Gun Of The Week: Colt CBX TacHunter

Welcome to another American Rifleman Gun Of The Week video, and in this episode, we’re on the range with a bolt-action from Colt. This is the CBX TacHunter and it is no ordinary hunting rifle of yesteryear. Watch our video above to see this Colt bolt-action with controlled-round feed in use on the range.

To know Colt is to understand that it is a bedrock name in the firearm industry with a history that goes back over 180 years. The brand has been a huge influence on firearm design, launching arms such as the M1911 service pistol, the Single Action Army, Walker and more. Today, Colt continues to innovate, coming to market with updated classics and cutting-edge options such as this CBX TacHunter you see here.

Most might know Colt’s name as a maker of America’s rifle, the AR-15, but at SHOT Show 2023, Colt received some head-turning attention when it unveiled a manually operated, bolt-action rifle dubbed the CBX Precision Rifle. It featured a bull barrel and modular chassis. But it didn’t take long for Colt to announce it would offer a hunting rifle. Based on the CBX action, this TacHunter is a modern take on the turn-bolt hunting rifle.

With the CBX TacHunter, like the CBX Precision rifle, you’ll get a six-lug bolt—think three pairs of two lugs 120 degrees apart—housed within a Nitride-treated carbon steel receiver. The barrel is modest at 20” long, made of carbon steel and features button rifling for supreme accuracy and a threaded muzzle for accessories. Colt offers its CBX TacHunter in two well-loved cartridges, too, 6.5 mm Creedmoor and .308 Win. What’s particularly interesting about the CBX series of rifles is that Colt engineered a unique way of providing controlled-round feeding of cartridges, which is a concept that seems to have been abandoned in recent years.

The rifles receiver is also a bit different than typical rifles of today. Its bottom side is flat and integrates with the stock’s inletting and bedding system to provide consistent and rock-solid support. An aluminum bar spans the entire length of the fore-end, which gives the gray polymer stock extra support throughout. As for creature comforts, you’ll find Colt offers up a few noteworthy features. First is the adjustability in the buttstock for length of pull and simple cheek riser replacement. There’s also great texturing and contours long the fore-end that aids in field shooting. The stock’s wrist has near-vertical pistol grip shape to it, and panels of aggressive texturing will surely be of help with gloved hands during cold-weather hunts.

On the range is where one can truly appreciate the CBX TacHunter. The action is smooth and fast thanks to the large-diameter bold body and 60-degree throw. We found magazines drop smoothly when needed, thanks to the articulating lever just forward of the trigger guard. Our testers very much appreciated that Colt included an adjustable trigger on the CBX. Its single-stage pull was light and it broke crisply and consistently without overtravel.

Colt’s hybrid approach to successfully creating a hunting rifle with modern appeal at a price that is attainable is yet another feather in the cap for the legendary brand.

Colt CBX TacHunter Specifications
Action Type: bolt-action, centerfire, repeating rifle
Chambering: .308 Win.
Barrel: 20″ button-rifled carbon steel
Receiver: carbon steel
Finish: black Nitride
Stock: gray polymer
Sights: none; drilled-and-tapped receiver
Magazine: five-round Magpul AICS
Trigger: single-stage adjustable; 2-lb., 10-oz. pull
Overall Length: 39.75
Weight: 6 lbs., 15 ozs.
MSRP: $999