Rifles

Ruger's M77 Mark II Target in .25-06 and Winchester's M70 Coyote in .25 WSSM cut it, but Weatherby's .257 WM Vanguard Sub-MOA didn't live up to its accuracy-defining name.

The Five Seven pistol is lightweight and accurate, and we like it, though it shoots the small 5.7x28mm cartridge. For rifle-accuracy upgrades, check out Don Bower's handiwork.

We tested four rifles suitable for use by young shooters, and in two cases, our evaluators came away very disappointed.

We test rifles with this action type: JLD's .308 PTR-91, Vector Arms' V-53 in .223, and the 9mm BW-5 from Bobcat Weapons.

Thinking of trying long-distance shots? Savage Arms makes it reasonably affordable. Roger David's Gun Shop makes it special.

Clark's 10/17 and Volquartsen's Deluxe were tack-drivers, but Briley's Sporter had problems.

The U.S. fought two World Wars with the 1903 Springfield and 1917 Enfield. We test two samples to see if they're sound enough to shoot and add to your collection.

Planning a trip to Africa, and want to take only one rifle? You won't go wrong with a good .416 Rigby, but as it turns out, you don't have a lot of choices in available rifles. We did a cursory web search for rifles chambered in the old (1912) and versatile round, and found darned little There were a few used rifles, and some costly customs. We went to the source, only to find that a brand-new John Rigby & Co. bolt-action in .416 Rigby will set you back a cool $23,500. CZ offers its 550 Safari Magnum in two versions, the American and the European. Ruger chambers its No. 1 in that caliber in a variety of finishes. Some time back we examined a bolt-action Ruger in that caliber, and we found it to be a pretty good rifle with some limitations. Dakota builds a gorgeous .416 Rigby bolt rifle, clearly a nod to tradition, because there is also a .416 Dakota caliber. In times long past, Kimber offered a fine .416 Rigby, and with luck, it may not be too many years until the new iteration of that company offers a .416 Rigby.

Want something a bit different in your next AR-15? Robinson's modular M96 goes head to head with Bushmaster's Bullpup.

We put two of the newest small-bore centerfires — Ruger's .204 and the .223 WSSM — against one of the oldest cartridges, the .22-250 Remington, and found out the old dog can hunt.

We test two tactical-ready .308s in a continuing shoot-off of rifles whose design maximizes accuracy and precision. Winner: FN's awesome new Special Police Rifle.

There are many good arguments that can be made that .30-caliber rifles, no matter their intensity, are not as good for general hunting as a larger-bore rifle. The grand old master of firearms, Elmer Keith, thought that a rifle of .338 caliber would be far better than any .30 as an all-around rifle for most North American hunting. The grand old .318 Westley Richards, which threw a 250-grain bullet of .330-inch diameter at 2400 fps, won a reputation second only to the .375 H&H Magnum as one of the finest all-around cartridges for Africa's medium game. This cartridge was very similar to Keith's .333 OKH and to the .338-06. Clearly Keith was right on track.

The .338-caliber cartridges are one "notch" above the .30s (avoiding the 8mms). There are many fine bullets available in that caliber for reloaders, and in loaded ammunition as well. The generally available calibers are the .338 Winchester Magnum, the .340 Weatherby, and the new Remington .338 Ultra Mag. There are other .338 cartridges, one of the best being the .338-06, but no major factory has yet adopted that cartridge, despite many rumors. Wildcatters offer various other .338s, but none of them are on your dealer's shelves.