We proclaimed 2024 “The Year of the Lever Gun,” thanks to a veritable renaissance of the beloved, though admittedly aging, platform. But good designs are timeless, and new generations of shooters are discovering why their forebears loved and trusted the old lever action rifle.
We looked at several new offerings at SHOT Show 2025, ranging from traditional to cutting edge. The lever gun’s versatility was on full display, as companies look to provide something for every shooter’s individual taste. Let’s look at what’s new for 2025, as well as a few sneak peeks from last year that are now, or almost, ready for prime time.
Traditional Lever Guns
Lever action rifles are among the most proven platforms available. Some claim that the .30-30 Winchester, a stalwart lever gun cartridge, has killed more deer than any other round. Hunters still rely on lever guns for all sorts of game, from bears to rabbits.
Major pushes from big-time lever gun manufacturers like Marlin and Henry show that the market for those rifles is still vibrant. So vibrant that other gunmakers have jumped on the bandwagon. Here’s what’s new.
The Heritage 92 Series
Heritage Manufacturing is known for their “cowboy gun” emphasis, which they expanded with last year’s .22 Long Rifle Settler lever action series. 2025 brings the 92 Series, modeled after the classic Winchester 1892.
The Heritage 92s are chambered for .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, and .454 Casull for a wide range of hard-hitting pistol calibers. Heritage also offers 16, 20, and 24-inch barrels, with octagonal barrels available on some models. There’s even a Mare’s Leg option with the 92 Ranch Hand models. Most have a black receiver and barrel, but several stainless steel options are available.
Wooden stocks adorn all the Heritage 92s, with the stainless-steel Ranch Hand model featuring black-stained wood. The Ranch Hands and 16-inch barreled carbines feature an oversized lever loop, while the other models have the normal-sized lever.
Harrington & Richardson Lever Gun
Palmetto State Armory is reviving the Harrington & Richardson brand with some exciting new products, including a line of lever guns based on the Winchester Model 1892. They had a few prototypes on display this year, but they aren’t yet in their final iterations, though it looks like a stainless-steel version will be offered along with the black finish. These rifles will debut later this year in pistol calibers. Full size rifle calibers may follow.
The actions were smooth, and the wood was nice, but it’s hard to draw a bead on a prototype firearm. We’ll keep an eye on these.
Stag Arms Lever Gun
Stag Arms previewed a Marlin 1895-based lever gun at SHOT Show 2024, saying it should be ready this year. A more developed version was on display in 2025, but the gun still hasn’t been released.
The rifles have gray, laminated stocks with 20 and 16-inch threaded barrels. They also feature long, top-mounted rails and rear peep sights. The full-size receivers indicate that these rifles will be chambered for .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Gov’t. They may be available later this year.
Tactical Lever Guns
Traditional lever guns have come back strong, but the real trend is more modern. Some would say “tactical.” I know some gun people don’t like the term “tactical lever gun,” but it works as well as anything, so we’ll go with that.
Tactical lever guns were first conceived to appeal to shooters who live in strict gun control states, specifically those which make it difficult or impossible to buy or even own an AR-15 or something similar. The idea has some validity. A lever gun is much faster than a bolt action AR, or bolt action anything.
Companies are also adding features like threaded barrels, Picatinny rails, and lightweight furniture designed for accessories. If your grandpa’s old deer rifle doesn’t appeal to you, these modern guns might change your mind.
But the biggest game changer is a detachable box magazine instead of the old tube mag. Lever guns have always run fast, but reloading was slow. The tube also precluded spitzer bullets and modern cartridges. Some tactical models still use the tube, but modern ammo like Hornady’s LeverEvolution has increased those guns’ potential performance. The new detachable mag rifles, however, open new doors to modern, high-performance cartridges.
Aero Precision Lever Gun
Like its sister company, Stag Arms, Aero Precision previewed a lever gun in 2024, but in a tactical configuration. These rifles are patterned after the Marlin 1895 and Rossi R95, which is itself an 1895 clone. Like the Stag guns, the receivers indicate .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Gov’t chamberings.
The primary difference between the Aero Precision and Stag rifles is the furniture. The Aero Precisions feature adjustable, skeletonized polymer stocks and M-Lok-compatible polymer handguards with a full-length rail up top. No word on the actual release date.
The Bond Arms LVRB
The Bond Arms LVRB is a gun I’ve been excited about for a while. The rifle won Recoil Magazine’s Firearm of the Year for 2023. I looked at it closely at SHOT Show 2024, hoping it would be available soon, but the LVRB has been delayed several times and is not yet ready. I spoke with Gordon Bond this year and he said he hopes it will be good to go by this summer. He did tell me that he wants to get it exactly right before releasing it. Having reviewed a couple of lever guns that weren’t so stringent on their initial release, I appreciate that.
