When it comes to finding the right hunting rifle, there are several different elements that you must take into consideration before making the final decision on which option is optimal for you.
Hunting rifles use various components and mechanics in order to operate properly, that’s why it’s so important for you to do your proper amount of research. Depending on the type of animals that you’re hunting and exactly where they’re located, the hunting rifle that will be best for you can and will vary significantly.
Every hunting rifle comes with its set caliber and other information regarding the dimensions, load capacity, and more of the rifle in question. Depending on the location that you’re going hunting in, there may be certain restrictions on the type of rifles that you’re allowed to use in order to hunt game.
This is important to keep in mind because you don’t want to end up paying a hefty fee just because you failed to read some simple instructions about which hunting rifle option is allowed in your chosen hunting area.
When we think about hunting rifles in the traditional sense, we tend to think about rifles that are specifically designed to take down certain types of wild game and animals. However, thanks to advancements in technology when it comes to rifles and other sorts of firearms, now you don’t have to carry around several different hunting rifles on your hunting trip if you plan on killing more than just one type of animal anymore.
There are now hunting rifles designed to provide you with a reliable under virtually any circumstances so while making the choice between which option is best for you has become easier, it still requires a lot of time doing the proper amount of research.
Before going out to look for the right hunting rifle, you need to take into consideration the type of wild game that you’ll be hunting while out on your trip. This will help you determine the specific caliber that will be needed in order to execute the specific type of fame that you’re hunting.
The caliber of your hunting rifle is very important because if you select a rather small caliber for large game, you won’t achieve the results you’re looking for. The caliber of your hunting rifle will also determine the diameter of the bullet that can be used in it, this will display itself as a hole in the particular animal that you kill.
There are a lot of other variables you’ll want to consider before finalizing any purchase of a hunting rifle that you decide. If you’ve never purchased a hunting rifle before, you’ll need to make sure that you read each section in this guide comprehensively to avoid wasting money on a rifle option that isn’t suited for your needs.
In this guide, we’re going to list all of the various details involved with deciding on which hunting rifle has all of the features and capabilities that you need in order to kill the necessary wild game.
We’ll cover all of the most important facts about selecting a hunting rifle and how you’ll be able to decide on which model is just right for your needs. Make sure that you read this entire guide in full so that you will know exactly what to look for in terms of the right hunting rifle that will give you the ability to hunt any type of wild game you want.
How Do I Choose My Hunting Rifle?
Before you begin choosing the type of hunting rifle that you’ll be using, you’ll need to properly assess your skill level and accuracy with bullets in varying cartridge sizes and diameters.
While the type of hunting rifle that you choose will play a huge role in determining your overall effectiveness while out hunting, the bullet will ultimately determine how much power is released during any given lever pull from the trigger of the firearm.
Below, we’re going to go over some of the most common bullet types that you will find on the market available for a wide range of different hunting rifle models and types.
Before deciding that any bullet type is right for you, make sure that you test it out by firing a couple of shots down the range. This will help you gauge the amount of power and force applied by your selected bullet which will help you determine if it’s the right fit for you or not.
Bullets: Figuring out which caliber is right for you
Bullets come in many different forms, shapes, sizes, and speeds which is why there are so many different firearm options out there for you to choose from. To begin, let’s look at the size of your bullet cartridge in order to figure out if it’s the appropriate size for the game you intend on killing.
Cartridge Size
The bullet cartridge size is the overall capacity of your bullet which will play a huge role in determining how big of a wild animal you’ll be able to kill. The cartridge size of your bullet is very important because it will allow you to optimize your skills and save time and money while doing so. There are several different calibers that you can choose from when selecting the right hunting rifle for your specific needs and intended usage.
Weight/Grain of The Bullet
The weight or grain of your bullet will basically measure the all-around power and impact that your bullet has on impact. If you’re hunting very large game or wild animals, you’ll want to make sure that you select a hunting rifle that will be able to handle your selected choice of bullets.
Larger grains, of course, will have more foot-pounds of torque per second however all of that power translates into the mechanisms you use in order to accurately fire the rifle so keep that in mind before making a final decision on which hunting rifle is best for you.
