Bergara rifles have a strong UK following, and are known for delivering top-tier performance at competitive prices. Their centrefire bolt-action range spans from £805 to £3,985, offering a quality rifle for every budget. I’ve used a Bergara B14 BMP since RUAG distributed the brand (now handled by Edgar Brothers), and I still use it to this day, having restocked and repurposed the rifle for stalking. However, at the 2026 British Shooting Show (BSS), the new CIMA Pro caught my eye. It is a striking rifle, boasting an abundance of carbon-fibre, a distinct splatter-effect finish and a modern design. Keen to experience it first-hand, I requested one for review.
LIGHT AS A FEATHER
Having talked about the dashing looks already, it is pretty obvious that the weight, or lack of it, should be the next topic. It tips the scales at 2.6kg/5.6lbs unscoped and, when handling the rifle for the first time, I was seriously impressed by the manoeuvrability. Looking it over, there were minimal signs of wear, likely from being on display at the BSS, indicating I was probably one of the first to shoot it. Excellent!
Edgar Brothers say that the rifle should be available from May in a range of calibres, including .223 Rem, .270 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .308 Win, .300 Win Mag, .300 PRC, 7mm Rem Mag, and 7mm PRC.
Currently priced at £2,980, this rifle represents a significant investment. Whether the latest high-end materials justify the cost is a fair question, but one look at the craftsmanship makes it clear where that money has been spent. So, let’s take a look.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
NAME: Bergara Premier CIMA Pro
CALIBRE: .308 Win (on test)
BARREL LENGTH: 20” (on test)
OVERALL LENGTH: 41.5” (including muzzle brake)
WEIGHT: 2.6kg/5.6lbs
LENGTH OF PULL: 13.5”
MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 5 (on test)
PRICE: £2,980
BARREL AND ACTION
Starting at the sharp end, you get a muzzle brake, which is a good idea given the rifle’s lack of weight. However, I imagine that nearly all UK shooters will replace it with a sound moderator on the -24 UNEF muzzle thread. I fitted a Wildcat Evolution, and even though it weighs 440g, the balance point at the front of the forward action bolt was barely impacted, even with a Harris bipod attached.
Unsurprisingly, the barrel is one of Bergara’s CURE carbon-fibre units, which incorporates stainless-steel strands within the carbon-fibre to help conduct heat. This ‘Cold Bore Technology’ is specifically designed to reduce any point-of-impact shift as the barrel heats up. Although light, it gives the impression of a relatively heavy, straight profile, measuring 20” in length and 21mm in diameter at the muzzle. It is fully free-floated all the way back to the recoil lug, and the fit and finish were excellent. The twist rate for this .308 Win version is 1:10”.
This Pro uses Bergara’s Premier Gen II action, featuring a receiver made from 416 stainless steel for maximum durability and strength, bolstered by a titanium-coloured Cerakote finish on all the steel components. To trim mass, Bergara has skeletonised the action and enlarged the ejection port to 72mm. Up top, the receiver is drilled and tapped to accept Remington 700-compatible scope bases, or a Picatinny rail, like the one on this review rifle, which, incidentally, is also relieved in this area to make top-loading even easier. I like it.
The bolt looks really nice, boasting a spiral fluted body, a 60mm long cocking handle with an enlarged, knurled knob for easy manipulation, and the shroud shows a tactile cocked-action indicator. Instead of a plain-Jane two-lug bolt head like the one on my B14, the two-lugged system on the CIMA Pro includes a floating bolt head to ensure 100% contact within the action’s abutments. You get a 90-degree lift, and the face shows twin ejectors and a decent-sized extractor for reliable extraction and ejection. Overall, the action gives off an air of quality, with a tight closure.
CONTROLS AND FEED
The trigger is often the making of a rifle, so Bergara’s choice of a TriggerTech unit is a real win. I’ve used one on my own Bergara for several years, so I can confirm they are every bit as good as their reputation suggests. The single-stage unit on the test rifle broke at 3lb 15oz and is easily adjustable via an Allen key from 1.5 to 4lb.
The two-position safety operates intuitively, moving forward for ‘fire’ and rearward for ‘safe’ while leaving the bolt free to cycle in either position. It is situated to the right of the bolt shroud, which itself features a clear, tactile cocked-action indicator. Furthermore, the left-hand side of the receiver shows a standard bolt release tab, ensuring familiar, dependable ergonomics.
