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U.S. Firearms Industry Statistics

How many guns are made in America, who makes them, and where: production, top manufacturers, calibers, states, and exports, straight from ATF manufacturing data.

Gun Production & Manufacturer Stats

Latest data: calendar year 2024 (ATF AFMER, released May 2026). Last updated September 24, 2026. Every table has a source, and the raw data is downloadable.

Short answer: U.S. manufacturers made 9,474,540 firearms in 2024, according to the ATF. That's down 3.0% from 2023 and about 31% below the 2021 record of 13.8 million. Ruger was the largest manufacturer, followed by Smith & Wesson and Sig Sauer. Pistols were the most-made firearm type by a wide margin.

Below is the full breakdown: production by year and type, the largest gun manufacturers, calibers, states, exports, and how concentrated the industry really is. All of it comes straight from ATF's Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report (AFMER). We show our work, and you can check every number against the source files linked at the bottom.

Latest data: calendar year 2024 (ATF AFMER 2024 Final Report, released May 2026). Last updated: September 24, 2026. Next update: when ATF publishes 2025 data (typically spring, about 16 months after the year ends).

Key findings (2024 data)

  • 9,474,540 firearms were manufactured and sold/distributed into commerce by U.S. licensed manufacturers in 2024, down 3.0% from 9,772,259 in 2023.
  • Production peaked at 13,804,919 in 2021. 2024 was 31% below that peak but still 35% above 2019 (7,011,945).
  • Pistols led with 4,025,829 (42.5% of all firearms), followed by rifles (2,823,770, 29.8%), miscellaneous firearms (1,385,424, 14.6%), revolvers (639,742, 6.8%), and shotguns (599,775, 6.3%).
  • 9mm dominates: about 60% of pistols made in 2024 were in ATF's "to 9mm" caliber band.
  • Ruger was #1 with 1,356,810 firearms across seven licenses. Smith & Wesson (970,160) and Sig Sauer (944,605) rounded out the top three. Together, those three made about 35% of all U.S. firearms.
  • The top 10 companies made about two-thirds of all U.S. firearms; the top 20 made about 82%.
  • New Hampshire produced the most firearms of any state (1,381,922). Texas had the most licensed manufacturers reporting production (529).
  • Of 3,914 licenses that reported making at least one firearm, 2,172 made 10 or fewer. Just 23 licenses made 80% of the guns.
  • Manufacturers exported 399,902 firearms in 2024 (about 4% of production), down 16.5% from 2023.
  • The U.S. also imported 5,933,210 firearms in 2023 (latest ATF data), led by Turkey, Austria and Brazil. AFMER production figures don't include imports.
  • FBI recorded 26,123,215 NICS background checks in 2025; NSSF-adjusted (closer to sales activity) was 14,612,314.
  • TTB collected $807,506,000 in Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax in FY2025 (down from $892,842,000 in FY2024).

U.S. firearm production by year (1986–2024)

Stacked area chart of U.S. firearm production by type from 1986 to 2024. Production rose from 3,040,934 in 1986 to a peak of 13,804,919 in 2021, then fell to 9,474,540 in 2024. Pistols are the largest category, at 4,025,829 in 2024, followed by rifles at 2,823,770, miscellaneous firearms at 1,385,424, revolvers at 639,742 and shotguns at 599,775.

