Lynx Rifles

Lore & Background

The Lynx 94 was patented and introduced in 1994, and has been quoted as one of the 'smoothest and most reliable straight-pull rifle[s] available'. The rifle was marketed outside Finland starting in 2007, and by 2014, 67% of all production was exported. The action has a tubular design with a sliding crossbar; the two locking lugs are located at the rear of the action and are directly opposed on the left and right side, providing a shorter bolt travel. The barrel is attached to the receiver using traditional action threads, and the receiver features an integral 17 mm wide dovetail rail for mounting a scope sight.

Model designations depend mainly on stock and barrel configuration. The TD15 features a takedown stock (synthetic or walnut) with a milled aluminium block connecting the buttstock, handguard, and barreled action. The Light Hunter has a lightweight barrel and walnut stock. The Target model has a heavy barrel and a laminated thumbhole stock with an adjustable cheekpiece and two UIT rails. The English model offers a lightweight barrel with a made-to-order English style walnut stock. The Presence 15 uses a chassis stock with a picatinny-rail handguard, AR-15 style buttstock and grip, and AICS style magazines.

Reader's Guide

The Lynx 94 represents a niche but respected entry in the straight-pull rifle market, distinguished by its Finnish handcraftsmanship and a biathlon-derived cross bolt system known for smoothness and reliability. Its modular design, with short, medium, and long actions, allows it to chamber a wide range of cartridges from .222 Rem to .375 Ruger, making it adaptable for hunting, sport, and tactical use. The variety of stock configurations—from takedown and lightweight hunting models to a precision-oriented target version with a laminated thumbhole stock and a chassis-based tactical model—demonstrates the manufacturer's effort to cover diverse user needs. The rifle's export success, with over two-thirds of production shipped abroad by 2014, indicates its appeal beyond Finland. The adjustable trigger and integral dovetail rail for optics further enhance its versatility. While not as widely known as some competitors, the Lynx 94 has carved out a reputation among enthusiasts of straight-pull actions for its engineering and build quality.

Did You Know?

• The Lynx 94 uses a biathlon-style cross bolt straight pull system with few parts.
• The receiver has an integral 17 mm wide dovetail rail for scope mounting.
• The trigger pull weight is adjustable between 500 and 1200 grams.