Given the goal of minimal weight, feed comes from a hinged floorplate instead of an AICS-compatible detachable magazine. This means you can’t lose the magazine in the field and that you can top load through the ejection port. The test rifle came with a five-round capacity, the release catch located in the generously sized metal trigger guard. I would say that there is a bit of a knack to loading the rifle, which you soon learn, and the metal follower was a little noisy during top-ups in the field. This was solved by doing it very slowly, which is not always ideal.
MORE CARBON-FIBRE?
The foundation of the CIMA Pro is its attractive, sophisticated autoclave carbon-fibre stock featuring a textured spiderweb splatter consisting of tan and cream colours. Employing technology more commonly associated with the aerospace and high-performance racing industries, an autoclave process achieves an incredibly high fibre-to-resin ratio, resulting in a rifle stock that is exceptionally light yet impressively rigid. These qualities ensure that the stock offers decent recoil absorption and consistent accuracy, while remaining impervious to impacts, temperature fluctuations, and the harshest environments. While many lightweight stocks can feel flimsy or resonate during firing, the sheer rigidity of this carbon-fibre design inspires absolute confidence.
From the front of the trigger guard to the tip, the fore-end measures 15”, providing plenty of real estate for shooting sticks and your support hand. You also get two sling studs, so a bipod and sling can be attached. A subtle finger shelf/groove exists on both sides of the semi-rounded fore-end for grip, as there is no chequering, stippling or grip inlays.
The grip is traditional, in that it is not vertical, and allows you to use a thumb-wrapped or thumb-up position, with a comfortable reach to the trigger. Again, there is no chequering. The length of pull (LOP) comes in at 13.5”, including the 1” rubber butt-pad, which was a little short for me. The standard-height comb is a bit low, but it is flared for comfort, with the lines matching up with the fore-end’s finger grooves for a nice aesthetic touch from Bergara. Underneath the butt is a cutout and hand stop, to help pull the rifle into your shoulder, and a small section that can ride a bag and acts as a home for the rear sling stud.
RANGE AND FIELD TEST
Now, from previous experience with lightweight rifles, it can be tricky to get them to shoot as well as heavier rifles, as the reduction in mass means an increase in felt recoil. Because this rifle is clearly aimed at the hunting crowd, my goal was to simply see if it (with me at the helm) could meet its sub-MOA guarantee with hunting ammo, rather than match-grade.
For testing, the rifle came with a ZCO ZC Hunter 1.7-12x50 riflescope, and I was sent a selection of non-toxic ammunition from Hornady to try, including the 125-grain ECX, which I started with first. This ammo performed incredibly well at 100m, boasting two consecutive three-shot groups measuring under 0.448”. Velocity and energy came in at 3,000fps | 2,507ft/lbs, all very impressive. Group sizes increased, along with the amount of recoil, with the 150-grain ECX and 165-grain CX, jumping to 1.2” (1 MOA) and 1.9” (1.675 MOA) respectively. So two non-lead ammo types met the sub-MOA requirement, and one did not.
Before heading into the woods after some muntjac, and after letting the barrel completely cool, I checked the point of impact with the 125-grain ECX as carbon barrels can be susceptible to point-of-impact shift as they cool down or heat up. I am pleased to report that Bergara’s CURE barrel passed with flying colours. The Pro then went on to account for two nice bucks shortly afterwards.
VERDICT
I thoroughly enjoyed testing the CIMA Pro, and would certainly buy one. It is accurate with the right ammo, and a dream to handle. It was certainly a refreshing change from my normal carry.
Would I choose .308? No. The 125-grain rounds were lovely to shoot, but as soon as I moved up the weights, the rifle became harder to shoot well. For me, the softer recoiling characteristics of the 6.5 Creedmoor make more sense for a lightweight rifle like this. Yes, the LOP was a tad short for me personally and the comb a little low, but both of these are easily rectified. At the end of the day, this is a rifle for people specifically seeking minimum weight, and neither of the aforementioned issues stopped the rifle performing. As for the price? Cutting edge materials and manufacture come at a premium and it is for the individual to decide what these weight savings are worth.
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