Bolt Action

Firearms are tools, the hero Shane points out in the 1953 Western drama of the same name. And sometimes, it’s handy to have a specialty tool—a shotgun that’s made to be dragged through thick brush in pursuit of partridge. A pistol that’s made to stop a charging bear dead in its tracks. Or, in the case of the MRX Bison Scout carbine from Black Creek Labs, a rifle that’s compact and easy to transport, with many of the useful features of an AR-pattern firearm, but in a bolt-action format that leaves you less likely to be hassled by The Man.

Back in 2021, we reported about a long-range anti-materiel/sniper rifle and cartridge (12.7x114HL) developed by a Ukrainian company called Horizon’s Lord. The 12.7x114HL cartridge was created by necking down the 14.5x114mm case to .50 caliber. In this article, we’ll take a look at a new rifle and cartridge system designed by this company which is kind of the opposite of the 12.7x114HL concept. The new MCR .57 HL rifle is a shorter-range integrally suppressed bolt-action rifle and the cartridge it is chambered in, the .57 HL, is a 14.5mm caliber cartridge based on the .50 BMG case.

Weatherby has some new models in the Mark V bolt action rifle family. The Backcountry Guide and Backcountry Guide Ti rifles are ultra-lightweight guns made to be carried long distances.

Bushmaster has announced the return of the BA50 with updates to the 50 BMG bolt action promising increased reliability and durability. The BA50 has a reputation for exceptional accuracy, a unique action, and a few rebrandings. Speaking of reputation, let’s dive into a little history of the BA50.

Photo Of The Day and we have some interesting images from the Danish International Sniper Competition (DISC 24). These are from the Sniper Race Finale, which is the last event where the competitors have to cover 10 kilometers and 6 different shooting ranges. We’re looking at the Swedish Sniper Team in their M/90 camouflage pattern. What’s unusual is that they’re using the Colt Canada C20 which is not part of their normal arsenal. It could be a Danish rifle, on loan for the event? Another oddity is to use a normal mount on the C20, and Cantilever on the M10, when the other way around would make much more sense.

The Steyr Scout Mk II is a unique rifle. It's not the first gun to wear the name “Steyr Scout,” but it keeps the features that made the original memorable while improving it in concrete ways. It's a one-of-a-kind blend of hunting rifle, precision rifle, and defensive carbine. Over the last several months I have used this rifle extensively, and it's time to share my findings.

Keystone Arms is now shipping the newest installment in their family of mini rimfire clones. The Mini 1903-A3 provides the look and feel of the classic Springfield rifle but scaled down. Let’s take a look at its features.

In May of 2022, Wilson Combat announced the acquisition of New Ultra Light Arms (NULA), a company known for making extremely lightweight bolt action rifles. A little over a year after the acquisition, Wilson Combat introduced the updated version of the NULA Model 20 rifle. Model 20 is a short action rifle chambered in cartridges like .308 Win, 6.5 CM, .243 Win, etc. The company is now expanding the NULA product line with the release of the NULA Model 20S, a mini action rifle chambered in cartridges of intermediate length.

Springfield Armory had taken an interesting turn in their company’s history a few years ago by making their first foray into bolt-action rifles with the debut of the Model 2020 Waypoint. Since then, they have also delivered to us their Redline rifle, known for being feathery-light with modern curves. Today, they announced a classically-styled rifle with modern accouterments in the Model 2020 Boundary.

Skunkwerks, the special projects division of Gunwerks, has designed another interesting limited-edition rifle called The Accountant. This is an integrally suppressed takedown bolt action rifle that can be stored in a compact briefcase. Let’s take a closer look at the Gunwerks The Accountant rifle system.

The US Secret Service has released a Request For Proposals (RFP) hinting at a search for a new ‘Precision Bolt Action Rifle System’. The search for new rifles comes just 10 days after the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

MDT Sporting Goods is announcing the expansion of its Field Stock Chassis System line to include the CZ 455, Savage MKII, and Tikka T1X rimfire rifles. These additions aim to enhance the performance and ergonomics of these popular rifles, providing shooters with a tailored and customizable shooting experience.

The appalling assassination attempt on former president and current candidate Donald Trump has been dominating the news cycle. By now you have probably seen pictures and videos of that event. One of our own, Pete, wrote a very good article covering the security situation and looking at this event from the perspective of a former Secret Service agent. This article is not going to opine on those matters, but we will look at the guns and gear of the United States Secret Service (USSS) from the events of July 13th.

Welcome to another edition of TFB’s   Photo Of The Day! A friend posted this image and it’s too good not to be shared. We have a Ruger M77 416 Rigby, and it’s a thing of beauty. The rifle is probably from around the early 1990s and has the great, almighty rifle scope Z6i from Swarovski.

Join James Reeves of TFBTV at the SIG Next event as he explores the SIG Cross Magnum Sawtooth, the epitome of precision and performance in high-country hunting rifles.

Taurus might be best known for its pistols, but it’s putting lots of effort into its rifle lineup as well these days. Case in point: They’re now selling their first bolt-action rifle in the U.S. market, the all-new Taurus Expedition.