Welcome back to Canadian Gunz. Today I’m counting down ten hunting rifles from my 2026 budget-rifle reviews. These are the rifles I bought and shot, and this is how I ranked them.
How I ranked them
Every rifle here is one I bought and shot myself, at 100 yards with factory box ammo. Most are three-round groups. The Glenfield was shot with five-round groups, which is a tougher test, so keep that in mind when you line the numbers up. This is my opinion off one rifle of each, so yours might shoot a bit better or a bit worse.
#10: Remington 700 SPS
My test rifle had a 20-inch carbon steel sporter barrel. It was a fairly basic hunting-rifle setup, with the familiar Remington 700 action.
We shot four factory loads in three-round groups at 100 yards. I reported a 1.18 MOA average. Adding a fourth shot to the best group opened it considerably as the barrel heated up.
It didn’t come with a rail. I had feeding problems, but no failures to extract. The Timney trigger felt crisp and consistent. The synthetic stock felt cheap to me, with no bedding, and the barrel contacted both sides of the stock.
Why number 10? The widest groups of the ten and the feeding issues. It makes the list because of that Timney trigger and the huge aftermarket.
#9: Savage Axis II XP
The Axis II XP was a scope package. Mine had a 22-inch button-rifled barrel with an unthreaded muzzle, a synthetic pillar-bedded stock and a detachable magazine.
We shot five factory loads in three-round groups at 100 yards. It shot sub-MOA with the ammunition it liked, and I was impressed with it.
I found the bolt smooth with a little bit of grind, not that bad, and the bolt lift was pretty heavy. No problems feeding or ejecting. You get a four-round box mag, which I like. The trigger is the AccuTrigger, adjustable from two and a half pounds to six. I got it down to about three pounds. It’s super responsive, but at three pounds it’s a little bit creepy.
It shot sub-MOA with good ammo, and I was impressed. What kept it at number nine was the heavy bolt lift, the grit, the unthreaded muzzle and the two-piece rail.
#8: Stevens 334
The rifle I reviewed was the Stevens 334. It had a 22-inch button-rifled barrel, a synthetic stock and a 60-degree bolt throw.
We shot six factory loads at 100 yards. Accuracy was a real strength; the bolt and trigger were what held it back for me.
I like the 60-degree throw and the swept-back handle, but the bolt was really bindy and sticky halfway through. It comes with a one-piece Picatinny rail from the factory, which I really like for the price. The trigger is a two-stage. It breaks okay, but it’s really creepy, and mine was breaking about six pounds out of the box.
For accuracy, this rifle did very well. It sits at number eight because of the heavy, creepy trigger and the binding bolt. I hadn’t established whether more use would smooth that out.
#7: Remington 783
The Remington 783 is a plain Jane hunting rifle with a synthetic stock and a detachable magazine.
We shot six factory loads in three-round groups at 100 yards. I found it extremely accurate, with a particularly good best group.
It has the CrossFire trigger, which you adjust by pulling the stock off, and that’s kind of a pain. Mine broke right around four pounds out of the box with no creep, and it was super consistent.
It’s a plain Jane workhorse. The fit and finish were a little rough, the front of the stock flexed, and I wasn’t a fan of the plastic sling attachment points. But I really liked the trigger and how it shot. The stock and unthreaded muzzle kept it from placing higher.
#6: Franchi Momentum
The Franchi Momentum gave me the tightest average in this countdown. Mine had a four-round magazine.
We shot six factory loads in three-round groups at 100 yards. It grouped very well, even though I wasn’t happy with the trigger.
The barrel was cold hammer forged with a threaded muzzle. I tried adjusting the trigger, but the break weight was inconsistent. That was frustrating on a rifle that otherwise shot this well.
The trigger had far too much creep for my liking. Even with that, it shot really good groups. I think it’s a nice rifle, but the trigger is why it sits at number six.
#5: Ruger American Gen II
The Ruger American Gen II had a detachable magazine, the Marksman trigger and a splatter-finished stock with adjustable length of pull and comb height.
We shot seven factory loads at 100 yards. It showed sub-MOA capability with ammunition it liked.
