Appointment-Only · Williamson County, TX512-655-9641
Search the Catalog Firearm Training at First Shot Training (opens in new tab)
Book a Consultation
Education First

Hunting

Hunting is the use case where the answer varies most. Game species, method, terrain, distance, and the regulations that apply where you hunt all change what is appropriate. This page is about how to think it through.

Book a Consultation
Browse Hunting Gear

Staff Picks for Hunting

Chambering matters more than brand for most hunters, and total cost includes a scope, rings, and mounting. These are rifles and shotguns our team thinks are worth comparing. We make no statement about what is lawful for any species, season, or jurisdiction — check your current regulations.

About Our Staff Picks

Faith First Firearms Staff Picks reflect our team’s opinions, formed from research, product characteristics, experience, reputation, value, and the intended use of each firearm. They are starting points for comparison, not a claim that one firearm is the right choice for everyone.

Every firearm involves tradeoffs. The right choice depends on your intended use, your experience, how the firearm fits your hands, what you find comfortable, and your budget. If you are not sure what fits your needs, book a consultation and we will help you compare your options, understand the differences, and identify firearms worth considering for your situation.

Availability changes constantly, and not every firearm we recommend can be ordered directly through this website. Where a pick shows "Ask FFF About This Pick" instead of pricing, contact us and we will tell you honestly what is possible for that firearm right now.

Staff Pick 1

Mossberg

Patriot Predator 22" threaded barrel, Cerakote finish, synthetic stock, 5-round magazine

Best for A do-everything centerfire hunting rifle in a common cartridge.

  • .308 Winchester
  • 22" threaded barrel
  • 5-round detachable magazine

$530.99 In Stock

View Product - Mossberg Patriot Predator

Why We Picked It - Mossberg Patriot Predator

If a hunter is buying one centerfire rifle, a .308 covers most of what Texas asks of it, and ammunition is on the shelf everywhere. A factory rail and an adjustable trigger remove the two usual compromises at this price.

Also worth knowing

  • Bolt action
  • User-adjustable trigger
  • Picatinny rail fitted

What it does well

  • .308 Winchester is one of the most widely stocked centerfire cartridges in Texas and covers everything from hogs to whitetail to elk.
  • A Picatinny rail is fitted from the factory, so mounting an optic is straightforward and inexpensive.
  • The user-adjustable trigger is a genuine advantage over most rifles at this price.
  • A threaded muzzle leaves the door open for a brake or other legal muzzle device later.

Tradeoffs to consider

  • No optic is included, and a rifle like this needs a decent scope, rings and a mount to be useful.
  • The synthetic stock is light and functional rather than rigid or refined.
  • .308 recoil is meaningful for a smaller-framed or recoil-sensitive hunter.

Talk It Through With Us - Mossberg Patriot Predator

Staff Pick 2

Savage

110 Core Hunter 20" fluted threaded barrel, AccuFit V2 synthetic stock, flat dark gray

Best for A modern, accurate hunting rifle in a flat-shooting cartridge.

  • 6.5 Creedmoor
  • 20" fluted threaded barrel
  • Detachable box magazine

$699.99 In Stock

View Product - Savage 110 Core Hunter

Why We Picked It - Savage 110 Core Hunter

A flatter-shooting cartridge and a short, threaded barrel make this an easy rifle to carry and to shoot well, and 6.5 Creedmoor recoils noticeably less than .308 for the same practical result on deer.

Also worth knowing

  • User-adjustable AccuTrigger
  • Tool-less adjustable length of pull and comb
  • One-piece scope rail included

What it does well

  • The AccuTrigger is user-adjustable and consistently rated a standout in this price class.
  • Tool-less length of pull and comb adjustment fits a genuinely wide range of body types.
  • The broadest chambering selection of any rifle in this group, so one platform can serve many customers.

Tradeoffs to consider

  • A brand-new 2026 line, so independent long-term reliability data is still thin.
  • No optic included — a hunting-grade scope, rings, and mounting realistically add several hundred dollars.
  • Some per-caliber specifications had not been republished by the manufacturer at the time of this research.

Talk It Through With Us - Savage 110 Core Hunter

Staff Pick 3

Bergara

B-14 Ridge 24" barrel, black and grey speckled Cerakote, synthetic stock

Best for Serious accuracy in a classic all-round hunting cartridge.

