Best Deer Hunting Rifles [Tested & Reviewed]

Get ready to hit the field with confidence as we peg down the best deer hunting rifles available right now.

Deer rifles are a lot like pickup trucks. They all work as advertised, but what you drive is not necessarily what your buddy drives, and your buddy swears his is the best.

The best deer rifle is one that you are confident with, one that suits your style of hunting and one that fits with the terrain where you hunt. Other factors like hunting regulations that dictate deer hunting rifle caliber and budget are also considerations.

With that said, here is my picks of the best deer hunting rifles available today.

How I Chose The Best Deer Hunting Rifle

Choosing the best deer rifle is difficult because nearly any rifle in a deer hunting caliber will work. When I review rifles specifically for deer hunting, accuracy, ease of use, reliability and ability to mount an optic are the more obvious elements I look for.

Other features play a role, too, like ergonomics; is the rifle comfortable to shoot? Can the length of pull be adjusted to compensate for a heavy hunting coat or a small statured hunter? Is the rifle easy to carry if I am still hunting or does the weight make me wonder if I should do more cardio? Can I easily attach a sling? Is the rifle available in a range of deer hunting calibers? Because the caliber I like for deer may not be your choice for deer.

Best Deer Hunting Rifles Specs Comparison

Model	Barrel Length (inches)	Overall Length (inches)	Weight (pounds)	Action	Caliber	Capacity	Twist Rate	Barrel Contour	Barrel Finish	Stock Material	Stock Finish	Barrel Thread	MSRP
Savage 110 Storm	22	43	7.45	Bolt Action	.30-05 Springfield	4+1	1:10″	Sporter	Stainless Steel	Polymer	Matte Black	None	$989
Winchester Model 70 Featherweight	22	42.25	6.75	Bolt Action	.308 Winchester	5+1	1:12″	Featherweight	Brushed Polished	American Black Walnut	Satin	None	$1,370
Marlin Model 1894 Classic	20.25	37.75	6.4	Lever Action	.44 Remington Magnum	10+1	1:20″	Medium	Satin Blued	American Black Walnut	Satin	None	$1,279
Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed	24	44	6.875	Bolt Action	6.5 PRC	3+1	1:7″	Sporter	Smoked Bronze Cerakote	Composite	Ovix	M13x0.75	$1,570
Howa Superlite	16.25	39	4.438	Bolt Action	.308 Winchester	3+1	1:10″	Sporter	Blued	Carbon Fiber	Kryptek Obskura Transitional	½”x28	$1,390
Mossberg Patriot	20	40.25	6.5	Bolt Action	.450 Bushmaster	4+1	1:24″	Sporter, Fluted	Cerakote Stainless Steel	Polymer	Matte Black	11/16″-24	$454
Ruger American	22	42	6.1	Bolt Action	.308 Winchester	4+1	1:10″	Sporter	Matte Black	Polymer	Matte Black	None	$600
Bergara B14 Ridge	20	39.5	7.4	Bolt Action	.308 Winchester	4+1	1:10″	No. 5 Contour	Graphite Black Cerakote	Polymer	Black Speckled Gray	1/2″-28	$999

Best Deer Hunting Rifles

Best All-Around Deer Rifle: Savage 110 Storm
Best Traditional Bolt-Action Deer Rifle: Winchester Model 70 Featherweight
Best Traditional Lever-Action Deer Rifle: Marlin Model 1894 Classic
Best Long Range Deer Rifle: Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed
Best Ultra-Light Deer Rifle: Howa Superlite
Best Straight Wall Bolt Action for Deer Hunting: Mossberg Patriot
Best Deer Rifle For About $500: Ruger American
Best Deer Rifle For About $1000: Begara B14 Ridge

Best All-Around Deer Rifle: Savage 110 Storm

110 Storm Specs
Barrel Length: 22″
Overall Length: 43″
Weight: 7.45 lbs.
Action: Bolt Action
Caliber: .30-06 Springfield
Capacity: 4+1
Twist Rate: 1:10″
Barrel Contour: Sporter
Barrel Finish: Stainless Steel
Stock Material: Polymer
Stock Finish: Matte Black
Barrel Thread: None
MSRP: $989

The 110 might be the most successful deer rifle ever devised. The Storm is the pinnacle of the Savage design.

