Tikka, Bergara, Kimber Hunter, or????

Mulling a Bergara Hunter, but not sure about the tacky stock coatings? Need to look for Tikka deals, I guess.

I'd put the Howa/Vanguards high on the list for value, but the rifles you have listed are all a bit less "portly" than the Howa and Vanguard models. Tikkas are great if you can stand the plastic bottom "metal" and the detachable mag. Otherwise, plan to spend more to change out the trigger guard and bottom plate for aluminum. Haven't handled the Begara, not personally a fan of the Kimber--it just felt too...light? It seemed like it didn't have the weight and substance to make working the bolt a smooth process.

Sauer 100 XT.

Define "best bang". Are you looking for hunting accuracy out to 400-500 yards or 1,000 yard accuracy? How much do aesthetics matter? Do synthetic and walnut rate the same? How do you rate weight and trigger pull differences or are they a 'don't care'?

I intended to rebarrel my .243 Win Savage FXP3 (Model 11) to 6.5 CM. The rifle was used and cost me $295 and an $80 barrel was planned - but I shot the donor and that was the end of that. Still, if I got the bug again, I might go the same route. If you want, there are Savage Axis 6.5 CM rifles on Gunbroker for $300. Pretty sure they would go 'Bang' and provide at least hunting accuracy.

The Berger’s I handled needed to go on a diet....maybe their new LW model is better.....dunno.
Tikka’s are a nice rifle and I like their feel and balance - a pal had his magazine fall out and break. He had a single shot for the rest of the season.
Howa is a good solid action, but heavy, IMO.
I have a Kimber Hunter CM however, that has become my “ go to “ rifle.
With a Leupold 2.5x8 on board, it’s light to carry, has a really good stock design and is very accurate.
Mine has a pretty impressive record on deer, elk and pronghorn.
I painted the stock to suit me - and I’ve never once wished it were heavier and bulkier....
I have a lot of options when I go to the safe, but almost alway pull out the Kimber.

Your best bet is to get each one of those in your hands and see which one talks to you.

I'm in the same boat man. I'm glad you asked the question. Bergara looks damn good for $700.00. Saw a NIB Savage (I know barf) trophy hunter XP 6.5 creedmoor with a Nikon 3-9x40 scope for $489.00 tonight at my LGS: Hey my buddy has a Trophy hunter 22-250 that shoots better than most of my rifles. It's one on those things where you "don't knock it until you've tried it". Handled a Kimber hunter tonight in 6.5 creedmoor as well. Had to research what talley's to put on it. It appears they take 8-40 screws (I'd go with the medium Talley lightweights part #948749 for the scopes I have on hand). Just throwing that out there, as I thought maybe on an off chance some of my model 70 mounts would work. NOPE they wont'... Also, the barrel is so pencil thin that it makes you wonder how it's even accurate. The funny thing is it doesn't even feel as light as advertised at 5.5 pounds. The tiny model 70 clone looks anorexic to me. JMHO. That tiny bolt body looks like it would bend under a heavy load .. Also the Kimber barrel was leaning way to one side of the barrel channel. Decided not to buy it, even though it was priced well enough at $749.99, when most places want $800.00. I like the more traditional looks/lines of the Bergara rifle and am glad it doesn't sport a remington 700 extractor, even though just about everything else is said to be the "footprint" of a rem 700. The recoil lug is a little beefier on the Bergara as well. Which is a plus. From digging around a bit, it was mentioned that the Bergara's stock was based off of a Brown Precision stock, although it is made cheaper by means of injection molding. The Bergara weighs in at 7 pounds, has a nice adjustable trigger, hinged floorplate, sports a 22" barrel and is guaranteed to shoot 1 moa "or less" for 3 shots with the use of premium ammo. However, This is just about the norm now days for most rifles, including the Kimber hunter. However, if I were going to place a bet on which rifle shot the best, I'd say Savage or Tikka for the win... Now, for Tikka. You have the infamous superlite that Sportsman's carries and Cabela's will also have some in stock in about 6 months. Sportsman's sells their superlite models for $749.99 and are about $100.00 cheaper than a Cabela's exclusive Superlite. These rifles are advertised to weigh in at 5.9 pounds. Availability can be sketchy on these superlite models, so call and check with your store before you make the drive. You can also find the Tikka T3X model on sale sometimes, but their every day price on the 6.5 creed is $628.00 for a blued 6.3 pound rifle. The stainless T3x rifles are $748.00 and also 6.3 pounds. For Ruger, you can get a plain jane American for $409.99. I just made up my mind. I'm going to go and buy a superlite 6.5 creed tomorrow at my local Sportsman's. They say they have one in stock.. Wish me luck!!! Now see that wasn't so hard was it?.. Next in line would have been the Savage Trophy Hunter XP, with a price tag of $489.00 ....

