For hunters wanting maximum features at a fair price, the Ruger American Gen II Ranch excels with its adjustable trigger and suppressor-ready design. Budget-conscious hunters should consider the Mossberg Patriot Predator with its longer barrel for better velocity. Lever-action traditionalists will find the Marlin Dark offers classic handling, while the Stag Arms Stag 15 Pursuit provides semi-automatic capability for quick follow-up shots.
- Ruger American Gen II Ranch offers best overall value with adjustable stock, Cerakote finish, and choice of three straight-wall chamberings at $729 retail.
- Mossberg Patriot Predator features longer barrels that maximize velocity from straight-wall cartridges that don’t have much velocity to spare.
- Marlin Dark provides traditional lever-action handling for hunters who prefer classic rifle operation.
- Short barrel designs common in straight-wall rifles limit velocity on cartridges that already lack speed compared to traditional rifle rounds
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 you can have a straight-wall rifle in just about any type of rifle you want.
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 the the best rifles chambered for straight-wall cartridges in 2026. They range in price from around $500 to a little more than $2,500, 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.
Rest of the Best
best overall
Ruger American Gen II Ranch
During our rifle test, we picked the standard version of the Ruger American Gen II as the year’s best-value rifle. The Ranch version of this gun has all the same valuable features, including 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 here 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. As with the standard American Gen II, the retail price is only $769, and you can usually find it for less.
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 from $553 to $788. 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.
best Lever-Action
Marlin 1895 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 rifle scope. 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 available in 45-70 Government, 357 Magnum and 44 Magnum, giving 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 $1,600.
best traditional
Winchester Model 94 Trails End Takedown
While special straight-wall deer hunting regulations are relatively new, straight-wall cartridges and rifles that shoot them are not. This works our well for anyone who loves to hunt with a classic deer rifle. Winchester offers several, of course, but my favorite is their Model 94 Trails End Takedown. This rifle is available chambered for two straight-wall cartridges—the 38-55 Winchester and the 450 Marlin. Both come with a 20-inch barrel, and both rifles have a thick rubber butt pad to help with the punch both cartridges can deliver to the shoulder. The Trails End Takedown comes with adjustable open sights, a walnut stock, and deep, dark bluing. But what’s really cool about this rifle is that it comes apart for easy transport to the field and even to the stand. Suggested retail price is $1749.99.
Rest of the Best
Ruger American Gen II Scout
A Scout Rifle may be the most misunderstood rifle every invented, but at its heart it is a general-purpose rifle. Though typically chambered in 308 Winchester, many modern renditions are offered in other chamberings, and the new Ruger American Gen II Scout can be had in 350 Legend. This is a compact bolt-action that’s less than a meter long and weighs 6.5 pounds. It has the features of the standard Ruger American Gen II, but it comes with a short, 16-inch barrel, a fully adjustable aperture sight, and a barrel-mounted rail to facilitate scout-scope or red-dot mounting. The rifle feeds from a detachable box magazine and come with a threaded muzzle and flash hider. The best thing about this very versatile rifle is that it retails for less than a grand.
Related: Best Deer Rifles of 2026
Henry SPD CRUSR Rifle
This is a special rifle from Henry that comes out of the Special Products Division, hence the “SPD” name. It is chambered in 45-70 Government and comes with a 16.5-inch stainless-steel, carbon-fiber, tension-wrapped threaded barrel. The rifle—actually a carbine—is only 35.25 inches long and all the metal work is finished in midnight blue Cerakote. It has a short Picatinny rail for optics mounting with an integral and adjustable ghost-ring sight. The receiver is also drilled and tapped for scope rings. The butt stock is synthetic with a Dirty Brown finish and the aluminum forend with M-Lok slots is color matched. One of only two factory lever guns with a carbon fiber barrel, The SPD CRUSR Rifle has a very business-like look but it’s not cheap. Suggested retail is $2,475.
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 $2,524.
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 seven straight-wall cartridges to include the 350 Legend, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend, 450 Bushmaster, 45-70 Government, 44 Magnum, and 444 Marlin. 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, it’s an especially 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 $554, it is one of the least expensive rifles on this list.
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-cartridge 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.
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.
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