Type of Bullet
There are a lot of different bullet types out there on the market all of which deliver varying levels of stopping power. Before making a decision about which type of bullet is best for your hunting adventures, you need to consider the type of animals that you’ll be hunting and any legal requirements that apply to hunters residing in the state or city that you’re living.
Bullets come in forms including hollow points, armor-piercing, incendiary, and a lot more. All of these bullets perform different functions once loaded into your rifle, different animals have certain behaviors which may affect how accurate your bullets are, take these kinds of factors into consideration before deciding on which bullet type is best for you.
Now that you know everything there is to know about the various elements to look for when choosing the right bullets for your rifle, it’s time to get to the main event that you’ve been waiting for.
In the following section, we’re going to discuss how to go about shopping for the perfect hunting rifle that you’ll need in order to successfully kill or injure any wild game that you’re interested in hunting.
We’re going to cover all of the important aspects that you need to take into consideration before finalizing any purchase of a hunting rifle. Read the entire section in full to ensure that you make the right decision when purchasing the right hunting rifle for your needs.
Features You Need to Look for When Buying A Hunting Rifle
There are several key features to look for when buying a hunting rifle all of which will play a role in how effective you’ll be when out in the field. Before purchasing a hunting rifle, you need to consider your specific type of shooting style, environment, and how much power you’re able to handle. We won’t skip over any of the must-have features you need to know about so make sure that you read this entire following section in full.
Length of Barrel
The barrel length of your hunting rifle will allow you to gain greater accuracy and reach over far distances when aiming for your target. If you have a hunting rifle with a short barrel, you won’t be able to kill animal or wild game at long distances because your bullets won’t travel that far.
There are a lot of premium hunting rifles available on the market which offers hunting rifles that have barrel lengths which are very long specifically designed to help you kill animals of varying sizes and abilities.
Typically, the longer the barrel of your rifle is the heavier that the gun will be at the front so you want to keep shooting dynamics like this in mind before making any final purchase decision.
The heavier and longer of a barrel that you have on your hunting rifle, the less recoil, and force that you’ll experience when firing it. Hunting rifles with short barrels tend to have lots of recoil and kick-back which can be too much for some hunters to handle while out on the range.
Longer barrel hunting rifles also add speed to your bullets allowing them to gain more momentum before being launched out at the other end. All in all, longer barrels are generally accepted to be the preferred hunting rifle configuration for most active and experienced hunters.
Scopes/Sights
Most if not all hunting rifles come with pre-installed scopes and sights which make it easy for you to gain a clear view of your target under any circumstances. If you’re serious about improving the accuracy of your shots while hunting, you’ll need a rifle scope because it will help decrease your missed shot percentage.
There are a lot of high-quality hunting rifle scope options that you can choose from on the market all of which will help give you a clearer perspective on the exact location and movements of any wild game that you may be targeting. Once you choose your scope, you’ll need to mount it in order to effectively use it for your hunting expeditions.
CRF (Controlled Round Firing)
Controlled round firing is a term used to describe the feeding mechanism of any given hunting rifle model. Controlled round firing holds your bullet in place from the time that it enters the magazine all the way up until when you decide to eject it.
By making sure that your chosen hunting rifle comes with controlled round firing capabilities, you can significantly decrease the odds of your encountering issues while attempting to fire your hunting rifle under various different conditions. The controlled round firing also will help you maintain accuracy and achieve maximum stabilization when firing rounds.
Controlled round feeding can help you avoid costly mistakes while hunting especially dangerous game so it’s always best to ensure that your hunting rifle uses controlled round firing. There are several hunting rifles out there that use controlled round firing to make it easier for you to remove shell casings that may be stuck in the feeding chamber during the ejection process.
Weight & Size
The overall weight and size of your hunting rifle will play a huge role in how easy it will be for you to carry and use the weapon in a real hunting scenario. The caliber of your bullet will also play a major role in how heavy your hunting rifle is so it’s important to keep this in mind when choosing a rifle.