Vanguard or a Savage

A few dealers on Gun Broker had Browning X Bolts with a grey synthetic stock for $499.00 with free shipping.

For clarity: This is a dual use, all-range, bench/hunting, synthetic gun. Don’t want this gun to be a Savage, Ruger American, Howa, or Weatherby. The Brown Precision pattern stock info on the Bergara sounds good. I’ve liked the BP sticks I’ve had. I like the simple, more traditional design of the Bergara and the 700 compatibility. If I could find an EW 70 in right $, I’m there, too.

Thanks for the ideas. Keep’em coming.

Tikka and be done.

Stainless Savage Axis with Accutrigger, $296 at WalMart.

Do you want a floorplate or detachable magazine??

The Bergara will offer more scope mounting options over the Tikka. The action on the Bergara is every bit as smooth as that of a Tikka too.

The stock finish on the Bergara is essentially like Duratouch from Browning, some have had bad luck w the stuff but I have had 3 or 4 Browning gs with it and never an issue though you do have to be careful with any chemicals or bug spray around it.

Several good options out there.

Myself of the 2 you list I am going Bergara because I cannot fall in love with a detachable mag set up. Have had 2 or 3 and they are down the road.

You've pretty much eliminated the rifles that offer the most out of the box accuracy for each dollar spent.

I have a stainless Ruger Hawkeye bedded in a McM Hunter style stock that I like a lot.

the previous gen salvage lightweight hunters are on sale for $450ish. i picked up a .223 for $400. very handy package and theyre accurate. not worth the approx $600-700 they cost when new but definitely worth the sale price.

We have 2 Kimber Hunters in 6.5cm and they are good, very accurate, maybe not the best "all around" type rifle,but about as good as it gets for a hunting rifle. Also have had a Tikka T3x which was accurate enough but not as good as either Kimber and basically handled like a club in comparison. It was easier for bench type shooting though. By far the most accurate 6.5 we have however is a Rem 700 ADL package gun. Threw away the cheap scope, adjusted the trigger and the thing shoots just about anything into a cluster at 100 yards.It weighs 1.5 lbs more than the Kimber though. Throw that barreled action into a better stock and you would have workable rifle that would compete with just about anything else performance wise. Not a 6.5cm but the Barrett Fieldcraft in 3006 is the best bang for buck I have ever got and it is the most expensive rifle in the rack. It is that good.

Tikka, and it ain't even close. It's a proven commodity, and you know what kind of performance you'll get. Get the Sportsmatch rings that mount directly to the dovetail and you'll have a bulletproof combo.

Sportsman's had their stainless 6.5 Lite's (without the fluted barrel) for $699 last week. Not sure if that is their normal price or not. I handled one of them and a Superlight side by side and went with the Lite, as I liked the slightly heavier barrel, but they are both great rifles. That would be my vote for the best bang for the buck.

Academy locally has the 700 ADLs for $399.....might have to just grab one.....vs the others, I know I can aftermarket the heck out of it.....trigger, mags, stocks, etc. 24” barrel and enough weight to be good at the range and not too much to carry a bit.

I was eyeballing a deal on a B-14, but the extra $ could get the 700 there mo better?

This.

