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Each SHOT Show brings new rifles of every type, style, and caliber, and we’ve seen some interesting ones over the years. We’ve seen booms in ARs and tactical rifles over the years — a trend that has influenced the style of hunting rifles, too. This year we’re noticing an excellent mix of tactical and precision-influenced rifles, but also some more traditional-style hunting rifles with wood stocks. When it comes to new rifles at SHOT Show, there are always the expected introductions. Still, some guns always manage to surprise us. With that in mind, I’ve scoured the field for some of the coolest, most interesting, and, what will likely be, the most popular rifles from SHOT Show 2024.
Rimfires from SHOT Show 2024
Hammerli Force B1
Tyler Freel
Highlights
- Straight-pull rimfire action
- Quick-change barrels (.22 LR .22 WMR)
- Uses Ruger 10/22 magazines
- Modular Stock
- MSRP: $641
New rifles from SHOT Show often include some unique and cool features. Under the ownership of Walther, Hammerli Arms is introducing the Force B1 rifle: a straight-pull rimfire that can be swapped between calibers in seconds. The rifle looks similar to the Volquartsen Summit, and has a 10/22-shaped receiver with a large bolt handle behind the ejection port. The receiver is magnum length, and standard .22 LR magazines can be fitted with a spacer to make them fill that space. I have a pre-release model, and the straight-pull action is incredibly handy and fast. The quick-change barrel is held in place with a lock ring, and threaded at the end for a suppressor. The polymer stock has a slick adjustment for length of pull and a rubber comb that can be reversed to raise the comb height. There are no iron sights on this rifle, but there is an integrated Picatinny rail for mounting an optic.
Christensen Arms MPR Rimfire
Tyler Freel
Highlights
- MPR chassis with folding stock, adjustable for length of pull and comb height
- FFT carbon-fiber float tube and comb piece
- Remington 700-pattern trigger
- Uses Ruger magazines
- MSRP: $1,250
Christensen Arms has seen good success with its Modern Precision Rifle and now the company is offering the MPR in a rimfire version. This is intended to be a rifle just as suited for small game as it is for competition. It employs an adjustable chassis with folding stock similar to Christensen Arms’ centerfire MPRs and a similar-looking carbon-fiber float tube and comb piece. The latter are made using Christensen Arm’s FFT process that results in an oriented-strand-board pattern of carbon-fiber pieces. It has a Remington 700 pattern trigger, integrated Picatinny rail atop the action, and a threaded muzzle. This new MPR uses Ruger magazines and comes in .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR.
Winchester Ranger 22
Tyler Freel
Highlights
- Billet aluminum receiver
- Tuned action for smooth operation
- Walnut stock and fore-end
- Trigger adjustable for overtravel
- MSRP: $419
New for SHOT Show 2024 from Winchester is its Ranger 22, a classic-styled lever gun that features walnut furniture and a hard anodized aluminum receiver. On the outside, the Ranger 22 resembles the old Ithaca Model 72 saddle gun that my dad had when I was a kid — the first gun I ever shot. It’s got a tubular magazine, hooded front sight, and a graduated-ramp adjustable rear sight. The trigger is adjustable for overtravel and the action has been tuned for smooth operation, requiring less force to cycle. One of the drawbacks of many lever-action .22 rifles has always been that the receivers can be a pain to clean — which can be troublesome with dirty, waxy .22 LR ammo. The Ranger 22 easily breaks apart into two halves to allow easy access and chamber-to-muzzle bore cleaning.
Centerfire Rifles From SHOT Show 2024
Smith & Wesson Model 1854
JJ Reich
Smith & Wesson 1854 Highlights
- Stainless steel and high-grade models
- Accessory and suppressor compatible
- Patterned after historic “Volcanic” lever action
- Introduced in .44 Rem Mag
- MSRP: $1,279
We all love a lever gun, and Smith & Wesson’s announcement of the new 1854 is sure to be one of the most talked-about rifles of SHOT Show 2024. Patterned after S&W’s first lever-action, the Volcanic, the 1854 is chambered in .44 Rem. Mag. with a capacity of 9+1 rounds. It’s stainless steel with synthetic furniture and packed with modern features, but a limited-edition blued/wood model will be available too. It comes with a gold bead front sight and adjustable XS Sights ghost ring and rail combo, making it optic-ready. It has a removable magazine tube for easy unloading, as well as a side gate for loading cartridges.
