Hey guys I just brought my new Timber home. Thought I do an initial impressions and basic fit, finish, and handling review.
There Isnt alot of user reviews out there on these yet, tho I expect there to be a flood once some of them get out in the field. Basic specs and prices are covered in the official media, and some of the gun channel reviews. So I wont cover those, Ill just be covering my own impressions of the unit I just got.
Basic specs as listed on Bergaras site for my rifle.
.30-06, 24" barrel, rifle weight of 7.8lbs ( this numer dosent match my gun).
Here we go, from acceptance to scoped weight.
The packaging the rifle came in is head and shoulder above what most other companys are sending out their rifles in.
The box is very nice, and seems sturdier that most. The gun was in and out of the box probably a dozen times since it got to the shop on Wed.
The foam feels good, offers good protection and is durable, It has a nice, quality appearance. Opening the box it feels like the company cares what kind of impression they will make right off the bat. The literature was right at the top when i opened the box the first time in the shop (it ended up under the upper foam layer but didnt get damaged thru all the openings and closings before i brought it home).
The rifle sits nicely in a cut out that matches its contour (tho obviously a one size fits all for these guns). It is also shipped inside a very nice sock, kinda like a good quality fishing pole. The bolt is bagged and has its own pocket in the foam to ride in.
Metal fit and finish is excellent. I couldn't find any flaws in the bluing. There were no rounded corners (that weren't supposed to be), or tool marks on any of the parts, including the inside of the action. All the lettering lines up properly. Metal to metal gaps are very fine and even on all the moving parts.
The only gripe i have is the serial, its long, and not very cleanly stamped, actually almost looks like electro pen...kinda bugs me.
The bolt dosen't wiggle in the receiver, which ive seen on some guns. Bolt movement is crisp, and fairly smooth, tho a polished action is still smoother, as is my Browning Abolt. I know its gonna bug some people, The bolt knob is plastic *EDIT* IT IS NOT PLASTIC ITS ALUMINUM . Its smooth and I like the way it feels. Its also appears to be threaded on, so you can probably take it off and replace it pretty easy.
As a note, it appears Bergara used steel for the bottom metal on the B-14. Ill add a picture later
The trigger is very crisp, but as set has pretty significant over travel. The pull thru is very smooth tho, and I may leave it well enough alone. Pull weight is a little heavy for me at 5lbs. I just took a quick look at it, but the trigger appears to be nearly identical to the Rem700, so most likely Ill be able to get it adjust where i want it.
Wood to Metal fit is good, I could only find three flaws.
There is proud wood near the safety, and at the back of the trigger guard. Its pretty minor, but seems like more because of how well fitted everything else is. Both of which i tried to get pictures of by it was hard to tell there was any issue.
The other flaw is that the barrel dosen't sit perfectly in the barrel channel, Ive seen this on almost all of my other over the counter firearms.
Handling wise the stock is a little bulkier in the wrist than most of the current stocks Ive handled. This model does have a palm swell and that may account for it, I would have to hold one without to be able to say for sure. Personally I like the feel of it, it fills my hand nicely and provides good contact. Many other stocks it feels like I'm really only holding them with the base of my thumb and middle finger.
The forearm is nicely rounded, the checkering is well executed. Not a lot I can say there.
Couple neat thing about the stock. One it has weight reducing cutouts inside the forearm. They are well done and are not rough in the least. Also if recoil becomes an issue, it would be easy to add weight to them. The other is that the rear is capped with a very well fitted 1/2", real recoil pad, it feels like closed cell similar to a Decelerator pad. Most guns either have a 1" or thicker pad, or a 1/2" plate....I like the smaller pad personally. (Ill get pictures of the stock, the ones I took were all too blurry to use.)
The stock also has epoxy pillars which are very well done and quite nice, the action screws dont touch the insides of the pillars at all. One thing that would have been nice on the stock is if they had put down some bedding compound behind the recoil lug and under the front of the action. Not many companies do this on over the counter guns, so Im not complaining, but since they were pouring the pillars anyway.
A nice thing, that I know is a take it or leave it for alot of folks, is that Bergara sends a Shim to go under your rear scope base to give you some installation adjustment or cant. No idea how much I havent taken it out of the baggy yet.