Yeah, he shot himself in the foot if he's not considering Savage. I didn't realize he's wanting a bench/hunting rifle "dual use", as he puts it. My vote would be a Cabela's exclusive 12FV and cut through all the bs. Dollar for dollar that is one of the best shooting rifles out there. Everyday low price of $419.00, but generally on sale in the $385 and less range...:



I assumed he was wanting a good light 6.5 creedmoor for hunting with . I still choose the Tikka T3X Superlite for $750.00. I may just go and buy one tonight..and if choosing between a new Rem 700 and Bergara, that's a no brainer. Go Bergara. Duh... Personally if I am going to spend $700.00, I'd feel stupid not forking over an extra $50.00 and just buy the Tikka superlite. 5.9 pound stainless synthetic vs. 7 pound blued synthetic that is probably accurate. I'd still put my money on the Tikka and bet it will be more accurate and be lighter by a pound. Win win...

When you're picking up a Savage get a big jug of copper solvent while you're there.

Copper doesn't bother me if it shoots good. I highly doubt your rifles shoot any better than the savage 12fv I posted a pic of earlier. You can talk a lot of smack, but you never prove anything. One thing I notice with my Savage rifles is I can shoot long shot strings and they are still sub moa shooters. They don't wonder off target and you don't have to clean them as much. They shoot accurately and keep shooting accurately. Also, what is your experience with Bergara or Tikka? Add a little to the discussion that may be helpful to the op..

The best bang for the buck in a Creedmor is to keep whatcha got and shoot the piss out of it.

That's what they were made for.

I haven't owned or had close friends who owned Bergara or Tikka.

I take jabs at Savages because the couple of cro-mo barreled ones I dealt with were bad foulers that didn't keep shooting well. One was the worst I've ever seen. The bore looked like a wood rasp. When I cleaned it with JB the gunk that came out looked like copper base anti-seize compound.

In fairness my sample size is small, and I've seen some good shooting Savages at the range, but the pigs I ran across really soured me on them.

Sorry, I just don’t want THIS rifle to be a savage. I’m the one has to look at it and clean it. LOL

If I was buying a pure bench gun, maybe.....but the only savages I’ve had that I actually liked were the LWHs and this ain’t for that.

Mathman the Bergaras really are nice rifles everyone I've owned or shot has been accurate.

A Ruger 77 Hawkeye ss/syn standard is 7.6 pounds . That seems like a happy medium weight for bench and hunting use both.

Have you considered a .30-06? Why a Crymoore?

The Bergera woodsman looks real nice.

Because this one is going to be a light kicker, all range, kinda gun. 30-06s just sit in the safe....which means I’d find a super cheap savage and throw it back in the corner just to say I had another ‘06.

I tried a Bergara, but the stock geometry didn't work well enough for me to keep it.

You ain't gonna like whatcha get anyway....

Thanks buddy. I've seen some newer Winchester model 70's with copper fouling problems, so I know exactly where you are coming from. To be honest, I was a little worried about my Savage 6.5 creedmoor when I first got it. It was copper fouled from the factory!!!! I was kind of pissed actually, but it cleans up pretty good now..

Can't ya just JB paste the thing?

Don't do that. God know's we all probably have too many 30-06 rifles in the safe already.. You'll like the 6.5 creed. It will work on damn near any big game animal in NA. Without punishing your shoulder too much. Even in a real light rifle, it should still be good. I wish you luck in your search. It's you that has to be happy with it in the end.. Maybe you can buy the Bergara and I'll get the Tikka superlite and we can compare them. Tit for tat... I like the looks of the Bergara too. Last night I had it narrowed down to the that or the superlite.

LOL....’06s are good trade bait for my redneck brethren at the deer camp that can’t shoot and have a deer run off because their not-an-‘06 wasn’t enough gun. If I don’t like the Bergara I can always get a Tikka or even Remington or Kimber or EW

Sound s like a good job for a 130 grain .270

I can tell you from experience with a 260 Remington that a 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 125 gr. Partitions or 129 gr. Interlocks will smite deer quite handily.

ADL in Creed??