Year Pistols Revolvers Rifles Shotguns Misc. Total
2024 4,025,829 639,742 2,823,770 599,775 1,385,424 9,474,540
2023 3,939,517 805,054 3,119,376 602,782 1,305,530 9,772,259
2022 6,150,667 830,786 3,577,951 662,350 2,171,255 13,393,009
2021 6,751,919 1,159,918 3,934,374 675,426 1,283,282 13,804,919
2020 5,509,183 993,078 2,760,392 476,682 1,324,743 11,064,078
2019 3,046,013 580,601 1,957,667 480,735 946,929 7,011,945
2018 3,881,158 664,835 2,880,536 536,126 1,089,973 9,052,628
2017 3,691,010 720,917 2,504,092 653,139 758,634 8,327,792
2016 4,720,075 856,291 4,239,335 848,617 833,123 11,497,441
2015 3,557,199 885,259 3,691,799 777,273 447,131 9,358,661
2014 3,633,454 744,047 3,379,549 935,411 358,165 9,050,626
2013 4,441,726 725,282 3,979,570 1,203,072 495,142 10,844,792
2012 3,487,883 667,357 3,168,206 949,010 306,154 8,578,610
2011 2,598,133 572,857 2,318,088 862,401 190,407 6,541,886
2010 2,258,450 558,927 1,830,556 743,378 67,929 5,459,240
2009 1,868,258 547,195 2,248,851 752,699 138,815 5,555,818
2008 1,609,381 431,753 1,734,536 630,710 92,564 4,498,944
2007 1,219,664 391,334 1,610,923 645,231 55,461 3,922,613
2006 1,021,260 385,069 1,496,505 714,618 35,872 3,653,324
2005 803,425 274,205 1,431,372 709,313 23,179 3,241,494
2004 728,511 294,099 1,325,138 731,769 19,508 3,099,025
2003 811,660 309,364 1,430,324 726,078 30,978 3,308,404
2002 741,514 347,070 1,515,286 741,325 21,700 3,366,895
2001 626,836 320,143 1,284,554 679,813 21,309 2,932,655
2000 962,901 318,960 1,583,042 898,442 30,196 3,793,541
1999 995,446 335,784 1,569,685 1,106,995 39,837 4,047,747
1998 960,365 324,390 1,535,690 868,639 24,506 3,713,590
1997 1,036,077 370,428 1,251,341 915,978 19,680 3,593,504
1996 987,528 498,944 1,424,315 925,732 17,920 3,854,439
1995 1,195,284 527,664 1,411,120 1,173,645 8,629 4,316,342
1994 2,004,298 586,450 1,316,607 1,254,926 10,936 5,173,217
1993 2,093,362 562,292 1,173,694 1,144,940 81,349 5,055,637
1992 1,669,537 469,413 1,001,833 1,018,204 16,849 4,175,836
1991 1,378,252 456,966 883,482 828,426 15,980 3,563,106
1990 1,371,427 470,495 1,211,664 848,948 57,434 3,959,968
1989 1,404,753 628,573 1,407,400 935,541 42,126 4,418,393
1988 1,101,011 754,744 1,144,707 928,070 35,345 3,963,877
1987 964,561 722,512 1,007,661 857,949 6,980 3,559,663
1986 662,973 761,414 970,507 641,482 4,558 3,040,934

Firearms manufactured in the U.S. by type. Sources: ATF Firearms Commerce in the U.S. Statistical Updates 2021 (1986–2012) and 2024 (2013–2023); ATF AFMER 2024 Final Report (2024). 2021 and 2022 totals are the sum of ATF's columns (see methodology).

The long-run story is simple: production roughly tripled from the late 1990s to today, with sharp spikes around 2013, 2016, and 2020–2022. Each spike lines up with a surge in consumer demand. 2023 and 2024 were a cool-down, not a collapse. Even so, 2024 production beat every year from 1986 through 2012.

"Misc." is mostly frames and receivers sold on their own (think AR-15 lowers), plus pistol-grip firearms and similar items that don't fit the other categories. That column has grown from a few thousand a year in the 1980s to more than a million a year since 2020.

Largest gun manufacturers in the U.S. (2024)

Horizontal stacked bar chart of the 20 largest U.S. firearm manufacturers in 2024, split by firearm type. Ruger leads with 1,356,810 firearms, followed by Smith & Wesson with 970,160, Sig Sauer with 944,605, Anderson Manufacturing with 611,877 and Palmetto State Armory with 569,814. Diamondback Firearms ranks 20th with 86,531.

Rank Manufacturer Pistols Revolvers Rifles Shotguns Misc. Total 2024 2023 rank
1 Ruger 562,325 114,711 679,197 6 571 1,356,810 1
2 Smith & Wesson 625,616 151,369 186,639 1,506 5,030 970,160 3
3 Sig Sauer 874,707 0 54,652 0 15,246 944,605 2
4 Anderson Manufacturing 4,170 0 72,069 0 535,638 611,877 9
5 Palmetto State Armory* 146,585 0 101,196 0 322,033 569,814 5
6 Savage Arms 3,018 0 397,404 73,091 0 473,513 4
7 Glock 419,510 0 0 0 0 419,510 8
8 Henry Repeating Arms 7,161 11,050 350,718 10,070 4,473 383,472 6
9 Mossberg* 1,826 0 64,356 252,780 51,329 370,291 7
10 Colt 72,887 94,875 19,589 0 7,606 194,957 13
11 Springfield Armory 117,475 0 65,661 0 0 183,136 10
12 Beretta USA 80,170 0 0 99,077 0 179,247 17
13 KelTec 93,513 0 45,979 38,207 0 177,699 14
14 Heritage Manufacturing 0 170,705 0 0 0 170,705 12
15 Aero Precision 95 0 6,343 0 155,827 162,265 11
16 Kimber 130,103 12,754 1,854 0 0 144,711 15
17 FN America 92,015 0 28,753 0 0 120,768 16
18 Legacy Sports International 1,951 0 38,468 77,069 0 117,488 21
19 Radical Firearms 11,262 0 96,033 0 0 107,295 20
20 Diamondback Firearms 10,937 4,679 68,124 0 2,791 86,531 19

