Quick Review: Mossberg Patriot LR Hunter Bolt-Action Rifle

This article was featured in the November 2021 issue of Game & Fish Magazine. Click here to subscribe

Since its introduction in 2015, Mossberg’s Patriot line of bolt- action rifles has grown to include predator, youth and tactical models. For 2021, the company introduced a long-range hunting iteration called, fittingly, the LR Hunter.

The Mossberg Patriot LR Hunter carries forth several standard features found on the original Patriot—a polymer drop-box magazine, a spiral- fluted bolt, an oversized bolt handle, a user-adjustable (2 to 7 pounds) Lightning Bolt Action trigger—and it also has a number of attributes that tailor it to long-range shooting and hunting.

Perhaps most noticeable is the polymer-coated Monte Carlo stock with its raised comb and flat-bottom, benchrest-style fore-end. These design characteristics are meant to maximize comfort and stability when bearing down on a distant target.

The fore-end, too, has dual swivel studs for a sling and a bipod. Lest you think this is an overtly heavy rifle meant for stationary shooting, the un-scoped weight is a mere 6 1/2 pounds.

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The free-floating, fluted, 22-inch barrel is threaded for a muzzle brake or suppressor. A one-piece, 6-inch Picatinny rail offers ample mounting space for optics.

The push-feed action features dual locking lugs, a sliding-plate extractor and a plunger-type ejector. A two-stage, rocker-style safety is easily manipulated aft of the bolt handle. Aluminum bedding pillars lend rigidity to the barreled action’s interface with the stock.

You might expect such a nicely appointed long-range rifle to retail well north of $1,000, but the MSRP is a very palatable $766. You’ll find it for less at many dealers (mossberg.com).

Mossberg Patriot LR Hunter Specs

• Gun Type: Centerfire Rifle
• Action: Bolt Action
• Calibers: 308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 300 Win Mag
• Capacity: 3+1 (300 Win Mag); 4+1 (6.5 PRC); 5+1 (308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor)
• Barrel: 22” and 24” fluted thread
• Twist: 1:10” (308 Win, 300 Win Mag); 1:8” (6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC)
• Barrel Finish: Matte blue
• Scope Base: Picatinny rail
• Length of Pull: 13.75”
• Overall Length: 42.25” to 44.75”
• Stock: Polymer-coated Monte Carlo hunting stock (Spider Gray)
• Weight: 6.5 to 7.5 pounds
• MSRP: $766