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Bergara’s Premier Highlander is a lightweight hunting rifle engineered around a fluted barrel, Grayboe American-style stock and a hinged floor plate architecture. Caliber choices include 7mm Remington Magnum (with a 1:9.5” twist ratio), 6.5 Creedmore (1:8”), 6.5 PRC (1:8”), .308 Winchester (1:10”), .300 Winchester Magnum (1:10”), .300 PRC (1:9”) and .28 Nosler (1:9”). Given that it’s a Bergara, it’s not surprising that it has a sub-MOA guarantee using factory match-grade ammo.

The Grayboe stock is made from a premium solid homogeneous fiberglass epoxy that superbly furthers the gun’s objectives of high-accuracy, looks and light weight.

Compared across the same calibers and matching barrel lengths to other similar guns such as Bergara’s own Ridgeback, Highlanders are about 2.6 pounds lighter. The Ridgeback uses a non-fluted barrel and a fully adjustable Grayboe tactical stock with M-LOK slots along the forend. It’s more stable but at the cost of money and portability. So back to the Highlander.

The .308 Winchester weighs 7.3 pounds. It has a 20” barrel and measures 38.5” overall. Capacity is 4 rounds.

Moving up a few inches, the 4-round capacity 6.5 Creedmore and 2-round 6.5 PRC are 24” long, measure 42.5” and weigh 7.6 pounds. The 3-round 7mm Remington Magnum, 3-round .300 Winchester Magnum and 2-round .300 PRC also have 24” barrels. But they measure 43” and weigh 7.7 pounds.

Finally, the 2-round capacity .28 Nosler carries a 26” barrel, measures 45” overall and weighs 7.8 pounds.

Each caliber barrel is fronted by a 5/8-24? threaded radial ported Omni muzzle brake Bergara says reduces felt recoil by up to 35 percent.

The Highlander is part of Bergara’s Premier Series. The lineup slots between Bergara’s already impressive stock rifles and its supreme Custom Series. The Premiers receive high-end premium components such as the lever manual safety that are often in the Custom Series but enjoy the benefits of mass production, lower cost, etc. thanks to greater efficiencies of scale.

From the Grayboe stock’s hand-painted splatter of Sherwin Williams Polane T Polyurethane-based paints over the base color to the spiral fluted bolt assembly, there is plenty to admire. The stock is also pillar bedded with aluminum pillars molded directly into the stock.

The one-piece 416 stainless-steel Bergara Premier action has two-lugs for speedy, secure lockups, a sliding plate extractor and a separate floating bolt head. The oversize bolt knob is Cerakoted for durability and conical. The shape provides an extra bit of grasp compared to spherical ones. Nonetheless it’s the bolt body’s spiral fluting that is most eye-catching. Additionally, the bolt stop and quarter-turn to remove bolt shroud are Nitrided for self-lubrication and durability. It also has a spring-loaded sliding plate extractor. The bolt gas shield remains fixed in place instead of rotating with the bolt. This keeps gases from flaring toward the shooter’s face when there’s an ammo failure.

The stainless-steel fluted barrel has a Graphite Black Cerakote, a #5 barrel taper and a 5/8-24” TPI thread and thread protector at the muzzle.

The gun features a TriggerTech Frictionless Release Technology trigger that’s externally adjustable. There is a nice safety at back that’s cleverly integrated with the manual safety lever located by the bolt rear on the receiver’s right side. Pull back, and it’s in “safe” position. Push forward to ready in the “fire” position. But you can still maneuver the bolt in either position or easily unload the gun in safe position.

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