Top 20 U.S. firearm manufacturers by units made and distributed into commerce in 2024. Source: ATF AFMER 2024 and 2023 Final Reports; ATF licenses grouped by company by RocketFFL. *Palmetto State Armory includes DC Machine LLC; Mossberg includes Maverick Arms. Axon Enterprise (TASER devices) excluded from the ranking.

A few things jump out. Ruger held #1 for another year, making more rifles (679,197) than anyone. Sig Sauer is still the biggest pistol maker. Anderson Manufacturing jumped from #9 to #4, almost entirely on frames and receivers (535,638 in the "misc." column). Ruger bought Anderson's assets in 2025, so expect that line to look different in future reports.

Keep in mind this ranks U.S. production, not sales. Glock, Springfield Armory, Taurus, and others import large numbers of guns that never show up in AFMER. And a lower receiver that one plant ships to another plant for assembly can be counted twice. That's how the report works, not a mistake in the ranking.

Top manufacturers by firearm type

Firearm type #1 #2 #3
Pistols Sig Sauer (874,707) Smith & Wesson (625,616) Ruger (562,325)
Revolvers Heritage Manufacturing (170,705) Smith & Wesson (151,369) Ruger (114,711)
Rifles Ruger (679,197) Savage Arms (397,404) Henry Repeating Arms (350,718)
Shotguns Mossberg* (252,780) Beretta USA (99,077) Legacy Sports International (77,069)
Misc. firearms Anderson Manufacturing (535,638) Palmetto State Armory* (322,033) Aero Precision (155,827)

Top three companies in each AFMER category, 2024 (units in parentheses). Source: ATF AFMER 2024 Final Report; company grouping by RocketFFL.

Heritage Manufacturing (owned by Taurus) is the largest U.S. revolver maker, mostly inexpensive rimfire single-actions. Mossberg, through its Maverick Arms plant in Eagle Pass, Texas, made more than 2.5 times as many shotguns as the next company.

Pistol and revolver calibers (2024)

Bar chart of U.S. pistol production by ATF caliber band in 2024. 9mm pistols lead with 2,383,198, which is 59.2% of 4,025,829 pistols. Next are .380 with 584,194, .22 and under with 479,998, larger than 9mm up to .50 with 411,683, .25 with 101,227 and .32 with 65,529.

Pistol caliber band Pistols Revolver caliber band Revolvers
.22 and under 479,998 .22 and under 309,702
.25 101,227 .32 8,929
.32 65,529 .357 Mag 146,707
.380 584,194 .38 Spec 87,805
9mm 2,383,198 .44 Mag 53,732
.50 and under (larger than 9mm) 411,683 .50 and under 32,867
Total 4,025,829 Total 639,742

Pistols and revolvers manufactured in 2024 by ATF caliber band. ATF bands are upper limits ("to 9mm" includes calibers above .380 up to 9mm). Source: ATF AFMER 2024 Final Report, summary page.

AFMER only breaks out calibers for handguns, and only in broad bands. The 9mm band alone was 2,383,198 pistols. One quirk: Axon Enterprise (maker of TASER devices) reported 77,023 units in the pistol ".25" column in its license listing but zero in its pistol total, so ATF's caliber columns don't add up to its pistol total. We use ATF's totals.

Firearm production by state (2024)

Horizontal bar chart of the top 20 states by firearms manufactured in 2024. New Hampshire leads with 1,381,922 (14.6% of the U.S. total), followed by Tennessee with 1,164,239 (12.3%), Georgia with 796,857, South Carolina with 764,904 and Texas with 665,832. New York ranks 20th with 88,165.

