Best Rifles of 2025

Every year, firearms manufacturers come out with new models to attract new customers or satisfy existing fans. It’s always fun to see what the big companies decide to offer, and look for any new models or companies joining the firearms world. Some of these rifles end up being classics, and some only last a year or two on the market before fading into obscurity. Here are some of the most-anticipated (or, we think, most interesting) new rifles for 2025.

Smith & Wesson M&P FPC 10mm carbine

Brand new for spring 2025 is S&W’s funky-cool M&P FPC in 10mm (Folding Pistol Carbine), one of the most-anticipated PCCs in recent memory. The original FPC in 9mm caused some ripples in the firearm community due to its strange appearance, low price, and innovative features. The primary problem it solved compared to the other major folding pistol-caliber carbine on the market, the Kel-Tec Sub2000, was that of optics mounting (an issue which Kel-Tec has also since rectified on their latest model). The Kel-Tec folds in half vertically, while the FPC folds horizontally, allowing for optics to be mounted atop the picatinny rail on the forend without interfering with the receiver when folded. Kel-Tec’s latest version of their Sub2000 uses a swiveling forend to allow the optic/rail to move aside when folding. It’s a clever way to solve an inherent design issue, but it’s not ideal.

The S&W 9mm FPC sales were strong as users found it reliable, inexpensive, reasonably accurate, and fun to shoot. However, an FPC made to accommodate the 10mm Auto cartridge was one of the first customer requests upon the launch of the original version. A durable, lightweight, inexpensive, handy, and powerful PCC in 10mm might make it the perfect choice for a run-around ATV or ranch carbine. The serious punch of full-house 10mm can be impressive, particularly out of the FPC’s rifle-length barrel, and fans of The Centimeter are often denied the diverse firearm choices offered in more popular calibers. Thankfully, Smith & Wesson have responded to 10mm fans and upsized their FPC.

To accommodate the longer, more powerful 10mm round, S&W has beefed up the 9mm FPC’s design, lengthening the receiver, extending the grip, strengthening both the mainspring and the secondary recoil spring inside the receiver extension, and adding a polyurethane bushing at the end of the bolt’s travel. Tungsten weights were also added to the bolt to help soften the greater recoil impulse of the 10mm thumper. The charging handle (a unique ambidextrous design, located under the receiver extension tube) has been updated with an improved latch that keeps the non-reciprocating handle in place until you manually retract it for loading or unloading. The previous charging handle didn’t often come loose on the 9mm version, but S&W wanted to cover all bets on the 10mm FPC since it generates greater recoil energy.

Ergonomic improvements include the aforementioned lengthened grip (which is full-sized compared to the compact size of the original FPC), extended ambidextrous bolt stop levers, and an extended magazine release for easier access around the larger grip circumference.

The 16.25” barrel is larger in diameter and is threaded 9/16”x24 for suppressors or other muzzle devices. The 10mm FPC comes with 3 15-round magazines, 2 of which can be conveniently stored horizontally for ready access in the FPC’s innovative adjustable buttstock. With the carbine set up in this fashion, the user has 45+1 rounds of 10mm power ready to go onboard the lightweight, compact firearm.

The dimensional changes and improvements result in a 7-ounce increase in weight, with the 10mm version tipping the scales at a still-handy 5.7 pounds (compared to the 9mm FPC at just a hair over 5 pounds). The carbine is so new that we haven’t had the chance to handle or shoot it yet, but by all reports recoil is very manageable, with most shooters finding it similar to the 9mm FPC or perhaps producing slightly more felt recoil. For a blowback-operated 10mm, that’s pretty impressive. A very nice, zippered nylon case is included, accommodating the FPC in its very compact folded state.

The only downsides we can find with the 10mm FPC are that the forward rail/handguard is polymer rather than aluminum, and that no iron sights are included. These are probably inconsequential complaints, since the FPC’s design requires that any optics or sights be mounted to the rail itself, rather than to the receiver. The rail is constructed of two pieces of durable polymer sandwiched together with multiple screws. This design is good for keeping the price low, as well as for preventing rapid heat transfer from a hot barrel to the hands, but a 2-piece polymer rail is inherently more flexible than a one-piece aluminum alloy rail. However, durability testing of the 9mm version of the FPC has proven that impact shift is not excessive even after repeated drops and foldings, and the nature of a PCC is not focused on long-range accuracy anyway. If you can get quick hits on a torso-sized target out to 100 yards, that’s generally considered sufficient. The reports we’ve seen show 50-yard 5-shot groups in the 1.5”-2.5” range, which is 3-5 MOA, certainly adequate for a defensive or close-range hunting carbine.

