Who's Who on Social Media
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Who is Brandon Herrera aka The AK-Guy?

Brandon Herrera is a U.S.-based firearms manufacturer, YouTuber, and political commentator best known for founding The AK Guy Inc. and co-hosting the Unsubscribe Podcast. With over 4 million subscribers on YouTube, he combines gun reviews, industry insights, and unapologetically libertarian takes on U.S. politics.

August 5, 2025
Sarthak Ahuja
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Sarthak Ahuja

Sarthak Ahuja is a marketing enthusiast currently contributing to digital marketing strategies at Favikon. An alumnus of ESCP Paris with over 2 years of professional experience, he has held multiple marketing roles across industries. Sarthak's work has been published in journals and websites. He loves to read and write about topics concerning sustainability, business, and marketing. You can find him on LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Brandon Herrera: Leading the Firearms Content Space with Influence and Advocacy

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Brandon Herrera is a firearms manufacturer and content creator based in San Antonio, Texas, best known for founding The AK Guy Inc. His brand specializes in AK platform rifles, and his videos frequently showcase custom builds, field tests, and breakdowns of Soviet and U.S. firearms. He also uses his engineering background to document firearm projects from prototype to production. This hands-on expertise sets him apart from commentary-only creators in the gun space.

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On YouTube, Brandon has grown a 4 million-strong subscriber base by blending technical content with political commentary. His videos often feature Second Amendment advocacy, meme-infused editing, and rebuttals to gun control legislation. Whether mocking press conferences or explaining loopholes, he uses a bold, sarcastic tone that resonates with libertarian and conservative viewers. His approach is both educational and confrontational by design.

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Brandon Herrera Visits SpaceX: A Gun Guy Meets Rocket Science (Source: @realbrandonherrera, Instagram, December 2024)

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Brandon also co-hosts the Unsubscribe Podcast, where he collaborates with other military, law enforcement, and firearm personalities like Donut Operator and Eli Doubletap. The podcast mixes dark humor with commentary on government policies, firearms laws, and culture. It serves as an extension of his brand, giving long-form space to explore themes too complex for YouTube's format. The conversations often tie directly into his video content, creating cross-platform consistency.

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Unlike many creators, Brandon maintains an open political alignment, which he leverages to build a loyal, ideologically aligned audience. His use of satire, conspiracy references, and historical framing gives his content a distinct tone. He is not a lifestyle influencer—he is a movement-aligned educator and agitator. This blend of industry credibility and ideological clarity defines his identity as both a creator and public voice.

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An Influencer Active on Social Media

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Brandon Herrera is a high-impact content creator who commands large audiences across YouTube and X, using long-form video and commentary to drive conversation around firearms and gun rights.

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Brandon's Social Media Strategy Analysis

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YouTube: Firearms Reviews, Commentary, and Political Provocation

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Brandon’s YouTube channel is the backbone of his public presence, built around firearms education, political commentary, and comedic breakdowns. His most watched videos often feature absurd gun myths or real-world firearm tests, making complex concepts accessible through humor. Series like “Gun Meme Review” and “The AK Guy Reacts” reflect his mix of technical knowledge and meme fluency. These episodes regularly hit over 500K views, driven by a loyal base that values his balance of satire and subject matter expertise.

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Unlike many gun content creators, Brandon heavily incorporates political discussion into his uploads, openly criticizing legislation and policies with a libertarian tone. His 10–15 minute format allows for both information and storytelling, which attracts viewers beyond just firearm enthusiasts. The use of facecam narration paired with gun range footage creates a direct connection to his audience while keeping content visually dynamic. His camera presence and editing style maintain a casual, vlog-like atmosphere rather than a corporate or tutorial feel.

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He frequently features collaborations with personalities from the Second Amendment and YouTube communities, such as Donut Operator or Administrative Results. These crossovers not only boost exposure but create ecosystem trust within the niche. Brandon also uses self-deprecating humor to maintain approachability, often mocking his beard, hair, or YouTube demonetization battles. This keeps his politically charged content digestible and brand-safe—by creator standards—for his target demographic.

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Upload consistency is critical to his growth, with new videos dropping weekly and timed to maximize U.S. afternoon views. Most thumbnails feature bold titles and facial expressions tied to controversy or curiosity, such as “This Shouldn’t Exist” or “The Worst Gun Ever.” This click-through strategy fuels retention, as the titles match the tone and delivery inside the video. The mix of education, entertainment, and opinion is what defines Brandon’s YouTube DNA.

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  • Username: @BrandonHerrera
  • Influence Score: 92.2/100
  • Followers: 4M
  • Activity: 3.5 videos/month
  • Engagement Rate: 2.47%
  • Growth (30 days): +1%
  • Average Engagement: 99.7K
  • Posting Habits: Once a week at 7 PM EST

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X (formerly Twitter): Political Commentary Meets Direct Audience Dialogue

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Brandon’s activity on X (@TheAKGuy) is rooted in fast political takes, gun memes, and quick jokes designed to stir discourse or laughter. He posts several times a day, often reacting to news headlines, gun control proposals, or internet drama with a sharp libertarian slant. His tweets are sometimes screenshots of rejected YouTube thumbnails or AK prototypes, giving his audience a “backstage pass” to his projects. This transparency has helped turn X into one of his most engaged platforms.

