Rifles By Caliber

Choosing a rifle by caliber is often the most practical starting point — once you know what you’re hunting, how far you’re shooting, or what ammunition you already own, the right cartridge narrows the field considerably. Browse our rifle selection organized by caliber below, with a dedicated buying guide for each. If you already know your caliber, go straight to that page. If you’re still deciding, the guide below covers the most common use cases.

Read our full Rifles by Caliber Buying Guide ↓

Rimfire Calibers: .22 LR and .22 WMR

The .22 Long Rifle is the most popular rifle cartridge in the world — inexpensive, low recoil, accurate, and available in every action type from single-shot to semi-automatic. It’s the right choice for new shooters, youth rifles, small game hunting, and anyone who wants to shoot frequently without significant ammunition cost. The .22 WMR (Magnum) steps up with more velocity and energy, extending effective range on small game and varmints to 100+ yards. For most rimfire buyers, .22 LR is the practical choice; .22 Magnum makes sense for dedicated varmint hunters who need more reach.

Pistol Caliber Carbines: 9mm and .45 ACP

Pistol caliber carbines chamber handgun cartridges in a rifle-format platform, offering greater accuracy and velocity than a pistol while sharing ammunition with a handgun you may already own. The 9mm carbine category — led by the Henry Homesteader, Ruger PC Carbine, and Kel-Tec Sub-2000 — is the most popular, with a wide selection of magazine-compatible options for Glock and SIG owners. Pistol caliber carbines are excellent home defense rifles, range guns, and suppressor hosts. For buyers who want one ammunition type to cover both a pistol and a rifle, a pistol caliber carbine is the most practical solution.

Classic Hunting Calibers: .30-30, .45-70, and .35 Remington

The classic American lever-action hunting calibers have been taking deer, elk, and bear for over a century — and they remain effective today. The .30-30 Winchester is the definitive whitetail cartridge for ranges under 150 yards, available in Marlin 336 and Henry lever guns. The .45-70 Government is the most powerful common lever-action cartridge, capable of ethically taking any North American game animal at close to medium range. The .35 Remington offers a middle ground between the two in Marlin 336 configurations. For hunters who want a traditional lever-action rifle that covers all eastern US game, these calibers are the natural choice.

Modern Hunting Calibers: .308, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .300 Win Mag

Bolt-action hunting rifles in modern calibers extend effective range significantly over lever-action cartridges. The .308 Winchester is the most versatile — accurate to 800+ yards in a quality rifle, available in more platforms than any other centerfire hunting cartridge, and effective on game from deer to elk. The 6.5 Creedmoor has become the dominant long-range hunting and competition cartridge of the past decade, offering better ballistic coefficients and less recoil than .308 at comparable ranges. The .300 Winchester Magnum is the choice for hunters who need maximum range and energy on large game at distances where lighter cartridges fall short.

Browse Rifles by Caliber

Select a caliber below to see our full selection with a dedicated buying guide for each:

  • .22 LR Rifles — the most popular rifle caliber, ideal for beginners, training, and small game
  • All Rifles — browse the complete Impact Guns rifle catalog