As far as iron sights, the ergonomic setup of the FPC essentially discourages their use, similar to an AR-15 without a carry handle. The FPC’s entire raison d’être is to allow the mounting and use of optics even on a folding carbine, so we don’t really see the lack of included back-up irons to be a real issue. Buy a cheap Holosun or Primary Arms red dot, screw it to the rail, and start having serious 10mm fun. MSRP for the 10mm FPC is $699, but we’re already seeing them on the usual large online firearms retailers’ websites for under $600.

Bergara BMR-X Carbon and Steel

Bergara (bur-GAR-uh) is a Spanish firm known for producing excellent rifles at reasonable prices. With the growing popularity of rimfire competitions such as those held by the National Rimfire League (NRL22) and Precision Rifle Series Rimfire, Bergara has upped their rimfire game for 2025 and expanded their product offerings to allow more people to enjoy the sport.

Bergara already offered their excellent B-14R rimfire rifle, which is a premium, Remington 700-pattern rifle that’s an excellent training analog to Bergara’s centerfire competition rigs. However, with a price starting at over $1100, the B-14R is not what you might call budget-friendly. It also uses the full-length R700 action (and a modified full-length magazine), which is great for training but not necessarily ideal for dedicated rimfire competition or hunting.

Bergara’s new-for-2025 BMR-X (Bergara Micro Rimfire) is offered in two versions, one with a lightweight carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel, and one with a heavy-profile steel barrel, both of which are threaded ½”x28 for a suppressor or brake if desired. The 5.7-pound BMR-X Carbon is intended for serious rimfire hunters, while the 6.6 pound (without optics) BMR-X Steel is more ideally suited for NRL22 competition (or any target shooter who appreciates the greater stability and recoil absorption of a heavier rifle). You might laugh when someone uses the words recoil and rimfire in the same sentence, but precision competitors need to spot their impacts through their scopes (and even the flight of the bullet at times), and the small amount of recoil produced by the diminutive .22 LR can disrupt a shooter’s view through the scope.

The BMR-X action is different from that of the larger, longer (and $400 more expensive) B-14R. The BMR-X still uses a Remington 700-style trigger, but otherwise features a proprietary action and won’t fit R700-pattern stocks or chassis. However, the new action is much shorter compared to the B-14R, and comes with multiple improvements to the stock compared to the field-focused BMR of years past. These include spacers to easily adjust the length of pull, an elevated comb, a bag rider cutout, a more vertical grip, flat-bottomed forend, improved texturing, flush-mount QD sling cups front and rear, and a larger grip surface for the strong hand. You also get a 30 MOA rail and a premium, user-adjustable match trigger. One 5- and one 10-round magazine are included, and additional mags are available for around $30.

The steel version of the BMR-X gets all the stock upgrades of the carbon version, but the steel barrel is a much heavier profile than the standard BMR to increase weight and stability for NRL22 competition Base class. Bergara’s customers asked for this upgrade, and we’re happy to report Bergara listened.

The BMR-X Steel has an MSRP of $719, which saves you nearly $800 for some good optics and keeps you below the $1,500 price cap for your rifle/optics combo to remain legal in the Base class for competition. This is definitely the hot setup for the NRL Base class for 2025 and beyond, and we expect to see other premium manufacturers also following suit. The Carbon version of the BMR-X comes with an MSRP starting at $819. Both rifles are available in .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR.

Benelli Lupo Alpha

The famed Italian firm Benelli is known for high-end shotguns and rifles, and the new Lupo Alpha bolt action rifle is about as high-end as you can get. Weighing in at 2.6 kilograms (5.73 pounds), the Lupo Alpha is the lightest metal-chassis rifle in the world, according to the manufacturer. Benelli has pulled out all the stops to create such a featherweight, and the receiver, forend, and buttstock are all heavily skeletonized. Even the trigger guard has excess metal removed to save weight. The stock and forend have been produced using additive manufacturing (essentially 3D printing) to allow internal weight-saving cavities that would have been impossible using standard techniques.