Beretta BRX1
Photo by Tyler Freel
Highlights
- True straight-pull, no handle rotation
- Interchangeable design for barrels/calibers
- Easily reversible ambidextrous bolt handle and ejection
- Magazine can be top loaded
- MSRP: $1,600
Straight-pull rifles have been trickling into the mainstream American hunting market, and Beretta’s new BRX1 is one of the most user-friendly and innovative that we’ve seen. In some ways it’s similar to other straight-pull rifles, but the first point of demarcation is that unlike designs where the handle actually rotates slightly to begin the pull, the Beretta’s bolt handle is fixed and the bolt comes straight back with ease. Another change is the use of a magazine that can be removed or easily loaded from the top while it’s in the action. The gun is ambidextrous and not only can the bold handle be swapped to accommodate a left-handed shooter, the bolt head can be easily reversed to eject cases from the left side of the action. The user can easily swap calibers, and each barrel has its own fixed Picatinny optics rail, so you won’t lose zero. It has a unique three-position tang-type safety that’s spring loaded and can’t be accidentally disengaged easily. It also comes in a carbon-barreled version, and you can find it at a street price of around $1,425.
Christensen Arms Evoke
Tyler Freel
Highlights
- Stainless steel action and barrel
- Three-lug proprietary bolt
- Cerakote finish
- Vertical grip stock with integrated Picatinny Rail
- MSRP: $900
Christensen Arms is known for integrating carbon fiber in their rifle barrels and components, but they’re going all steel with the new Evoke. I wouldn’t go as far as saying this is a budget model, but at $900, it’s firmly in the mid-priced rifles category—and more affordable than most of their higher-end models. With this gun, they aim to provide a premium quality rifle at a lower cost. The trade-off? It’s just heavier than their light carbon rifles, tipping the scales at about 7.7 pounds. The Evoke has a proprietary stainless steel three-lug action and bolt. At first glance, it looks reminiscent of the Remington 770 and it’s predecessor, the model 710. However, this is a solid stainless action, not a sleeved aluminum action, and has quite a lot of differences. That action is housed in a synthetic stock that features a “hybrid” grip angle that’s nearly vertical, and an integrated Picatinny rail up front. Like other Christensen rifles, it features an adjustable TriggerTech trigger and will be available in a variety of calibers.
Tyler Freel
Savage 110 Ultralite Elite
Highlights
- 5.8 pounds
- Savage 110 Ultralite skeletonized action
- Proof Research carbon-wrapped barrel
- MDT HNT26 chassis with folding stock
- MSRP: $3,300
We’ve seen several other light rifles adopt the MDT HNT26 chassis in the last year, and it’s great to see Savage take a stab with its Model 110 Ultralite action. Equipped with this light, folding chassis, the rifle weighs about 5.8 pounds and features an accurate carbon-wrapped barrel from Proof Research. Barrel length will vary between 18 and 20 inches depending on chambering, and it’s available in a variety of calibers from 6.5 CM through .300 Win. Mag., including a 7mm PRC. The 110 Ultralite Elite will come with a radial muzzle brake and uses AICS-pattern magazines and comes with a low-profile mag. This should be a light, compact rifle that serves the modern hunter well.
Sig Cross Magnum
Tyler Freel
Highlights
- Magnum action initially offered in .300 Win. Mag.
- Folding stock adjustable for length of pull and comb height
- Coyote-colored anodized receiver and ARCA float tube
- User-changeable, medium-contour stainless barrel
- 8.9 pounds
- MSRP: $2,500
The Cross has been a big hit since its 2020 introduction, which I covered in this video. This handy folding-stock rifle is user-friendly, accurate, and pretty modular, but shooters have been begging for a magnum version. Recently introduced, the Sig Cross Magnum comes initially in .300 Win. Mag., but its configuration makes changing barrels easy, and there’s no doubt that other calibers will be popping up shortly. I got an early sample of this rifle, and the magnum upgrade does increase the weight and footprint of the rifle. It has a 24-inch stainless-steel barrel that comes capped with a radial muzzle brake, but it’s suppressor-ready. The Cross Magnum comes with a PRS-style grip and the ambidextrous safety lever features a right-handed thumb rest. The two-stage match trigger is light, and the integrated ARCA rail makes this platform a perfect fit for a mobile tripod.