It comes with the rail already attached, and I had no failures to feed or eject. Ruger says the trigger adjusts from three to five pounds. Mine broke about four and a half out of the box. It’s a little creepy, but not really noticeable on a rifle at this price.
The mag can be a problem to get locked in with the bolt closed. I put the mag in with the bolt open, and squeezing it at the back gets it in every time. It shoots sub-MOA and the stock looks really cool, but that mag fuss is what holds it where it is.
#4: Howa M1500 Gamepro 2
The Howa M1500 Gamepro 2 was a scope package. My rifle had a 22-inch cold hammer forged barrel with a threaded muzzle.
We shot seven factory loads in three-round groups at 100 yards. I reported a 1.10 MOA average.
I found the bolt sticky and bindy, but had no failures to feed or eject. The two-stage trigger broke at about 3.3 pounds, crisp with no real creep, so I left it there.
It’s a nice complete package, and I like the Hogue stock. But I’m not a big fan of the 90-degree throw. I was bashing my thumb on the scope all the time. It shoots roughly one MOA, and it’s not higher because of the 1.10 average and that sticky, bindy bolt.
#3: Glenfield Model A
The Glenfield Model A I tested was new production, not a vintage rifle. It had a four-round detachable magazine, V-block bedding and a 70-degree bolt throw.
We shot six factory loads in five-round groups at 100 yards. Keep that extra shot count in mind when comparing it with the three-round groups elsewhere in this countdown.
The barrel is a 20-inch cold hammer forged sporter barrel with a threaded muzzle. The action is very smooth with no whiz or binding, and it comes with a Picatinny rail. The trigger is a blade style, very crisp with no lag or creep. It adjusts from three to five pounds, and I got it down to about three and a half. The rifle weighs about 6.3 pounds, which is perfect for a light hunting rifle.
I liked the threaded cold hammer forged barrel. The trigger was heavy out of the box, but felt much better after I brought it down to about 3.5 pounds. The lack of an adjustable comb and the original trigger weight kept it from placing higher.
#2: CZ 600 Alpha I owned
The CZ 600 Alpha I owned was the controlled-round-feed rifle in this countdown. I liked it, but I no longer own it.
We shot five factory loads through the CZ at 100 yards. I reported an average of about 0.90 MOA.
The CZ I owned had a 22-inch cold hammer forged semi-heavy barrel and a 60-degree bolt throw. It cycled very smoothly for me. I wasn’t keen on the two-piece mounting arrangement.
The trigger on the CZ I owned adjusted from outside the stock, and I really liked that. The rifle was a little on the heavy side for a hunting rifle.
I liked how the CZ I owned shot, its controlled-feed action and the easy trigger adjustment. I would have preferred an adjustable comb. The limited flexibility to change the rifle was what kept it from number one.
#1: CVA Cascade SB
The CVA Cascade SB had a short, threaded barrel and a compact feel that I liked for the bush.
We shot eight factory loads in three-round groups at 100 yards. It produced the tightest individual group in this countdown, although not every load grouped equally well.
The barrel was button rifled and free floated, with a threaded muzzle. The action was smooth, and I had no failures to feed or extract. The removable magazine worked with the bolt open or closed. I really liked the crisp trigger, too.
The trigger is super crisp with no lag or creep, and the stock feels really solid. I’d have liked to see an adjustable comb height, but it’s a nice shooting rifle overall. For a long time this was my deer rifle. It’s number one because it shot the tightest group on this list, it has my favourite trigger of the ten, and it’s got one of the smoothest actions there is.
The recap
#10 Remington 700 SPS
#9 Savage Axis II XP (with scope)
#8 Stevens 334
#7 Remington 783
#6 Franchi Momentum
#5 Ruger American Gen II
#4 Howa M1500 Gamepro 2 (with scope)
#3 Glenfield Model A
#2 CZ 600 Alpha — the rifle I owned
#1 CVA Cascade SB
Let me know in the comments which one you’d pick, or what you think I got wrong.
So there you have it, guys. Thanks for reading. And we’ll see you next time at Canadian Gunz. Bye for now.
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