Broadly speaking, there are three types of rifles: target rifles, sporting/home defense rifles (ARs), and hunting rifles. Target rifles are optimized for long-distance accuracy, at the expense of weight.
Sporting/home defense rifles are usually designed for use at short range with iron sites. They tend to have pistol grips and larger magazines.
In this review, we’ll be looking at the third category: hunting rifles. The best hunting rifles are accurate, lightweight, and come in a large enough caliber to reliably kill whatever you’re hunting.
They also tend to be bolt action or lever action instead of semi-automatic, since semi-auto actions are expensive to manufacture in large calibers.
We’ve restricted ourselves to larger-caliber rifles because they’re what you need for big game. If you’re looking for a good squirrel hunting gun, consider a shotgun with birdshot, or a .22 long rifle.
These rifles are for deer-sized game and larger. That said, we’ve tried to provide options across a broad price range, with several calibers to suit different hunters’ preferences.
Top 12 Best Hunting Rifles
The Mossberg Patriot made its debut in 2015, but it’s designed like a classic 1960s hunting rifle. It’s one of the most affordable rifles on the market with a real walnut stock, with stippling on the grip for added stability.
barrel is free-floating, so it’s fairly drop-resistant, and it’s also fairly accurate. With factory rounds, you should have no problem slagging pennies at a hundred yards. That’s pretty impressive for a budget rifle! It doesn’t have iron sights, though. To do any serious shooting, you’ll need to buy a scope that mounts on a Weaver style base.
We chose the 308 Winchester because it’s the most commonly-used cartridge in deer hunting rifles, but the Patriot also accepts a wide array of other calibers. These include 7 mm Remington Mag., .30-06 Springfield, .300 Win. Mag. and .375 Ruger.
Pros
- Available in a wide variety of calibers
- Affordable rifle with a classic look
- Reasonably priced
- Very accurate for a budget rifle
Cons
- Pivot safety is inconvenient for lefties
- No iron sights
Why It’s Recommended
The Mossberg Patriot is a good choice whether you’re looking for a starter rifle or just a reliable, affordable hunting rifle. If you’re a fan of wood stocks and don’t want to spend a fortune, look no further.
For those of you who love the safety and versatility of a lever-action rifle, the Henry Repeating Arms Long Range may just be the best deer rifle on the market. It’s called the “Long Range” because it has a box magazine and not a traditional tubular magazine.
Tubular magazines are easy to load, but they pack the cartridges in end-to-end. As a result, they require you to load your rifle with rounded or flat-tipped bullets, since Spitzer tips can accidentally set off the primer caps on centerfire rounds.
When this happens, the rounds will go off, destroying the gun and killing or injuring the operator. The box magazine avoids this issue, letting you use Spitzer type bullets for a better ballistic coefficient.
This rifle comes with iron sights, and the receiver comes pre-drilled and tapped for scope mounts. In addition to .308 Winchester, it’s also available in .223 Remington. It also features a free-floating barrel.
Pros
- Best lever-action rifle for long-range shooting
- Comes with iron sights
- Ambidextrous hammer safety
Cons
- Only available in two calibers
- Relatively heavy at 7 lbs.
Why It’s Recommended
Besides the box magazine, the Henry Repeating Arms Long Range rifle also has an ambidextrous hammer safety. When the hammer is down, the rifle is safe. Pushing the lever all the way forward and pulling it back will load a cartridge and cock the hammer.
To release, simply hold the hammer back with your thumb and squeeze the trigger. The hammer will release. Gently lower it back into place, and the rifle is safe again.
The Ruger Precision Rifle is typically considered a target rifle, and for good reason. At 9.8 lbs., it’s fairly heavy, and it will weigh more with a scope and bipod. That said, we wanted to include it because it’s fantastically accurate. If you’re fortunate enough to have a deer stand in your backyard, it can be worth lugging this rifle up there.
The stock and comb are both adjustable, so shooters of all sizes will be comfortable with this rifle. The ergonomic pistol grip makes it easy to use with a bipod. Like all large caliber Ruger rifles, the free-floating barrel is cold hammer forged from durable chrome-moly steel.
The Magpul M-LOK rail comes pre-installed, and will accept most scopes and other accessories. In addition to .308 Winchester, the Precision Rifle is available in .300 Win. Mag, 6.5 Creedmoor, 2.43 Winchester and .338 Lapua Magnum.