While additional weight can add stress onto your hunting trip that wasn’t there before, it can also mean the difference between a successful hunting trip and an unsuccessful one. That’s why it’s so important for you to keep the overall weight and size of your chosen hunting rifle in mind before finalizing any purchase.
Trigger Pull
You can purchase a premium hunting rifle outfitted with all of the latest specifications, however, if you’re not able to pull the trigger of your hunting rifle successfully, it won’t matter much in the end. The trigger pull of your rifle determines how much force is needed to successfully enact firing which is why this is such a critical element when it comes to choosing the right hunting rifle for your needs.
You can purchase a force meter that will allow you to accurately gauge how much pressure Is needed before your rifle successfully fires. This is one of the main factors that any individual looking for a hunting rifle should consider before making a final purchase decision about which hunting rifle is perfect for you.
Stock Build & Construction Materials
The stock of your hunting rifle will allow you to absorb the shock of the recoil that your hunting rifle produces while maintaining balance in the overall trigger pull of your rifle. Your chosen hunting rifle should always have a stock that feels comfortable on your shoulders and in your palm to ensure that you’ll be able to effectively use the hunting rifle under high-stress situations.
Hunting rifle stocks can be made out of a variety of different materials including wood and metal which are two of the most commonly used hunting rifle stock materials found on the market. There are two basic functions that your stock should serve which are holding your rifle’s action and making it comfortable for you to shoot the rifle.
You can easily try out a bunch of different hunting rifle stocks by simply holding the gun as if you were about to fire it. This will allow you to get an up close and personal view and feel for the stock on your rifle before finalizing any purchase. You want to make sure that your selected hunting rifle comes with a stock that will mediate some of the direct impacts felt in terms of recoil when firing your rifle.
The materials used in the construction of your rifle’s stock will also affect your purchase decision. Rifles with stocks that are made from cheap materials such as plastic or other easily broken compounds won’t be worth the money in the long run because they will easily malfunction and break down very quickly after purchasing.
You always want to go with a rifle that uses a stock made out of a durable material such as metal or wood to ensure that your purchase will last a very long time after your initial purchase date.
Bullet Grouping/Accuracy
Bullet grouping is a term often used in the gun community to describe how accurate a rifle is at firing bullets in a straight and tight pattern once under live firing conditions.
By testing out how well your hunting rifle groups together bullets fired from its chambers, you’ll be able to accurately gauge if the rifle you’re interested in is worth the money or not. The tighter that your selected hunting rifle groups together bullets fired from a long distance, the better the overall accuracy and range of the rifle will be.
Magazine Capacity
The magazine capacity of your chosen hunting rifle will determine how many shots you can let off in any given instant. The larger your magazine capacity is, the more bullets you’ll be able to hold decreasing the number of times that you have to reload in any given session. Hunting rifles come in all kinds of magazine capacities so you’ll be able to find the right fit for your particular hunting rifle.
Hunting rifle magazine capacities come in sizes including 6-round, 12-rounds, and a lot more. Depending on the type of game that you’re hunting and how dangerous they are, you’ll want to make sure that you have a hunting rifle with a large magazine capacity to ensure that you can release accurate and steady shots.
Safety
The safety feature on your hunting rifle is probably one of the most important factors outside of the shooting mechanisms themselves. Safeties come in many different forms and styles which is great because you can personalize your safety configuration to fit your specific needs. The safety on your selected hunting rifle will help you avoid accidental firing or other possibly fatal mistakes while out hunting for game.
Now that you know a little bit more about all of the various features you need to look for when purchasing a hunting rifle, it’s time to give you some recommendations about the top hunting rifles available on the market right now for you to try out.
All of the hunting rifle recommendations listed below will vary terms of magazine capacity, accuracy, cartridge size, and more. Keep all of the previously mentioned factors in mind before finalizing a purchase of any hunting rifle to ensure that you make the right decision the first time.
Top hunting Rifle Recommendations
Below, you’re going to find a list of the top recommended hunting rifles that are available on the market right now. Each of the following hunting rifle recommendations will vary in terms of overall design and functionality, you want to make sure that you read each recommendation in full to ensure that you know everything you need to know about the product before purchasing it.