Yes. I handled it, but am on the way to check out the Bergara. If I can get that Bergara for within $100-150 of that 700 (w/taxes), then the Bergara May be the better deal?

Remington is selling the 700 ADL as a package with a no-name 3-9x40 scope as Remington's part number 85447. The small dealer wholesale price recently went up from $376 to $396. It would be nice to see Wal-Mart sell them at retail for same price as their other Remington 700 ADL packages.

I have one of these, cut the barrel back to 20" and bedded it in a McM Mountain Rifle stock.

If I was going to buy a different Remington in 6.5 Creedmoor, I'd probably buy a 700 CDL-SF.

If I run across a 700 CDL-SF take-off barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor for a reasonable price, I'll probably buy it and put together a parts gun from the loose parts that I have around. Maybe a stainless Model Seven receiver and a Seven CDL stock.

Why consider a 30-06 when there are lighter kicking options with great bullet choices such as the Creedmoor? This ain't 1965.

Bergara got the nod for now. Thanks all

I still think best bang for the buck is the Ruger Predator that takes AI magazines. They can be found for $400 OTD. I've had one for about 2 years, but ran across a Bergara priced well below the normal $700 price tag and bought it. Accuracy is about the same, but the Bergara sure looks better. Since I didn't need 2 rifles in 6.5 I sold the Ruger.

The only negative is the weight, but I can live with it. Mine is 8 lbs 3 oz with a Zeiss Conquest in Talley lightweight mounts. I normally like to keep weight on a hunting rifle at or under 8 lbs, but I think I can manage an extra 3 oz. The Ruger was less than 1/2 lb lighter.

If light weight is important Tikka would be my choice.

Good point. But then again, there's noting wrong with the 30-06. It's been putting meat in the freezer for many many years. I was just shooting one of mine today. Enjoyed the hell out of it too.

$400 plus shipping
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...d-weatherguard-6-5-creedmor#Post13434017

Good info..

Yup. I have one too.

Bang for the buck wise I'd have to vote for the Ruger American Predator, in no way saying they're end all be all rifles but can't beat them for the money.

I had a Bergara Hunter in 6.5 and really liked it. I liked the tacky feel to the stock. It was very accurate with both 120 ballistic tips and 140 ELDM. Shot the BT's at 3000 fps using RL16 groups were 0.5" - .75" consistently. I sold it because I decided I it's purpose was redundant with other rifles and I wanted the Bergara Ridge model to replace it.

Bergara is now offering the Hunter in 7-08 (just announced) which is tempting to me.....

Dude at work got one for $300, at one of our local stores (Bi-Mart). A buddy has one that has impressed for several years, after it was "bedded".

TC Venture Weathershield, they are about $500 on Gunbroker. I bought mine from Elk Country Ammo for $410 and got in on their $75 rebate. I have several TC Ventures and they all shoot sub-MOA.

I bought a used ADL in 6.5 that was a combo gun right before Christmas. It was a nos rifle the original owner bought last summer. with the xmark, not pro trigger. I adjusted the trigger down to 1 3/4 lbs safely , put it in a classic stock, added bdl bottom metal. Scoped it, really nailed my bore sight, and was "shot in " with 4 shots an inch high at 100yds. After 2 shots adjusting. The last two factory Rem 140's nearly touched @ 100 yds. I've yet to load for it. I got the wants for a Tikka myself.

I’m a lefty. So kinda a crutch.

I’ve got 5 cm’s.
Alamo precision built me one.
I built one on a bighorn origin action.
Christensen mesa
Savage
Ruger American predator.

The Ruger American being the cheapest. And i don’t mind grabbing it from the safe. Cut a half coil or two off trigger spring and it’ll be good. I put a radial brake on it also.

