The most popular rifle in the US is the AR or some variation thereof.
But it's not new that military style rifles being popular among the general populace is a new thing.
Bolt action rifles weren't developed for snuffing hoof-rats then later applied to snuffing ourselves.
They started life as a way to raise the rate of fire of an infantry platoon. As was adding a magazine to them.
That scoped Remington, Ruger, Savage or Winchester shares a lot of DNA with guns that fought in both world wars and lots of others between and after.
But it's not new that military style rifles being popular among the general populace is a new thing.
Bolt action rifles weren't developed for snuffing hoof-rats then later applied to snuffing ourselves.
They started life as a way to raise the rate of fire of an infantry platoon. As was adding a magazine to them.
That scoped Remington, Ruger, Savage or Winchester shares a lot of DNA with guns that fought in both world wars and lots of others between and after.