This year was expected to be a quiet one for gun sales. We have a pro-gun administration in Washington and the market has an enormous inventory of ARs, a platform at risk of buyer fatigue. Then along came regulatory reinterpretations from—of all places—BATFE, and suddenly we began to witness the phenomena of short, smoothbore “any other weapons” and semi-automatic pistols with shoulder-mountable arm braces.
Below are some of the all-new rifles on the market, from bolt-actions to modern sporting guns that emerged onto the industry scene in 2018. Take a look at these rifles to see which one stands out to you:
American Built Arms .22 Chassis Rifle Designed and manufactured in the U.S., this lightweight chassis rifle is perfect for practice and plinking for shooters of all ages. The chassis is made from 6061 T6 aluminum and the rifle features a heavy bull barrel.
Caliber:.22 LR Magazine Capacity:7 rounds Barrel Length:16.5 inches Overall Length:30.75 to 34 inches Weight:6 pounds MSRP:$599 (443) 310-8777 abarms.com
Black Rain Ordnance BRO .458 SOCOM Rifle Chambered in the big-bore .458 SOCOM, this hard-hitting AR is loaded with premium components and can be easily configured for home defense or hunting.
Brownells BRN-10A Though some don’t realize it, the original chambering of the AR platform was 7.62 NATO back in the 1950s. It was only when ArmaLite’s “afterthought” 5.56 NATO-caliber rifle was embraced by foreign militaries that it went to the forefront.
Brownells BRN-601 Designed to be a close copy of the rifle that so impressed Gen. Curtis LeMay, the BRN-601 has the green furniture of the USAF contract rifle. This was the early version of the ArmaLite rifle used in the Vietnam War.
Bushmaster 450 SD It makes sense that Bushmaster would introduce a carbine chambered in the eponymous .450 Bushmaster. There’s also a rifle variant with a fixed stock, and both variants offer Hogue grips and a muzzle brake built to tame the big-bore round.
Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle The Modern Precision Rifle takes advantage of a 100-percent proprietary chassis built with premium aerospace materials to assure maximum potential accuracy. The rifle is available in several popular longe-range calibers, including short-action 6.5 PRC and .308 Win., and long-action .300 Norma Mag. and .338 Lapua Mag.
CMMG Inc. Mk4 DTR2 224 Valkyrie With the introduction of the 224 Valkyrie, CMMG set out to build the ideal rifle that could take full advantage of the long-range characteristics of this new round from Federal Premium.
Cobalt Kinetics BAMF XL Overwatch PRS Offering a choice of four foundation and accent colors, a premium trigger and a host of other upgrades and top-shelf options, the BAMF XL Overwatch PRS rifle needs only a riflescope to get out in the field and make your mark at long range.
DoubleStar STAR10-BX Also available in .260 Rem., the STAR10-BX offers a good example of the AR platform versatility without unwanted bulk. A Samsom 15-inch Evolution fore-end provides welcome adaptability, allowing you to add accessories as the situation dictates.
DPMS MOE Warrior More than a mere MilSpec M4 carbine, the MOE Warrior features some of the most popular aftermarket accessories, resulting in a factory-tricked-out AR at an attractive price. Best of all, the MOE SL handguard accepts M-Lok attachments.
FN America FN 15 Tactical Carbine FDE P-Lok Featuring a MilSpec lower receiver, a match-grade, freefloat, chrome-lined, cold hammer-forged barrel and a mid-length gas system, this carbine promises to be super reliable and accurate.
Franchi Momentum Franchi’s first rifle, the bolt-action Momentum offers numerous popular chamberings in three distinct configurations. The cold-hammer-forged, chrome-moly barrel is freefloated for superior accuracy and has an easy-to-maintain matte finish.
Howa Australian Precision Chassis Rifle Specially designed to fill the needs of modern-day precision shooters, the APC rifle can be adjusted to fit individuals and is easily customizable by the end user.
Howa MiniAction Chassis Rifle This all-new design blends the short-throw and unique cartridge compatibility of the company’s MiniAction system along with a flexible and adjustable chassis system for customization.
