Bergara Unveils Feature-Rich 10/22 Clone at a Sweeeet Price Point – NRA 2019

Hot take time: semi-auto .22s are the new subcompact striker-fired handgun. They’re everywhere! A different company introduces a new angle on Ruger’s plinker every year, and given the increasing popularity of .22LR competition, there’s no sign of slowing down.

Bergara joined the fray at this year’s NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits, and we swung by their booth to see what all the fuss was about.

Reps for the Spanish rifle company were more than happy to tell us about the new BRX, a semi-auto .22LR that looks more like a custom 10/22 than anything you’d get from the factory. The BRX will be available summer of 2019 with either a chromoly black Cerakote barrel for $565 MSRP or a carbon fiber barrel for $659 MSRP.

“We have had our eye on the rimfire space for several years now,” Nate Treadaway, CEO of Bergara parent company BPI Outdoors, said about the rifle’s release. “Not only is it a very close alignment to our core customer base but we are already familiar with how to make an extremely accurate barrel. The BXR just happens to be the first of several models to come from Bergara and will fill a void between the featureless mass-produced models and overly priced boutique offerings.”

Our first question—is the BRX compatible with aftermarket 10/22 parts?

Yes and no. The trigger group and the magazine can be switched for anything you can find on the 10/22 market, but everything else is proprietary to Bergara. So, no barrel, bolt, or stock swaps.

But you may not want to change anything. Only an accuracy test can say for sure, but we’d bet these rifles will group with the best of them. Bergara has made a name for itself producing super-accurate rifles, and the BRX isn’t likely to be much different.

The model with the carbon fiber barrel is especially slick. The weight difference is noticeable, and the action is buttery smooth. And at $595 MSRP, you can expect these go for something under $500 on the street. (For context, Ruger’s new Custom Shop Competition 10/22 is selling for just under $700.)

Anyway, we’re intrigued. “Summer of 2019” is a big window, and Bergara reps told us they don’t have any samples available for testing and evaluation. But we’ll get our hands on one as soon as we can, so keep checking GunsAmerica for a complete review.

Specs, per the Bergara website.

• 34.5″ Overall length (includes three 3/8″ removable spacers to adjust length of pull)
• 16.5″ Barrel, muzzle threaded 1/2×28. Includes thread protector.
• 4.75 lbs total weight with carbon fiber barrel and 5.25 lbs with fluted steel barrel.
• Includes a 10 shot rotary magazine (10/22 magazine compatible)
• Includes integral 30 MOA Picatinny rail.
• Trigger pull is approximately 3.5 lbs.
• Includes 3 QD mount studs and 4 flush cups.
• Features a Cerakote ceramic coating.