Colin Smith
GUNCC Guest Writer
A sporting rifle refers to a type of firearm that is used exclusively for sports and recreation. This may include shooting targets like skeet or trap, or hunting small or large game, with a lot of variations in between. There tends to be a lot of controversy today around the difference between an assault rifle and a sporting rifle. In this article, we’re going to take a look at those used for hunting and sport. There are more options that ever to choose from on the market, and with the right amount of research, you should have no problem finding the perfect sporting firearm for your particular interests.
If you are an enthusiast of gun history as well as a sportsmen, then you’ll appreciate the focus in this article on sporting hunting rifles. There are obviously many different kinds of modern sporting firearms that are also used for hunting and for competition, but there are just too many awesome historical examples that are still prevalent today, to not at least dedicate one full page to the sporting rifles we have all come to love so much, at least those of us who are enthusiastic about hunting and outdoor sports and recreation. Here’s my short list of some of the best examples of sporting firearms in history:
There are so many more variations of awesome sporting firearms to explore. Dive into the history of one of the early historical models, such as the Winchester Model 70 or the American Longrifle, and you’ll find that it opens up a rabbit hole into the discovery of many more important innovations and designs that impacted the trajectory of gun-making over the past century. From this point you can look into new innovations that were inspired and how the trajectory of sporting guns developed as an iterative process over generations, always fulfilling new requirements and the needs and desires of the public.
The history of sporting firearms truly does need to be considered right alongside the development of all other firearms. Why is this? It is only natural that innovations, whether for sporting or military purposes, were also, broadly speaking, advances in gun-making technology itself, and therefore a breakthrough in any one firearm could have the opportunity to be incorporated into any other. As gun manufacturing and design advanced to meet the needs of early settlers, and then after that, as a requirement of battles and war, sporting firearms also advanced in terms of their attributes and capabilities.
Nowadays there are virtually unlimited options to suit just about any sport shooting enthusiast’s desires. There are also more competitions and events than ever, which make for even more opportunities for people with similar interests to meet and enjoy their hobbies together. If you’re new to hunting and sport shooting, be sure to do lots of research and ask the help of experts to assist you in choosing the appropriate gun for your sporting purposes.
Colin Smith
GUNCC Guest Writer