Yeah, no…I think the gun industry took a knee to the gun grabbers and that's why the push for lever guns. It was not a market being demanded by buyers, it was buyers being brain washed into wanting a lever gun since the shop shelves slowly became bare of 7400s, BARs, .44 carbines and such when AR15s took over. Since the MSM made those evil assault rifles and gun makers caved from frivolous law suits they started pushing something to take its place. 10 years ago you could not give away a lot of lever guns. The marlin 1895 with short barrels were selling ok but still often sat on the shelve for weeks or months.
I've always like lever guns and have several. So I'm not poo pooing on your sudden fetish with "assault" lever guns. I remember when every hunting show were using TC Encores. I got home one day from the shop with a brand new TC Encore with Katadine barrel in 450 Marlin. As I played around with it, it dawned on me "why the heck did I just buy this? I have a 45/70 HR and Ruger No 1 in 458 mag that I loaded down to 450 Marlin ballistics. I was brain washed. I ended up taking it back and trading it in on a new Mathews bow. It's easy to be persuaded into buying something by subliminal messaging.
I may buy another lever gun but I assure you it won't be a synthetic M lok stocked, threaded barrel gun. Probably a deal on another 99 Savage.
What numbers have you to support all that?
Market is completely saturated with “assault weapons” but sales are still high.