MY IMPRESSIONS
Bergara is based in the Basque country of northern Spain, which has had a strong gunsmithing tradition for hundreds of years. That heritage is evident in the BMR-X.
Related: Bergara Shifts Gears, Launches Premium BMR-X Rimfires for 2025
The pistol grip embraces my hand and offers good control, while the flat-bottomed forestock is ideal for a level offhand shot. The smooth, curved trigger gives needed control in squeezing off a shot smoothly. The trigger guard is oversized to accommodate a fat finger or gloved hand.
Two key features make this rifle light. First is Bergara’s No. 6 lightweight carbon-fiber barrel. It is a precision-cut, honed, polished, button-rifled tack driver. At 18 inches, it’s long enough to stabilize a 40-grain .22 WMR bullet, while its nearly 1-inch thickness maintains rigidity. The threaded muzzle completes the barrel, making it suppressor-ready.
Next is the Bergara BMR-X stock. Making a stock light is not as easy as making it fit a variety of body styles, but this stock will fit a young person, woman, or man by simply adding or subtracting the removable buttstock spacers. At its full length, the stock is a bit short but fast to shoulder. This is important for quick snap shots on running game like jackrabbits and coyotes.
In addition to the flat forend, the pistol grip is nicely stippled for a solid grip. I like the raised comb, which aids in keeping my cheek weld. Check out the hooked lower buttstock. When shooting prone with a bipod, this feature allows me to pull the rifle tight to my shoulder for an accurate shot. This lightweight stock has it all.
More Features
The Bergara Micro Rimfire Action with match chamber is speedy. With a rearward movement of only 2 inches, the oversized bolt can be cycled lightning fast. Some think a bolt-action rifle is slow, but I feel the short-throw Bergara action is fast and probably more accurate than most semi-automatic rifles. A red cocking indicator on the rear of the bolt is a great visual safety feature to remind me that there may be a round in the chamber.
Overall, the BMR-X Carbon design is versatile. Its nearly 5-inch Picatinny rail will allow any modern optic, from red dots to scopes, to be mounted easily. Two types of sling swivels make it portable.
Two detachable magazines, five and 10-round, are included. They are Bergara-designed polymer units that cycle rounds into the chamber reliably every time. The ambidextrous magazine release is oversized and drops empty mags effectively.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Overall Length: 36 inches
- Weight: 5.5 pounds
- Barrel: No. 6 carbon fiber, 18 inches, muzzle threaded at 1/2x28 TPI
- Trigger: 2 pounds, 12 ounces
- Length of Pull: 12.25-13.5 inches
- Picatinny Rail: 4.75 inches
- Action: Bergara Micro Rimfire Action (bolt action)
- Magazine: Detachable 5 and 10-round capacity
- Calibers: .22 WMR as tested, .22 LR, .17 HMR
Range Prep
I set up my Area 52 range with a steel “milk bottle” at 100 yards for shooting groups both standard and suppressed, with root beer jugs placed randomly from 35 to 85 yards in between.
This rifle deserves a good riflescope, and a Winchester Supreme 6-18x50 scope does the trick. I love the uncovered micro-adjustable windage, elevation, and parallax turrets that allow quick, accurate corrections. The duplex reticle is illuminated if desired, too.
Silencer Central’s Banish 22 suppressor is a natural fit for the Bergara BMR-X Carbon rifle. At just over 5 inches long and only 4 ounces, it is barely noticeable when threaded directly on the muzzle. It matches the carbon-fiber barrel diameter nearly perfectly. The Banish 22 is a versatile platform that will suppress .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR, .22 Hornet and even the powerful FN 5.7X28 cartridge.
Related Review: Plinking on Mute with the Silencer Central Banish 22 and 22K
Shooting Time
The BMR-X points naturally. The flat forend, pistol grip, short length of pull, and light weight come together to aim effortlessly. The stock’s grippy feel gives me confidence it will not slip.
Shooting unsuppressed from the bench with target at 100 yards, my three-shot group measured less than 2 inches. With the Banish 22 attached, another three-shot group printed a bit to the left. It is not unusual for the suppressor to move the impact point slightly, so I adjusted the Winchester scope to the right a bit to compensate.
The high-intensity .22 WMR has an unpleasant bark when fired unsuppressed, but suppressed shooting was amazingly quiet. Ammunition for this test was CCI Maxi Mag 40-grain FMJ rated at 1,875 FPS.
I shoot silhouette rifle competitions, in which steel targets are engaged from the offhand position. In this style of shooting, I support my rifle with my left arm tucked in close to my rib cage to form a sturdy platform that steadies my aim. The Bergara proved a good fit for this stance, blasting root beer targets at 35 and 85 yards with little effort and landing the last three shots on steel at 100 yards.
The rifle holds steady as the trigger is squeezed, although I noticed a bit of take-up on the single-stage trigger. It breaks under 3 pounds, making it one of the lightest factory rifle triggers I have tested. No mechanical issues or failures were encountered in this test.
PROS & CONS
