Best Hunting Rifles – What Setup Is Right For You?
The best hunting rifle is a personal choice. What is best for me might not be the best for you. But from every style and price point, we’ve collected a list of the best of the best. No matter what kind of hunter you are, you can find the perfect rifle for you on this list.
Best Hunting Rifles
 |
| Check Price | |
|
| Check Price | |
|
| Check Price | |
|
| Check Price | |
|
| Check Price | |
|
| Check Price | |
|
| Check Price |
Best Hunting Rifles
- Sig Sauer Cross
- Bergara B-14 Ridge
- Tikka T3x Lite
- Springfield Armory Waypoint
- Savage 110 Hunter
- Howa 1500 Hogue
- Browning X-Bolt Speed
Best Hunting Rifle Specs
Below is a list of our Best Hunting Rifles. So we can compare and line up the specs from each of the rifles and help you make the best decision possible.
| Hunting Rifle | Weight | Overall Length | Barrel Length | Trigger Style | Threaded Barrel | DBM or Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sig Sauer Cross | 6.5 lb | 36.5" | 16" or 18" | 2-Stage Match | Yes | DBM |
| Bergara B-14 Ridge | 7.2-7.7 lb | 37.5"-44" | 18"-24" | Single Stage | Yes | Fixed |
| Tikka T3x Lite | 6.3lb - 6.5lb | 42.5"-44.5" | 22"-24" | 2-Stage | No | DBM |
| Springfield Armory Waypoint | 6.5lb-8.2lb | 43.5"-45.5" | 20"-24" | Single Stage | Yes | DBM |
| Savage 110 Hunter | 7.25lb-7.55lb | 42.25"-45.25" | 22"-24" | AccuTrigger | No | DBM |
| Howa 1500 Hogue | 7.8lb-6.2lb | 38"-50" | 22"-24" | 2-Stage HACT | No | Fixed |
| Browning X-Bolt Speed | 6.5 lb | 42"-46" | 22"-26" | 2-Stage Match | Yes | DBM |
Best Hunting Rifles Reviews
Now that we’ve had an overview and looked at our list, let us take the time to individually review each item. In this section we’ll be revisiting our specs, speaking about the product, and looking at the pros and cons.
1. Sig Sauer Cross
Sig Sauer Cross
A super modern hunting rifle with all of the features and swagger of a tactical rifle, but in a lightweight mountain-ready package.
- Shootability A
- Reliability B+
- Ergonomics A
- Accuracy A+
- Value A+
Our Grade
A
Reviewed by David Lane
Reader’s Grade
A-
Based on 17 Reviews
Your Grade
Do You Own This Gun? Leave A Review
Success Your Grade Has Been
Added To Our Reader’s Score
We use email to verify the accuracy of our reviews. We promise to never spam you.
Sig Sauer Cross Specs
- Weight 6.5 lb
- Overall Length 36.5”
- Barrel Length 16” or 18”
- Trigger Style 2-Stage Match
- Threaded Barrel Yes
- DBM or Fixed DBM
- Extra Features Folding Stock
Sig Sauer Cross Review
The Sig Sauer Cross is pretty fresh on the market, but its first steps into our hands did not go well. Almost immediately after it was released YouTuber Nutnfancy posted a video showing the Cross firing while the safety was engaged. Sig Sauer issued a recall a few days later and quickly solved the issue with the rifle basically re-releasing a few months later.
My Sig Sauer Cross is from the second-generation post-safety fix.
I’ve been looking forward to this rifle since I shot some pre-production versions at SHOT Show 2020 and I have to say, this rifle does not disappoint me in the slightest.
Lightweight, folding stock, magazine-fed, a threaded barrel, a glass-smooth action, and rounded off with an outstanding 3lb trigger.
This is, for me, everything I’ve been looking for in a hunting rifle.
While Sig markets the Cross as a “long-range precision rifle” I strongly disagree, this is a hunting rifle through and through. While this rifle is totally able of reaching out, the low overall weight and short barrel make for a rather poor long-range precision rifle.
But on your back in the mountains, this is an amazing rifle.
Even when I’m not planning on doing much more than plinking at the range, I tend to bring my Cross along with me just because it’s light and handy and fun to shoot.