The LVRB will be magazine-fed and feature an AR-15-style upper receiver, along with a collapsible stock and M-Lok handguard. .223 Remington and .300 Blackout will be the initial chamberings, with .450 Bushmaster a later possibility. The LVRB is compatible with standard AR mags, marking it among the most modern guns on this list.
The Fightlite Industries HERRING Model 2024
I think Fightlite’s new HERRING Model 2024 Modern Lever Action rifle is probably the current pinnacle of the modern tactical lever gun concept. The magazine-fed HERRING is modular, allowing for numerous chamberings and accessories. The internals are very AR-15-like but adapted for the manual lever action design. Standard STANAG mags work in the HERRING, no matter the capacity.
Most Model 2024s will be chambered for .223 Wylde and .300 Blackout. .223 Wylde means you can run either .223 Remington or 5.56 NATO rounds without damaging the chamber. But the HERRING can easily be reconfigured for other AR calibers like 6mm ARC and .450 Bushmaster. .22 Long Rifle, 9mm, 10mm, .45 ACP, and 5.7×28 are also possible with the right components. Fightlite will offer complete rifles and matched uppers and bolt carrier groups to pair with the rifle’s lower receiver.
The HERRING features a threaded 16-inch barrel, an M-Lok handguard, and a large lever loop for easy gloved use. It weighs in at a very nice 5.7 lbs. There will also be a 7.25-inch barreled pistol version with the same features and chamberings. I was told that the HERRING will be available soon, though I didn’t get an exact date.
Henry Lever Action Supreme
Henry’s Lever Action Supreme rifle debuted at SHOT Show 2024, where I fired it on Range Day. It shot very well, but the rifle’s release was delayed a year while Henry worked a few things out. The company officially released the Lever Action Supreme just before SHOT Show 2025, and it now looks ready to roll.
The Lever Action Supreme looks like you’d expect a Henry lever gun to look, except for the AR-15 magazine jutting from the bottom. The internal hammer design is sleek, while the American Walnut stock and handguard maintain the traditional Henry appearance. Ambidextrous controls, including a tang safety to mimic the hammer muscle memory, subtly upgrade the traditional lever gun experience.
Henry’s standard buckhorn sights have been replaced with a new trapezoidal rear sight notch, which should appeal to modern shooters. Unlike other “tactical” models, the Lever Action Supreme is drilled and tapped for direct mounting or a rail.
Internally, Henry created a new linkage system that revolves around a very AR-15-like bolt. The gun is chambered for .223 Remington and .300 Blackout, with threaded 18-inch and 16.5-inch barrels, respectively.
I think this gun will appeal to shooters who appreciate traditional looks but want modern capabilities. It’s a nice mix, though I expect Henry to release a version in their tactical “X” line as well.
The Marlin Dark Series
Marlin’s Dark Series re-equips the company’s classic lever guns with lightweight polymer stocks and handguards featuring generous M-Lok capability all the way around. The threaded barrels come with factory radial muzzle brakes and a long Picatinny rail on top, complete with a peep sight.
The Dark Series currently includes the 1895 and 336 models, but Marlin told me that a new Model 1894 Dark will be available in March of 2025. Those will have the same features but will be offered in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum/.44 Special. Marlin is simply updating their classic, proven designs for modern shooters.
The Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter
The Stealth Hunter builds on the Model 1854 lever gun that was all the rage at SHOT Show 2024. Smith & Wesson started with tradition, but this year they’ve gone tactical. The black polymer stock doesn’t offer anything past the original 1854 other than being polymer with textured grip panels. But the handguard features 15 M-Lok slots and there’s an extended Picatinny rail up top.
An XS Sights adjustable rear ghost ring pairs with a Hi-Viz H3 front sight for a superior sight picture. The large loop lever is great for gloved use. The threaded 16-inch barrel makes for a handy little carbine. The Stealth Hunter is chambered for .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt.
The Renaissance Continues
I was very happy when Marlin came back strong, and I’m a big fan of Henry’s continued growth. New releases from Heritage and recent activity by Rossi have underscored the lever gun’s triumphant return. But the tactical lever gun trend has brought this classic design to modern shooters who would never have looked twice at even the most beautiful walnut-stocked Winchester.
Companies like Fightlite, Aero Precision, and Bond Arms are breathing new life into a somewhat stagnant, though still awesome, platform. They’ve shown us that the lever gun will be around for a while yet. And I like that Fightlite continued the tradition of naming their rifle after its introductory year. Henry, Marlin, and Smith & Wesson have also anted up on that modern trend, giving shooters plenty of options. As a lever gun enthusiast, I’m totally here for it.
So, whether you like traditional, modern, or a little of both, check out these new lever action rifles. I think they’re among the coolest rifles out there, and certainly among the most fun to run. Just try it. I bet you’ll agree.
