Effective June 18, 2024, YouTube, owned by Google, will update its policy on firearms videos by restricting certain content for users under 18. The focus of the restriction relates to homemade guns, automatic weapons, and particular firearm accessories, such as silencers. YouTube already prohibits content that directs users to purchase guns and accessories or provides instructions to viewers to make their own. “Gunfluencers” are a large community within YouTube that distributes content to promote firearms and accessories. This group has been impacted by prior content restrictions and will continue to be under the latest ones.
These “gunfluencers” are people within the gun industry who have specialized knowledge and insight into firearms and ammunition. Their impact reaches across social media platforms and often draws attention to the types of weapons they prefer and hold in their collections. Gun enthusiasts normally maintain several different kinds of firearms, ranging from handguns, such as pistols and revolvers, to long guns, which include rifles and shotguns. Handgun purchases made up an estimated 57% of all firearms sales in the United States in 2021; long guns only made up 37%. Pistols and revolvers have maintained the majority of sales for some time, but this has not always been the case. Until the early 1990s, rifles and shotguns outpaced pistols and revolvers in sales.
A uniquely American rifle, the lever-action was invented in the United States, where it has remained popular for over 150 years. While never officially adopted by the U.S. military as a standard-issue firearm, lever-actions were widely used during the Civil War and by American law enforcement in the early- to mid-twentieth century. Today, lever-action rifles are common in gun cabinets across the country.
Using a report from Gun Genius, which analyzed sales data from the online firearm marketplace GunBroker.com, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 most popular lever-action rifles in America. Rifles are ranked on sales volume in the 2023 calendar year, though exact sales figures were not provided. Supplemental data on domestic manufacturing locations and production volume in 2021 are from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
It is important to note that this list was compiled using online gun sales only. Unlike most items purchased online, firearms are generally not shipped directly to your door. Typically, the process requires buyers to have their gun shipped to a Federally Licensed Firearm Dealer – usually a local gun store – which will run a background check before transferring the gun to the customer.
Why Are We Writing About the Most Popular Lever-Action Rifles in the US?
Source: Orlando / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
While lever-actions have some advantages (shorter in length and lighter to carry) and disadvantages (harder to clean and less accurate), they are an iconic firearm, and several models rank among the best-selling rifles in the United States. Many major gunmakers do not produce lever-action rifles, and partially, as a result, the 10 firearms on this list are made by only four companies under five brand names. The Wisconsin-based manufacturer Henry Repeating Arms makes four rifles on this list, and FN Herstal, a Belgian arms maker, produces three under the Winchester and Browning brand names.
These are America’s best-selling lever-action rifles.
10. Winchester Model 1892 Series
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
The Winchester Model 1892 Series was manufactured by the Herstal Group. It is available in a .357 Mag, .44 mag, .44-40, and .45 chambering. The approximate base retail price is $1,170 for this rifle.
9. Marlin Model 1894 Series
Source: Jeff dean / Wikimedia Commons
The parent company for the Marlin Model 1894 Series is Sturm, Ruger & Company. Ruger U.S. rifle production in 2021 reached 736,664, or 18.7% of all U.S.-made rifles. Sturm, Ruger & Company operate out of Prescott, AZ, Southport, CT, Mayodan, NC, and Newport, NH. The Marlin Model 1894 series has an approximate base retail price of $1,280 and comes in the .38 Special, .357 Mag, .44 Special, and .44 Mag chambering.
8. Henry Long Ranger Series
Source: Ultratone85 / Wikimedia Commons
Henry Repeating Arms, out of Rice Lake, WI, and Bayonne, NJ, produced 296,948 rifles in 2021, about 7.5% of all U.S.-made rifles. They are the parent company of the Henry Long Ranger Series rifle, produced with .243, 6.5mm Creedmoor, .223, and .308 chambering. The approximate base retail price is $1,100.00.
7. Browning BLR Series
Source: Dictouray / Wikimedia Commons
The Browning BLR Series was manufactured by the Herstal Group in Morgan, UT (Browning). It is available in a .243, .270, .308, .30-06, 6.5mm Creedmoor, and .300 Win Mag chambering. The approximate base retail price is $1,150 for this rifle.
6. Winchester Model 94 Series
Source: Surv1v4l1st / WIkimedia Commons
The parent company for the Winchester Model 94 Series is the Herstal Group. This rifle has an approximate base retail price of $1,200 and comes in the .25-35, .30-30, .32 Win Spl, .38-55, and .450 Mar chambering.
5. Henry Golden Boy Series
Source: Dcl412 / Wikimedia Commons
Henry Repeating Arms, out of Rice Lake, WI, and Bayonne, NJ, produced 296,948 rifles in 2021, about 7.5% of all U.S.-made rifles. They are the parent company of the Henry Golden Boy Series rifle, produced with .22 S/L/LR, .22 WMR, and .17 hMR chambering. The approximate base retail price is $530.
4. Rossi R92 Series
Source: SKapl / iStock via Getty Images
The Rossi R92 Series was manufactured by Rossi. It is available in a .30-30, .454 Casual, .38, .357 Mag, .44 Mag, .45, and .45-70 chambering. The approximate base retail price is $620 for this rifle.
3. Marlin Model 1895 Series
Source: Wirestock/Getty Images
The parent company for the Marlin Model 1895 Series is Sturm, Ruger & Company. Ruger U.S. rifle production in 2021 reached 736,664, or 18.7% of all U.S.-made rifles. Sturm, Ruger & Company operate out of Prescott, AZ, Southport, CT, Mayodan, NC, and Newport, NH. The Marlin Model 1895 series has an approximate base retail price of $1,280 and comes in the .45-70 chambering.
2. Henry Side Gate Series
Source: 2017 Getty Images / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
Henry Repeating Arms, out of Rice Lake, WI, and Bayonne, NJ, produced 296,948 rifles in 2021, about 7.5% of all U.S.-made rifles. They are the parent company of the Henry Side Gate Series rifle, produced with .30-30, .357 Mag, .44 Mag, .45, and .45-70 chambering. The approximate base retail price is $870.
1. Henry Big Boy Series
Source: Picanox / Wikimedia Commons
The Henry Big Boy Series was manufactured by Henry Repeating Arms, out of Rice Lake, WI, and Bayonne, NJ. It is available in .327 Mag, .41 Mag, .38, .357 Mag, .44 Mag and .45 chambering. The approximate base retail price is $850 for this rifle.
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