Special Report
GEORGE FREY / AFP via Getty Images
Special Report
GEORGE FREY / AFP via Getty Images
The United States has an enormous firearm industry, which is evidenced by data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation that shows in 2023 alone, gun sales totaled 15.8 million. In 2022, the gun industry had a direct economic impact of slightly over 32 billion dollars and was directly responsible for more than 172,000 jobs. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the 2022 domestic firearm production was 19.7 million, and while the percentage of Americans that have guns in their homes dropped slightly, 45% in 2022, to 42% in 2023, it is still one of the largest shares reported in over a decade.
The United States has over 3,000 federally licensed gun makers currently operating but the firearm manufacturing market is dominated by only a handful of companies. Using data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified the companies making the most firearms in the United States. Companies are ranked on domestic firearm production in 2021. Data on the location of each company’s production facilities and manufacturing output by firearm type in 2021 are also from the ATF. All of the companies on this list produced over 100,000 firearms in 2021.
It should be noted that some of these companies are headquartered overseas and only firearms they manufactured in U.S. plants were considered. Large foreign gun makers often have substantial U.S. manufacturing facilities, not only to better supply recreational shooters but also to compete for government arms contracts. (These are the states with the highest gun ownership rates.)
No one company has a monopoly on the American gun market, although some do appear to be coming close. The top five gun makers on this list accounted for 50% of all domestic firearm production in 2021 combined. These companies include Ruger, Sig Sauer, and Smith & Wesson. (Here is a look at the companies selling the most guns online.)
Here are the biggest gun makers in America.
Source: Jack Kingsman / Wikimedia Commons
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 106,807 (0.8% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 57.9% handguns; 42.1% rifles
Popular firearm model(s): Model 995 carbine, Model 4095 carbine, Model C9 pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Mansfield, OH
Source: Courtesy of Black Rain Ordnance Inc. via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 110,727 (0.8% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 3.4% handguns; 40.3% rifles; 56.3% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): BRO-SPEC15 rifle, BRO-PREDATOR rifle, BRO-SCOUT rifle
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Neosho, MO
Source: Courtesy of Radical Firearms via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 126,040 (0.9% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 20.7% handguns; 79.3% rifles
Popular firearm model(s): 16″ 7.62×39 with 12″ RPR rifle, 7.5″ 5.56 NATO pistol with 7″MHR
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Stafford, TX
Source: Courtesy of Century Arms via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 132,705 (1.0% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 3.7% handguns; 46.0% rifles; 50.2% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): BFT-47 rifle, VSKA rifle, DRACO pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Georgia, VT
Source: szuppo / Flickr
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 151,771 (1.1% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 59.5% handguns; 40.5% rifles
Popular firearm model(s): Python revolver, King Cobra revolver, 1911 pistol, M4 Carbine
U.S. manufacturing location(s): West Hartford, CT
Source: Courtesy of BERETTA via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 155,352 (1.1% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 83.7% handguns; 0.8% rifles; 15.6% shotguns
Popular firearm model(s): 92X pistol, A300 Ultima shotgun, Ultraleggero shotgun
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Gallatin, TN
Source: Courtesy of Diamondback Firearms via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 163,195 (1.2% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 18.0% handguns; 81.6% rifles; 0.4% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): Sidekick revolver, DB15 rifle, DB10 rifle
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Cocoa, FL
Source: Dragunova / Wikimedia Commons
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 169,407 (1.2% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 78.0% handguns; 22.0% rifles
Popular firearm model(s): FN 502 pistol, FN SCAR 205 NRCH rifle, FN 15 Guardian rifle
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Columbia, SC
Source: Courtesy of Aero Precision via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 177,059 (1.3% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 0.3% rifles; 99.7% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): AR-15 barrels, upper receivers, and lower receivers
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Tacoma and Lakewood, WA
Source: Courtesy of Legacy Sports International International via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 214,258 (1.6% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 2.8% handguns; 22.1% rifles; 75.2% shotguns
Popular firearm model(s): Pointer shotgun, Citadel Coach shotgun, Howa H7 rifle
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Reno, NV
Source: Courtesy of KelTec via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 215,804 (1.6% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 46.5% handguns; 31.8% rifles; 21.7% shotguns
Popular firearm model(s): P15 pistol, PLR22 pistol, SU16 rifle, KS7 shotgun
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Cocoa, FL
Source: YvesHoebeke / Wikimedia Commons
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 216,932 (1.6% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 100% handguns
Popular firearm model(s): DVG-1 pistol, CPX-4 pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Daytona Beach, FL
Source: taurusarmasofficial / Flickr
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 290,780 (2.1% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 100% handguns
Popular firearm model(s): G3 pistol, 605 revolver, 44 revolver, GX4 pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Bainbridge, GA
Source: ranna / Flickr
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 294,750 (2.1% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 98.9% handguns; 1.1% rifles
Popular firearm model(s): Hunter rifle, K6XS revolver, K6S DASA revolver, AEGIS 1911 pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Troy, AL, Yonkers, NY
Source: Courtesy of Henry Repeating Arms
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 320,603 (2.3% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 1.0% handguns; 92.6% rifles; 5.0% shotguns; 1.4% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): Golden Boy rifle, Big Boy Carbine, Long Ranger rifle
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Bayonne, NJ, Rice Lake, WI
Source: Courtesy of Savage Arms via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 406,867 (2.9% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 0.2% handguns; 96.6% rifles; 3.3% shotguns
Popular firearm model(s): 110 rifle, 63 rifle, 320 shotgun
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Westfield, MA
Source: mesatacticalphotos / Flickr
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 492,444 (3.6% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 5.0% handguns; 14.4% rifles; 59.5% shotguns; 21.2% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): Mossberg 500 shotgun, Mossberg Patriot rifle, MC2C pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Eagle Pass, TX, North Haven, CT
Source: Courtesy of Heritage Firearms via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 505,601 (3.7% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 97.4% handguns; 2.6% rifles
Popular firearm model(s): Barkeep revolver, Rough Rider revolver, Rancher carbine
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Bainbridge, GA
Source: Courtesy of Anderson Manufacturing via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 505,635 (3.7% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 0.3% handguns; 6.4% rifles; 93.3% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): Kiger 9C pistol, AM-15 rifle, upper and lower receivers
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Hebron, KY
Source: timothytsuihin / Flickr
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 581,944 (4.2% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 100% handguns
Popular firearm model(s): G19 pistol, G17 pistol, G27 pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Smyrna, GA
Source: Courtesy of SPRINGFIELD ARMORY
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 590,750 (4.3% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 25.1% handguns; 74.9% rifles
Popular firearm model(s): Saint AR-15 rifle, Hellcat pistol, 1911 pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Geneseo, IL
Source: Courtesy of SIG SAUER via Facebook
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 1,294,185 (9.4% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 93.8% handguns; 6.2% rifles
Popular firearm model(s): MCX-Spear rifle, P320 pistol
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Newington and Exeter, NH
Source: simonov / Flickr
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 2,078,013 (15.1% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 64.3% handguns; 35.5% rifles; 0.3% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): Mark IV pistol, 10/22 rifle, Bearcat pistol, American rifle
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Newport, NH, Prescott, AZ, Mayodan, NC, Southport, CT
Source: NoDerog / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
Domestic firearm production, 2021: 2,317,792 (16.8% of all U.S.-made firearms)
2021 production by firearm type: 81.2% handguns; 18.4% rifles; 0.1% shotguns; 0.2% misc.
Popular firearm model(s): Model 60 revolver, M&P Shield pistol, M&P 15 rifle
U.S. manufacturing location(s): Columbia, MO, Springfield, MA
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