  • .30-06 Springfield
  • 24" No. 5 taper barrel
  • Hinged floorplate internal magazine

$899.99 In Stock

View Product - Bergara B-14 Ridge

Why We Picked It - Bergara B-14 Ridge

For a hunter who wants accuracy first, this is a step up in barrel and action quality without moving into custom-rifle money, in a cartridge that has taken North American game for over a century.

Also worth knowing

  • Adjustable trigger
  • Drilled and tapped receiver
  • Sub-MOA accuracy guarantee

What it does well

  • Backed by a one-MOA-or-better accuracy guarantee with quality ammunition, and independent testing has confirmed it.
  • The factory trigger measures cleanly with minimal creep and is rated above its price class.
  • The coned bolt nose and breech make feeding smooth and consistent.

Tradeoffs to consider

  • The hinged floorplate internal magazine means slower reloads and no spare magazine option.
  • The trigger shoe is untextured, which is a minor issue in wet or cold conditions.
  • No optic included, on top of an already mid-tier price.

Talk It Through With Us - Bergara B-14 Ridge

Staff Pick 4

Beretta

A300 Ultima 12 gauge, 28" barrel, black synthetic

Best for Volume shooting in the field with less recoil to fight.

  • 12 Gauge, 3" chamber
  • 28" barrel
  • 3+1 capacity

$899.00 In Stock

View Product - Beretta A300 Ultima

Why We Picked It - Beretta A300 Ultima

Bird and waterfowl hunting means volume, and a gas-operated semi-automatic makes a long day in the field far more comfortable than a pump or a fixed-breech gun.

Also worth knowing

  • Gas semi-automatic
  • Mobilchoke interchangeable chokes
  • Fiber optic front sight

What it does well

  • A gas action descended from Beretta's well-regarded 391, at roughly half the price of the company's premium autoloaders.
  • Field testing reports no failures across a mix of hunting and target loads.
  • Oversized bolt handle and release are easy to work with cold hands or gloves.

Tradeoffs to consider

  • At least one published review found the recoil-reduction system imperfect, accentuating muzzle rise rather than damping it.
  • Heavier than a comparable inertia-driven shotgun for a full day of upland carry.
  • Gas guns can be pickier about cycling very light target loads and need more regular cleaning.

Talk It Through With Us - Beretta A300 Ultima

Staff Pick 5

Savage

Mark II FV-SR 16.5" fluted threaded heavy barrel, black synthetic stock

Best for Quiet, inexpensive practice and close-range pest control.

  • .22 Long Rifle
  • 16.5" heavy fluted threaded barrel
  • 5-round detachable magazine

$292.99 In Stock

View Product - Savage Mark II FV-SR

Why We Picked It - Savage Mark II FV-SR

Small game, pests and off-season practice all matter, and a heavy-barrelled rimfire keeps a hunter sharp between seasons for very little money.

Also worth knowing

  • User-adjustable AccuTrigger
  • Scope rail included, no iron sights
  • Approx 5.5 lbs

What it does well

  • The AccuTrigger is repeatedly described as outperforming rifles costing several times as much.
  • Light and short, which makes it genuinely manageable for younger or smaller-statured shooters.
  • Sub-inch groups at 25 yards with standard-velocity ammunition suggest real accuracy headroom.

Tradeoffs to consider

  • No iron sights at all, so the budget price does not include a usable sighting system.
  • The magazine retention lever is thin sheet metal, flagged by at least one reviewer as a durability concern.
  • The manufacturer does not publish a twist rate, which complicates precise ammunition matching.

Talk It Through With Us - Savage Mark II FV-SR

Staff Pick 6

Henry Repeating Arms

Side Gate Lever Action 20" barrel, blued steel receiver, American walnut stock, side loading gate

Best for Fast handling in thick brush where shots are close.

  • .30-30 Winchester
  • 20" barrel
  • 5-round tubular magazine

$893.99 In Stock

View Product - Henry Repeating Arms Side Gate Lever Action

Why We Picked It - Henry Repeating Arms Side Gate Lever Action

Not every shot is taken across a field. In thick brush, on a stand, or from a truck, a short lever gun with iron sights comes up faster and handles better than a scoped bolt rifle, and .30-30 has been doing this job in this state for generations.