Pros
- Extremely accurate
- Ergonomic and adjustable
- Ambidextrous safety
- Available in several calibers
- Includes an M-LOK rail system
Cons
- Heavy and large
- Fairly expensive
Why It’s Recommended
The Ruger Precision Rifle isn’t for everybody. Deep woods hunters in particular will find it to be prohibitively heavy and large. But if you don’t have to walk far to your deer stand, this is one of the most accurate rifles on the market.
The Brownells BRN-10 is Brownells’ take on the AR-10. It has a massive, 20-round magazine, so people in states like New York and California won’t be able to buy it. That said, people in most states won’t need this gun. This isn’t a deer rifle. We included it on our list for one reason: boar hunting.
If you live in Texas or surrounding states, you’re probably familiar with the conundrum of having to take out ten or fifteen boars as quickly as possible. This beast will get the job done. At 9 lbs., 8 oz., it’s not the lightest rifle on the planet, but a serious rifle comes with serious weight.
Because this is an AR-10 design, there’s no scope mount. The iron sights are pretty accurate, though, and you won’t be shooting boar from a long enough range to need a scope anyway.
Pros
- Semi-automatic
- 20-round magazine
- Ergonomic pistol grip
- Perfect for boar hunting
Cons
- No scope mount
- Expensive
- Only available in .308 Win./7.62 mm NATO
Why It’s Recommended
Like the Ruger Precision Rifle, the Brownells BRN-10 is a specialized firearm, but it’s great at what it does. In this case, putting .308 rounds downrange as quickly as possible.
The Ruger American is the best .30-06 rifle you can buy with a modest budget. At 7.1 lbs., it’s relatively lightweight, and Ruger does a great job of putting your money where it counts. The free-floating barrel is perfectly bored, delivering pinpoint accuracy at medium ranges.
The composite stock isn’t the most beautiful on the market, but it’s solidly designed and doesn’t feel cheap like some composite stocks. The butt is hollow, though, so some people remove the butt pad and stuff a couple old tee-shirts inside for better balance.
It comes with a 3-9×40 Vortex Crossfire II scope already installed, although you’ll need to sight it in yourself.
The Ruger American Rifle comes in both left and right-handed versions, and both have an ambidextrous tang safety. In addition to .30-06 Springfield, it’s available in .243 Winchester, .270 Winchester and .308 Winchester.
Pros
- Left and right-handed versions available
- High-quality composite stock
- The accurate, free-floating barrel
- Comes with Vortex Crossfire II 3-9×40 scope
- Available in four calibers
Cons
- Hollow butt makes the rifle front-heavy
Why It’s Recommended
If you’re looking for a high-quality bolt action rifle at a low price, the Ruger American Rifle is a solid choice. The rotary magazine makes jams almost nonexistent, and it’s very accurate for a budget rifle.
Winchester’s Model 70 has been the gold standard of centerfire hunting rifles for decades, and the Featherweight continues that tradition.
It’s a throwback to the pre-1964 Model 70, which featured a controlled round feed, but it still has the three-position safety found on newer Model 70s. It weighs only 7 lbs., so it lives up to its name.
The gorgeous walnut stock has stippling on the fore grip, and a recoil-reducing Pachmayr Decelerator butt pad. The fixed magazine can be inconvenient if you spend a lot of time at the range, but the 4+1 capacity is more than enough for hunting deer or other large game.
This rifle has no iron sights, but comes drilled and tapped for a scope. In addition to .30-06 Springfield, it’s available in an impressive array of calibers, including .300 Win. Mag., .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, and nine other cartridges.
Pros
- Controlled round feed
- Three-position safety
- Lightweight
- Available in more than a dozen calibers
- Low recoil butt pad
Cons
- No iron sights
- Fixed magazine
- Expensive
Why It’s Recommended
Taking all things into account, the Winchester’s Model 70 may be the best bolt action rifle money can buy. It will cost you, but you’ll never need to buy another rifle. Neither will your kids or your grandkids.
The Ruger American Predator is a lightweight rifle – 7.6 lbs. with scope – that’s accurate enough to hit a six-inch target at 1000 yards once it’s been properly sighted. Of course, you can’t ethically shoot an animal at that distance, but experienced hunters can easily bring down a buck at 400 yards with the 6.5 Creedmoor round.
