Hands On Review of Bergara B14² Crest Carbon

Until 2023, I had nothing to do with whiz-bang calibers like 7mm PRC. Hell, it wasn’t until that year that I shot 6.5 mm Creedmoor for the first time.

Did I live under a rock? Maybe. 

Say what you will, but .308 Winchester has been a solid answer for most rifle-applications since 1952.

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Before I knew it, I ended up reviewing the original short-action Bergara B14² Crest for a different publication. That rifle launched that year and also served as my first exposure to Bergara–and to 6.5 Creedmoor for that matter. But I think that’s what planted the seed (and why I’m reviewing this rifle two years later).

In that timeframe, I also got my hands on a secondhand entry-level Bergara BMP (also chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor) which I used as one of the backdrops for a scope/reticle review I worked on. Working with both of those rifles proved to me that this Spanish company, which builds its rifles in the Basque country, is a very serious enterprise. 

Basis Of the Crest Carbon: The B14² Crest

It’s worth summarizing the original B14² Crest rifle since it forms the basis for the Crest Carbon. 

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The B14² Crest is one of Bergara’s more premium hunting rifles, and this product family does a wonderful job combining elements found in both hunting and precision rifles. From the outset, it looks like a tactical fixed-stock precision bolt-action rifle. They have features like oversize bolt-knobs and AICS-pattern detachable magazines. However, they’re also built to be light and handy, as hunting rifles should be.

B14² Crest rifles include lighter contour fluted barrels. Their barrel lengths are also slightly shorter in order to facilitate use with suppressors. Naturally, they also have threaded muzzles by default and arrive from the factory with a radial muzzle brake. But the Squared Crest’s main attraction is likely its monocoque rigid carbon fiber stock. For its size, the stock is extremely lightweight while also being extremely rigid. 

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The B14² Crest Carbon takes after the Squared Crest and uses the same stocks. The Crest Carbon launched in 2024, and like the original, it is available in both short and long-action calibers. What separates the Crest Carbon from the regular Squared Crest is its Cure carbon fiber barrel. Bergara manufactures them in-house in Spain.

Bergara B14 Action Foundations

Bergara’s B14 action is the pillar of the entire brand. B14 actions are push-feed affairs based on the Remington 700 pattern and are available in standard and magnum lengths. 

Whether they’re original B14² Crests or B14² Crest Carbon rifles, everything in this product family is built with a more deluxe version of the B14 action. Their receivers are Cerakoted with a Sniper-grey finish that beautifully compliments the grey trim of their signature carbon fiber stocks. 

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There’s the thumb-push safety on the right rear corner and the two large locking lugs surrounding the periphery of the bolt face. Bolt removal comes by way of a spring-loaded latch on the left side of the receiver. Like the Squared Crest, the Crest Carbon ships with Bergara’s single-stage Performance Trigger. It’s adjustable from sub-2 to ~3 lbs. With my rifle’s trigger breaking at approximately 2-pounds, 4-ounces, I left it alone. 

Thanks to their Remington 700-pattern archetype, B14 receivers accept standard 700-pattern short or long scope bases. Not only are the bolt bodies fluted, but they also include “tactical” style oversize bolt-knobs. They’re easy to grab and work, especially around mounted scopes.  Furthermore, all Crest variants feed from universal AICS-pattern detachable magazines. It’s a nice cross-over feature from the tactical side, and the shooter isn’t limited by an internal blind magazine. All “bottom metal” on these rifles is manufactured from lightweight polymer. 

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More Thoughts On The Carbon Stock

Back to the B14² Crest stock: it has a very useful profile that lends itself well to shooting in different positions including offhand, off the bench, prone and anything in between. Squared Crest stocks also retain elements found in precision rifle stocks such as a raised comb that works wonderfully with medium height scope rings (with most scopes). The rear stock also includes a soft and grippy recoil-absorbing buttpad along with a near-vertical wrist “grip” that has a pair of gentle palm swells. Bergara outfits these stocks with a pair of QD-sockets on each side along with an array of sling swivel studs. In addition to supporting the barreled action so that it free-floats, the forend has a flat bottom which makes the rifle play well with shooting bags and rests. Similarly, the rear toe of the stock also has a flat, short section that serves as a bag rider. Length of pull can be adjusted via spacers, but the default configuration should fit most adults.

