Bergara BMR-X Carbon Rifle: Small Game Satisfaction

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First came outlaw “sniper” matches. Precision rifle competitions typified by the Precision Rifle Series followed. Inevitably, rimfire games with a similar type of format came along.

Such matches require an accurate rifle that is capable of being shot from practical real-world positions. Bergara has recently introduced the BMR-X (Bergara Micro Rimfire) Carbon, a lightweight precision rifle with several attributes that make it a competitive factory option for small game hunters, varminters and plinkers alike. It just so happens that, in the process, the company may have developed the nearly perfect factory rifle for precision rimfire matches.

Like most competitive shooting leagues, NRL22—one of a handful of governing bodies for precision rimfire—allows for different equipment categories. One of these is the Base division, designed to allow shooters to compete with factory rifles without being disadvantaged. The Base division requires that a rifle system—rifle, optic and accessories—have a combined suggested retail price of $1,500 or less. This division has created a defined demand for a precision factory rimfire rifle at a price point that allows room for a quality optic. I think the Bergara BMR-X Carbon fits perfectly into this niche.

The BMR-X begins with a diminutive steel action that not only accommodates the .22 LR but is also available chambered in .22 Mag. and .17 HMR. My test sample was in .22 LR.

Design

The action features a two-lug bolt with a 90-degree throw and an oversize bolt knob. There are dual extractors, one on either side of the bolt face. The two-position safety is on the right side of the tang, and the bolt stop is located at the receiver’s nine o’clock position. A cocking indicator extends from the bottom of the bolt shroud so it can be seen or even felt in the dark.

Bergara’s rifles have rapidly built a name for themselves in recent years thanks to their consistently great performance. A key element in that equation is the company’s barrels, produced at Bergara’s factory in northern Spain. Bergara barrels are straightened, deep-hole drilled, honed and button-rifled, and they are then stress-relieved. This process produces extremely accurate barrels that numerous other manufacturers purchase for building their own rifles.

The BMR-X is available with a traditional steel barrel or a carbon-fiber one for $100 more. My sample came with the latter.

A carbon-fiber barrel requires additional steps in the barrel-making process. The rifled blanks are turned to a minimal contour, eliminating weight in the process. To regain the necessary structural integrity, the profiled barrels are wrapped with carbon-fiber fabric. The result is a barrel that is lightweight yet stiff. At the end of the process, the gun makers in Spain fit the barrel and cut a match-dimensioned chamber.

Carbon Craze

Why a carbon barrel? I favor the use of carbon-fiber barrels when I’m seeking a lightweight rifle but want a sturdy steel profile at the muzzle for a proper thread shoulder. Mounting a suppressor to a pencil-thin steel barrel rarely provides satisfactory performance.

The BMR-X’s barrel is 18 inches long and is threaded 1/2x28, so it is compatible with standard rimfire suppressors. The barrel’s profile is a beefy 0.910 inch behind the threads, providing a solid shoulder for any muzzle device. A thread protector comes installed.An NRL22 match can require up to 10 rounds, making the BMR-X’s 10-round detachable box magazine ideal for competition. A shorter five-round magazine is also included and might be useful for hunting situations, since it has a smaller profile.

Unlike many .22s on the market, the BMR-X uses a traditional straight-feed magazine in lieu of a rotary design. This makes the magazine less cumbersome to load and, in my experience, the system was 100 percent reliable.

A large ambidextrous paddle-style magazine release makes changing magazines easy, even in the dark or when wearing gloves. This is ideal for the BMR-X’s application as a hunting rifle.

Trigger and Stock

Accuracy is an important aspect of rifle performance, but real-world shootability is what really matters. To that end, great rifles require great triggers. The Bergara Performance Trigger used on the BMR-X is fantastic. This single-stage trigger is user-adjustable for pull weight without removing the stock. My sample trigger broke cleanly at 2.5 pounds, so I didn’t bother to touch the adjustment screw.

A heavy rimfire trigger can really show itself when it comes to testing a rifle from the benchrest. The trigger on the BMR-X was a significant factor in the excellent performance I experienced on the range.

The BMR-X features an injection-molded stock with a textured finish. The lines of the stock combine those of a traditional sporting rifle with elements of more modern tactical-style design. The flat-bottom fore-end is generous without being a full beavertail, and the buttstock’s grip is a semi-vertical hybrid that is comfortable in a variety of positions.

The comb is straight, and there is a hook at the toe for supporting the butt with the weak hand. Sandwiched between the stock and the one-inch soft rubber recoil pad are three spacers that can be removed to adjust the length of pull in 0.4-inch increments.

