Idaho now has an official state gun. The Winchester Model 1873, historically referred to as “the Gun That Won the West,” was chosen by voters. The decision, made from six options, adds to Idaho’s list of state symbols like the mountain bluebird and the song “Here We Have Idaho.” According to a Rand study from 2020, about 60% of households in Idaho own firearms. Additionally, the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety ranks Idaho last in terms of gun laws, citing high rates of gun suicides and widespread gun ownership.
Idaho House Majority Leader Jason Monks supported the measure as a tribute to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Monks expressed the historical significance of firearms in the United States, stating, “without guns, there would be no America.”
Idaho joins ten other states with official state guns, according to the National Rifle Association. Examples include Texas’s Colt Walker revolver and Missouri’s Hawken rifle, both notable for their historical roles in the West.
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