Bergara Academy, operated by Bergara Rifles at Belt Mountain Lodge near Great Falls, Montana, offers all-inclusive long-range hunting and precision rifle training in mountain terrain.
Bergara Academy is Bergara Rifles’ training operation at Belt Mountain Lodge near Belt and Great Falls, Montana. The Montana program is built around long-range hunting and practical precision rifle work in real terrain rather than a flat-range, match-focused format. Training takes place on 22,000 private acres with target arrays from 100 to 1,500 yards, including animal silhouette targets set into the natural environment. The approach is to establish safe gun handling and solid fundamentals first, then apply them in field positions, changing terrain, and weather-aware shooting problems.
Current Montana offerings center on 3-day Beginner and Advanced Long Range Hunter courses. The beginner course covers safety, rifle function, scope setup, zeroing, marksmanship, positions, mils or MOA, range estimation, basic ballistics, wind effects, ballistic apps, and engagements to 1,000-plus yards. The advanced course builds on that with more work on wind, mirage, cold bore shots, multiple targets, shooter-spotter communication, and extended distance to 1,500 yards. Class size is capped at eight students with two to three instructors, which matters when students need direct feedback on position building, data management, and shot correction.
Bergara does not publicly list named instructors or specific military, law enforcement, or competition credentials for the Montana staff, so the value here is the format and environment more than advertised bios. The package includes lodging, meals, airport shuttle service, rifles, and ammunition, which reduces logistics for traveling students.
Who It's For
Known For
If you want to pressure-test your hunting rifle fundamentals in actual Western-style terrain, this is the Bergara location to look at.
Varies During Courses
Three-day beginner long range hunting course led by Chad Schearer and the Schearer family for new long-range shooters.
Three-day advanced long-range hunting course for Bergara Beginner graduates, led by the Schearer family instructor team in Montana.
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