While these are our top recommendations, there are several other options for you to choose from on the market so don’t limit yourself to the recommendations on this list solely. Continue reading to find out more about our top recommended hunting rifles that you can buy today.
1. Savage Arms Trophy Hunter XP
The Savage Arms Trophy Hunter XP is chambered in a 16/116 capacity and comes in a 24in barrel which gives you more than enough length to stop the game at fairly large distances.
It has a magazine capacity of 3rds plus one in the chamber which is pretty substantial for those who are strictly hunting and it uses a 270 WSM cartridge that packs enough power to stop the game of even the largest sizes.
It also comes equipped with a removable magazine configuration which allows you to easily swap out bullets at any given time that you desire. The rifle operates using a straight-line feed system for ultimate reliability and performance during live fire situations and encounters.
This rifle features a stock that is made from stainless steel and it also comes equipped with a plain muzzle for extra precision and accuracy while firing. It also has a rear sight scope that measures 3×9, and the finish is stainless steel and it is a bolt action hunting rifle.
The Savage Arms Trophy Hunter XP is the perfect hunting rifle that comes equipped with all of the necessary features you need in order to successfully kill any type of game you want. If you’re looking for an accurate hunting rifle that delivers power and performance, the Savage Arms Trophy Hunter XP is the perfect option for you. Price: $682.99
2. Remington 783
The Remington 783 comes chambered in a 30-06 Springfield cartridge that has a total barrel length of 22”. The overall length of the gun is 42.5” and it features a removable magazine that allows you to easily swap ammunition and other rounds at any given moment.
The rifle has a total capacity of 4rds which makes it the perfect rifle to pick up and go hunting with. It can hold three rounds of magnum caliber ammunition which makes it a versatile and customizable rifle option. The rifle has a total weight of 5.8 pounds and is equipped with a rear sight scope that measures 3×9.
The Remington 783 has a plain muzzle and blue finish so that you can easily blend in to seemingly any environment. It is a powerful and robust hunting rifle that is perfect for anyone looking for a reliable hunting rifle to purchase. It also comes with a polymer stock which makes it very comfortable to grip and fire. Price: $782.99
3. Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed 308
The Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed 308 comes chambered in a 308 Winchester cartridge which is powerful enough to take down the game of any size. It comes with a 22” barrel that allows you to take accurate and precise shots from far distances without any problems.
The X-Bolt has a total length of 42” and features a removable magazine which allows you to easily reload anytime you run out of sufficient ammunition.
This rifle has a total capacity of 4rs + 1 live round in the chamber which makes it the perfect option for those who want to go on long hunting expeditions. It also features a camo design and paint coat color to provide you with extra stealth and kill precision while out hunting.
The rifle uses a feather trigger which helps you to improve your shooting accuracy by giving you a clean and precise trigger pull every time. The Browning X-Bolt is a bolt-action hunting rifle that has a bolt 60” in diameter which is perfect for smooth level actioning and reloading function. It has a total weight of 6.25lbs which is heavy but not too heavy so it gives you just the right amount of accuracy you would expect and want when firing a firearm.
The Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed 308 has a directly in-line feeding mechanism that makes it easy for you to reload ammo without experiencing any fails in the rifle itself. The rifle also features a polymer stock that makes it super easy and comfortable for you to fire under virtually any circumstances.
It is easy to carry and makes for the perfect hunting rifle for serious hunters out there. You can pick up a Browning X-Bolt Hells Canyon Speed 308 online or in a local sporting goods store nearest you. Price: $1,049.99
Making the final decision: purchasing a hunting rifle
Conclusion
Use all of the information included in this article to help you make the right decision about which available hunting rifle on the market is perfect for you.
There are a lot of reliable and premium hunting rifle options for you to choose from out on the market so as long as you take the time to do your proper amount of research, you should be able to find the right hunting rifle in no time.
By following all of the tips listed in this guide, you’ll be able to purchase the right hunting rifle for your specific hunting style in no time.