Gun Reviews

When you hear the terms “long-range shooting,” “competition rifle,” and “sniper,” what gunmakers come to mind? “Tikka” might not top your list, but I think that could be about to change. Especially in disciplines like NRL Hunter, competitive shooters are turning to Tikka’s T3x platform, swapping out...

I’m always happy to see a premium gunmaker move into a more affordable category. If I can get a rifle from a reputable company for a little less jingle, I’m here for it. That’s the idea behind the new line of Evoke rifles from Christensen Arms. The Utah-based rifle maker has built a reputation for...

I like weird guns. There are only so many bolt-action hunting rifles you can write about in a year, so when the GOAT-15 crossed my radar, I was intrigued. The GOAT-15 is (as far as I can tell) the lightest semi-automatic rifle in the world. It looks and feels like a miniature AR-15, complete with...

Smith & Wesson has been around for nearly two centuries, so you might assume that the new Model 1854 is the resurrection of a much older lever gun. In fact, Smith’s new offering is the very first modern lever action rifle the company has ever produced, and it’s only been out for about a year. “185...

Henry wasn’t the first to make a lever gun that runs on AR mags, but they were the first to offer that feature in a rifle with traditional lines. That by itself makes the new Lever Action Supreme one of the most interesting lever-actions on the market, but it’s not the only unique thing about Henry...

The 10mm Auto has entered a renaissance. The souped-up handgun cartridge first appeared in 1983, but the last few years have seen a rise both in firearm models and ammunition options. It’s easy to see why. The 10mm Auto is among the most powerful handgun cartridges commonly chambered in semi...

Bergara fans are a loyal bunch. I’ve read more than a few comments asking for a review of the Bergara B-14, and today, I’m here to give the people what they want. The Spanish rifle company cut its teeth as a premium barrel maker, and they still fabricate barrels for several American gun companies...

Gun writers are a contrarian bunch, but every once in a while, we agree on something. For the past two years, that “something” has been the NULA 20 rifle from Wilson Combat. Field & Stream named the NULA 20 the “Best New Rifle of 2023” and On Target Magazine bestowed upon it their “Editor’s Choice...

Christmas is right around that corner, and hunters young and old will be hoping to spy a long, narrow box tucked under the tree. I saw such a box a few years ago. It turned out to be floor mats for my minivan, but I’m not a man without means, so I went ahead and bought myself my own Christmas...

I’ve been wanting to build a custom rifle for about a decade now. I had previously assembled a rifle using a blueprinted Remington 700 action, but this time around, I wanted to maximize performance by using the best of every component. This rifle is designed with hunting in mind, first and foremost...

If you asked most American hunters to name every kind of rifle action, they’d probably forget about the straight pull. While fairly common overseas–most famously on the Austro-Hungarian Mannlicher rifle–straight-pull bolt guns never really caught on here in the States. The reasons for this are...

Like most things concocted by marketing departments and gun magazines, the “mountain rifle” concept is part useful, part BS. It’s BS because you don’t need a different rifle to hunt in the mountains (or the woods or the plains or Michigan’s Upper Peninsula). You can use the same long gun wherever...

Gun nuts love to argue, and one of our favorite arguments pits the traditional against the modern. Modernists think that newer is always better, whether it’s a polymer frame, carbon fiber barrel, or titanium suppressor. The traditionalists, on the other hand, won’t give up their wood and steel until...

Read enough gun reviews and you’re sure to see a rifle design described as “thoughtful.” The term is probably overused, but I think it fits Sig Sauer’s new rifle: the CROSS Magnum. Sig’s engineers designed the CROSS Magnum with an actual human hunter in mind. The rifle is chock full of small...

I’m a rifle guy in the small game woods. Always have been. I don’t like picking lead BB’s out of a squirrel ham, but I also love to practice my marksmanship. While you may take a single shot all year at a whitetail or an elk, the squirrel woods give you the chance to hone your skills by taking...

Specialized turkey shotguns have become widely popular in recent decades. Turkey shotguns are essentially field models built with shorter barrels, drilled and tapped for an optic mounting system, and sometimes outfitted with a pistol grip to improve steadiness. They are a fine addition to any gun...

When we published an article last year covering the best lever action hunting rifles, some of you accused us of making a serious omission. Where, you asked, was the Marlin Model 336? You had a point. Marlin’s stable of lever-action rifles is legendary, and perhaps none more so than the Model 33...

Introducing new or young hunters to shooting requires more tact than simply throwing them in the deep end. You might think you’re expediting their learning curve by giving them your old .30-06 because that’s how you cut your teeth (and eye), right? Unfortunately, you’re probably fast-tracking them...