There Isnt alot of user reviews out there on these yet, tho I expect there to be a flood once some of them get out in the field. Basic specs and prices are covered in the official media, and some of the gun channel reviews. So I wont cover those, Ill just be covering my own impressions of the unit I just got.
Basic specs as listed on Bergaras site for my rifle.
.30-06, 24" barrel, rifle weight of 7.8lbs ( this numer dosent match my gun).
Here we go, from acceptance to scoped weight.
The packaging the rifle came in is head and shoulder above what most other companys are sending out their rifles in.
The box is very nice, and seems sturdier that most. The gun was in and out of the box probably a dozen times since it got to the shop on Wed.
The foam feels good, offers good protection and is durable, It has a nice, quality appearance. Opening the box it feels like the company cares what kind of impression they will make right off the bat. The literature was right at the top when i opened the box the first time in the shop (it ended up under the upper foam layer but didnt get damaged thru all the openings and closings before i brought it home).
The rifle sits nicely in a cut out that matches its contour (tho obviously a one size fits all for these guns). It is also shipped inside a very nice sock, kinda like a good quality fishing pole. The bolt is bagged and has its own pocket in the foam to ride in.
Metal fit and finish is excellent. I couldn't find any flaws in the bluing. There were no rounded corners (that weren't supposed to be), or tool marks on any of the parts, including the inside of the action. All the lettering lines up properly. Metal to metal gaps are very fine and even on all the moving parts.
The only gripe i have is the serial, its long, and not very cleanly stamped, actually almost looks like electro pen...kinda bugs me.
The bolt dosen't wiggle in the receiver, which ive seen on some guns. Bolt movement is crisp, and fairly smooth, tho a polished action is still smoother, as is my Browning Abolt. I know its gonna bug some people, The bolt knob is plastic *EDIT* IT IS NOT PLASTIC ITS ALUMINUM . Its smooth and I like the way it feels. Its also appears to be threaded on, so you can probably take it off and replace it pretty easy.
As a note, it appears Bergara used steel for the bottom metal on the B-14. Ill add a picture later
The trigger is very crisp, but as set has pretty significant over travel. The pull thru is very smooth tho, and I may leave it well enough alone. Pull weight is a little heavy for me at 5lbs. I just took a quick look at it, but the trigger appears to be nearly identical to the Rem700, so most likely Ill be able to get it adjust where i want it.
Wood to Metal fit is good, I could only find three flaws.
There is proud wood near the safety, and at the back of the trigger guard. Its pretty minor, but seems like more because of how well fitted everything else is. Both of which i tried to get pictures of by it was hard to tell there was any issue.
The other flaw is that the barrel dosen't sit perfectly in the barrel channel, Ive seen this on almost all of my other over the counter firearms.
Handling wise the stock is a little bulkier in the wrist than most of the current stocks Ive handled. This model does have a palm swell and that may account for it, I would have to hold one without to be able to say for sure. Personally I like the feel of it, it fills my hand nicely and provides good contact. Many other stocks it feels like I'm really only holding them with the base of my thumb and middle finger.
The forearm is nicely rounded, the checkering is well executed. Not a lot I can say there.
Couple neat thing about the stock. One it has weight reducing cutouts inside the forearm. They are well done and are not rough in the least. Also if recoil becomes an issue, it would be easy to add weight to them. The other is that the rear is capped with a very well fitted 1/2", real recoil pad, it feels like closed cell similar to a Decelerator pad. Most guns either have a 1" or thicker pad, or a 1/2" plate....I like the smaller pad personally. (Ill get pictures of the stock, the ones I took were all too blurry to use.)
The stock also has epoxy pillars which are very well done and quite nice, the action screws dont touch the insides of the pillars at all. One thing that would have been nice on the stock is if they had put down some bedding compound behind the recoil lug and under the front of the action. Not many companies do this on over the counter guns, so Im not complaining, but since they were pouring the pillars anyway.
A nice thing, that I know is a take it or leave it for alot of folks, is that Bergara sends a Shim to go under your rear scope base to give you some installation adjustment or cant. No idea how much I havent taken it out of the baggy yet.
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