IWI US Tavor 7 The popular Tavor bullpup gets a power boost with its newest model chambered in 7.62 NATO. It is fully ambidextrous—ejection direction can easily be switched by the user—and the charging handle can be locked back without the use of the bolt catch.
Kel-Tec RDB-C Designed as a compact, take-anywhere rifle ideal for right- or left-handed shooters, the RDB-C features a 20.5-inch, threaded barrel for accuracy and maintains the ability to mount a sound suppressor.
Kimber Advanced Tactical SOC II (FDE) Built by hand and featuring a host of options designed to custom-fit the rifle to the operator, the Advanced Tactical SOC II comes with a sub-.5 MOA guarantee. That’s confidence in the company’s product right there.
Lithgow Arms LA105 Woomera Also known as the “Woomera,” the Aboriginal word for “spear thrower,” the LA105 was constructed with input and advice from experienced snipers in both the U.S. and Australian military.
LWRCI IC-DI 224 Valkyrie LWRCI’s SIX8 has long been the gold standard for 6.8 SPC ARs, so a new rifle chambered in the new 6.8 SPC-case-based 224 Valkyrie was a no-brainer. Loaded with performance-enhancing features, this rifle should squeeze every bit of performance from the hottest new cartridge of 2018.
LWRCI IC-DI MKII Target Chambered in .223 Wylde for optimum performance with either .223 Rem. or 5.56 NATO ammunition and sporting a cold-hammer-forged, NiCorr-treated barrel, this rifle promises enhanced accuracy in most any situation.
LWRCI REPR MKII 6.5 Creedmoor Elite From its carbon-fiber barrel to its Geissele trigger and fully ambidextrous controls (including the charging handle), everything about this rifle is ultra-high end. It should be no problem at all to achieve sub-MOA accuracy with this version of the REPR in 6.5 Creedmoor.
Mossberg MVP Precision For 2018, Mossberg redesigned its MVP Precision rifle, giving it an all-new chassis design and greater flexibility in magazine feeding, thanks to its compatibility with all AR-15-style magazines.
Remington 700 Magpul Enhanced rifle Detachable-box magazine, upgraded Magpul furniture, heavy barrel and a bipod? Remington’s new 700 Magpul Enhanced now comes in 6.5 Creedmoor, needing only an optic to get you well on your way to long-range success.
Remington Model Seven Threaded Weighing in at a featherweight 5 ½ pounds, the Model Seven Threaded is the lightest rifle in Remington’s lineup. Available in .300 BLK in addition to .308 Win., the threaded, 16.5-inch barrel is a prime candidate for sound suppression.
Rise Armament 1121XR in 6.5 Creedmoor Designed to improve the performance of a heavy-caliber gas gun without unnecessary weight, the 6.5 Creedmoor-caliber exploits the potential of that round in a proven operating system from a company known for precision. Rise incorporates many of company’s premium components in building the 1121XR rifle.
Rock Island Armory M22 TCM Tactical Rock Island Armory’s latest offering blends the company’s popular .22 TCM cartridge with its M22 TCM rifle. The result is a practical pairing whether your goal is plinking or predator eradication, capable of delivering a 40-grain projectile in excess of 2,800 fps. Best of all, it can accept RIA’s 17-round .22 TCM 1911 magazine for even more trigger time.
Ruger 10/22 Target Lite Featuring an attractive laminate stock and a heavy bull barrel, the Target Lite sports numerous upgrades for your rimfire target shooting enjoyment. It even comes drilled and tapped for a scope rail, with standard .22-style rails and a Picatinny rail included.
Ruger PC Carbine For those who want their carbine and handgun to share the same magazines and ammo, Ruger’s latest PC carbine has the answer. In addition to boasting a takedown design, it ships with interchangeable magazine well inserts for use with select Ruger and Glock magazines.
Ruger Precision Rimfire This precision-based turnbolt is built on a one-piece, molded chassis and paired with a fully adjustable buttstock, a cold-hammer-forged target barrel for uncompromising accuracy and 30-MOA Picatinny scope base suggests this ain’t your run-of-the-mill rimfire.
