When you are going deep into the backcountry, an ultralight rifle can make the difference in keeping weight to a minimum. The Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle was built with this purpose in mind. Built to be packable with the XLR magnesium ATOM chassis and folding stock, this ultralight rifle is a dream to pack, but more importantly, how does it shoot?
A rifle has to shoot well for me to even think about taking it into the field, and the Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle didn’t disappoint. How well did it shoot and how easy was load development? Did it shoot better than its brother, the Bergara B-14 Crest that we recently tested (which is at a more budget-friendly price point)? We’ll get into that later.
Like many rifle manufacturers, Bergara’s offerings are numerous, with the MgMicro Lite sitting in their “Premier” line as one of their upper-end rifles. This is partly due to the premium XLR Atom chassis with a folding stock, but you also get upgraded features compared to the more entry-level Crest B-14 Series (we’ll cover everything that comes with the MgMicro Lite later).
This rifle was put through load development, real-world use during a full hunting season, countless range trips, and multiple scope changes. How did it fare? Did it really deliver the sub-1 MOA performance Bergara guarantees?
Let’s get into the details.
What Makes the Bergara MgMicro Lite Rifle Different
The Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle is the very definition of an ultralight, packable rifle, coming in at just 5.8 or 5.9 lbs base weight, depending on the caliber you select. It features the XLR Atom chassis with a carbon grip and folding stock, a Trigger Tech trigger, Bergara’s Carbon Cure barrel pre-threaded to accept a muzzle device, and the Bergara Premier action, known for its buttery-smooth operation.
In every way, this is one of the Bergara rifles that screams “backcountry rifle” when shaving weight and packability is critical to keep you moving up the mountain. Here’s a bit more detail on the features of the Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle.
BERGARA RIFLES PREMIER STAINLESS STEEL ULTRA-SMOOTH ACTION
The Bergara Premier action is upgraded from the already fantastic action that comes in the Crest line of Bergara rifles. It includes a separate floating bolt head to ensure contact with the lug abutments in the action. The bolt nose is cone-shaped to aid in smooth feeding, and it gives you a spring-loaded sliding plate extractor located in the front of the lower locking lug. Overall, it is one smooth operator, and I never once had it fail to cycle in any condition over hundreds of rounds.
In fact, I found this action to be smoother than other rifles I’ve tested, such as the Fierce Carbon Rival XP and the Christensen Ridgeline FFT. Granted, the Christensen Ridgeline FFT features a titanium action, which are never as smooth to start with.
The Bergara rifles feature a two-position safety, but personally, I’m a fan of a three-position safety for hunting purposes, as it helps prevent the bolt from accidentally opening while hiking around the backcountry. That said, it’s certainly not a deal-breaker and just requires a quick check from time to time to make sure your action is still closed.
BERGARA TRIGGER – TRIGGER TECH
Upgrading to the “Premier” line of Bergara rifles means you also get an upgraded TriggerTech trigger. I’m a huge fan of TriggerTech triggers as they have served me well over the years on many different rifles. I certainly noticed a more crisp and clean break over the trigger included on the Bergara B-14 Crest rifle. Thankfully, that’s an easy upgrade if you decided to go with a Crest rifle and just swap out the trigger.
I usually set my triggers between 1.5 and 2 lbs on my hunting rifles, but some folks prefer something closer to 3 lbs. A quick check with my Lyman trigger gauge and a few adjustments to the trigger, and I was set.
BERGARA PREMIER CARBON CURE BARREL
The Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle comes standard with the Bergara Carbon Cure No. 6 barrel. This carbon barrel features a center wrap carbon weave designed for directional accuracy. It also comes threaded 5/8×24 so you can easily add whatever muzzle device you choose, but this rifle build screams suppressor. Unlike other Bergara rifles, a radial muzzle brake is not included with the MgMicro Lite. Personally, I added the Gunwerks 8ight Ti suppressor, which worked extremely well. I also tried the Banish Backcountry, the Gunwerks 6+Ti and Gunwerks 6 Ti suppressor, all of which worked very well, but I preferred the performance that the 8ight Ti gave on this build.
After my crazy issue with the barrel on the Crest B-14 (read that review here). The first thing I did when I received my Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle was run my Teslong digital borescope down the inside of the barrel. If you don’t have a borescope, I would highly recommend one, as it may have saved me from a catastrophe—as you’ll see here in a moment.
The bore scope I have and have loved is the Teslong Digital Bore Scope. It has become a tool that I use every time I clean my rifles, every time I get a new rifle, and frequently in between to check my barrels. The barrel looked great upon inspection, so I grabbed some factory ammo and headed to the range.
NO INCLUDED PICATINNY RAIL – BERGARA RIFLE
Interestingly, unlike the more budget-friendly B-14 Crest line of rifles, the Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle didn’t come with a pre-installed picatinny rail. I picked up a high-quality Area 419 short action ISR. This worked perfectly with the Bergara MgMicro Lite. It would be nice if came with a rail like the other Bergara rifles, though.
