate but it does heat up quicker with the thinner barrel which is to be expected. The barrel cleans up really easily fouling is about the same as the B-14. The bolt dissassembly is extremely simple compared to the B-14 and the Rem700, or Weatherby Mark V. The triggertech trigger is really nice. I haven't hunted it yet but it's going to see its use this fall. This rifle scoped weighs 7.1lbs and it just feels right in the hand.

You have to decide what's right for you. Several people claim to have had negative experiences. Some people just make snarky, elitist comments about cheap bolts. The premier bolt is not the same as the B-14 and its not cheap.

+1 on the Bergara Premier being a completely different animal from the B-14, and I suspect the Premier line has a higher percentage of one-holers.

I've owned a couple Bergara B-14 rifles, and except for the weight, they were nice rifles and good shooters.

I also had a Mountain (1.0) in 280AI that shot extremely well with the first factory load I tried. A friend wanted it more than I did, and it was sub .5 MOA with his good handloads. I should have kept that one.

Quite recently picked up a hardly used Mountain (1.0) in 300WM. Haven't shot it yet, but I am expecting great things.

The Highlander isn’t a lightweight rifle, but at 7.2 lbs, it’s not a heavy weight either. With the S&B Klassik mounted, it should be around 8 1/2 lbs, not bad for a rifle that will only be carried to a stand to hunt whitetails. I have plenty of lightweight rigs for hunting on my feet.
Apparently the Highlander uses a Greyboe stock. I seem to recall Remington used them on a rifle a few years back. I remember hearing they were very stable but a little on the heavy side.
My vision for this rifle is when hunting the farm country around home, having a stand rifle that will shoot out to 300 yards accurately. Hit hard at all ranges. Have an optic that will allow shots 1/2 hour before and after sunrise/sunset. Have a safety that can be moved silently. Is relatively short for easy maneuvering in a blind or tree stand. It also will be the rifle I would take to Saskatchewan for a northern giant.
I had been thinking very hard about a Sako Finnlight, but then I really started looking at Bergara, and liked what I saw in the Premier line. The last Finnlight I owned left me somewhat disappointed.