The 4-12×44 scope comes preinstalled but will need to be sighted in. Like the Ruger American Rifle, this is a budget hunting rifle that puts most of your money into the high-quality free-floating barrel and durable composite stock.
Also like the Ruger American Rifle, it tends to be front-heavy, so you may want to pack the butt with some material to help even out the weight.
This rifle has an ambidextrous tang safety and is available in both left and right-handed versions. If you’re not a fan of the 6.5 Creedmoor, it also comes chambered in .22-250 Remington, .308 Winchester, .223 Remington, .300 Win. Mag., and 6.5 Grendel.
Pros
- Lightweight and accurate
- Affordable
- Comes with a Vortex Crossfire II 4-12×44 scope
- Available in several calibers
- Left and right-handed versions available
Cons
- Front-heavy without modifications
Why It’s Recommended
Not only is the Ruger American Predator a dead accurate hunting rifle, but it’s also one of the lightest rifles you’ll find for long-distance shooting. That’s impressive for a hunting rifle that costs less than most ARs.
At the other end of the price spectrum, Q The Fix modular rifle is a premium long-range rifle that’s lightweight – 7.7 lbs. – and collapsible. This makes ideal for shooting from a deer stand, going to the range, or breaking it down and taking it into the deep woods.
The AR-15 style safety is ambidextrous, and the pistol grip is ergonomic and easy to hold. The stock is also adjustable, not just the length, but also the height of the cheek rest.
The model pictured in our link has a suppressor attached, so it looks bulkier than it actually is. The pictured model also includes a scope, which is not included. That said, the top Magpul rail is compatible with most AR-style scopes.
Not only does this rifle come in 6.5 Creedmoor, but it’s also available in .308 Winchester for more traditional shooters. But why would you use a .308 Winchester on such a fantastic long-range rifle?
Pros
- Modular, collapsible and adjustable
- Lightweight and extremely accurate
- Magpul rail for scope or accessories
- Available in 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Winchester
Cons
- Expensive
Why It’s Recommended
If you have plenty of money to spend and want a versatile rifle that’s easy to carry and accurate at the range then look no further that the Q The Fix modular rifle.
Hunters will be debating whether the .308 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor is the better round for the next hundred years. One thing they can all agree on is that a .300 Win. Mag. is the best round for extra large prey. Bears, elk and other Godzilla-sized animals require some extra punch to put them down, and the .308 Win. Mag. fits the bill.
The Savage arms 16/166 will get you set up with a .308 Win. Mag. hunting rifle for a relatively low price. This rifle has a 24” barrel for increased accuracy, although the added length makes it a little front-heavy.
The ambidextrous tang safety is easy to operate, but the synthetic stock feels weak and doesn’t have a lot of heft to it. Overall, the rifle weighs 7.5 lbs., which is light enough for trail use.
It ships with a Nikon 3-9×40 scope, which is powerful enough for hunting at any reasonable range. If the .300 Win. Mag. has too much recoil for your taste, this rifle is also available in .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, and seven other cartridges.
Pros
- Lightweight and inexpensive
- Quality Nikon scope
- 24” barrel
- Powerful enough to take down any prey
Cons
- Front-heavy
- Stock is very light
Why It’s Recommended
If you need lots of power at a low price, the Savage arms 16/166 rifle will get you set up for any hunt. That said, if you can afford to pay more for a more substantial rifle, you can do better.
The Bergara B14 HMR is a step up from the Savage Arms Trophy Hunter XP. It has an ergonomic stock with a shock-absorbing butt pad that your shoulder will appreciate. It also has a cheek rest for added comfort while you’re looking through the sights.
That said, this rifle has a serious weakness: it’s only useful up to about 400 yards. That’s long enough for hunting, but keep in mind that this is not for extremely long-range sport shooting, despite the gun’s appearance. The reason is that the barrel is less accurate with high ballistic coefficient rounds, so you’ll need to use low BC rounds if you want a good spread.
Pros
- Ergonomic stock and grip
- Comes pre-drilled and tapped for sights
- 26” barrel for increased accuracy
Cons
- Heavy and long
- Inaccurate with high ballistic coefficient rounds
Why It’s Recommended
The Bergara B14 HMR is a great rifle for people who are hunting large game at short to medium ranges. It’s very comfortable, so you can spend a long time looking down the sights without your chin going numb.
