5 OF THE BEST DEER STALKING RIFLES

Price: £3895.00

Contact: GMK - www.gmk.co.uk

The Sako 90 Peak comes in a broad range of calibres and has truly refined all the excellence of Sako actions from the past. In addition, it now incorporates Picatinny mounts for even simpler scope fitting. The bolt is a three-lug push-feed unit with a 60-degree handle lift. The rifle sports a detent-weight-adjustable trigger to align it more truly with the capabilities of the brand’s fiercest competitors. Sako has always supplied reliable, crisp triggers that are ideal for hunting rifles, and this enhanced adjustability allows for effortless modifications, whether to suit seasonal changes or accommodate the use of gloves. There is a stainless-steel twin-column magazine in place that enables top-loading both in, or out of the gun, which is a feature I really like on a hunting rifle. The barrel is a 20” cold-hammer-forged stainless steel unit with a 15x1 threaded muzzle for a moderator. It is impeccably finished and offers Sako’s usual three-round sub-MOA guarantee. The action is smooth in operation and quiet, and it features a three-position safety catch with bolt-locking potential. The rifle also includes two sprung plungers for reliable ejection, while the stock is the standout feature. Constructed from carbon-fibre, it offers exceptional lightness, stiffness, and durability, all while being impervious to atmospheric changes, resulting in a total weight of just 5lbs 11oz (2.6kg). The recoil pad is approximately 22mm thick and secured with two screws, allowing for the addition of spacers if needed, to extend the supplied length of pull of 14.25”. The comb is slim and allows decent cheek positioning, but this is a lightweight hunting rifle, and if adjustable ergonomics are a priority, you are looking in the wrong place. The Peak is an exceptional rifle that I would confidently choose for any deer hunting expedition, thanks to its outstanding performance and appeal, with no notable drawbacks.

Price: £825

Contact: Viking Arms - www.vikingarms.com

Ruger produces straightforward rifles without too much unnecessary embellishment. The American was a reliable rifle, and in the new Gen 2 format, it is up-to-date while still retaining an attractive retail price. The rifle has a stiff, grey polymer moulded stock, a free-floating barrel that’s threaded, a muzzle brake, and a luxurious tungsten Cerakote finish. The three-lug bolt has a fast 70-degree lift, good ergonomics, and a smooth stroke thanks to its naturally low-friction interface. Ruger uses a ‘Marksman’ trigger, which is adjustable from 3 to 5lbs (1,300 to 2,200g). It’s predictable and consistent to operate, with minimal creep, and it features an inner safety blade. The polymer three-round magazine covers most scenarios. The stock incorporates a spacer system for length-of-pull adjustment, ensuring a customised fit for shooters across a variety of calibres and recoil levels. The stippled finish enables an assured grip throughout, and the colour sets the gun apart from the crowd. I also like the finger-grooved profiles on the fore-end. It’s good to see an economically priced rifle that has reached the UK without a huge financial penalty in what we cannot deny is a tiny market from an American perspective. The gun feels solid, resists mechanical damage, and holds zero throughout regular day-to-day bumps and knocks when transported and handled. I thoroughly enjoyed shooting this rifle, finding it an excellent introduction to the demands of deer stalking, with impressive anti-corrosion properties and outstanding handling characteristics. All that aside, the fluted barrel looks far above its price point, and this is a rifle I could recommend to any shooter for its focused attention to performance at a stunningly low price.