The model brings the tried-and-true bolt-action into the 21^st century, offering deer hunters a truly modern option. Savage loads it up with all it’s Accu-upgrades—adjustable trigger, adjustable stock and internal aluminum chassis.

The last one is big in my book, given few if any hunting rifles at this price point offers anything close to this and it does its job. Furthermore, the barrel and action are made of stainless steel, which negates any environmental factors from wearing down the rifle.

My test rifle was chambered in .30-06 Springfield, which printed at or around an MOA with all ammunitions. Find what it likes to eat, and I’m certain you can print smaller than that.

Best Traditional Bolt Action Deer Rifle: Winchester Model 70 Featherweight

Barrel Length: 22″
Overall Length: 42.25″
Weight: 6.75 lbs.
Action: Bolt-Action
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Capacity: 5+1
Twist Rate: 1:12″
Barrel Contour: Featherweight
Barrel Finish: Brush Polished
Stock Material: American Black Walnut
Stock Finish: Satin
Barrel Thread: None
MSRP: $1,370

From the knurled bolt handle and checkered wood stock, the Winchester Model 70 Featherweight is nostalgic and reminds me of the rifles my dad, uncles, and their pals hunted deer with.

Its accuracy, in my experience, is not sub-MOA, but Winchester’s MOA trigger is crisp. The Model 70 come available just about any caliber you’d want for a deer rifle—old-school chamberings to modern. One warning, I promise you this is the rifle your kids will fight over when you are gone.

Best Traditional Lever Action Deer Rifle: Marlin Model 1894 Classic

Model 1894 Classic Spec
Barrel Length: 20.25″
Overall Length: 37.75″
Weight: 6.4 lbs.
Action: Lever-Action
Caliber: .44 Remington Magnum
Capacity: 10+1
Twist Rate: 1:20″
Barrel Contour: Medium
Barrel Finish: Satin Blued
Stock Material: American Black Walnut
Stock Finish: Satin
Barrel Thread: None
MSRP: $1,279

Luckily, Ruger used defibrillator paddles on the Marlin brand to bring it back to life. And for my money, the Classic series has that traditional blued steel and checkered wood stock look I love in a lever-action deer rifle. As a bonus, the resurrected 1894 can shoot—not MOA, but MOD (Minute of Deer). Hey, that’s all you need.

The rifle might not suit everyone’s needs, given it is chambered for what today are considered middling deer cartridges— .357 Remington Magnum, .44 Remington Magnum and .30-30 Winchester. But don’t let the this fool you, I find the .44 Mag., out of the 20.2-inch-long barrel to be a powerhouse and more than capable at traditional hunting distances. And if you need a follow-up shot, the 1894 delivers one in the blink of an eye.

Best Long Range Deer Rifle: Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed

X-Bolt 2 Speed Specs
Barrel Length: 24″
Overall Length: 44″
Weight: 6.875 lbs
Action: Bolt Action
Caliber: 6.5 PRC
Capacity: 3+1
Twist Rate: 1:7″
Barrel Contour: Sporter
Barrel Finish: Smoked Bronze Cerakote
Stock Material: Composite
Stock Finish: Ovix
Barrel Thread: M13x0.75
MSRP: $1,570

The Browning X-Bolt 2 Speed offers accuracy, a buttery-slick bolt with a 60-degree throw, enhanced safety features, and modern good looks.

I ran one chambered in 6.5 PRC and found it easily grouped the first three shots sub-MOA. My best group was 0.45 inches. The skinny barrel heats up, and after the fourth shot, groups go sideways, measuring slightly over 1 MOA.

The X-Bolt has the makings of a great Western hunt rifle, save for it’s weight. It’s a tad too heavy for my tastes, coming in at north of 7 pounds with an optic. Not exactly perfect for tramping three ridges back.

Best Ultra Light Deer Rifle: Howa Superlite

Superlite Specs
Barrel Length: 16.25″
Overall Length: 39″
Weight: 4.438 lbs.
Action: Bolt Action
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Capacity: 3+1
Twist Rate: 1:10″
Barrel Contour: Sporter
Barrel Finish: Blue
Stock Material: Carbon Fiber
Stock Finish: Kryptek Obskura Transitional
Barrel Thread: ½”x28
MSRP: $1,39

You can mortgage your house to buy an ultra-light deer rifle. Hence the reason I tried the Howa Superlite. This rifle uses the time-proven Howa 1300 action and a skinny pencil barrel mated to a carbon fiber stock. It comes in at an incredible 4.1 pounds.