Supported properly with bags, bipods or tripods, the Bergara Squared Crest stock provides an excellent shooting foundation.     

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More importantly, these stocks are quite light and extremely rigid–crucial attributes  for any hunting rifle. For the stock’s lack of heft, it certainly doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy. Bergara accomplishes this by forming the stock’s “hull” with a rigid outer carbon fiber layer. Internally, there’s a vertical spine that runs its entire length, not unlike an I-beam. Voids between the spine and the hull are sealed off with foam. The end result is a strong and lightweight base that supports barreled actions.     

The Cure 

Carbon fiber barrels have blown up in popularity over the past few years, especially for lightweight hunting rifles meant to be carried across highly technical mountain or backcountry topography. 

The premise of a carbon fiber barrel is simple. Instead of relying on a heavier steel barrel, carbon fiber barrels use thinner steel barrels and rely on a meshwork of carbon fiber that is selectively applied and cured around the barrel. This move saves considerable weight off rifle barrels because once cured, the carbon fiber meshwork becomes the load bearing entity that keeps the barrel stiff and strong. 

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Carbon fiber barrel manufacturing is full of its own witchcraft, with different companies taking different approaches to manufacturing techniques. Carbon fiber grades, the direction of their weaves, textures, the resins used in curing all differ between different brands. With Bergara being known for its barrels, the company confidently produces their own in house. It calls its carbon fiber barrels “Bergara Cure” barrels. In addition to the B14² Crest Carbon, Bergara Cure barrels are also found in other models including Bergara’s other B14² Crest sub-variant, the new 2025 Bergara Cima CF rifle. 

Aside from the specific chambering, Bergara Cure barrels have ⅝ x 24 TPI muzzle threads which makes them ready to host suppressors. By default, all barrels ship with Bergara’s “Omni” radial muzzle brake. This 7 PRC variant has a 22-inch barrel, which is slightly shorter than the “default” 7 PRC barrel length of 24 inches. It gives up some velocity in exchange for a little extra handiness and less overall length when fielding a suppressor. Many would consider it a sensible trade-off.   

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Lucky Number 7 (PRC)  

I mounted a Nightforce ATACR 7-35×56 F1 on the B14² Crest Carbon to carry out this review. Granted, it’s a massive scope, but given this specific rifle’s 7 PRC chambering, I don’t think it’s unreasonable in the context of certain long-distance “Western” hunting scenarios where flat trajectories and the ability to glass vast expanses of land are called for. In my case, the combined package of scope, rings, rifle and loaded magazine weighs approximately 10.6 pounds. In essence, the light weight barrel and stock allow me to “break even” with a heavier, more powerful optic.

For all intents and purposes, one can argue that 7 PRC is a modern rendition of the classic 7 mm Remington Magnum. 7 mm Rem Mag dates back to another time, when magnum rifle rounds relied on sheer horsepower to push bullets far and flat. I don’t want to take away from this classic cartridge (or from other classic 7 mm Magnums for that matter) either, because they still put meat on the table. However, the 7 PRC’s case geometry and shape is more conducive to precision. Not only does it get rid of the vestigial magnum belt that the 7 mm Rem Mag inherited from the .375 H&H, but the 7 PRC case sports a wider shoulder angle and a shorter neck. These attributes allow it to take full advantage of today’s sleek extreme low-drag (ELD) bullets and propel them in an efficient manner. To the point, 7 PRC uses less propellant to push modern low drag bullets over longer distances.

Like with many of today’s cutting-edge rifle cartridge designs, 7 PRC comes from “Big Red” aka Hornady. I shot three different Hornady factory 7 PRC loads for this review including Hornady Precision Hunter, Match and Outfitter CX.  