What I love about the Cross is that they don’t use a crazy long barrel. Most hunting rifles come with barrels that are at least 22” long, but the Cross comes in either 16” or 18” depending on the caliber. Realistically, this is a much more practical barrel choice and I love that.
The compact nature of this rifle is perfect for hiking with or stalking through the brush.
As a western hunter and shooter, the fact that my complete hunting setup with scope, bipod, and muzzle brake is about 7.6lbs is wonderful.
Sig Sauer Cross Pros and Cons
- Lightweight makes for easy hiking
- Folding Stock for compact storage
- Threaded barrel for a suppressor or muzzle brake
- AR-15/10 ergonomics
- Expensive
- Not a fan of the magazine release being inside the trigger guard
Sig Sauer Cross Deals
2. Bergara B-14 Ridge
Bergara B-14 Ridge
A Spanish made perfected version of a classic American rifle. There is a new king in town.
- Shootability B+
- Reliability A+
- Ergonomics B+
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A-
Reviewed by David Lane
Reader’s Grade
A+
Based on 3 Reviews
Your Grade
Do You Own This Rifle? Leave A Review
Success Your Grade Has Been
Added To Our Reader’s Score
We use email to verify the accuracy of our reviews. We promise to never spam you.
Bergara B-14 Ridge Specs
- Weight 7.2-7.7 lb
- Overall Length 37.5”-44”
- Barrel Length 18-24″
- Trigger Style Single Stage
- Threaded Barrel Yes
- DBM or Fixed Fixed
Bergara B-14 Ridge Review
One of the most iconic American hunting rifles of the past 100 years has been the Remington 700. But sadly, Remington simply wasn’t able to live up to its own name for much of the past 20 years. Since the fall of that great brand, others have come to take the crown.
The Bergara B-14 series of rifles has gained a near-legendary reputation for being an R700 pattern rifle but made to a radically higher standard of quality than what Remington has put out.
While their B-14 HMR is my favorite version, it’s a bit heavy for a dedicated hunting rifle.
Instead, the B-14 Ridge is much lighter and is a much more “classic” style of a hunting rifle.
Built using an R700 footprint this gives you access to a huge range of aftermarket accessories and upgrades if you want them.
Bergara rifles are accurate, simple, modern and ready for anything. While this rifle doesn’t really give you much in the way of fancy features, this is in every way a modern take on the legendary classic American hunting rifle.
Bergara B-14 Ridge Pros and Cons
- Threaded barrel
- R700 compatible with triggers and stocks/chassis
- Highly durable and reliable
- Great action pull
- No comb adjustment
Bergara B-14 Ridge Product Deals
3. Tikka T3x Lite
Tikka T3x Lite
Made in Finland and imported by Beretta USA, the Tikka T3x Lite is one of the best imports you can buy.
- Shootability A-
- Reliability A+
- Ergonomics B-
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A-
Reviewed by David Lane
Reader’s Grade
A+
Based on 3 Reviews
Your Grade
Do You Own This Rifle? Leave A Review
Success Your Grade Has Been
Added To Our Reader’s Score
We use email to verify the accuracy of our reviews. We promise to never spam you.
Tikka T3x Lite Specs
- Weight 6.3-6.5lbs
- Overall Length 42.5-44.5″
- Barrel Length 22-24″
- Trigger Style 2 Stage
- Threaded Barrel No
- DBM or Fixed DBM
Tikka T3x Lite Review
Years ago a Tikka T3x Lite in .270 Win was the very first hunting rifle that I bought for myself. It’s also the rifle that I started learning long-range precision shooting.
Although that was a long time ago, the T3x Lite is still one of the best rifles I’ve ever used or owned.
Accurate as all get out, simple to use, and with a bolt that feels like greased glass — this is a fine example of top-quality production and honestly gives a custom-made feel to a mass-produced rifle.
True to its name, it comes in very lightweight at 6.5-ish lbs even in long action cartridges.
All of that and you’ll rarely see these for more than about $750.
So what are the downsides? The stock is honestly kind of horrible. It does its job I guess but it’s a very cheap plastic feel. Mine hasn’t broken even after hard knocks and long use, but it still feels cheap in your hands.
