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The tow big trends in rifles at this year's SHOT (Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade) show in Las Vegas are the same ones we've been seeing over the last couple of years; manufacturers are building new rifles to enhance performance at distance and to be suppressor friendly. The new crop of rifles for 2026 is very diverse and includes everything from a long-range lever gun to the reintroduction of a very popular in-line muzzleloader. There’ also an AR-pattern rifle chambered for the 300 Winchester Magnum, a bolt-action rifle that weighs in at about 4 pounds, and two new Scout-like general-,purpose rifles. All the bases are covered and there is something new to fit every budget with prices ranging from less than a grand to eight times that much. There’s never been a better time to buy a new rifle. Below are the best new rifles at this year's SHOT show, as well as some that aren't in Las Vegas this week but are new for 2026.
The Hottest New Rifles of 2026
Bear Creek Arsenal BC-8 Huntmaster
When most hunters think of the AR platform, they think of the 223 Remington cartridge, or maybe a 308 Winchester or 350 Legend. Bear Creek Arsenal offers AR-patterned rifles for all those cartridges, but they also make ARs designed to handle magnum cartridges for hunters. This year, Bear Creek has introduced their BC-8 HuntMaster rifle chambered for the 300 Winchester Magnum, and it feeds from a 15-round magazine. The rifle is available with either a 20-, 24-, or 26-inch barrel, it comes standard with a right-side charging handle, a tank muzzle brake, and Magpul furniture. The new BC-8 HuntMaster rifles are manufactured in Sanford, NC, retail for between $1,195.95 and $1,609.99, and might be the ideal tool for dealing with a sounder of feral hogs at long range.
Blaser R8 Professional 2.0
Blaser has upgraded their R8 straight-pull bolt-action rifle, and they are calling it the Professional 2.0. This rifle features a new full-length synthetic stock with the receiver permanently embedded for extra protection and enhanced rigidity. The stock also has an integrated adjustable comb and a vertical pistol grip with ambidextrous palm swells that include new molded elastomer grip inserts with a textured surface for an improved grip. The R8 Professional 2.0 can be had with a Black, Brown, or Dark Olive stock, with three length-of-pull options, and the barrel has the Diamond Like Carbon A+ (DLC A+) coating for protection against corrosion and scratches. The R8 Professional 2.0 is also available in a kit format that includes a custom TSA-approved hardcase with a pre-cut foam interior with slots for the rifle, two riflescopes, a scope mount, and an extra barrel. Prices start at $5,500.
Franchi MULE
For 2026, Franchi has added a new rifle/carbine to their Momentum series line called the MULE, which stands for “Momentum Utility Lite Elite.” This rifle was designed specifically as a general-purpose rifle, and it calls back to the Scout Rifle concept that Jeff Cooper made so famous. The MULE has a 16.25-inch barrel with a threaded muzzle, and it weighs in at about 7 pounds, and as Cooper specified for the Scout Rifle, it is less than a meter long. Flip-up adjustable sights with a rear sight that’s integrated into a long Picatinny rail are standard, and the MULE feeds from a detachable 8+1 (308 Winchester) or 10+1 (223 Remington) magazine. The carbine’s stock has a VEIL TAC Black camo finish and comes with quick-detach swivel connections and M-LOK rails. All the metal surfaces have a Graphite Black Cerakote finish, and the rifle has a rugged—get down to business—look. Per Jeff Cooper’s definition, the MULE is not a Scout Rifle, but it is well configured to serve as a practical general-purpose, truck, or ranch gun. MSRP is $1,549.
Related: Best Budget Rifles of 2026
Henry SPD Predator
The lever-action rifle, which has been with us for more than a century and a half, simply will not die, to the benefit of us all. Not only does the lever gun refuse to fade into history, but it also just keeps getting better. The new SPD Predator lever-action rifle from Henry is built on their new Lever Action Supreme platform that does not have an exposed hammer, and it’s the most modern expression of the lever gun to date. This rifle is chambered in 223 Remington/5.56 NATO, and it’s out of Henry’s Special Products Division (SPD). What might surprise you the most about the SPD Predator is that it comes with a sub-MOA precision guarantee. Its carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel and laminated wood stock with integrated adjustable comb set the SPD Predator apart from Henry’s standard Lever Action Supreme, but it still feeds from AR-15 magazines. The Henry SPD Predator is not cheap, however; it retails for $2,510.