I used one in .308 Winchester and did a double take through the spotting scope on the groups it printed. It carries a sub-MOA guarantee, which was easy to accomplish.

For some odds and ends, I like that the magazine is flush with the bottom of the stock, which makes the rifle easy and comfortable to carry.

Best Straight Wall Bolt Action for Deer Hunting: Mossberg Patriot

Patriot Specs
Barrel Length: 20″
Overall Length: 40.25″
Weight: 6.5 lbs.
Action: Bolt Action
Caliber: .450 Bushmaster
Capacity: 4+1
Twist Rate: 1:24″
Barrel Contour: Sporter, Fluted
Barrel Finish: Cerakote Stainless Steel
Stock Material: Polymer
Stock Finish: Matte Black
Barrel Thread: 11/16″-24
MSRP: $454

If you hunt in straight-wall cartridge country, the Mossberg Patriot is an economical choice. My favorite is .450 Bushmaster, though 350 Legend and 400 Legend are offered, too.

These rifles range from a plain, all-business blue with synthetic stock to a more traditional wood stock variant. The real bargains are the models with the factory mount Vortex scope.

All models come with a threaded barrel. You might want to consider adding a muzzle brake with the .450 Bushmaster chambering if you are recoil sensitive.

The one big downside of the rifle is the stock, which feels and look and feels plasticky.

Best Deer Rifle For ~$500: Ruger American Rifle

American Rifle Specs
Barrel Length: 22″
Overall Length: 42″
Weight: 6.1 lbs.
Action: Bolt Action
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Capacity: 4+1
Twist Rate: 1:10″
Barrel Contour: Sporter
Barrel Finish: Matte Black
Stock Material: Polymer
Stock Finish: Matte Black
Barrel Thread: None
MSRP: $600

Relatively light weight, a stock that’s impervious to the elements, and darn good accuracy, is what you get with the Ruger American. It comes in a truckload of different barrel lengths and stocks; the Standard model with the 22-inch barrel and black synthetic stock is all business.

It offers a lot of performance for the cost, and you won’t feel bad if you hunt it hard. I like the 70-degree bolt lift, which means my fingers don’t jam up against the eyepiece of my scope. The LimbSaver AirTech recoil pad sucks up recoil, especially with the more potent deer hunting calibers. I also like the flush fit magazine for comfortable carry.

Best Deer Rifle For ~$1000: Bergara B14 Ridge

B14 Ridge Specs
Barrel Length: 20″
Overall Length: 39.5″
Weight: 7.4 lbs.
Action: Bolt Action
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Capacity: 4+1
Twist Rate: 1:10″
Barrel Contour: No. 5 Contour
Barrel Finish: Graphite Black Cerakote
Stock Material: Polymer
Stock Finish: Black Speckled Gray
Barrel Thread: 1/2″-28
MSRP: $999

The B14 action and Bergara barrels have been proving themselves since 2014. While I think any B14 series bolt-action is a good choice for a deer rifle, I lean toward the B14 Ridge because of the medium taper barrel that gives the barrel more rigidity and adds a bit of weight to the rifle.

The fixed magazine means no fumbling and dropping a detachable magazine from a tree stand. Don’t ask how I know. I like the B14 actions so much that I’m building a rifle with one of Bergara’s barreled actions.

Versatile ARs For Deer Hunting

If you already have an AR-15, the modular aspect of the AR-15 means you can swap the upper receiver and change out the magazine to a caliber suitable for deer hunting. AR15 upper caliber choices like 300 BLK, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 350 Legend, 400 Legend, and .450 Bushmaster are good caliber choices for deer hunting with the AR15 platform.

Lightweight Deer Rifle vs. Heavy Deer Rifle

Lightweight rifles are easier to carry, especially during long hikes in and out of the woods and up and down hills. They are easier to maneuver in a tree stand, blind, or dense brush. The downside with light-weight deer rifles is that they can generate more felt recoil and they don’t settle down as fast as a heavier rifle. The advantage of heavy rifles is that they are steadier, which is important for shots at longer ranges. The downside with heavier rifles is that the weight can tire you out, especially over long distances, and they can be a liability in dense brush since they are less nimble when you need to make a snap shot.