Long guns

Rifles can be found in many configurations today. The most used one is the Bolt action, the roots of it can be traced back to 1898, Mauser -98 days. Single shots and Semiauto are the other two types. They all can be used for both competition and hunting with the right cartridge combination. I excluded the lever actions? Nope, but they fall in (more or less) in the bolt action category. For fun and for cowboy action they are hard to beat but the usefulness for the target shooter, (except Cowboy Action shooting) varminter and hunter is limited in my point of view. With a big cartridge, read heavy weight bullet it’s a fine gun to use up close for hunting.
The cartridge and what type of shooting we are going to use that gun for is what determines what gun/cartridge combination we are to buy. For varmint shooting, a flat shooting small but high velocity cartridge is hard to beat and one can choose from the single shots or bolt action type. The Semiauto isn’t capable of the same accuracy at the longest ranges but if you have money enough a competent gunsmith can build you a fine varmint gun out from the semiautos too. For competition you are limited too what the regulations of that particular type of comp. leaves you too. Hunting? Well, all three can be used for that but dangerous or fast shooting hunting excludes the single shots. (Double guns are a very special kind of guns and are often used for hunting dangerous game and with heavy calibres/cartridge combinations.)
Let’s take a look at a few guns from the different types we discussed

Single shots

Sharps and Win Hi Wall single shot rifles

A Ruger Single shot custom made gun in .257

 

 

Ruger Single shot rifle from Bown custom guns in .577-2.75" calibre

A double gun gives you two fast ctgs. The first cartridge in .600 NE is easy to let off, the second......well, it takes a bit more guts than the first one :)

Bolt action

Bolt action Weatherby, can be found chambered in .224 Wby Mag and up to include .460 Wby Magnum

Here you can see at this two Bowen customs guns the difference on single shot and bolt action rifles

A Ruger Bolt action ready for Big Game hunting.

A Robar cal .50 BMG bolt action

This is still the gun to beat! Mauser M98 born in 1998 but still the king for hunting when ones life is in line

Semiauto

A lot to choose from.

A Remington Semi auto in .308 Win Cal

 

One can see the origins of these two guns but both are strictly civilian and super accurate.

Whatever type of rifle you choose give some thoughts to the calibre and handloading of it. Some guns are a lot easier to handload (single shots) some are harder, (Semiauto) with the bolt action in-between.