Once again, we return to the Winchester Model 70 when we’re looking for a premium rifle. This time, we’re looking at the Super Grade, which weighs 8.25 lbs., a bit heavier than the Featherweight. That extra weight goes into the longer barrel, which measures 26 inches.
The maple stock is incredibly sturdy, and has a Pachmayr Decelerator butt pad to reduce the .300 Win. Mag.’s powerful recoil. While this rifle does not have iron sights, it comes pre-drilled and tapped for an optical sight. That said, the fixed, 3-round magazine may not be enough for some people.
Pros
- Gorgeous maple stock
- 26” barrel is very accurate
- Comes pre-drilled and tapped for sights
- Smooth, dependable action
Cons
- No iron sights
- Expensive
- Fixed magazine
Why It’s Recommended
The chamber on this rifle is incredibly well-engineered. Simply put, it’s not going to jam when you need to get off a second shot. The Winchester Model 70 is pricey, but you’ll get one of the most reliable rifles available.
Among serious deep-woods hunters, lever-action rifles are still popular for their safety features and ease of cocking them as you bring your rifle to bear. This Henry .30-30 lever-action rifle has a classic design and a short, 20-inch barrel that’s similar to old-school cavalry carbines. It only weighs 7 lbs., so it’s easy to carry for long distances.
The hammer is grooved for attaching an extension if you want to install an optical scope. For shorter-range hunters, the adjustable iron sights should be good enough. That said, this rifle is only available in .30-30 caliber, so it’s not suitable for extremely large game. You’ll also need to use blunt or flat-tipped bullets since it has a tubular magazine.
Pros
- Lightweight and portable
- Adjustable iron sights
- Extendable hammer for optical sights
- Chrome-plated steel with a hardwood stock
Cons
- Only available in .30-30 caliber
- Tubular magazine requires flat or blunt bullets
Why It’s Recommended
If you want a classic lever-action hunting rifle that works as advertised, it’s hard to go wrong with the classic Henry .30-30. The Henry .30-30 lever-action rifle is perfect for short to medium range shots.
What to Look For When Buying a Hunting Rifle
When you’re buying a hunting rifle, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. This list isn’t all-inclusive, but we’ve tried to cover some of the basic features, along with their costs and benefits.
Durability & Reliability
No matter what kind of rifle you’re buying, you’ll want one that can handle being jostled and bumped around. These aren’t museum pieces; they’re functional rifles, and they’re going to have to take a beating in the field.
You’ll also want a rifle that isn’t going to jam. No matter what you buy, make sure to put at least a few dozen rounds through it before you take that particular ammo out in the field. If it jams, try a different brand of ammunition. Usually, that will solve your problem.
Type of Action
In this review, we’ve looked at the three most common types of rifle actions: bolt action, lever action, and semi-automatic. Here are the pros and cons of each:
- Bolt action rifles have the simplest action and fewest moving parts. Because of this, they’re the most reliable. These actions are also cheaper to manufacture, so a bolt action rifle will typically be higher-quality than a similarly-priced lever action or semi-automatic.
On the other hand, these actions can be awkward to cycle when you’re standing up, so they’re best used with a bipod.
- Lever action rifles are easy to cycle when you’re standing. They’re popular among deep woods hunters because you can cock them as you bring them to bear. When every second counts, they’ll chamber around faster than a bolt action.
That said, they have more moving parts, so you’ll need to pay more to get the same quality. They’re also awkward to cycle if you’re using a bipod. We’ve already talked about the drawbacks of tubular magazines, so we won’t beat that horse to death here.
- Semi-automatic rifles only need to be cocked once. After you’ve fired the first round, you can continue firing another round with each pull of the trigger until the magazine is empty.
These rifles are useful for situations where you might need to fire rapidly – for example, if you’re staring down a herd of wild boar. On the other hand, semi-automatic actions have more moving parts than other types of action, so they tend to run on the pricey side.
Choosing the Right Caliber
In these reviews, we’ve focused on the most common hunting calibers. While there are others out there, they tend to be more specialized and can be hard to find when you’re shopping for more ammo. Here’s a quick overview of the calibers we’ve looked at:
- The .308 Winchester is the most popular hunting round. It’s been around since 1952 and is the cartridge of choice for most deer hunters.
