With half my life dedicated to outdoor pursuits and nearly two decades of outdoor writing, I have yet to find a hunter who doesn’t recall their first deer, or for that matter, their first bear, elk or moose. While hunting numbers are still down, business is still quite good and millions of hunters still hit the woods looking for “the big one.” Yes, big-game hunting still reigns supreme. In some places like my home state of Texas, at least off the beaten path, big-game hunting, especially for whitetails, is a national pastime. Rest assured, friends. Big-game hunting is alive and well! What does that mean for you? Offering a wide array of hunting rifles can be a great way to harvest higher sales. Check out these 16 big-game bolt-action rifles worthy of your retail rack space.

 

Howa Fence Line Series

At the foundation of the Fence Line Series lies the legendary Howa 1500 barreled action, built for reliability and precision. This platform delivers sub-MOA accuracy, hammer-forged barrels for exceptional durability and barrel life, and a crisp HACT two-stage trigger. Its 90-degree bolt throw ensures smooth, reliable cycling with dual locking lugs and a spring-loaded M16-style extractor, while the three-position safety allows unloading on safe or bolt-locking for safe transport through sprawling terrain. The Fence Line series is available in mini, short and long action lengths in all the popular calibers. Backed by a 100% lifetime warranty on manufacturing defects. www.legacysports.com

 

Q The Fix .308

The Fix is a lightweight (roughly 6 pounds), compact rifle system perfect for long days in the backcountry or on stalks across African plains. The Fix boasts a single-piece aluminum receiver, fully-adjustable folding stock, aluminum handguard with Q-Sert attachment system, Cherry Bomb muzzle brake and a ridiculously short 45-degree bolt throw — the fastest I have had the pleasure of operating. While my most recent experiences have been with The Fix chambered in .308, the barrel design allows for rapid barrel changes to other calibers. Purchasing additional barrels turns The Fix into multiple rifles, including 8.6 Blackout and 6.5 Creedmoor variants. www.liveqordie.com

 

CVA Cascade XT 350 Legend

Perfect for your straight-wall cartridge loving customers or those who are required to use them for big-game hunting, the CVA Cascade XT (X-Treme), chambered in 350 Legend is a superb yet affordable solution. The Cascade XT is an upgrade from the original Cascade and includes a heavier, medium-contour Bergara fluted barrel; precision-machined muzzle brake; adjustable trigger (from 2 to 4 pounds), Cerakote-finished barreled action, oversized bolt handle and stock upgrades with Cerakote camouflage finishes. www.bpioutdoors.com

 

Mossberg Patriot

Mossberg’s value-rich bolt-action Patriot comes in a model to suit just about any hunting need or style, priced to move without skimping on features. Features include a drop-box magazine, fluted and threaded barrel, spiral-fluted bolt, recessed match barrel crown, Lightning Bolt-Action user-adjustable trigger (2 to 7 pounds), and a huge variety of chamberings, barrel lengths, finishes and configurations, including Vortex-scoped combos. www.mossberg.com

 

Seekins Havak PH3 .300 Winchester Magnum

The Seekins Havak PH3, chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, is an exceptional choice for demanding hunting clients looking for a rifle suited to take down any animal in North America while also delivering the goods for confident, long-range shots. The Seekins Havak PH3 in .300 Winch Mag. is offered in 22-inch and 26-inch threaded barrel lengths and weighs just 7.8 and 8.2 pounds, respectively. Each rifle boasts a 20-MOA Picatinny scope base, PH3 action with three-lug toolless removable bolt, 60-degree bolt throw, Seekins PH3 Carbon Composite Stock with adjustable comb, TriggerTech adjustable trigger (2.5-5 pounds), M-Lok attachment system and a muzzle brake. www.seekinsprecision.com

 

Bergara Ridge Carbon 6.5 PRC

For customers looking for an ultra-light, traditional-styled, bolt-action rifle with enough ballistic and terminal performance to take confident, extended-distance shots on North America’s big-game animals, Bergara’s Ridge Carbon, chambered in 6.5 PRC, is a solid choice. Weighing in at just 6.6 pounds and built on Bergara’s world-class barreled action (single-piece B-14 action, two-lug bolt system), with a 24-inch CURE carbon-fiber wrapped barrel, the Ridge Carbon features a SoftTouch synthetic stock finished in Cerakote Sniper Grey and a hinged floor plate. www.bpioutdoors.com