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He doesn’t shy away from controversy, often tweeting in defense of Second Amendment rights, calling out media narratives, or mocking federal agencies. These posts tend to go viral within pro-gun circles and are frequently quote-tweeted by fellow creators or political influencers. Humor is always layered into his critiques, whether he’s comparing ATF agents to stormtroopers or suggesting absurd new gun designs. This tone makes him both approachable and combative—exactly what his followers expect.

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Brandon also uses X to cross-promote his YouTube videos with custom thumbnails and sarcastic captions. Instead of dry links, he leads with a punchline or an absurd question, increasing click-through rates. His link previews often perform better when paired with culturally relevant hashtags or reaction images. While the content overlaps with Instagram and YouTube, his approach to writing makes X uniquely reactive and timely.

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Giveaways, merch launches, and podcast announcements are also cycled through X with fan interaction. But unlike Instagram, where visuals dominate, his X feed is where text-based personality shines. He occasionally threads more serious commentary or personal opinions about politics and content creation. These longer thoughts don’t disrupt his brand—they deepen it, giving followers a clearer sense of who Brandon is beyond the jokes.

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  • Username: @theakguy
  • Influence Score: 91.7/100
  • Followers: 605K
  • Activity: 7.1 tweets/week
  • Engagement Rate: 1.54%
  • Growth (30 days): +1.27%
  • Average Engagement: 9.3K
  • Posting Habits: Daily at 1 PM EST

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Instagram: High Follower Count, Low Content Priority

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Brandon uses Instagram as a hybrid between personality-driven lifestyle posts and tactical brand positioning. His feed includes behind-the-scenes moments with his AK builds, trips to Texas gun ranges, podcast clips, and even memes. Photos of him at SpaceX, on motorcycles, or in candid moments with followers humanize the “AK Guy” persona. Unlike his long-form YouTube tone, Instagram allows for fast, punchy updates with witty one-liners in the captions.

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He frequently uses Stories to announce merch drops, tease podcast guests, or address current events in a less edited, more reactive format. These stories often include text overlays and polls, helping maintain engagement with politically-minded followers. His use of meme reposts or reaction screenshots taps into the meme culture he nurtures on YouTube but distilled for Instagram speed. He also occasionally uses IG Reels to repurpose podcast clips or short comedy bits.

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Brandon’s grid content leans heavily into black, red, and tactical aesthetics, maintaining visual consistency tied to firearms and veteran culture. Poses with rifles, American flags, and sarcastic facial expressions form part of his visual language. Posts like his 1 million subscriber milestone or AK updates show that even product-driven content is shared with personality. His audience doesn’t follow him for just photos—they follow him for how he frames moments.

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Interaction on Instagram is heavily driven by fan comments and creator callouts. Brandon often replies in-character, maintaining the same tone fans recognize from YouTube. His captions are rarely passive—they either joke, provoke, or inform. That’s intentional: it reinforces the engagement loop while staying true to the persona he’s built across platforms.

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  • Username: @realbrandonherrera
  • Influence Score: 38.6/100
  • Followers: 534.4K
  • Activity: 0 posts/month
  • Engagement Rate: 0%
  • Growth (30 days): +0.62%
  • Average Engagement: 0
  • Posting Habits: Once a year at 2 PM EST

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Brandon Herrera’s Social Media Influence Summary

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Brandon Herrera holds an impressive Favikon Influence Score of 9,144 points, ranking in the Top 1% globally across both YouTube and Video Entertainment categories. He currently stands at #310 in YouTube U.S. and #351 in U.S. Video Entertainment, highlighting his strong domestic visibility. His global ranks—#1250 on YouTube and #1828 in Video Entertainment—further confirm his standing as a top-tier creator within his niche.

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Content Strategy: Firearms, Freedom, and Fearless Commentary

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Brandon’s content is defined by a three-part formula: firearms expertise, political satire, and anti-mainstream commentary. He does not post for mass appeal—instead, he targets a very specific ideological community. His most viral videos often involve reacting to anti-gun legislation, mocking media coverage, or presenting firearm builds tied to pop culture or military history.

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Reachability and Partnerships

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Brandon Herrera keeps all contact and collaboration channels centralized through his website, which features a direct business inquiry form. Unlike most creators, he doesn’t list a public email on his YouTube or Instagram, making his site the only formal access point. His approach prioritizes filtering outreach through one controlled platform, aligning with his public persona as a structured firearms entrepreneur. This also reduces unsolicited PR traffic and emphasizes serious brand inquiries only.

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An overview of Brandon’s top influential connections across key industries. (Source: Favikon)

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He does not use tools like Linktree or third-party hubs for cross-platform navigation, relying instead on native links and pinned content to redirect followers. His X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube channels are his most consistently updated platforms, often featuring commentary aligned with his political stance. That transparency creates a direct line of trust between him and his politically engaged audience. However, brand contact remains tightly gated and limited to his own web infrastructure.

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Conclusion: More Than a Creator—He’s a Voice for a Movement

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Brandon Herrera has crafted a content empire rooted in conviction, humor, and sharp political awareness. As a leading figure in both the gun community and YouTube’s commentary scene, he balances content creation with ideological leadership. For brands and organizations seeking impact within the firearms or libertarian space, Brandon offers not just reach—but alignment, authenticity, and action.

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