BUILT-IN ARCA – XLR ATOM – BERGARA RIFLES
The Bergara MgMicro Lite comes with the XLR Atom folding chassis, which features built-in Arca compatibility, which is great for more options in bipods, shooting off a tripod, and accessories. It also comes with a sling stud pre-installed.
The XLR Atom chassis is much like the XLR Element 4.0, with a shortened fore-end to help reduce weight and bulk. Because of that you’ve got less real estate to work with when adding accessories or mounting on a tripod, but there is just enough space there for both. The Atom comes with a folding stock, which has become incredibly popular for backcountry rifles for their compact size and ease of carrying on a backpack. While there is certainly the accuracy debate vs a solid traditional stock, there is absolutely no debate that these folding stock chassis are the best thing around to carry in the mountain.
1 MOA GUARANTEE – BERGARA RIFLES
Bergara offers a 1 MOA guarantee on their rifles, so I was excited to test that out on my first range trip. While many of us would be hard-pressed to consistently shoot a 1 MOA group with factory ammo in reality, but having tested many other rifles, I felt confident that if the gun could do it, I could as well.
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I shoot a lot of rifle rounds each year, and even now, there are days when I find myself struggling to consistently hold a sub-MOA group, even when I know the rifle is capable. After all, we’re talking about putting a minimum three-shot group inside 1.047 inches at 100 yards. That’s a tight group for most folks—especially when you’re shooting factory ammo.
Bergara MgMicro Lite Rifle Specs
The folks that are concerned about specs are going to love the Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle. If you have a particular target weight in mind and are looking for a lightweight rifle build, the MgMicro Lite is absolutely worth a look with its impressive lightweight build, while maintaining high-quality components.
Here are the Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle specs:
| Bergara MgMicro Lite Rifle Specs | |
|---|---|
| Action | Bergara Two Lug Stainless Steel |
| Action Size | Short Action |
| Bolt Angle | 90° |
| Trigger | Trigger Tech |
| Safety | 2 position |
| Barrel | 18″ Bergara Cure Carbon No. 6 barrel |
| Stock | XLR Atom Chassis w/folding stock. |
| Magazine | 5 Round Drop Box |
| Grip | Carbon – Vertical |
| Current Caliber Offerings | .308, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5 PRC |
| Weight (no scope or bipod) | 5.8 – 5.9lbs, depending on caliber |
| Accuracy Guarantee* | 1 MOA |
| Integrated Arca Rail | Yes |
How We Tested For this Bergara Rifle Review
We always do our best to thoroughly test a rifle before bringing a review to publication. I spent the better part of a year shooting, testing, progressing through load development, and hunting with the Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle. This year was a bit unique in that we had some extra rifle hunts that I was able to take it on. It got hauled around the mountains extensively, got dropped multiple times, strapped to my backpack, slung over my shoulder, and came out the other side unscathed- still shooting tight groups.
BERGARA MGMICRO LITE RIFLE TEST #1 – IS IT 1 MOA? PASSED
The first thing I did for this Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle review was go straight to the range and test if I could get the guaranteed 1-MOA groups with factory ammo. A lot of rifle manufacturers have implemented this guarantee as a way to give consumers confidence that the rifle will perform. For the test I grabbed a box of Hornady Match Grade ammunition loaded with 147-grain ELD-M bullets. I’ve found that most of my 6.5 PRC rifles like that bullet, so it was a natural place to start with this test.
The first scope I mounted on this rifle was the Maven RS3.2 5-30×50. I zeroed the rifle, set the Garmin Xero C1 Chrono out to confirm my ballistic data and see what kind of groups I could get with factory ammo. As expected, the Hornady 147-grain ELD-M factory loads immediately produced sub-MOA groups. I wasn’t shocked, but it was great to see it shooting exactly how it was supposed to.
BERGARA RIFLE TEST #2 – HOW EASY IS LOAD DEVELOPMENT? PASSED
Another thing I always test for in a rifle review is how easy the loads come together. A good rifle will often times make load development easy, and that’s exactly what I experienced with the Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle. I found it interesting that, while the rifle shot well and grouped well enough (sub-MOA) with that Banish Backcountry suppressor, the groups got tighter and load development got easier once I switched over the Gunwerks suppressors. Maybe there’s a correlation, maybe not, but that’s happened a couple times for me now, so I’m inclined to think my rifles seemed to like the Gunwerks suppressors more for some reason.
After going through load development with a few different loads, I found that the rifle (not surprisingly) liked the Hornady 147-grain ELD-M bullet. Loads generally grouped well below the 1-MOA range, and I found a great load that gave me a fantastic 0.445″ group at 100 yards. That’s the load I ended up taking to the field for the hunting season, and it did not disappoint.
Overall I found quite a few loads that were more than satisfactory, coming in around the 0.5″ group range using the 147-grain Hornady ELD-M bullet, paired with one of my favorite powders, Hodgdon H1000 with velocities up to 2,900+ fps. I have no doubt that with more tinkering I could further tighten those groups up. For a short 18″ barrel, I was pleased with the velocities and accuracy I was getting out of this rifle.