 

Remington Model 700 Long Range 7mm PRC

The Remington 700 is a staple action for big-game hunters and precision long-range shooters alike. It’s been said that an enthusiast can pull a Remington 700 action out of a dusty rifle and build the best bolt-action match rifle they have ever owned. Of course, the same can be said for hunting rifles, too, but your customers just might love the Remington Model 700 Long Range Rifle as-is enough to make it their new go-to big-game hunting rifle, especially one chambered in Hornady’s do-it-all 7mm PRC. Remington’s Model 700 Long Range Rifle features a classic Model 700 action, 26-inch heavy-contour threaded barrel, HS Precision stock with receiver-length aluminum bedding block and a vertical grip, and a hinged floor plate. The Model 700 Long Range Rifle weighs 8.5 pounds www.remarms.com

 

Weatherby 307 Adventurer SD .257 Weatherby Magnum

A household name growing up under my father’s roof, Weatherby has earned a generational reputation for reliable performance and premium-grade hunting rifle quality. Adding to more than 80 years of master-crafted rifle building, the Model 307, named after Wyoming’s area code, takes its place as a solid fit between the Vanguard and Mark V model rifles. Weatherby’s new 307 action is premised on a cylindrical two-lug platform designed for enhanced compatibility with a greater array of parts, from stocks and triggers to mounts and magazines. The Model 307 also boasts a 26-inch fluted, Mag Sporter contoured, graphite-black Cerakote barrel; 2-inch muzzle brake and rich walnut stock complete with a rosewood forend and maple grip cap trimmed with a maple inlay. www.weatherby.com

 

Winchester Model 70 Featherweight .270 Winchester

Nearly 75 years later, Winchester’s Model 70 Featherweight remains one of the most beautiful hunting rifles to hit the field. As a child, I marveled at the rich color of the rifle’s dark maple stock with Schnabel forearm and checkering work. As a lifelong hunter with decades of field adventures behind me, I revere it. The Model 70 is simply a work of art; however, as a hunting rifle, especially in the iconic .270 Winchester, it’s still quite the big-game hunting workhorse! The Model 70 boasts a premium-grade, satin-finished maple stock; Featherweight stock and barrel contour; Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad; pre-1964-style control-feed with claw extractor; jeweled bolt with knurled bolt handle and an M.O.A. Trigger System. www.winchesterguns.com

 

Springfield Model 2020 Heatseeker .308

For your hunting customers looking for a bolt-action rifle with the added benefits of AR modularity, Springfield Armory’s Model 2020 Heatseeker .308 Winchester just might be a perfect fit. While the Heatseeker certainly has AR attitude, it’s built around a premium Model 2020 barreled action. The action features EDM raceways and a fluted, 4140 steel bolt with dual locking lugs. The Model 2020 also boasts a Sharps Brothers Heatseeker chassis with a B5 Systems Collapsible Precision Stock and P-23 pistol grip, 20-inch carbon-fiber barrel with 5/8-24 threads, TriggerTech adjustable trigger (2.5-5 pounds) and a Coyote Brown Cerakote finish. www.springfield-armory.com

 

Ruger American Rifle Gen II 6.5 Creedmoor

Perhaps the pinnacle of the balance between performance and affordability, the Ruger American Rifle has been a go-to tool for countless big-game hunters through more than a decade of pursuits. Of course, the only constant is change, so Ruger raised the bar recently with the American Rifle Gen II. For deer hunting, it may be tough to beat the Ruger American Gen II in 6.5 Creedmoor. The rifle is lightweight, weighing just 6.5 pounds, and it includes a 20-inch spiral fluted, threaded barrel finished in Gun Metal Gray Cerakote. The stock is composite with Gray Splatter Gen II American Cerakote and offers length-of-pull and comb-height adjustability. Your hardworking, cost-conscious hunting customers are going to love this rifle. www.ruger.com

 