Marlin Dark Series 1895
Tyler Freel
Highlights
- Chambered in .45/70
- Alloy steel with black Cerakote finish
- Nylon-reinforced polymer stock, and aluminum handguard
- Threaded muzzle, M-Lok accessory attachment, and flush Q.D. sling swivel cups
- MSRP: $1,429
The Marlin Dark Series included some of the first production lever guns to lean into a more tactical feature set, including a threaded muzzle and Picatinny rail with a ghost ring sight. They were doomed under Freedom Group ownership, and now Ruger is drawing the Dark Series out of the ashes. We’ve tested several of Ruger’s new Marlin rifles and take a firm stance that they are the best Marlin rifles ever. We expect the same out of the Dark Series. It features not just the threaded muzzle and Picatinny rail, but a polymer stock with a nice comb and M-Lok segments for attaching accessories. The aluminum handguard also has these M-Lok slots. Both have flush Q.D. sling swivel cups. Up front, the rifle has a fiber-optic front sight and threaded muzzle (11/16-24) which includes a radial muzzle brake.
CZ 600 American
Tyler Freel
Highlights
- Turkish walnut stock
- Thin-profile, threaded barrel
- Blued-colored anti-corrosion finish
- Calibers ranging from .223 Rem. to .300 Win. Mag.
- MSRP: $800
Hunters longing for wood-stocked rifles have a few things to be happy about in recent years, and one of those is now the CZ 600 American. It’s one of the new rifles from SHOT Show that has a more traditional walnut stock. First introduced two years ago in synthetic range-style and laminated wood stocks, the CZ 600 is now available in a finely crafted Turkish walnut stock. It comes with a thin-profile barrel that’s threaded in 9/16-24, and feeds from a double-stack detachable magazine that fits flush with the bottom of the stock. I’ve been able to get a hold of an early sample, which has a nice single-stage trigger, great blued-colored anti-corrosion coating on the barrel and receiver, and unique vertical safety. This rifle is compatible with Remington 700 pattern scope bases and rings, and gives a nod to a more classic-style hunting rifle while incorporating modern features and performance. My sample in .308 has been shooting well so far, with the top 10 5-shot groups I’ve recorded averaging .99 inches. This rifle should be a great value for the $800 price tag.
Browning X-Bolt 2
Browning
Highlights
- Reconfigured receiver with additional bolt guidance for smoother operation
- Redesigned bolt with better ergonomics
- New adjustable DLX trigger set to hunting weights
- New Vari-Tech Stock
- MSRP: Starts at $1,499
The Browning X-Bolt has held its place as an excellent production action for many years now, and for a long while, we’ve only seen line extensions of the X-Bolt platform. The X-Bolt 2 comes with some key updates to the receiver, which allow even smoother, more reliable cycling. The bolt handle has also been redesigned for better ergonomics and easier operation. Finally, new X-Bolt 2 models will have adjustable DLX triggers. There are a number of models in this updated action, from a new Mountain Pro to target models that feature an external magwell for added capacity — something the X-Bolt lacked until last year. All models have a Cerakote finish and similar ergonomics and feature sets that you’ll find on the X-Bolts you already love.
Ruger American Generation II
John B. Snow
Highlights
- New modular stock
- Ambidextrous three-position safety
- Improved aesthetics
- MSRP: $729
The Ruger American has been one of the most successful budget hunting rifles of the last 10 years, so what should we expect out of this second generation? In short, the new Ruger American is better looking, cycles more smoothly, and has a nicer stock with user-adjustable comb and length of pull. The stock has a better finish and lines that are more refined than those of the standard, purely utilitarian Ruger American. The Gen II has a new three-position safety that locks the bolt in its most rearward position. This new generation rifle will cost a bit more, but it should deliver in performance and features — which include a handsome spiral-fluted barrel. Shooting editor John B. Snow got an early look at the rifle and found it to be quite accurate. You can read his full review of the Ruger American Generation II here.
