The market has been flooded with “precision” chassis rifles over the past few years. Long-range shooting and chassis design has flourished. Bergara’s MGLITE has leveraged that growth by dropping their top-of-the-line Premier action and their new CURE carbon fiber barrel into an outstanding XLR chassis.
The Premier series actions utilize a floating bolt head to ensure proper lug contact and a cone-shaped bolt nose for smooth feeding. As the picture shows the one-piece stainless-steel bolt is spiral fluted and has a threaded bolt handle.
The CURE carbon fiber barrel is a brand new patent-pending design. The Bergara rep explained to me that carbon fiber is wrapped around the barrel and then linked strands of stainless steel around that running from receiver to muzzle, then more carbon fiber on top of that.
The linked stainless strands help with heat dispersion by pulling it from the action toward the muzzle. Carbon fiber adds rigidity while reducing weight but it is an insulator, so the stainless strands help keep the barrel cooler.
Barrel lengths are either 22 or 24 inches depending on caliber and threaded 5/8 x 24 TPI. The MGLITE barrel comes with a Bergara Omni muzzle brake to reduce recoil.
The barreled action is then mounted in the lightweight XLR Element 4,0 Magnesium chassis. This provides a rock-solid foundation for the rifle while free-floating the barrel and providing for a AICS magazine feeding. The XLR chassis weighs only 28 ounces with its folding carbon fiber stock and carbon fiber grip.
The chassis also has an Acra-Swiss rail the length of the forearm and a built-in level. All this would make it a great precision long-range competitive rifle but the light weight also makes it an awesome hunting rig.
The MGLITE weighs in at between 6.6 and 6.8 pounds depending on barrel length and caliber. A TriggerTech trigger is installed to provide a light crisp trigger pull to send the bullets downrange from the 1 MOA-guaranteed rifle.
Specifications
- Caliber 6.5 CM, 6.5 PRC, 308 Win, 300 Win Mag
- Barrel Length 22” or 24”
- Weight 6.6 to 6.8 pounds
- Stock XLR Magnesium Folding
- Capacity 6.5 CM, 308, 300 WM-5 Round mag provided, 3 round for 6.5 PRC
- MSRP $3,299 to $3,349 (6.5 PRC)
Another new Bergara rifle utilizing the CURE carbon fiber barrel at this year’s SHOT Show is the Premier series Divide. Instead of a metal chassis, it utilizes a custom AG Composites carbon fiber stock with an adjustable comb.
Available in the same calibers the Divide weighs in between 7.2 to 7.4 pounds and is also fed by AICS style magazines. MSRP is $2,749 to $2,799.
The Bergara Canyon is also a new offering but uses a fluted steel barrel rather than carbon fiber. It uses a lighter weight more traditional AG Composites stock. The Canyon weighs in between 6.2 to 6.5 pounds and is available in a greater number of cartridge offerings.
For more information on the MGLITE visit the Bergara website by clicking Here
Hello,
Left handed, carbon fiber barrel, 30-06?
Thank you
Hello,
Left handed, carbon fiber barrel.
Chris Halls