The lack of a threaded barrel is a big blow to me. With suppressors and brakes being more popular by the day, it would be nice if more hunting rifles come standard with threaded barrels.
That said — this is a great rifle and you will not be disappointed.
Tikka T3x Lite Pros and Cons
- A bolt smoother than greased glass
- Lightweight
- Magazine fed
- Very accurate
- Stock feels like a child’s stock
Tikka T3x Lite Deals
4. Springfield Armory Waypoint
Springfield Armory Waypoint
Built like a PRS rifle but with the modern hunter in mind, the Waypoint might usher in a new era of hunting rifle design.
- Shootability A+
- Reliability B-
- Ergonomics A+
- Accuracy A
- Value B+
Our Grade
A-
Reviewed by David Lane
Reader’s Grade
A+
Based on 7 Reviews
Your Grade
Do You Own This Gun? Leave A Review
Success Your Grade Has Been
Added To Our Reader’s Score
We use email to verify the accuracy of our reviews. We promise to never spam you.
Springfield Armory Waypoint Specs
- Weight 6.5-8.2lbs
- Overall Length 43.5-45.5″
- Barrel Length 20-24″
- Trigger Style Single Stage
- Threaded Barrel Yes
- DBM or Fixed DBM
Springfield Armory Waypoint Review
If I’m being honest, I’ve never been a big fan of Springfield Armory. Their pistols just aren’t my jam, their rifles never floored me. Until the Waypoint. This rifle… this rifle is just WOW.
From the very modern stock with the full pistol grip styling to the threaded barrel that comes with a brake to the ACIS magazines to the ultra-smooth bolt and .75 MOA guarantee — this rifle really delivers on basically everything.
About 2 months before the Waypoint was announced I was planning a custom rifle build, it looked almost part for part exactly like the Waypoint.
This is clearly a rifle that was designed for the modern hunter and has taken a lot of design clues from the PRS competition world to make it the best rifle it can be.
Depending on the model you choose you can also get the Waypoint with carbon fiber barrels to shave even more weight off of the system.
But this rose has a couple of thorns. Top of my list is, like the Sig Cross, the Waypoint has a magazine release placed inside the trigger guard — I really hate that.
The trigger, while amazing, has a super deep curve to it. I like curved triggers, but this feels like a Lee-Enfield curve and it just doesn’t sit with my finger as well as I would like.
Finally, these are expensive. Steel barrel rifles’ MSRP start at $1,797, carbon fiber barrel models start at an MSRP of $2,394. On the high-end, the Waypoint tops out at $2,527.
That’s a lot of money. That is literally custom hunting rifle money. Is the Waypoint worth that much? Maybe, but not to everyone.
For a full review on this rifle, make sure to check out our Springfield Armory Waypoint Review.
Springfield Armory Waypoint Pros and Cons
- Lightweight
- Fully adjustable
- Radial brake
- Outstanding design
- Oof, that price
Springfield Armory Waypoint Deals
5. Savage 110 Hunter
Savage 110 Hunter
Lightweight, inexpensive, wide range of calibers offered, this is a simple and to the point hunting rifle.
- Shootability A
- Reliability B+
- Ergonomics A
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A
Reviewed by David Lane
Reader’s Grade
A+
Based on 2 Reviews
Your Grade
Do You Own This Rifle? Leave A Review
Success Your Grade Has Been
Added To Our Reader’s Score
We use email to verify the accuracy of our reviews. We promise to never spam you.
Savage 110 Hunter Specs
- Weight 7.25-7.55lbs
- Overall Length 42.25-45.25″
- Barrel Length 22-24″
- Trigger Style AccuTrigger
- Threaded Barrel No
- DBM or Fixed DBM
Savage 110 Hunter Review
The Savage 110 is a rifle that is offered in a huge range of styles. From PRS rifles in MDT chassis to simple hunting rifles in plastic stocks, the 110 has a lot of legs to it.
If you’re looking for something on the hunting side of things, the 110 Hunter is a great option.
While the styling and stock design aren’t anything groundbreaking, it is done in a simple yet highly functional manner that gives you what you need.
Extra grip surfaces are placed where your hands normally go to help with things getting wet and the stock is semi-adjustable for the length of pull and comb height. That’s really all the features you get.