Savage 110 Core Hunter Pro 7mm-08

Savage rifles have been trusted among big-game hunters for more than 130 years, and 110 models are one of the company’s most popular offerings. One of the latest, greatest Savage 110 rifles to wow big-game hunters is the Core Hunter Pro, and I was excited to see it chambered in the iconic big-game 7mm-08 cartridge. At 65 years old, the 7mm-08 is still a top choice for deer and elk hunters. Of course, along with the seasoned cartridge, your customers get Savage’s innovation. The 110 Core Hunter Pro features a composite stock in Savage Woodland or Savage Western Camo finish options, Gun Metal Bronze Cerakoted barreled action with a skeletonized receiver, fluted Blackout Cerakoted bolt with threaded knob, 24-inch sporter barrel with spiral fluting and Omniport muzzle brake, 20-MOA rail, LimbSaver recoil pad, M-Lok attachment system, adjustable AccuTrigger and an AICS magazine. www.savagearms.com

 

CZ 600+ American .300 Winchester Magnum

With nearly 20 years of writing under my belt and many more years of big-game hunting experience, my CZ Model 3 .300 Winchester Short Magnum remains one of my all-time favorite rifles — one that will someday become my son’s. This is the CZ I know and have loved for decades, and the CZ 600+ American is another exceptional example of an affordable, stylish, heirloom-quality big-game hunting rifle. The CZ 600+ American features a traditional-style Turkish walnut stock with beautiful checkering and a lily motif on the grip, CZ-manufactured cold-hammer-forged barrel, adjustable trigger, short 60-degree bolt angle, controlled-feed action and a proprietary Silent Ergonomic Ambidextrous (S.E.A.) safety system. www.czfirearms.com

 

Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed HD 300 PRC

With a nod to Browning’s 2016 Hell’s Canyon X-Bolt Speed Rifle, 10 additional years of innovation delivered the Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed HD Rifle. While the Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed HD Rifle is available in 11 chamberings, the 300 PRC is a rock-solid big-game hunting choice for any creature, near or far, roaming the United States. The X-Bolt 2 Speed HD Rifle features a Vari-Tech composite stock finished in gray/bronze camouflage with adjustable comb, length of pull and grip; Smoked-Bronze Cerakote-finished barreled action; 26-inch fluted, match-grade sporter barrel; Inflex recoil pad and a 3.5-pound DLX Trigger. www.browning.com

 

Tikka T3x Hunter .270 Winchester

Another superb choice for .270 Winchester fans, the Tikka T3x Hunter has built quite a reputation for itself as an affordable bolt-action hunting rifle among discriminating hunting and shooting enthusiasts — in a nutshell, incredible value for your hunters. The Tikka T3x Hunter features a richly blued barreled action, wood stock, 22.4-inch barrel and an interchangeable grip system for more comfortable, customized shooting. The T3x Hunter is also available with a synthetic stock and with a Picatinny rail or drilled and tapped for optic mounting. www.tikka-rifles.com

 

Benelli BE.S.T. Lupo 7mm PRC

The best there is? If you asked Bennelli, they would certainly say yes. Your hunters might just say yes, too! As the owner of a Benelli Super Black Eagle shotgun, I have a love/hate relationship with the company and the Lupo. I do love Benelli’s undebatable take-a-lickin’-and-keep-on-tickin’ reliability… and I hate that I don’t own a Lupo. A bit like courting, I have visited the Lupo at a number of trade shows over the past couple of years but have only gawked and wished upon a star. I’m a sucker for pretty wood, and the Lupo’s AA-grade satin walnut stock is a head turner. Even better, the Lupo is offered in my current favorite hunting (and long-range) cartridge, Hornady’s 7mm PRC — I have killed several animals with this cartridge and have also shot a sub-MOA group at 2,160 yards using 180-grain ELD Match ammo straight out of the box. The cartridge and this rifle are ready to hunt any big-game trophy in North America (and beyond), up close as well as at ridiculously long distances. The Lupo boasts a 22-inch free-floating BE.S.T.-treated Crio barrel, sculpted bolt with three locking lugs and a 60-degree bolt throw, adjustable trigger (2.2-4.4 pounds), two-piece Picatinny base, integral swivel studs, Combtech cheek pad and detachable box magazine. For true customizing and enhanced ergonomics, the Lupo also includes trigger-reach spacers and length-of-pull stock spacers (13.8-14.75 inch). Overall weight is just 7.4 pounds, and I am still hoping to own one soon. www.benelliusa.com