Sabatti Urban Sniper Built for competition or precision performance in a shorter package, the Urban Sniper brings Sabatti quality to the attention of American shooters. Available in both .308 Win. and 6.5 Creedmoor, the rifle incorporates an adjustable composite stock and optics-mounting options.
Savage Model 10 GRS Built for long-distance precision, this rifle boasts several accuracy-enhancing features including a fully adjustable GRS stock, a button-rifled fluted heavy barrel and the popular user-adjustable Savage AccuTrigger. Other chamberings include 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win.
Savage Model 110 Tactical With AccuFit Precision and adaptability come together in the Savage Model 110 Tactical With AccuFit. The stock allows shooters to quickly adjust comb height and length-of-pull by securing the action three-dimensionally along its entire length, without sacrificing comfort or accuracy.Other chamberings include 6 mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor.
Savage MSR 15 Recon Long Range Precision How do you improve upon a precision-based MSR? The addition of an adjustable gas block and a longer barrel add to the rifle’s reliability and its already impressive accuracy thanks to its 5R rifling.Best of all, the Savage is also available in 6.8 SPC and 22 Nosler.
Savage MSR 15 Valkyrie Designed for maximum performance from an MSR platform with the new 224 Valkyrie cartridge, this rifle is capable of delivering supersonic velocities at distances of 1,300 yards with extremely flat trajectories and, of course, the match-grade accuracy you have come to expect from the Savage brand.
SIG Sauer M400 SDI VTAC Adding to SIG’s line of VTAC (Viking Tactics) firearms is the direct-gas-impingement M400 SDI VTAC. With a tan cerakote finish, numerous upgraded parts and M-Lok-compatible fore-end, this rifle is ready for any task.
SIG Sauer MCX Rattler SBR It’s hard to imagine a more-compact personal defense rifle than the Rattler. With a 5.5-inch, .300 BLK barrel and a folding stock (yes, this is an SBR, so get that NFA paperwork ready), the Rattler is both compact and controllable for defense of home and hearth.
Smith & Wesson M&P15-22 Blue Platinum Eye-catching is definitely one way to describe this new variant of M&P15-22. However, it upholds the high bar set by the M&P15-22 family, with its light weight, slim handguard and six-position stock lending itself to rimfire fun for all.
Caliber:.22 LR Magazine Capacity:25 rounds Barrel Length:16.5 inches Overall Length:30.7 to 33.75 inches Weight:5 pounds MSRP:$499 (800) 331-0582 smith-wesson.com
Springfield Armory Loaded M1A 6.5 Creedmoor Long-known and cherished for accuracy and precision, the Loaded M1A series now offers a 6.5 Creedmoor variant for those who love the rifle and the cartridge. Fully adjustable to fit the shooter, the Loaded M1A is right at home on the long-distance range.
Springfield Armory Saint Edge Freefloat handguard, upgraded trigger and top-tier furniture, in an AR-15-style rifle weighing slightly more than 6 pounds? Upgrading the new Saint Edge will be tricky, given the impressive list of standard features.
Weatherby Vanguard First Lite Available in eight chamberings—including four Weatherby Magnum offerings—the latest Vanguard carries a sub-MOA guarantee. Its innovative camo finish promises to break up its outline from 2 to 2,000 yards.
Wilson Combat Ultralight Ranger Combining the company’s lightweight billet receivers with its match-grade tapered barrel results in a svelte, precision-based AR carbine that is fast-handling no matter the task. Other chambererings include 5.56 NATO, 6.8 SPC., .300 BLK., 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win. and .358 Win.
Wilson Combat Tactical Hunter Capable of exceeding the ballistics of rounds like the .450 Bushmaster, the .458 SOCOM and the .50 Beowulf, Wilson Combat’s newest rifle, aptly named the Tactical Hunter, can handle maximum pressures of 46,000 psi while generating in excess of 3,000 ft.-lbs. of energy—all from a hybrid-length receiver and custom-length buffer.