I was eyeballing a Bergara today at sportsmans whorehouse, as i filled out the background check for my Tikka superlite

1951 200th Ave, Lake Benton, MN 56149
Phone: (507) 368-4696
kjergaard sports

this place had tikka t3x's on gunbroker for 550 shipped

Tikka T3x Superlite
McMillan Sako Hunter Stock EDGE
Sportmatch rings
Leupold 6x42

I bought a T3x CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor because it was light enough to actually hunt with, but still gave me a target style rifle. First 5 shot group out of the rifle was just under 1/2 inch with Winchester factory ammo. It's now consistently .3 to .4 inches at 100 yards with the Winchester 142 Nosler ABLR ammo. Surprised me how amazing it shot, and precludes the necessity to reload for this rifle. I've got 5-6 other Creedmoors, and this one might be the most accurate right out of the box.

Wow, some full on creed sluts on this thread. Perhaps I need another.

260 Rem mentioned lopping a 700 barrel to 20" and putting in an Edge stock....do you have a weight on that setup after the modifications?

Buy once, cry once.

Get the Barrett Fieldcraft and never look back.

Have one coming should be here Thursday. Can't wait

If I was set on a 6.5 long term, and I was only gonna hunt with it, I might have. I tend to trade around until I figure out what I want, THEN I get THE one. I wanted this one to be a hunting or range work gun. I’m still pondering 243AIs or 7-08s for the same purpose. Creed seems to be the lazy way out and the Bergara about where I’d want to go with a 700-type action, anyway. I’m not gonna get hurt too bad if I don’t like it.

The Bergara shows serious potential. Just barely enough time to dial it in with some factory stuff. It seems to like the Hornady stuff a touch more than the Winchester factory loads I had on hand. I believe I’ll hang on to this one and throw a better scope on it soon. The outlier was on me, called....the pills wanted to all be touching.

Very nice.

The Sauer 100 is a great value and shoots very well.

I believe I'm getting the Ruger American Left Hand in the Creed.

BSA, I have the American in a Creed, and even when i am going to take another rifle, some guys in our camp ask me to make sure that i bring it and they use it. its become the camp go to gun. It gets around more than my ex wife!

And THAT is saying something.....

I recently saw they dropped all LH American models except the predator. Strange

That sucks. I hope I like the Predator then.

Ha ha.. The American's are a damn good gun for the money. As are the TC compass and Ventures... We are lucky in todays age where there are a lot of "budget" rifles that can damn near compete with customs in terms of accuracy... My hat goes off to these manufactures that are producing such rifles that easily shoot sub moa groups. The Bergara the OP bought is a $700.00 rifle, as is the Tikka T3X Superlite I just bought and damn nice rifles for the money. Yesterday, I was shooting my stevens 200 22-250 (that cost me $300.00) and my superlite side by side and damn if the Stevens is more accurate. I knew that was going to happen,as it's hard for any rifle to compete with the accuracy a good Savage rifle provides. Yet, I still really like the Tikka and appreciate it for what it is.. I'm not really the betting type, but I'd lay a $50.00 bill on the table and say an out of the box Savage trophy hunter with a good scope and mounting system would lay waste to the Tikka in terms of real world accuracy, and those are $489.00 (package deal with scope) at my LGS. If one is really looking for "best bang for the buck", I'd look there or maybe at the RAR or Compass. With that being said, I look forward to hearing more about the OP's Bergara, as that was one of the rifles on my list, when I was looking for a lighter 6.5 cm hunting rifle.

Wait, I was in Pittsburgh a few years ago. Tell your ex wife I said Hi...

Hahahaha.. will do!!

BSA, Get this, she is actually the reason that i bought an American. I had some higher end guns, but had to sell some because of the divorce. Once i was on my feet again i couldn't afford the higher priced rifles anymore, and ended up purchasing the American. So as far as affordable accuracy, it really worked out for me.

One of my buddies shoots the RAR's religiously. He's tickled pink with them. It is also cool they offer a left handed version. Sorry to hear about your divorce. Glad to see you are back on your feet!!! Last month a LGS was advertising the Ruger American predator for $299.99. I damn near bought one in 6.5 cm...

Thanks BSA, Things happen for a reason. If you get one, They shoot about every bullet that i have loaded for it. But i or the guys at camp have not had a deer move very far if at all, when they are hit with a 129 grain SST out of the Creed.