It’s similar to the 7.62×51 mm NATO round, and many firearms can accept either cartridge. This round is big and powerful enough to bring down most animals, without too much recoil.
- The .300 Winchester Magnum was developed in 1963 and is popular with hunters of moose, elk, bighorn sheep, and other big game. It’s a heavy, powerful round that can take down almost any prey at any range, but it packs a lot of recoil.
In addition to being popular with hunters, it’s also used by many police and military snipers throughout the world due to its long-range accuracy and extreme stopping power.
- The 6.5 Creedmoor is a relatively new cartridge. It was developed by Hornady in 2007 and is based on the .308 Winchester cartridge. The bullet is lighter than a .308 Winchester, but it’s longer and thinner.
As a result, it has much higher muzzle velocity with relatively low recoil and is very stable in flight. It’s as accurate at long range as the .300 Win. Mag., but doesn’t have the same stopping power.
- The .30-06 Springfield was originally designed by the US military in 1906. It remains in military use to this day, although it has not been used by the US military since Vietnam. It has a similar range and stopping power to the .308 Winchester, and is very popular with hunters.
- The .30-30 was developed by Winchester in 1894 and remains the most popular cartridge for lever-action rifles. It doesn’t have the range or stopping power of the .308 Winchester, but it’s more than powerful enough for short to medium range shots at medium-sized game.
Sights & Other Accessories
Never buy a rifle just because it has cool accessories. You can buy these later. That said, if you like two rifles equally and one comes with a sight, why not get more bang for your buck? Other useful accessories include Magpul rails and preinstalled sling mounts.
Ease of Use
In addition to other factors, you’ll want to consider how you’re actually going to use your rifle. A target-shooting rifle with a 26-inch barrel may look badass; it may even be extremely accurate. But if you’re hiking for ten miles, do you really want to carry a rifle like that?
Maintenance
No matter what kind of rifle you buy, you’ll need to take care of it. Clean your rifle after every use. Even if you take it in the woods and never get a shot off, it’s a good idea to rub down and oil the outside of the rifle to remove any sweat and protect the metal from rusting.
Composite stocks require no maintenance, but wooden stocks should be polished with furniture polish. Never use wax on your wood stock; this can soften the wood and make it less durable.
Storing Hunting Rifles
Besides the obvious safety considerations – please, keep your guns away from your kids – you’ll also need to think about condensation.
If your gun safe is subject to changes in temperature, condensation can form on your rifle, which will lead to rust. This is particularly true if you take your rifle out once a year for deer season and forget about it for the other 11 months of the year.
Nothing is more disappointing than taking out your prized rifle only to find it covered in rust. If you have no choice but to keep your gun safe in the garage, a gun safe dehumidifier can help avoid this problem.
Bottom Line
As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into choosing the right hunting rifle. Exactly which one of these are truly the “best” is going to depend on your exact needs, and how you’re going to use the gun.
Deep woods hunters will have different needs than backyard deer stand hunters. Big-game hunters will need a more powerful cartridge than deer hunters. Everyone is different.
That said, we’ve also talked about some features that all good rifles will have in common. No matter what, you’re going to want a rifle that doesn’t jam, and puts rounds on target.
At the end of the day, the most important part of any rifle is the person behind the trigger. If you spend time at the range and know your gun, even an inexpensive rifle can be useful in the field. On the other hand, even the world’s fanciest rifle isn’t going to bring down your prey if you haven’t practiced with it.
Check out all the other hunting gear articles put together by the expert team here at Guns & Safety Reviews;
The Review
The 12 Best Hunting Rifles Reviewed
Here are the 12 best hunting rifle options today rated and reviewed!
Review Breakdown
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Mossberg Patriot
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Henry Repeating Arms Long Range
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Ruger Precision
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Brownells BRN-10
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Ruger American
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Winchester model 70 Featherweight
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Ruger American Predator
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Q The Fix 6.5 Creedmoor
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Savage Arms 16/166
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Bergara B14 HMR
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Winchester Model 70 Super Grade
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Henry Repeating Arms .30-30 Lever
The 12 Best Hunting Rifles Reviewed DEALS
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