Magnum For The Millenium

Other than a brief encounter with 7 PRC at Athlon Rendezvous in April 2025, reviewing the Bergara Crest Carbon is my first real extended encounter with this cartridge. There’s no doubt that the rifle’s “Omni” brake and squishy butt-pad helped, but from a recoil perspective, this 7 mm magnum cartridge feels mild mannered to the shoulder.

I had no issues with shooting the rifle during my review including feeding, extraction and ejection. As with any rifle, I could sense the bolt becoming smoother with use. The Accurate-Mag produced magazine did have a ker-klunk during cycling, but such is the nature of the beast.

After my extended review session which consisted of over 60 rounds off the bench, my shoulder was just fine. Yet, with the help of this rifle and its 22-inch barrel I was able to push those sleek .284-inch bullets in the 2800-2900 FPS range.

Shooting The B14² Crest Carbon

Does this carbon-fiber wrapped barreled Bergara rifle make good on its sub-MOA claims? It most definitely does with good and consistent ammo. 

But I took it a step further, I pushed the Crest Carbon a little harder compared to the typical 3-shot group hunting rifle review. Nothing gives me a dopamine spike like printing a cloverleaf group, but for the sake of decent rifle shooting, it’s important to ascertain a given rifle and cartridge’s true “cone of fire.” 

I printed 5-shot groups. Also, instead of relying on some fancy mechanical rest, I shot the rifle using an inexpensive Magpul bipod and a rear bag, two items I may actually rely on in the field. The point is to walk away with real-world practical data, not the random group that you print every once in a while and brag about on the Internet.  

While I only had a chance to sample Hornady’s 7 PRC offerings for this review, my very first 5-shot group with Hornady’s 180-grain Match ELD rounds was an honest 0.812 MOA. My fourth 5-shot group with the same cartridge printed a 0.875 MOA group, even with a pesky flier. I also logged a solid 1 MOA group with my second 5-shot group of Hornady 175-grain Precision Hunter ELD-X.

My worst 5-shot group with Outfitter CX was also my best, because the other four rounds printed a 1.06 MOA cluster. It was a cold bore shot that landed to the left. Once the bore warmed up, the windage settled, but the subsequent groups also opened up. Some of it was no doubt the nut behind the trigger, which was getting loose by the end of the day.

Last Round 

The CX cartridge is worth revisiting on a different day, with a fresh shooter and a cooler bore. Considering it is one of Hornady’s spiciest 7 PRC offerings in terms of muzzle velocity, the first group warmed up the barrel rather quickly. Compared to the Match or Precision Hunter, the CX’s report was notably more aggressive. After the bore became hot, I had a premonition that it stayed hotter.

At the end of the day, I was able to print good groups with each type of ammo during a heavy review session. If you want to hold that CX flier against me, fine. But this leads me to my next point, the Crest Carbon is a field gun, and there’s no point in judging it like a 26-pound rifle with an M-24 bull barrel shooting a 6 mm target bullet either. A rifle’s cone of accuracy is mutable and depends on several factors.

Overall, thanks to its stock, Cure barrel and spruced-up B14 action, the Crest Carbon is very user-friendly with a pleasant recoil impulse that allows the shooter to harness the 7 PRC’s potential. 

Ultimately, considering how hard I pushed the rifle–and myself, I think the B14² Crest Carbon chambered in 7 PRC can cash any check it writes, especially when paired with a decent scope.    

Bergara B14² Crest Carbon Specifications:

• Manufacturer: Dikar / BPI Outdoors 
• Action Type: Bolt-Action
• Caliber: 7 PRC as reviewed; also available in various short and long action chamberings
• Capacity: 5+1 
• Barrel Length: 22 inches
• Rifling: 1:8 RH Twist 
• Trigger Pull Weight: Adjustable, 2lbs minimum 
• Stock: Bergara Crest Carbon Fiber Monocoque   
• Length: 43.5 inches
• Weight: 6.5 pounds
• Accessories: 5-round magazine, thread protector, Omni-muzzle brake. Stock spacers
• MSRP: $2,299

Performance

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