Price: £2770.00

Contact: Edgar Brothers - www.edgarbrothers.com

The Havak PH2 has a beautiful, fluted, bead-blasted barrel finished in a deep charcoal grey. It’s neatly screwcut 5/8x24 for a moderator or brake, and although concealed under the matte finish, it’s 416 stainless steel underneath. The steel action, which has a Remington 700 footprint with an integral recoil lug, features a fluted bolt shaft and four paired lugs locking the bolt with a 90-degree closure. The 20 MOA Picatinny rail is screwed in five places to the receiver for long-shot potential. The bolt’s head is detachable, so within either the long or short action length models, you can adapt to a variety of conventional or magnum calibres with larger bolt-face requirements. A Trigger Tech unit is fitted, which is a smart move, as these always provide crisp operation. The unit fitted to this rifle is adjustable from 40 to 80oz (1,140 to 2,280g). The trigger guard houses a magazine release catch, allowing for quick removal of the detachable, AICS-compatible, five-round magazine, which feeds reliably from a single column; spare magazines are readily available. The barrel is fully floated, and the stock is stiff, with an epoxy pillar-bedded action fitting, which is a delight to see for reliability on any rifle. Sub-MOA performance was achieved with five-round groups, and the barrel is supported by Seekins’ “Unbeatable Lifetime Warranty” to assure you of long-term performance. The stock features a lightweight varmint profile that strikes a balance between functionality and aesthetics, appealing to some shooters while dividing opinion among others. The Seekins exemplifies what Remington could have achieved with their rifle design, which has since become the basis for many other manufacturers, valued for its modularity and design purity.

Price: £6645

Contact: Blaser Group - www.blaser-group.com

Sauer rifles break away from convention, seamlessly blending the finest traditional hunting craftsmanship with cutting-edge, ultra-modern features. The latest 505 looks like a 404 but shows necessary evolution without pointless revolution. The cold hammer-forged barrel guarantees longevity and accuracy, is screwcut for a sound moderator, and is interchangeable, ensuring that the rifle will cover all your hunting needs. The steel is plasma-nitride/blued for corrosion resistance. The new action is steel rather than aluminium, and this has allowed Sauer to use the almost identical Blaser saddle scope mounting solution, which, although expensive, is one of the truest return-to-zero systems on the market. All the finest features, like the weight-adjustable trigger, are retained. It offers crisp shot initiation, but no longer includes positional adjustment. Sauer offers a diverse range of stock options, including the walnut hunter and synthetic thumbhole designs, along with the XTC Carbon and models featuring adjustable cheekpieces. The de-cocking mechanism is seamlessly integrated for enhanced safety, and the steel magazines ensure smooth, quiet insertion and flawless operation. The fore-end tip features Sauer’s SUS sling swivel, which unclips and doubles as a 4mm Allen key to disassemble the rifle and adjust functions. The bolt provides a smooth 60-degree lift, with reliable primary and secondary extraction and ejection, though the bolt head is no longer interchangeable. The 505 is built to last a lifetime, offering all essential features with customizable luxury to suit your budget. It stands out for its exceptional ergonomic comfort, even with larger, heavy-recoiling calibres, including the lightweight carbon model.

Price: POA

Contact: Sportsman Gun Centre - www.sportsmanguncentre.co.uk

Benelli is so well known for their shotguns that their rifles don’t always catch the attention, but that really should change. Their BE.S.T surface treatment leaves all metalwork with a gleaming, deep lustre and comes with a 25-year corrosion warranty. When it comes to cycling the bolt, few are smoother. The gun features a creative polymer/aluminium stock chassis layout that ensures great stability and zero retention. With this rifle, I had no problems getting the best accuracy. The stock features a soft-shooting recoil pad layout with length-of-pull and cheekpiece spacers, as well as adjustable cast and drop in the butt. The single-stage trigger is adjustable from 1,000 to 2,000g. The magazine holds five rounds in two columns and can be loaded either in or out of the rifle. It will also load into the rifle full, with the bolt closed, so you have the 5+1 option if needed. Regardless, it’s fast to reload, and a single round dropped into the ejection port will also feed straight to the chamber without any hang-ups. Benelli uses a progressive comfort recoil pad, which deforms telescopically in a controlled manner. The fore-end is rigid and allows the barrel to maintain its full free float all the way back to the action. If clamped onto a tripod mount, your zero is assured. Until this point, I had never shot a Benelli shotgun or rifle, but I find it difficult to offer any negative critique of this particular model. It features advanced technical elements as well as inherent styling characteristics that distance it from the crowd. The 10-year warranty with 25-year corrosion protection is particularly admirable, especially for those in challenging climates.