The Most Popular Lever-Action Rifles in America and How Much They Cost

The lever-action is an iconic and, some would argue, quintessentially American rifle. The first commercially successful lever-action gun, the Henry Rifle, was introduced in 1860, more than a decade after the design was patented. At a time when the standard military rifle was a percussion cap musket, the lever-action repeater represented a giant leap in firearm technology. 

Lever-action rifles were never officially adopted as a standard rifle for the U.S. military due in part to difficulty of operation when firing from the prone position and, in the early decades, incompatibility with high-powered smokeless cartridges. However, some lever-actions, such as the Spencer 1860 repeating rifle, saw limited use in the Civil War. But by the mid- to late-19th century, lever-action rifles, particularly those made by Winchester Repeating Arms, surged in popularity, most notably on the Western frontier. 

Lever-action rifles have always offered shooters a faster rate of fire than their bolt-action counterparts, often in a more compact design, with many modern models capable of taking the largest game in North America. Now, more than a century and a half since their inception, they remain a favorite among hunters and firearm enthusiasts, and can be found in gun cabinets in countless American households. (Here is a look at the 14 most versatile hunting rifle cartridges.)

Using a report from Gungenius, which compiled sales data from GunBroker.com, an online firearms marketplace, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 most popular lever-action rifles in America. Guns are ranked based on 2022 online sales, though exact sales figures were not provided.  

No company has more rifles on this list than Henry Repeating Arms, a Wisconsin-based company that manufactured more than 1.3 million rifles between 2016 and 2020, or nearly 9% of all U.S. made rifles in that period, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Though the company takes its name from the original lever-action repeater, it was founded in 1996 and has no affiliation with its namesake. 

It is important to note that some families of Henry rifles on this list overlap with others. The line of Henry .30-30 models, for example, includes rifles from other Henry lines, such as the Henry X Model. 

Other companies represented on this list include Browning, Marlin, Rossi, and Winchester – the brand name behind the Model 1873, dubbed the “Gun That Won the West.” (Here is a look at the most common firearms from the Old West.)

Click here to see the most popular lever-action rifles in America.

Click here to read our detailed methodology.

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