The trigger is Savage’s AccuTrigger and is adjustable for pull weight, so that’s nice too.
What really helps this rifle shine is the fact that it is offered in a huge range of calibers, some of them very niche and uncommon.
From 204 Ruger to 300 Win mag with interesting offerings like 280 AI IMP and 7mm-08 thrown in, this rifle covers a lot of ground.
And all of that is offered at a very fair price for a solid hunting rifle. Overall, the Savage 110 Hunter is a pretty impressive rifle that often gets overlooked.
Savage 110 Hunter Pros and Cons
- Lightweight
- Huge range of calibers available
- Extra grip on the grippy parts
- Low-cost
- Known extractor issues
- No quick adjustment options
Savage 110 Hunter Deals
6. Howa 1500 Hogue
Howa 1500 Hogue
Rock bottom budget price but punches way above what you expect, dollar for dollar this might be the best ever made.
- Shootability A
- Reliability A-
- Ergonomics B-
- Accuracy A
- Value A+
Our Grade
A-
Reviewed by David Lane
Reader’s Grade
A+
Based on 2 Reviews
Your Grade
Do You Own This Rifle? Leave A Review
Success Your Grade Has Been
Added To Our Reader’s Score
We use email to verify the accuracy of our reviews. We promise to never spam you.
Howa 1500 Hogue Specs
- Weight 6.2-7.8lbs
- Overall Length 38-50″
- Barrel Length 22-24″
- Trigger Style 2-Stage HACT
- Threaded Barrel No
- DBM or Fixed Fixed
Howa 1500 Hogue Review
I’ve owned no less than 7 Howa 1500s over the years and these are just good rifles. Not great, not amazing, but very solidly Good.
For the cost, these are some of the best buys you can make since they punch way, way above their price points.
The Howa 1500 Hogue comes in a much improved Hogue stock, cheap and plastic but solid and well made.
No adjustment for the length of pull or comb, sadly. And no threaded barrel.
But something that really helps the 1500 stand out is the HACT trigger. Howa makes their own triggers and these 2-stage beauties are almost magical. By far the best factory trigger on a hunting rifle you can find on any rifle under $2,000.
Every 1500 I’ve owned has also been shockingly accurate. From 300 BLK to 300 Win Mag, all of my rifles have shot at least 1 MOA, and most of them are much better with the right ammo. Again, the cost of this rifle is pretty impressive and shows a lot of consistency.
This rifle is barebones, literally. It’s missing anything fancy outside of that wonderful trigger. But really, if that’s all you need… this is an outstanding deal that will fill the freezer for pennies per pound.
Howa 1500 Hogue Pros and Cons
- Super low price
- Lots of aftermarket upgrades
- HACT trigger is outstanding
- Bolt likes to bind
- No adjustment options
Howa 1500 Hogue Deals
7. Browning X-Bolt Speed
Browning X-Bolt Speed
Speed in the title makes the bullets go faster, right? A semi-custom rifle design and feel that delivers big on features and value.
- Shootability A+
- Reliability A
- Ergonomics B+
- Accuracy A
- Value A
Our Grade
A
Reviewed by David Lane
Reader’s Grade
B
Based on 3 Reviews
Your Grade
Do You Own This Rifle? Leave A Review
Success Your Grade Has Been
Added To Our Reader’s Score
We use email to verify the accuracy of our reviews. We promise to never spam you.
Browning X-Bolt Speed Specs
- Weight 6.5lbs
- Overall Length 42-46″
- Barrel Length 22-26″
- Trigger Style 2-Stage Match
- Threaded Barrel Yes
- DBM or Fixed DBM
- Extra Features Radial Brake
Browning X-Bolt Speed Review
Do you feel the need? The need for Speed?
Put simply, the Browning X-Bolt Speed is kind of like a poor man’s Waypoint. At over $1,000 dollars cheaper but with many of the same features, the X-Bolt stands out as a huge value return on your money.
A simple stock but well-made and very solid is the weakest point of the rifle. No adjustment for length of pull or comb makes me sad, but it’s something we can live with.
Everything else… is pretty awesome.
The barrel is a sporter profile and has the weight reduced even more by being fluted, it comes threaded with a radial brake to make this lightweight rifle perform better in your hands.