Rank State Firearms made (2024) Share of U.S. Licenses reporting production
1 New Hampshire 1,381,922 14.6% 34
2 Tennessee 1,164,239 12.3% 124
3 Georgia 796,857 8.4% 136
4 South Carolina 764,904 8.1% 67
5 Texas 665,832 7.0% 529
6 North Carolina 656,267 6.9% 190
7 Kentucky 613,225 6.5% 56
8 Massachusetts 479,681 5.1% 46
9 Arizona 472,966 5.0% 229
10 Florida 350,157 3.7% 252
11 Connecticut 225,530 2.4% 30
12 New Jersey 222,163 2.3% 15
13 Illinois 213,446 2.3% 34
14 Wisconsin 205,110 2.2% 84
15 Washington 176,745 1.9% 47

Top 15 states by firearms manufactured in 2024, based on the licensee address in ATF's listings. Source: ATF AFMER 2024 Final Report. Full 50-state table in the CSV download.

State totals follow the big factories. New Hampshire is home to Sig Sauer and Ruger's Newport plant. Tennessee (Smith & Wesson in Maryville, Beretta USA in Gallatin) and Georgia (Glock, Taurus, Heritage) come next. Texas is different: it ranks fifth in volume but has far more small manufacturers than any other state, with 529 licenses reporting production.

Firearm exports

Line chart of firearms exported by U.S. manufacturers from 1986 to 2024. Exports started at 217,448 in 1986, fell to a low of 139,920 in 2004, peaked at 629,163 in 2022 and were 399,902 in 2024.
U.S. manufacturers exported 399,902 firearms in 2024, down from a peak of 629,163 in 2022. Source: ATF Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report (AFMER). Chart: RocketFFL.com Download full-size PNG
Year Pistols Revolvers Rifles Shotguns Misc. Total exported
2024 178,248 10,000 158,500 47,556 5,598 399,902
2023 217,691 12,112 198,768 45,067 5,395 479,033
2022 337,680 24,691 217,976 43,312 5,504 629,163
2021 237,194 25,367 160,294 27,487 8,342 458,684
2020 382,758 19,264 99,454 17,874 9,788 529,138
2019 138,683 14,778 136,241 22,319 5,461 317,482
2018 333,266 21,498 165,573 27,774 6,126 554,237
2017 275,424 21,676 158,871 29,997 2,332 488,300
2016 172,408 24,587 147,044 24,668 8,111 376,818
2015 140,787 22,666 159,707 18,797 1,499 343,456

Firearms exported by U.S. manufacturers, 2015–2024. Sources: ATF Firearms Commerce Statistical Update 2024 (2015–2023) and ATF AFMER 2024 Final Report (2024). Full series back to 1986 in the CSV download.

Rank Exporter Firearms exported (2024) Share of U.S. exports
1 Ruger 57,296 14.3%
2 Glock 54,932 13.7%
3 Sig Sauer 50,993 12.8%
4 Smith & Wesson 49,791 12.5%
5 Mossberg* 32,829 8.2%
6 Savage Arms 27,846 7.0%
7 Henry Repeating Arms 23,809 6.0%
8 Colt 22,444 5.6%
9 KelTec 7,151 1.8%
10 AMCHAR WHOLESALE, INC 5,407 1.4%

Top 10 exporting manufacturers, 2024. Source: ATF AFMER 2024 Final Report; company grouping by RocketFFL.

Exports are a small slice of U.S. production, about 4% in 2024. The top eight exporters shipped about 80% of the total. Note that AFMER only counts exports by licensed manufacturers; it doesn't capture exports by dealers or exporters who didn't make the guns.

Firearm imports

Everything above this point comes from AFMER, and AFMER only counts guns made here. It doesn't count imports. A Glock made in Austria, a Taurus made in Brazil, or a Turkish shotgun never shows up in U.S. production numbers, even though they sit in the same display cases. ATF tracks imports separately (every commercial import needs an approved ATF Form 6), and they are a big share of the market: 5,933,210 firearms were imported in 2023, equal to about 61% of the 9,772,259 guns U.S. manufacturers made that year.

Firearms imported by year (1986–2023)

Stacked area chart of firearms imported into the United States by type from 1986 to 2023. Imports rose from 701,000 in 1986 to a peak of 9,319,846 in 2021, then fell to 7,070,561 in 2022 and 5,933,210 in 2023. In 2023, handguns made up 3,788,194 of imports, rifles 1,162,442 and shotguns 982,574.
The U.S. imported 5,933,210 firearms in 2023, down 16.1% from 2022 and 36% below the 2021 peak of 9,319,846. 1986–1991 are fiscal years. Source: ATF Firearms Commerce in the United States via RocketFFL.com Download full-size PNG