How to Choose a Hunting Rifle: Everything You Need to Know

Did you know that there are more than 15 million hunters in the US today? While hunting and fishing have slightly declined in popularity in recent years, they’re still some of the most popular past times in the country. And it’s easy to see why.

Hunting and fishing offer you the ability to bond with your friends and family, explore the great outdoors, and end the day with a rewarding meal that you hunted yourself.

If you’re trying to choose a hunting rifle, it can be a daunting prospect. Luckily for you, we put together this guide for how to choose your next rifle. Read on to learn how to do it!

Consider Your Stature

Recoil can seriously impact the amount of fun you have on your hunting trip. It’s hard to want to hunt when your gun knocks you over every shot you take. Not to mention the fact that this can be very dangerous.

So, be sure to consider your size when shopping for a gun. The smaller and lighter you are, the shorter your weapon should be.

But, be sure you’re not going too light. The lighter the gun the more recoil you’ll experience. So, opt for a gun with a shorter stock but a comfortable gun weight.

If you’re not sure, it’s worth going to the gun range and trying a few out. The perfect stock can have you firing high-powered shots without all the recoil.

Action Type

Consider how you want to reload to your weapon. A simple bolt action rifle is probably the easiest and most affordable. Since you don’t need to fire out lots of shots at a time, it doesn’t matter how quickly you reload.

So, a bolt action is totally fine if you’re looking to save a few bucks. But, you can also opt for single-shot rifles or even semi-automatic weapons. And because some types of ARs are easy to adjust, they can make solid options for hunting rifles.

Check out this site for more information about these types of guns.

Do Your Research

When comparing hunting rifle brands online, it can be difficult to gauge the quality and performance of each gun. For that reason, it’s essential to read online customer reviews. Real customers are the only way to effectively tell how reliable and durable a gun will be.

Try to filter reviews by hunters of a similar stature and experience level, so you get a better sense of what will work with you.

Consider these reviews when you’re comparing rifle prices. Where you might be saving a few bucks, you might be losing out on performance. So, think about what hunting rifle features are important to you and see the feedback of other hunters.

Choose a Hunting Rifle Today

With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to your next favorite gun. As long as you consider your size, experience, budget, and important features, you’ll be able to choose a hunting rifle that never lets you down.

For more tips for the outdoorsman, check out our blog!