I also ran through a few ladders with the 153 gr Hornady A-Tip bullet, trying the Hodgdon H1000, Ramshot Magnum, and Ramshot Grand powders, but I just didn’t achieve a good enough result to make me want to switch from the 147 gr ELD-M load. I still found some sub-MOA loads, but nothing to write home about.
| Cartridge | Bullet Weight (grains) | AVG Muzzle Velocity (fps) | Group Size (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 PRC | |||
| Hornady ELD-M ( factory ammo) | 147gr | 2802 | 0.89 |
| Hornady ELD-M ( hand load) | 147gr | 2787 | 0.45 |
| Hornady ELD-M (hand load) | 147gr | 2845 | 0.38 |
| Hornady ELD-M (hand load) | 147gr | 2875 | .074 |
BERGARA RIFLE TEST #3 – REAL WORLD HUNTING CONDITIONS: PASSED
With a rifle like the Bergara MgMicro Lite, which is built purely as a hunting rifle, a review wouldn’t be complete without taking it into the field—and take it into the field we did. In fact, we ended up taking 5 animals with the rifle in the month of October. So, if we’re basing it only on the results of a filled freezer, it more than passed.
I hauled this rifle into the Idaho high country in pursuit of big, mature mule deer bucks with my son, where rugged terrain is the expectation and falls can almost be guaranteed. While we didn’t find what we were looking for, we hiked out of the basin to meet my daughter and wife, who arrived a few days later to attempt to harvest my daughter’s first deer.
My daughter took her first deer with the rifle a few days later, followed by me taking a small buck a few days after that—making my longest shot on an animal to date. The rifle is a tack driver.
Next up we had a 9-day hunt in Colorado, where we filled 2 buck tags and a bull tag, with my son taking his first elk and his 5th buck (at just 14 years of age), and me taking my biggest buck to date…all with the Bergara MgMicro Light rifle. None of them were easy or short range shots, and having the confidence that the rifle will hit its mark if the shooter can makes all the difference in the world.
I did find one “issue”, though with the XLR Atom folding stock. On numerous occasions the stock would unintentionally fold on my while being carried on my Exo Mountain Gear K4 pack using the Quick Release Rifle Carrier (with the stock NOT folded).
Throughout the hunts it kept folding on it’s own while being carried, causing the rifle to slide down my pack. Most of the time I was able to catch it, but on one occasion the rifle slid out of the rifle carrier and fell to the ground. Thankfully both the rifle and the Tract Toric Eagleman scope (which is FANTASTIC) were none worse for the wear, and proceeded to take multiple animals at longer ranges after the fall. As a safety measure, from then on I just folded the stock and strapped it to the outside of my pack.
Once I got home from the hunt, I made a quick adjustment to the locking mechanism on the XLR Atom and we should be good to go, but it was annoying that it kept happening in the field.
Another “issue” I noted was that I didn’t care for the included magazine, so I swapped it out for a Hawkins Precision flush fit magazine. I simply preferred the more sleek fit of the flush fit magazine rather than having a couple extra rounds available.
What I liked – Bergara Rifle Review
Doing this Bergara MgMicro rifle review left me with so much to love about the rifle. Because of its super lightweight build, it gives you so many options. You can put an ultralight scope on it and an ultralight muzzle brake to keep the weight to a minimum, or, put a larger scope and larger suppressor on it like I did to maximize shootability without carrying a super heavy rifle. The action is super smooth, load development was a breeze, and I loved almost everything about the rifle.
- Excellent value
- Ultralight build designed for the backcountry
- Incredible overall performance
- Included XLR Atom folding chassis
- Vertical carbon grip that promotes proper hand placement
- Easy load development
- Carbon Cure barrel included
- Adjustable comb for perfect eye alignment
- Integrated Arca rail
- Folding stock
- TriggerTech trigger included
What I Disliked – Bergara Rifle Review
There wasn’t much I didn’t like about the Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle, but there are a few areas where some changes would make it better:
MAGAZINE
I wasn’t in love with the included magazine, so I swapped it out for the Hawkins Precision flush fit magazine to reduce snags on my pack. I don’t need a 5-round magazine to hunt with, so that was an easy decision.
Other than that, there were just a few other small things I didn’t love:
- Limited cartridge offerings
- No included Picatinny rail or muzzle brake
- Included 5 round magazine – If you fire a round with the included magazine empty, there is a loud “boing” coming from the magazine. The springs inside rattle from the recoil of the gun. It doesn’t cause any issues, but it sounds like a cheap toy-store gun.
None of these issues are a big deal, and nearly all of them can be solved easily with aftermarket parts (except for the cartridge offerings).
Conclusion – Bergara Rifle Review
This Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle proved to be not only a great-shooting rifle, but an even better rifle to tote around the mountains. It offers a silky-smooth bolt, extremely reliable performance, an awesome XLR Atom chassis with a folding stock included, and a Bergara Carbon Cure barrel to keep the weight to a minimum and complete the ultralight package.
At just under the $3,000 price point, this rifle is not “cheap” by any means, but it does include many custom components in the package.
Confidence is something a rifle has to earn from me at the range before I’ll ever take it to the field. The Bergara MgMicro Lite rifle never once gave me reason to lose that confidence, and it’ll be a tough rifle to leave home without going forward.
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