Buying a rifle is easy once you know three things: what you will use it for, which action fits that job, and which caliber gets it done without beating you up. Work through these steps and you will walk out of the gun shop with the right rifle.
Step 1: Decide what it is for
Deer, hogs, varmints, targets, home defense or a little of everything. The job decides the action, the caliber and the optic.
- Quick answers to common questions are in the Rifle F.A.Q..
- Brand new to shooting? A rimfire or air rifle is the cheapest way to build skill.
Step 2: Choose your action
Bolt, lever, semi-auto, pump or single shot. Each has a personality, a price range and a job it does best.
- See them side by side in Rifle Types.
- Go deeper on Bolt Action Rifles, Lever Action Rifles and AR15 Style Rifles.
Step 3: Match a caliber
Pick a cartridge with enough power for the game, recoil you can handle and ammo you can actually find on the shelf.
- Popular rounds compared in Rifle Calibers.
- Shopping for ammo: Ammo Buyers Guide.com.
Step 4: Add an optic and set it up
A good scope or red dot, solid mounts, a sling and a case turn a rifle into a complete setup.
- Start with Rifle Optics and Rifle Accessories.
- See a real-world example in our Ruger American Rifle review.
Go further
- Pick the right rifle for the game in Hunting Rifles.
- Build your skills with Rifle Shooting Basics and Long Range Shooting.
- Keep it running with Rifle Cleaning and Care.
- Meet the makers on Rifle Manufacturers and follow the history on the Rifle Timeline.
- Collect a piece of history with Military Surplus Rifles.
Safety first
Watch and Learn
Videos from the Gun Websites YouTube channel.
Treat every rifle as loaded, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and know what is behind your target. Rifle bullets travel a long way, so a safe backstop matters every time you shoot.