New regulations allowing straight-wall rifle cartridges in previously shotgun-only deer-hunting states have not only spawned new cartridges like the 350 and 400 Legend; they have also inspired a lot of new rifles. Just a decade ago, straight-wall-cartridge rifles were mostly limited to lever guns, but now there are lever guns, bolt guns, single shots, and semi-automatic rifles, chambered for a wider variety of straight-wall cartridges.
And hunters are flocking to them. The reason is simple: Rifles that fire straight-wall cartridges shoot with better precision than most shotguns and muzzleloaders. Below, I’ve selected what I think are 10 of the best rifles chambered for straight-wall cartridges. They range in price from less than $500 to more than five times that, and they come in four different action styles. So, regardless of the type of rifle you might prefer, one of guns on this list should be perfect for you when it comes to stalking the timber or taking a stand in any straight-wall state.
Best Overall: Ruger American Gen II Ranch
Best Value: Mossberg Patriot Predator
Best Lever-Action: Marlin Dark
Best Semi-Automatic: Stag Arms Stag 15 Pursuit
Rest of the Best
Best Overall: Ruger American Gen II Ranch
Ruger American Gen II Ranch Bolt-Action Rifle
During our 2024 rifle test, we picked the standard version of the new Ruger American Gen II as the year's best-value rifle. The Ranch version of this gun has all the same valuable features, like an adjustable stock with patented Power Bedding and a Cerakote finish on the metal, but it's available in three straight-wall chamberings: the 450 Bushmaster, 350 Legend, and 400 Legend. All three also come with a 16-inch barrel. The 450 Bushmaster version feeds from a proprietary single-stack magazine, but the 350 and 400 Legend versions feed from AR15-style magazines. The gun comes with Ruger’s Marksman adjustable trigger, a threaded muzzle and a muzzle brake, and a Picatinny scope rail already installed.
The Gen II Ranch is my pick for Best Overall because it's everything most hunters want in a straight-wall rifle: it gives you a choice of several cartridges; it has a lot of smart and useful features, it's accurate (just about every Ruger American rifle I've tested has shot well); it's perfectly suited for hunting with a suppressor; and it's affordable. Just as with the standard American Gen II, the retail price is only $729, and you can usually find it for less.
Related: Best Rifles of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Best Value: Mossberg Patriot Predator
A lot of rifles designed for straight-wall cartridges have very short barrels. This can be beneficial in some instances, especially in the confines of a cramped blind or when using a suppressor. But short barrels limit velocity, and one thing that’s common to straight-wall cartridges is that they do not have much velocity to spare. The Mossberg Patriot Predator is available in longer barrel lengths and comes chambered in 450 Bushmaster, 350 Legend, and 400 Legend. Several versions of the rifle retail for between $482 to $735. I like the most expensive version, which is only available from Lipsey’s. It weighs right at 7 pounds, has a laminated wood stock, Mossberg’s LBA trigger, a spiral-fluted bolt, and a 22-inch barrel. The rifle is finished in stainless Cerakote and feeds from a very reliable polymer magazine. Still, this rifle is my choice for Best Value because the standard model, with synthetic stock, is a very solid rifle and a great deal for around $450. A Bantam model goes for $529, and a walnut-stocked version is $690.
Best Lever-Action: Marlin Dark
This unique lever-action rifle has a synthetic stock with a snap-on comb adjustment that allows you to obtain a great shooter interface with open sights or a riflescope. The M-Lok aluminum forend/handguard is also unique on a lever gun, and it lets you use QD sling attachments and is compatible with a wide range of adapters to work with a bipod or a tripod. Another cool feature is the fully adjustable aperture sight combined with the long Picatinny scope rail that allows you to optimize your sighting options. A threaded muzzle and radial-port muzzle break are standard. Currently the rifle is only available in 45-70 Government, but 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum versions are slated for release. This will give you three straight-wall-cartridge options in one a one-on-a-kind and extremely versatile lever-action rifle.
Best Semi-Automatic: Stag Arms Stag 15 Pursuit
To increase sales to hunters, some manufactures of AR15-style rifles simply started chambering their current and tactical-styled AR15s for the 350 Legend. Stag Arms took a different approach and purpose-built a full line of AR15 rifles just for hunters. Their Stag 15 Pursuit is finished in bronze Cerakote and is fitted with an adjustable CTR stock that has a leather pad covering the comb. It also has a TriggerTech trigger, a Magpul K2+ grip, a 13.5-inch M-Lok compatible handguard, a lifetime transferable warranty, and an infinite-shot barrel guarantee. What really sets the Stag 15 Pursuit apart from other AR15 rifles chambered for the 350 Legend is that it comes in a right- or left-hand configuration. Suggested retail is $1600.
Rest of the Best
Christensen Arms Evoke
This brand-new rifle from Christensen Arms is built around a proprietary action that features a six-lug bolt with a 60° throw. The action is attached to a #4 contour, button-rifled and free-floated barrel that’s threaded at 5/8x24 and comes with a stainless-steel RFR side-port muzzle brake. The Evoke is available in 350 Legend with an 18-inch barrel. The lightweight, synthetic stock has a short section of Picatinny rail at the forend. An adjustable TriggerTech trigger factory set with a 3-pound pull is standard, and the action is drilled and tapped for scope mounts designed for Savage Model 10/110 rifles. The Evoke weighs in at about 7.5 pounds, comes with a sub-MOA precision guarantee, and retails for only $899. In the end, it's a lot of gun for money from a company that's known for producing high-end precision rifles.