Lightness in a premium bolt-action rifle is certainly commendable, but it doesn’t really mean much if the rifle doesn’t shoot. Fortunately, Benelli has been able to maintain excellent accuracy in the Lupo Alpha, and guarantees sub-MOA 3-shot groups with quality commercial ammunition. This is partially due to Benelli’s cryogenically treated, fully free-floated barrel. The company says that their Crio process increases barrel life, improves thermal resistance, reduces the impact of overheating, and regulates the vibratory stress of the barrel metal, for more consistent performance. This accuracy guarantee is also supported by a new, lighter trigger for the Lupo Alpha, which is user-adjustable from 650-1650 grams (1.43-3.67 pounds), while remaining crisp and clean.

All of the metal parts on the Lupo Alpha are fully treated with Benelli’s BE.S.T. anti-corrosion finish, which is incredibly resistant to oxidation, allowing for a 25-year warranty from the manufacturer.

So what’s the downside? Well, from where we sit there are three. First, Benelli is producing a limited run of just 1,000 Lupo Alpha rifles, at least for now, and distribution to the USA is currently a question mark. Second, the Lupo Alpha is going to be available in .308 Winchester only. It’s a good cartridge, but perhaps a bit outdated today, and in any case, customers prefer variety. Third is the price, which is sure to be WELL north of a standard Lupo’s $1,699 MSRP. Company reps have promised a price less than ten thousand Euros, but otherwise we haven’t been able to find anything more specific. Based on the new technology, the exclusivity, and the premium brand name, we’d guess that the Lupo Alpha, if you can eventually get one in North America, will retail at a price between $2,800 and $4,000. That’s a lot of cabbage, and there are actually lighter bolt-action hunting rifles available from Christensen Arms and other makers. But if you’re a fan of high-performance, sexy Italian guns, the Lupo Alpha might just be the one for you.

S&W Model 1854 Stealth Hunter

Smith & Wesson is attempting to cash in on the modern or tactical or steampunk lever-action rifle craze with its new Model 1854 Stealth Hunter, and the new line of rifles offers a lot to like for fans of this semi-niche aesthetic. The primary differences between 2024’s original Model 1854 and the new Stealth Hunter are the blacked-out finish on the forged stainless receiver and barrel, an extended picatinny rail that goes roughly halfway up the barrel (allowing scout-mounted optics), and a ventilated aluminum forend featuring 15 M-LOK slots at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions. This allows the easy mounting of any accessory you wish, from tactical lights to lasers to bipods to tripod mounts, to grenade launchers or espresso makers (just kidding on that last one). The Stealth Hunters get a shorter 16.3” barrel compared to the 19” barrel of last year’s standard 1854, which helps reduce weight a bit and improve handling in thick brush. The muzzle is threaded 11/16”x24 for a suppressor or brake.

The picatinny rail on the receiver includes an excellent integrated ghost-ring rear sight, and you get a HIVIZ H3 fiber-optic sight at the front. The trigger is a flat-faced variety with an angled step at the bottom for consistent finger placement and trigger pull, and the trigger break is nice and crisp. The cross-bolt safety near the hammer blocks the firing pin but allows the hammer to move, so you can hunt with your hammer at the traditional half-cock position and cock it fully just before your shot, but still have the additional security of the cross-bolt safety if you decide to use it. It also allows loading and unloading with the safety on, which is a good feature. The buttstock is made of durable polymer with textured grip inserts, and includes a nice, soft rubber buttpad, which helps when using stout .45 Colt or .44 Magnum hunting loads. The lever loop is a bit of a compromise between the traditional large-loop rifles and the standard lever loops that don’t allow for use with gloved hands. This mid-sized loop feels good with or without gloves and isn’t so large as to be annoying.

Available in .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, and .357 Magnum, each for an MSRP of $1,399, the larger-bore variants of the Model 1854 Stealth Hunter weigh in at very handy 6.3 pounds, with the .357 a couple ounces heavier due to the smaller bore diameter. We expect S&W is going to sell quite a few of these attractive, handy, practical lever-action rifles.

CZ 600 Plus Ergo Driven Hunt

The Czech company CZ has long been known for high-quality firearms, particularly their handguns and rifles. The company’s 600 series originally debuted in late 2021, intended to utilize a user-swappable barrel system for easy caliber exchanges. However, that initial design allowed improper user installation to cause a potentially unsafe condition, resulting in a voluntary recall. However, these initial teething issues have been resolved, and the new-for-2025 CZ 600 Plus models utilize an improved barrel-mounting design that incorporates a hardened transverse locator pin so the barrel can’t be installed in an unsafe condition. The flagship of the new line of rifles is called the CZ 600 Plus Ergo Driven Hunt, and it has some impressive features, along with its annoyingly long name. (The name derives from European-style driven hunts in game preserves, where quick shots and fast handling are requisite for success. To save time we’ll just call it the 600 Plus or Ergo from here on.)

