I began my shooting career in the late 1980’s in the NRA Junior Smallbore program at a small conservation club in the northwestern corner of Ohio.  The armory at this club had a stock of Winchester 52’s and Remington 513’s, all of which were right-handed bolt guns.  Over thirty years later, I’ve always wanted (but never owned) a left-handed bolt action rimfire capable of superb accuracy.

At SHOT Show 2025, I spent some time at the Bergara booth and became acquainted with their B14 bolt-action rimfire, which is now available in a left-handed option.

The B14 features an 18″ 4140 steel barrel in a #6 taper profile with 1/2″ X 28 muzzle threads.  It is also available with a carbon-fiber barrel.  The action is compatible with any stocks that accommodate a Remington 700 short-action footprint, but the Bergara factory stock is very good.  It has adjustable length of pull and cheek-rest height.

Specifications:

• Weight: 8.1 lbs
• Overall Length: 38″
• Barrel Length: 18″
• Rifling Twist: 1:16
• Bolt:  Floating bolt head with non-rotating gas shield
• Magazine: detachable AICS-style, 10 rounds

Inspection:

One of Bergara’s taglines is: “Our barrels make the difference.”  I thought I would give the barrel on the B-14 a closer inspection.

Setup

To get the B14 ready for testing, I added a scope rail from Idaho manufacturer Salmon River Solutions. Allowing the rail to center itself under screw tension resulted in a perfectly leveled rail compared to the bolt lug recess tracks inside the receiver.

I topped this off with a Blackhound Emerge 3-24 X56 first focal plane optic in Badger Ordnance rings.  The Blackhound has a lot of magnification,  a milliradian reticle and knobs,  and parallax adjustment down to 20 yards.  I also added a Gemtech Outback suppressor on the muzzle.

Performance

Inconveniences notwithstanding, after basic sight-in, the B14 printed a fairly tight first group at 50 yards with Eley subsonic ammunition.

After pasting the target and making a few adjustments, I printed a 50-yard ten round group in the center of the target that fit under a dime:

With good ammunition, superb accuracy is no problem for the B14.

Function

The B14 shoots well, but how does it do with various bullet types and shapes? I decided to try out a few more ammunition types I had available including Winchester Power-Point, RWS High Velocity hollow point, and Winchester Subsonic Max hollow point.

Firing a few mags worth of each of these ammo types resulted in zero malfunctions of any kind.  All ammo kinds fed smoothly, fired reliably, extracted and ejected consistently.

Conclusion

There are plenty of accurate bolt-action rimfire rifles on the market, but the Bergara B14 brings something special to the table: a bolt action rimfire that is compatible with Remington 700 stocks, bases and triggers, that is available left-handed.   While it is possible to change out the stock and trigger to build a trainer almost identical to bolt-action centerfire competition guns, the Bergara factory stock and trigger are very good as-is. Bergara’s HMR stock incorporates a full-length integrated mini-chassis for repeatable bedding and supports the fully free-floated barrel. It has integrated OD flush cup sling mounts and swivel mounts, adjustable cheek piece and length-of-pull.  The bolt handle is a semi-elongated competition/tactical style that is easy to access and works smoothly.   With a price tag currently around the $1150 mark, the Bergara B14 compares favorably to the price of other precision rimfires.  For example:  if you have a 10/22 style action, by the time you equip it with a good trigger, match barrel, competition-style stock, and other accoutrements,  you could easily be at or above the $1150 mark depending on which accessories you select.

For Rimfire PRS, long-range plinking, or back yard pest control,  the B14 does the job with style.

I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.

*The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Spotter Up Magazine, the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

Safety and Legal Notice: Always use firearms responsibly and follow applicable safety guidelines. Ensure you are aware of and comply with local laws and regulations regarding the ownership, carry, and use of firearms. This product is intended for lawful purposes only. The reviewer and the manufacturer are not liable for any misuse or illegal use of this product.