Bergara Premier MgMicro Lite
Bergara
Highlights
- XLR Magnesium Atom chassis with folding stock
- CURE carbon barrel
- Starting at 5.8 pounds
- MSRP: $3,099
LIghtweight chassis rifles have a strong hold in the mountain rifle niche, where weight, size, and accessory compatibility are important categories. The latest from Bergara, the MgMicro Lite is one of the lightweight, precision-influenced rifles from SHOT Show. It houses the Bergara Premier action in an XLR Atom magnesium chassis that has a folding stock. It comes with an 18-inch CURE carbon-wrapped barrel that’s threaded ⅝-24 and chambered in .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5 PRC. It has weight-saving features like a hollow carbon-fiber grip and minimalist cheek piece, and starts at about 5.8 pounds. The action is finished with black Cerakote, and the bolt has a nitride finish to aid lubricity. The short fore-end of the chassis features a machined ARCA rail, and the action is fitted with a TriggerTech trigger.
Seekins Precision Havak Slam
Seekins Precision
Highlights
- Havak Element Action
- Offered in .308 Win., 6.5 PRC, and 7mm PRC
- Stock: Seekins SLAM chassis
- Allows extended cartridge OAL
- MSRP: $4,650
A leader in innovation with rifles like the Havak HIT, Seekins Precision is rolling out an ultralight chassis rifle in the Havak SLAM. The rifle uses the Havak Element action, but is housed in Seekins’s own SLAM chassis, which is of skeletonized aluminum construction, wrapped in hand-laid carbon fiber. It’s a chassis that’s designed from the ground up as a hunting platform, with great lines and a folding stock. The base weights for the rifle start at 5 pounds .5 ounce for the .308, and 5 pounds 4 ounces for the 6.5 PRC. The SLAM will be significantly more expensive than rifles like the HIT, but knowing Seekins, we expect its performance to justify its price tag.
Rise Armament Watchman XR
Highlights
- Chambered in .22 ARC
- 18-inch barrel
- Stiffened barrel nut/receiver connection
- New two-stage trigger
- MSRP: Not yet available
Rise Armament has been putting a lot of focus on triggers in recent years, and released a new Remington Model 700 trigger this year, but they’re also aiming to be among the first to get rifles in the new .22 ARC on store shelves. The Watchman is their AR-15 model, and the XR variant will have an 18-inch fluted barrel with a pinned gas block that resists movement during extended shooting sessions. It incorporates their most cutting edge AR lower parts like a new safety selector and a two-stage trigger that has a wonderfully crisp second stage wall. The model I examined on the SHOT Show floor had a Magpul PRS Lite stock and full-length Picatinny rail across the top of the receiver and rail. Given the recent release of the .22 ARC, this is one of the new rifles from SHOT Show 2024 that I can’t wait to get on the range.
Colt
Colt CBX Tachunter
Highlights
- Action similar to CZ 600
- Gray synthetic stock with pistol grip and adjustable comb
- .308 Winchester
- Uses AICS magazines
- MSRP: $1,000
Along the lines of the CZ 600 American, Colt is bringing the CBX Tachunter to SHOT show 2024. This is a line extension that follows Colt’s CBX rifle from last year, although it’s currently only offered in .308 Winchester. The Tachunter employs a synthetic stock with a vertical pistol grip and it appears to be adjustable for comb height and length of pull. The flat fore-end of the stock should ride nicely on a bag, and it has two sling swivel studs — one for mounting a bipod. The muzzle is threaded, but like the CZ 600 American, it has a 9/16-24 pitch, which will make it more difficult to find compatible suppressor mounts than the American standard ⅝-24.
Rossi R95 Triple Black
Rossi
Highlights
- .30/30 Winchester
- Alloy steel barrel and receiver with black oxide coating
- 16.5-inch barrel with threaded muzzle
- Picatinny Rail with peep sight and tall front sight
- MSRP: $1,287
Read Next: Holosun DRS Thermal Sight: First Look and Update on Availability
Following the 2023 launch of its R95 lever-action rifles in .30/30, Rossi is launching its Triple Black model. It resembles the early Marlin Dark series as launched under Remington, but with Rossi’s R95 action. This rifle is a 5+1 round .30/30 with a 16.5-inch barrel and a long integral Picatinny rail atop the alloy steel receiver. The furniture is wood, but painted in a blacked-out finish. The muzzle is threaded at a standard ⅝-24, and will accept standard muzzle brakes and suppressors. Though MSRP is a bit steep for this rifle, street price will be a few hundred bucks cheaper.