The 600 Plus gets additional improvements over the 600, including an extra slot in the Weaver/Picatinny rail section milled into the rear portion of the duralumin receiver. This allows for mounting of larger optics and/or more adjustability relative to the shooter’s eye. The magazine and latching system are improved as well, whereas the previous one was a little bit fiddly. Interestingly, the 600 Plus’s magazine works equally well if you just leave it in the rifle and load it from the top as if it were a fixed internal magazine. Not all rifle/mag designs allow this.

There are three action lengths: the Micro (for .223-length cartridges), the Medium (for .308-length) and Long (for .30-06 and longer). The trigger is improved, and the trigger weight is user-adjustable by using an allen key and rotating an adjustment screw between 4 available detent settings, the lowest being around 600 grams or 1.3 pounds, and super-crisp.

The 600 Plus uses CZ’s patented controlled-round feed action, short extractor, and 6-lug bolt head, which locks directly into the barrel for strength and lightness. (This is what allows the use of an aluminum alloy receiver.) The overall triangular bolt head and 6-lug configuration permit a short, 60-degree lift, which speeds up cycling and prevents you from bashing your thumb against a mounted optic when running the action. The updated bolt body is spiral-fluted, which adds a touch of class as well as potentially improving cycling in extremely dirty conditions. The bolt head is user-swappable as well when necessary for caliber changes.

Despite the 600 Plus’s capabilities, we don’t imagine many Ergo users will actually be swapping barrels, as it’s primarily intended as a hunting rifle, but you could swap between, say, 6mm Creedmoor for long-range target shooting and .308 Winchester for big-game hunting if you wished. The medium-action magazine will accommodate 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .308 Winchester, and .243 Winchester, for example. Barrels with and without included iron sights are available, but all are cold hammer forged for durability and accuracy, and are threaded 15x1mm right-hand thread for suppressors or other muzzle devices. On the Driven Hunt model, a circumferential compensator (what we’d call a muzzle brake) is included. CZ guarantees the barrel for life against defects in manufacturing.

The safety mechanism is absolutely silent and is of a unique vertical plunger design similar to cross-bolt safety buttons on many shotguns. However, in this case, you press down/in on the safety plunger, which is conveniently located directly behind the bolt on the receiver, and if you want to apply the safety, you reach below the tang of the receiver and press upward on the safety plunger. This locks the bolt handle and the trigger, but if you wish to remove the round from the chamber or otherwise remove the bolt, pressing the bolt release latch on the right side of the receiver frees the bolt without disengaging the safety- very slick.

The rifle’s polymer thumbhole stock is fairly lightweight, and in the Driven Hunt configuration, the rubberized, textured inserts are colored blaze orange for improved visibility when hunting, as well as perhaps some hot-rod cool-factor. The stock feels great, either right- or left-handed, and features a nice recoil pad. The Driven Hunt model includes high-quality Trigatti sling swivel loops and a functional nylon sling. US pricing hasn’t been released yet, but the recommended retail price in Europe is 1,779 Euros, or about 1,900 dollars equivalent. We expect the street price to be significantly less once availability improves, and we should also see the standard 600 Plus family of rifles on the market within the next year or two at more affordable prices.

Seekins Havak PH3

Seekins Precision has improved their popular Havak line with the new Havak PH3, featuring an all-new 3-lug bolt and 60-degree throw. The new design also permits Seekins to offer the PH3 at an MSRP of $1,895, roughly a grand less than the highly regarded Havak Element M3. Like the M3, the PH3 uses what Seekins refers to as a mini-chassis, allowing both a quick-change barrel setup and fitting into any Seekins M3 stocks or compatible chassis systems.

The new bolt features tool-free disassembly and interchangeable bolt heads (standard or magnum) for caliber changes. The PH3 gets a fully spiral-fluted 416R stainless barrel that’s threaded ⅝”x24 (and includes a brake), integrated 20 MOA picatinny rail sections milled into the receiver, and a user-adjustable Trigger Tech trigger with adjustments from 5 down to 2.5 pounds. An attractive carbon-composite stock integrates a full-length M-Lok rail underneath the forend for endless bipod and tripod mounting options and includes an adjustable cheek riser. You can select from three Seekins shadow series paint options, all of which look fantastic.