This bolt is smooth, like really smooth. If Tikka is a 10/10, I think the X-Bolt is a 9/10.
Something that really helps this rifle stand out is the fact that it comes standard with a Cerakote finish on the metal and an OVIX Camo on the stock. Both of these add to the durability of the rifle and help it blend well into western environments.
A 60-degree bolt lift and outstanding Feather trigger help round out the awesome features that come with the X-Bolt Speed.
Oh, and the magazine is a detachable box rotary magazine. That doesn’t really make a huge difference — it’s just cool.
Browning X-Bolt Speed Pros and Cons
- Cerakote finish
- Radial brake
- Special buttpad
- Very fair price
- Special magazines
- 1 color option and nothing else
Browning X-Bolt Speed Deals
Best Hunting Rifles – Buyers Guide
Buying a good hunting rifle is a totally personal choice. It doesn’t matter what your grandfather used, or your brother uses, or that guy you met one time at work. The right rifle for you is what matters, nothing else.
Critically think about the type of hunting that you want to do. Hiking in and out of a mountain range is a lot different than using an ATV to get to a deer blind.
The type of game matters also, elk need a lot more energy on target than javelinas do.
All of the rifles we’ve listed here are their pros and cons, the right rifle for you will depend on what you’re doing and what your budget is.
Let’s break down what specs and features you should pay attention to.
What Specs Matter Most
Weight is both a positive and a negative depending on how you hunt. If you’re looking to hike up and down mountains, weight is always something you want to reduce when possible. If you’re walking a half-mile to your deer stand and sitting there all day, the weight really doesn’t matter that much.
On the other hand, your rifle having less weight means the felt recoil is going to be greater. The most unpleasant rifle I’ve ever shot was a Berrett Fieldcraft in .308 Win. That 5lb rifle with no muzzle device hit my shoulder like a MAC truck. You wouldn’t expect that from .308 Win, but man that rifle hurt.
The lighter your rifle is the more helpful a muzzle brake becomes. Personally, I put a muzzle device on any rifle that is threaded and I basically refuse to buy a rifle that isn’t threaded. While a rifle with a threaded barrel normally costs more, it is a really useful feature that can turn a mediocre rifle into a precision freezer filling machine.
Overall Length is rarely going to be a make-it-or-break-it quality of a rifle. The only time you really need to keep it in mind is when you’re planning on traveling with your rifle. Make sure to get a rifle case that is long enough to hold your rifle plus at least a couple of inches for padding.
Barrel Length is a blessing and a curse, but I think a lot of people don’t really think about their barrel length as much as they should these days.
A longer barrel will not make your rifle more accurate, that is a pervasive myth that doesn’t seem to die.
What a longer barrel really does is increase bullet velocity. Two rifles in the same caliber but with different length barrels can have hundreds of feet per second velocity difference between them.
Bullets moving faster gives you a longer maximum point-blank range (the range you can shoot with effectively ignoring bullet drop) and will give you more energy on the target making for a more sure kill.
In those respects, more barrel is more good.
But more barrel also means travel and hiking are more of a pain. Again, this depends on your method of hunting. If you’re in a stand, a 26” barrel isn’t a big deal. If you’re hiking through thick trees, a 26” barrel is going to snag on everything.
All of that said — most people are using way more barrels than they actually need. Depending on your ammo you need roughly 2,000 FPS to reliably expand good hunting ammo. Some ammo can expand with as little as 1,600 FPS, but that depends on your exact ammo. 2k FPS is a more standard number.
Using 6.5 Creedmoor as an example caliber, Hornady 143gr ELD-X moving at 2,700 FPS with a 24” barrel is very easy to achieve. That gives you over 2k FPS out to over 500 yards.
For most hunters, 300 yards is pushing the edge of their maximum range for ethical shots. Even very experienced and skilled hunters rarely will even consider a shot past 450 yards and that is with near-perfect conditions.
Taking a shot at over 500 yards on an animal, borders on grossly negligent depending on the circumstances. So… what happens if you choose a shorter barrel?
Again, using 6.5 Creedmoor and 143gr ELD-X as our example — an 18” barrel will still give about 2,550 FPS at the muzzle and over 2k FPS out to 400 yards. That is a much more realistic max range, and cutting 6” of the barrel off makes for a much lighter and more handy rifle.