Ruger American Patrol
Ruger has taken their new and very well-designed American Gen II rifle and adapted it to a more general-purpose rifle called the Patrol. Just as with the standard American Gen II, the Patrol has Ruger’s adjustable Marksman Trigger and a Power-Bedded modular synthetic stock that's adjustable for length of pull and comb height. One big difference between the two is the barrel. The Patrol's barrel is only 16.10 inches long, but it is a heavy barrel with a threaded muzzle. A stock weight kit is available to adjust rifle balance when a suppressor is used, and an oversized bolt handle is standard. Currently, Ruger is offering the Patrol in four chamberings that include 308 Winchester, 5.56 NATO, and 6mm ARC, but 338 ARC, 300 Win. Mag, and 7mm PRC chamberings are coming soon. With a nominal weight of about 6.5 pounds and an overall length of about 38 inches, this looks to be a very handy rifle for hunting out of the tight confines of some blinds, for service as a truck gun, or as a general-purpose/survival type rifle. MSRP is only $769.
Seekins Precision SIC
Seekins Precision has a solid reputation for building high-quality rifles that shoot lights out, and their new SIC rifle should get the attention of any shooter who wants to drive tacks at distance. The rifle was designed specifically for U.S. Special Operations to withstand the harshest environments and to allow the operator to easily switch cartridges in the field with a single T25 driver, which is stored in the rifle’s butt pad. The SIC has a 60° bolt throw, three-lug bolt, full-length ARCA rail, integrated M-Lok slots, adjustable cheek piece, adjustable stock, and it has a Seekins carbon-fiber barrel. Barrels are available for 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Winchester, 300 Win Mag, 300 PRC, 300 Norma, 338 Norma, and 338 Lapua. The rifle weighs in at 15.5 pounds with an overall length of 47 inches and a folded length of 37.5 inches. This rifle is super cool and badass, but it’s not cheap at $8,900.
Spandau RL Bolt Action
When Remington went bankrupt in 2020, hunters lost a source for one of the greatest bolt-action rifles of all time—the Remington 700. For 2026, SDS Arms has introduced the Spandau RL Bolt Action Rifle, which is designed around the Model 700-compatible short action. This makes the rifle compatible with a vast array of aftermarket parts and accessories designed for the Remington Model 700. Initially it will be offered in 308 Winchester with a threaded 20-inch 5R barrel that has a 1-in-10 rifling twist, an oversized bolt handle, an AICS-pattern detachable magazine, and a Turkish walnut stock. It also has a corrosion resistance Oxynitride finish, and it ships with an optics-ready Picatinny rail. MSRP is $799.99.
Thompson Center Triumph
The Thompson Center Triumph in-line muzzleloading rifle is back. The Triumph features a Nitride-treated barrel, Cerakote toggle-lock action, a Speed Breech XT breach plug, and a Sims recoil pad. This is a break-action muzzleloader that offers easy access for priming, un-priming, and breach plug removal and installation. TC will be offering two versions of the Triumph. One will have a black synthetic composite stock, and the other will have a synthetic composite stock with a Mossy Oak Bottomland finish. Both come in 0.50-caliber and will have a 1-in-24 twist 28-inch barrel with an overall length of 42 inches. For an in-line muzzleloader, the Triumph is also lightweight, coming in at only 6.5 pounds. MSRP is $800.
Weatherby Mark V Backcountry Capra
Forty years ago, Melvin Forbes created the lightest bolt-action hunting rifle ever produced, and manufactures have been chasing that sub-5-pound benchmark ever since. With the popularity of suppressors for hunting today, lighter rifles are even more important and desirable, and starting at just 4 pounds, the new Backcountry Capra bolt-action Mark V rifle from Weatherby might be as light as you can get. Weatherby builds this rifle around a six-lug Titanium action, and the bolt has a 54° lift. The barrel is threaded at the muzzle, comes with a Accubrake muzzle brake, and has double-helix fluting. A Trigger Tech trigger is standard, as is a removeable bolt knob, and a hand-painted Peak 44 carbon-fiber stock. The metal surfaces on the Capra have a Cerakote finish, and the rifle is available in nine popular cartridges to include Weatherby’s new 25 RPM. It comes with a sub-MOA precision guarantee and retails for $3,499.
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