Modified LOP

With all three spacers in place, the length of pull is 13.4 inches, and it can be adjusted as short as 12.2 inches simply by loosening the recoil pad screws and slipping out the spacers. This adjustable setup is ideal for a child or young adult who is still growing. Traditional sling swivel studs are mounted fore and aft, and four QD-style sling attachments are also incorporated into the stock.

The BMR-X comes with a one-piece scope mount affixed to the receiver with four Torx screws. This steel base provides 30 m.o.a. of built-in elevation, so a scope is less likely to run out of elevation adjustment when you’re correcting for shooting at longer ranges. Considering the .22 LR’s trajectory, this is a great idea.

Given the precision theme of this rifle and the boulder-like external ballistics of the .22 LR, I mounted a Tract Toric 2.5-15x44mm. This scope would give me plenty of adjustment at extended distances and a first-focal-plane reticle suitable for making precise wind holds.

I used three .22 LR loads for testing: Norma Match, CCI Standard Velocity and Aquila. I fired a series of three-shot groups at 50 yards. Accuracy (dispersion if we want to get technical) was, candidly, exceptional—especially with the CCI ammunition. The smallest three-shot group fired was 0.128 inch center to center.

Accuracy

I wanted to get a better picture of the gun’s accuracy since this rifle would fit right into the competition games. At the end of my range session, I did my best to shoot a 10-shot group with the CCI load, since it showed such great potential. My 10-shot group measured just under half an inch, and eight of those rounds went into a single 0.33-inch hole! That’s great performance by any definition.

With the baseline accuracy and a working zero established, I decided to push things out a bit to see what this rifle was capable of. Here’s where things got fun. A 40-grain lead roundnose has a published ballistic coefficient of .120. For reference, that’s somewhere between a musket ball and a flatpoint .45-70 bullet. Aerodynamic it is not.

Coupled with its modest velocity, pushing such a bullet much past 100 yards requires some math. Hitting a 200-yard target with a .22 LR required me to dial more than seven mils of elevation to correct for the 55 inches of bullet drop.

For comparison’s sake, a 6mm ARC that I was also shooting that day would have used that same elevation adjustment for a target at 860 yards. For the record, hitting one of the 400-yard Extended Long Range (see sidebar) targets would require a 22.7 mil hold thanks to 27 feet of drop.

Holding For Wind

Wind was another factor. Shifting gusts required me to hold between one and two mils to keep my shots on the small steel hexagon. Given the complete lack of felt recoil, I could watch the bullet traces of my misses in the mirage just as I would when shooting centerfire rifles at extended ranges.

Once I figured out the wind hold, hits came relatively easy. My shots were all at 12 o’clock, 10 shots landing inside a three-inch group at 200 yards. It was clear that this rifle meets the raw accuracy requirements that an NRL22 match might demand.

With a few pennies’ worth of ammunition, I had an excellent simulation of true-long range shooting. This is an easy way to put the fun back in shooting without having access to a super-deep range. After spending a few days shooting the BMR-X, I found myself searching online for the nearest rimfire match.

With a suggested retail price of $813, the BMR-X allows $687 for an optic and mounts to stay under the NRL22 Base division’s $1,500 price ceiling. One strategy would be to select the steel-barreled version of the BMR-X, which would allow an additional $100 for an optic. There are several suitable optics on the market at this price point.

Great Creation

I’m told that the folks at Bergara didn’t set out to build the perfect rifle for the Base division of the various precision rimfire matches. Their goal was to build a great all-around rimfire rifle for use in the great outdoors. They certainly built a great hunting rifle, but that same attention to detail also resulted in a rifle that should be capable of performing at a high level in one of the fastest-growing shooting sports. The fact is that the Bergara BMR-X’s excellent accuracy, fantastic trigger, reliability and overall ergonomics make it a great choice regardless of the user’s needs.

Bergara BMR-X Carbon Specs

• Type: bolt-action rimfire
• Caliber: .17 HMR, .22 LR (tested), .22 Mag.
• Capacity: 10+1 detachable box magazine
• Barrel: 18 in., 1:16 twist; threaded 1/2x28
• Overall Length: 38 in. (as received)
• Weight: 5 lb., 11 oz.
• Finish: Cerakote
• Stock: injection-molded synthetic, adjustable for length of pull
• Trigger: Bergara Performance Trigger adjustable single-stage; 2.5 lb. pull (measured, as received)
• Sights: none; integral 30 m.o.a. Picatinny rail
• Safety: 2-position rocker
• MSRP: $819
• Manufacturer: Bergara, bergara.online/us

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