These Are the Lever-Action Rifles Dominating the US Market

24/7 Wall St. Insights

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.
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One of the most popular rifles in the US is the Henry Big Boy series. Manufacturer, Henry Repeating Arms sells about 300,000 rifles per year. Gun enthusiasts enjoy the Big Boy models for their reliability and quality although they come at a higher price than other firearms on the market. The Henry brand began manufacturing guns beginning in 1860 and remains a top gun manufacturer today.

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.

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.

The lever-action is an iconic American rifle invented in the US where it has held its popularity for more than 150 years. Although it was not an official standard-issue rifle in the military, these weapons were used widely during the Civil War and by American law enforcement during the early to mid-twentieth century. Lever action rifles remain a popular choice among gun enthusiasts today.

The following 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?

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

Approx. base retail price: $1,170
Available chamberings include: .357 Mag, .44 Mag, .44-40, .45
Parent company: Herstal Group
Winchester U.S. rifle production in 2021: 0
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: None

9. Marlin Model 1894 Series

Approx. base retail price: $1,280
Available chamberings include: .38 Special, .357 Mag, .44 Special, .44 Mag
Parent company: Sturm, Ruger & Company
Ruger U.S. rifle production in 2021: 736,664 (18.7% of all U.S. made rifles)
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Prescott, AZ, Southport, CT, Mayodan, NC, and Newport, NH

8. Henry Long Ranger Series

Approx. base retail price: $1,100
Available chamberings include: .243, 6.5mm Creedmoor, .223, .308
Parent company: Henry Repeating Arms
Henry U.S. rifle production in 2021: 296,948 (7.5% of all U.S. made rifles)
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Rice Lake, WI and Bayonne, NJ

7. Browning BLR Series

Approx. base retail price: $1,150
Available chamberings include: .243, .270, .308, .30-06, 6.5mm Creedmoor, .300 Win Mag
Parent company: Herstal Group
Browning U.S. rifle production in 2021: 1
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Morgan, UT (Browning)

6. Winchester Model 94 Series

Approx. base retail price: $1,200
Available chamberings include: .25-35, .30-30, .32 Win Spl, .38-55, .450 Mar
Parent company: Herstal Group
Winchester U.S. rifle production in 2021: 0
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: None

5. Henry Golden Boy Series

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Approx. base retail price: $530
Available chamberings include: .22 S/L/LR, .22 WMR, .17 hMR
Parent company: Henry Repeating Arms
Henry U.S. rifle production in 2021: 296,948 (7.5% of all U.S. made rifles)
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Rice Lake, WI and Bayonne, NJ

4. Rossi R92 Series

Approx. base retail price: $620
Available chamberings include: .30-30, .454 Casull,.38, .357 Mag,.44 Mag, .45, .45-70
Parent company: Rossi
Rossi U.S. rifle production in 2021: 0
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: None

3. Marlin Model 1895 Series

Approx. base retail price: $1,280
Available chamberings include: .45-70
Parent company: Sturm, Ruger & Company
Ruger U.S. rifle production in 2021: 736,664 (18.7% of all U.S. made rifles)
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Prescott, AZ, Southport, CT, Mayodan, NC, and Newport, NH

2. Henry Side Gate Series

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Approx. base retail price: $870
Available chamberings include: .30-30, .357 Mag,.44 Mag, .45, .45-70
Parent company: Henry Repeating Arms
Henry U.S. rifle production in 2021: 296,948 (7.5% of all U.S. made rifles)
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Rice Lake, WI and Bayonne, NJ

1. Henry Big Boy Series

Approx. base retail price: $850
Available chamberings include: .327 Mag, .41 Mag, .38, .357 Mag,.44 Mag, .45
Parent company: Henry Repeating Arms
Henry U.S. rifle production in 2021: 296,948 (7.5% of all U.S. made rifles)
U.S. manufacturing location(s) in 2021: Rice Lake, WI and Bayonne, NJ