Also worth knowing

  • Lever action
  • Side loading gate and tube loading
  • Adjustable semi-buckhorn sights

What it does well

  • A short, quick-handling lever gun is genuinely easier to carry and swing in thick cover than a scoped bolt rifle.
  • .30-30 Winchester has taken more whitetail in North America than almost any other cartridge, and ammunition is available everywhere.
  • Iron sights are fitted, so it works straight out of the box with no optic budget.
  • The side gate lets a hunter top the magazine off without unloading the rifle.

Tradeoffs to consider

  • .30-30 is a comparatively short-range cartridge and is not the right tool for open-country shots.
  • Tubular magazines restrict ammunition choice to flat or flexible-tipped bullets.
  • It is heavier than a modern synthetic-stocked bolt rifle of the same length.

Talk It Through With Us - Henry Repeating Arms Side Gate Lever Action

Not sure which option fits you best?

That is normal. Choosing a firearm involves more than comparing specifications — intended use, size, controls, recoil, caliber, features, budget, and personal comfort all matter. Book a consultation with Faith First Firearms and we will walk through the tradeoffs with you.

Book a Consultation

Where pricing and availability are shown, they change frequently and are current at the moment this page loaded. Picks marked "Ask FFF About This Pick" show no pricing or availability, because we will not state either until we have confirmed it with you.

Start with the game and the ground

Before anything else: what are you hunting, where, and how? A rifle appropriate for whitetail in thick brush at forty yards is a different tool from one intended for open country at three hundred. Waterfowl, upland birds, and hogs each pull in another direction again.

Regulations matter here in a way they do not for other use cases. Legal methods, calibres, magazine limits, ammunition types, and seasons are set by the jurisdiction you hunt in, and they change. We do not interpret them for you — check with your state wildlife agency and the landowner.

We do not make determinations about what is legal to hunt, where, when, or with what. Verify current regulations yourself.

What to think about

  • Species and expected distance. These two together drive most of the decision.
  • Ethical shot placement. Choose a cartridge and a setup that let you take a clean, humane shot at the ranges you will actually face — not the maximum you could theoretically reach.
  • Terrain and carry weight. A rifle you carry for miles is a different proposition from one you shoot from a stand.
  • Optics. Magnification, light-gathering, and durability matter, and the mount matters as much as the scope.
  • Recoil and practice. A cartridge you flinch from will cost you accuracy when it counts.
  • Weather and conditions. Cold, wet, and dusty conditions are hard on equipment.
  • Ammunition availability. A less common cartridge can be difficult to source. Factor that in.

Important tradeoffs

Flat trajectory against recoil. Cartridges that shoot flat at distance generally kick harder. More recoil usually means less practice.

Bolt action against semi-automatic. Bolt actions are typically simpler and often more consistent. Semi-automatics offer faster follow-up shots and more moving parts to maintain.

Light rifle against steady rifle. Lighter carries better and is harder to hold steady. Heavier is the reverse.

Versatile against specialised. A general-purpose setup does many things adequately. A specialised one does a narrow job better and less else.

Explore relevant categories

Browsing starting points from our live catalogue. Availability changes seasonally.

Bolt Action Rifles
Scopes, Sights and Optics

Get the optic mounted properly

A good scope on a poor mount will not hold zero. For questions about optics setup or other firearm-service needs, contact us for a consultation and we can help you determine the appropriate next step.

Safety Is Non-Negotiable

Safety guides everything we do. Whether you are new to firearms or experienced, these fundamentals always apply.

Safety first. Treat every firearm as if it is loaded, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire, and store firearms securely away from children and prohibited persons. For complete guidance, see our firearm safety and storage page.

Educational & Legal Notice
This is general educational information and is not legal advice. Firearm laws and regulations may change and can vary by jurisdiction. Customers remain responsible for verifying current federal, state, and local requirements. Faith First Firearms may require additional documentation or decline a transaction when necessary for safety, compliance, or business-policy reasons.

Not sure what fits?

Tell us what you hunt and where, and we will help you narrow the field. We will not tell you there is one right rifle, because there is not.

Book a Consultation
Back to Shop by Purpose

Access Denied

You have told us that you are under 18 years old, so we are not able to give you access to this site.

If you would like to learn about firearm safety and responsible ownership, Project ChildSafe offers free educational resources:

Project ChildSafe — firearm safety education

Age Verification Required

I confirm that I am at least 18 years old.

Age confirmation does not determine eligibility to purchase or receive a firearm. Additional federal, state, local, product-specific, and transfer requirements may apply.

I AM 18 OR OLDER
EXIT — I AM UNDER 18