Keep in mind that these numbers are examples — if you want to dive down this rabbit hole make sure to use a ballistic calculator and run the numbers yourself for the caliber and ammo you’re planning to use.
But generally speaking, if you have the choice between two barrels — I generally choose the shorter one for hunting.
Trigger Styles are generally going to be single-stage or two-stage. Two-stage triggers have a first stage that is normally smooth and doesn’t have a lot of weight to it before hitting a “wall”. This will be a point in the trigger’s travel where the weight required to pull it back sharply rises, thus creating what feels like a “wall”. The second stage of the trigger is the weight required to get past that wall. That wall is what fires the rifle, getting past it makes the rifle go bang.
Single-stage triggers don’t have that first stage, they basically start at the wall, and breaking it is what fires the rifle.
Single-stage triggers are far more popular with precision shooters because it makes it much easier to have a great trigger pull and not disturb the rifle. Two-stage triggers are often more common in hunting rifles as a mild safety measure to make accidentally pulling the trigger harder to do.
One isn’t better than the other, period. They are just different. Try both and find what you like. My only strong recommendation is that if you’re prone to getting the shakes when you’re ready to take a shot — get a two-stage trigger. The extra safety measure of the first stage will help a lot.
Threaded barrels I touched on this before but threaded barrels are awesome. Even if you don’t “need” a muzzle brake for your rifle, the option to have one is really nice. What is even nicer is the option to have a suppressor. Hunting with a suppressor makes life so much nicer and safer. While it might not be entirely hearing safe even with a can on it, having one makes shooting a much more pleasant experience and will protect your hearing even if you don’t have time to get your ear pro in.
With the ATF opening E-forms for suppressors, getting one has become a lot easier.
Personally, I live in a ban state so I sadly don’t have the option of getting one. But I can use muzzle brakes.
I’m a huge fan of muzzle brakes because they make shooting easier and more precise, and allow me to send a follow-up shot a lot faster.
DBM or fixed magazines It really won’t matter what you choose here. I like detachable box magazines to make unloading easier, but even with a fixed magazine unloading your rifle isn’t hard.
The major plus to a DBM is that if you want to use the rifle for any type of competition also, a DBM gives you the option to have more rounds on tap with a larger magazine. I normally hunt with a 5-round magazine, but shooting my local PRS club matches I use a 10- or 12-round magazine.
With a blind or fixed magazine, that simply isn’t an option.
Extra features The most game-changing extra feature you’ll see in hunting rifles is a folding stock. But it is rare to see. I love folding stocks because I think they look cool and they make life just a little easier. Getting your bolt out is easier with a stock folded out of the way. Cleaning is easier with it folded. I can use a smaller bag when I travel because it’s folded. Even bore sighting the rifle when I first take it to the range is easier with the stock folded out of my way.
This isn’t a required feature at all, but it’s nice.
The far more common extra features we’ve listed are radial brakes and cheek risers. These are much more fundamental and really nice to have.
Radial brakes are frankly not my favorite, I like a big brake that moves a lot of gas. But radial brakes are good options also and do a better job of not over concussing your friends that are standing near you.
Cheek risers bring the stock to your cheek. This allows for more flexibility with scope options and makes for a more comfortable rifle in general. A more reliable hard point for you to index your face on also makes for more accurate shooting.
While an adjustable cheek riser isn’t required, it’s nice. Even without one, you can always add some foam or something and make your own cheek riser.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team
About David Lane
Learning how to shoot at a young age in the Boy Scouts, David now spends most of his time working on or with firearms. Be it shooting, upgrading, building, tinkering, or writing about them -- sharing his passion and knowledge of firearms with others is an everyday occurrence.
Recent Posts
May 30, 2023
May 30, 2023
This gun is quality.. It is well made and very heavy. I only wish it at had come with two magazines but since I found it on Amazon cheaper than Sig Sauer sites I already bought an additional magazine that came with three belts. I installed a sight on the rail and this is spot on. I can’t put it down. I just bought the Sig pellet trap that resets tonight and couldn’t wait to get home and shoot. If you’re on the fence about the price, you won’t be disappointed.