Ruger Scout Rifle
A Scout Rifle is a concept rifle envisioned by Gunsite Academy founder Jeff Cooper. He intended it as a general-purpose rifle and suggested it be chambered for the 308 Winchester. Modern renditions of the Scout Rifle have morphed into more specialized guns and have strayed from the original concept. Ruger’s Scout Rifle, which is available in 450 Bushmaster or 350 Legend is a perfect example—and a very good gun. In both short-wall chamberings, the Ruger Scout is a compact bolt-action less than a meter long that weighs about 6.5 pounds. It has a short, 16-inch barrel, a fully adjustable aperture sight, and a barrel-mounted rail to facilitate scout scope or red-dot mounting. Both are handy, well-built rifles that feed from a detachable box magazine and come with a threaded muzzle and a brake. Prices range from $1479 to $1559.
Related: Best Deer Rifles of 2024
Henry Steel Lever Action
Henry Repeating Arms is the place to go if you want a rifle chambered for the straight-walled 360 Buckhammer, which essentially replicates the ballistics of the famous 35 Remington. Henry offers six rifles—three single shots and three lever guns—in 360 Buckhammer, and their Steel Lever Action is the most traditional and our pick of the litter. It weighs in at 7 pounds, has a 20-inch barrel, and is 39 inches long. It’s outfitted with an American walnut stock and is drilled and tapped for a scope. A bead front sight and a fully adjustable buckhorn rear sight are standard. Unlike Marlin and Winchester lever-action rifles that you must unload by cycling the action, this rifle can be unloaded through the magazine tube, which holds five cartridges for an overall capacity of 5+1. Suggested retail price is $1088.
Wilson Combat Recon Tactical
Don’t let this rifle’s name fool you. Though it sounds like a rifle used by a high speed, low drag, military assault squads, it is well configured for hunters and can be chambered for the 350 Legend and the 450 Bushmaster. In either chambering, the rifle comes with a 16-inch match-grade and threaded barrel and weighs in at about 6.5 pounds. The rifle is also fitted with Wilson Combat’s TTU trigger, a premium bolt carrier assembly, a Wilson/Rodgers Super-Stoc, an M-Lok handguard, and the upper and lower receivers are machined from barstock. You can also choose from various Armor-Tuff camo finishes in various camo patterns. The Recon Tactical can be built to meet California-compliant specifications, and prices start at $2,575.
CVA Scout TD
This is not a true Scout Rifle, but it is a very convenient and lightweight, takedown single-shot rifle that’s available in 350 Legend, 450 Bushmaster, 45-70 Government, 44 Magnum, and 444 Marlin. It’s also offered in 35 Whelen, and although this one is not a straight-wall cartridge, it is allowed for special seasons in some locations. The weight of this rifle varies from around 6.5 pounds to a much as 8.8 pounds depending on the chambering. In the lighter weights especially, it's handy single-shot rifle with a DuraSight scope rail, and it is also a tool-free take-down rifle that has a threaded muzzle and comes with a radial-port muzzle brake. Its best feature is its affordability. At only $435, it is the least expensive rifle on this list.
Lipsey’s Winchester 1885 High Wall Hunter
This rifle offers no practical advantage for the hunter over any other gun on this list. It’s included here simply because it is just so damned cool. It’s only offered through Lipsey’s and in only one straight-wall cartridge—the 38-55 Winchester. It has a 28-inch octagonal barrel and is fitted with a bead front sight, a rear folding leaf barrel sight, and a folding tang sight. The rifle has a gloss blue finish and a checkered grade III/IV walnut forend and butt stock with a crescent, steel butt plate. It is a gorgeous and classic single-shot rifle that harkens back to a time when rifle marksmanship required uncommon skill. This rifle might handicap you a little when compared to more modern offerings, but it will be the talk of the campfire, and all the other hunters will wish they had one too. Retail price is $1870.
Straight-Wall Cartridges and Legality
All but four states allow straight-wall cartridges for deer hunting. Beyond that fact, things can get a bit complicated, because within some states regulations can vary. Straight-wall cartridges include options like the 357 Magnum, 350 Legend, 360 Buckhammer, 38-55/375 Winchester, 400 Legend, 405 Winchester, 44 Magnum, 444 Marlin, 45-70 Government, 450 Marlin, 450 Bushmaster, 460 S&W Magnum, 500 S&W Magnum, and the 50 Beowulf. However, different states have different straight-wall requirements relating to bullet diameter and case and cartridge length. So, it’s imperative to check state and local regulations to make sure you’re hunting within the law.
How to Choose the Right Straight-Wall-Cartridge Rifle for You
The thing about straight-wall cartridges is that they all have slow to moderate velocities and uninspiring rainbow like trajectories. This is, of course, the reason why they’re allowed in the states that permit them. Given their similarities in performance, you’re probably better off to select the rifle that best fits you, the way you hunt, and your budget, and then choose between the cartridges available for that model. The good news is that no matter your heart’s desire, there are now straight-wall-cartridges rifles that will fill any need.
By the way, you don’t have to hunt in a straight-wall cartridge location to hunt with a straight-wall cartridge. Even though these cartridges have limited reach, they can be very effective for most of the deer hunting most deer hunters do. In fact, in some situations, especially with young or inexperienced hunters who may be recoil sensitive, a straight-wall cartridge rifle might be one of the best options. The straight-wall cartridge revolution has brought with it a larger and more diverse selection of rifles for not just deer hunters, but for big-game hunters all over America and even the world.
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