Crucially, the new receiver has been designed from the ground up to allow the use of handloads with extended cartridge overall length (COAL). For example, you can load as long as 3.14” in 6.5 PRC and up to 3.9” in .300 PRC and .300 Win Mag (factory spec for the standard .300 Winchester Magnum is 3.34”). Additionally, the new receivers are among the first built to handle the increased pressures of the new super-hot rifle cartridges like the .277 Fury and 7mm Backcountry.

The PH3 is available in 20” or 24” barreled variants in their short action (.308 Winchester length), in 6mm and 6.5mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .277 Fury, and .308. The long action PH3 is available with 22” or 26” barrels, in 7mm Remington Mag, 7 PRC, 7 Backcountry, .300 Win Mag, and .300 PRC. If you’re not finding exactly what you’re looking for, Seekins also publishes open-source files with their full headspace, chamber, and barrel tenon specifications, as well as their barrel contours for stock fitting.

Their no-questions-asked lifetime warranty backs all of Seekins Precision rifles, and they’re 100% made in America. It’s not an inexpensive hunting rifle, but for the features, performance, and innovation you get for around $1,900, you might actually find the Seekins Havak PH3 a fantastically good deal.

Geissele King Hunter

Bill Geissele is well-known for top-tier AR-15 platform triggers, rails, and rifles, but in a somewhat surprising move, the company has developed an all-new bolt-action rifle for 2025: the King Hunter. Geissele describes the rifle as a no-expense-spared, Rolex-like rifle utilizing only the finest materials, coatings, heat treating, and construction.

Initially offered in the new, 80,000 PSI 7mm Backcountry cartridge, the King Hunter is capable of delivering over twice the energy of the .30-06 at 1,000 yards. The cartridge also permits Geissele to achieve 3000 fps from a 20” barrel from a standard long action, which is similar performance to a 7mm PRC from a 24” barrel. Impressive stuff.

Geissele consulted Manners for their Long-Range Hunter stock, which is all-carbon and features an Arco rail, included QD sling mount cups front and rear, and the front sling swivel is replaceable with an included picatinny rail section if you prefer. Essentially everything else is made in-house at Geissele’s facility in Pennsylvania, including the 416 stainless, cut-rifling barrel (in fact, the company says they designed and made the machines that make the barrels). The bolt and bolt head are made in house from S7 tool steel and Nanoweapon coated for lubricity and corrosion resistance. The bolt head is a floating design for improved accuracy, and the firing pin is roller-guided for speed and consistency in ignition. Geissele includes both a faceted, tactical-style bolt handle and a rounded, ergonomic handle with each rifle, so the user can choose his/her preference. The muzzle is threaded and a Geissele Swavvy QD muzzle brake/suppressor mount is installed.

The receiver includes machined-in picatinny rail sections, rather than bolt-on pieces. The trigger is a Geissele Super 700 2-stage drop-safe design, which is highly regarded as one of the better Remington 700-pattern triggers available.

As you’d expect from a spare-no-expense rifle, the price is pretty hefty, at $3,800. However, top-tier shooters and well-heeled hunters are sure to appreciate this rifle’s capabilities and quality.

Other notable new rifles for 2025

Obviously, we can’t cover every new rifle that launched this year, so we’ve only filled you in on those we found most interesting or innovative. If you want to check out more new rifles, have a look at those below:

• Aero Precision M4E1 PRO carbine (fully ambidextrous); $1,999
• POF-USA LMR BASE (ultralight 6.3-pound .308 AR); $1359
• Bear Creek Arsenal BC-10 in 8.6 Blackout; $619
• Ruger LC Carbine in 10mm Auto; $1,049
• Century Arms AP51 and AP53 (roller-delayed H&K 51 and 53 PDW clones); $1,799
• Insight Armory SVD (US-made Dragunov); $3,999 (pre-order)
• H&K MR556 A4; $3,699
• Fightlite Herring (lever-action AR: still waiting for release); $1,699
• Henry Garden Gun (lever-action smoothbore .22 for rat shot); $491
• CVA Scout models (new 2025 release)
• PSA Jakl 2.0; likely $1,499
• Tikka T3x Ace; $1,649 and up
• Taylors & Company 1873 in 9mm; $1,999
• Ruger 10/22 carbon fiber; $649

Store all your rifles in a Liberty Safe

Whether you have just a couple of rifles or a whole bunch, remember to help keep your firearms secure from theft, unauthorized use, and fire with a quality US-made gun safe from Liberty. If your current safe is stuffed full and you need to expand, have a look at our interactive online catalog or visit a Liberty showroom near you. You’ll be surprised how affordable quality can be.