While the debate over guns may rage in the headlines, the numbers tell a quieter story of an industry that produced over 22 million firearms in 2022 alone, powering a massive economic engine that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and generates billions in tax revenue.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 11,650,953 pistols
- In 2022, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 265,001 revolvers
- In 2022, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 7,720,384 rifles
- Firearm background checks reached 39.7 million in 2021
- Firearm background checks were 40 million in 2020
- Adjusted NICS checks for 2022 totaled 29.3 million
- The industry supports 392,000 full-time jobs
- Firearms manufacturing employs 74,000 workers directly
- 106,900 jobs in firearms retail sector
- U.S. exported 1,461,431 firearms in 2022
- Firearms exports valued at $1.7 billion in 2022
- Top export destination Canada received 520,000 firearms in 2022
- Firearms industry economic output $75 billion in 2022
- Total GDP contribution $63 billion from industry
- Tax revenue generated $11.2 billion federally in 2022
American firearms production surged, peaking at record levels in recent years.
Economic Impact
- Firearms industry economic output $75 billion in 2022
- Total GDP contribution $63 billion from industry
- Tax revenue generated $11.2 billion federally in 2022
- State and local tax revenue $7.5 billion
- Hunting licenses support $2.5 billion industry revenue
- Shooting sports economy $130 billion total impact
- Firearms contribute 2.2% to manufacturing GDP
- Ammunition market size $8.5 billion in 2023
- Accessories market $5.2 billion annually
- 110 million gun owners drive $50B retail spend
- Excise tax on firearms $250 million collected yearly
- Industry R&D investment $1.2 billion annually
- Multiplier effect creates $1.80 output per $1 input
- 16 million hunters spend $26B yearly
- Target shooting 50 million participants $12B spend
- Firearms patents issued 5,000+ per decade
- Global firearms market $32B, U.S. 60% share
Economic Impact Interpretation
Despite the heated political rhetoric, the firearms industry's economic footprint is undeniably colossal, quietly fueling everything from local tax coffers to outdoor recreation with the relentless efficiency of a well-oiled machine.
Employment
- The industry supports 392,000 full-time jobs
- Firearms manufacturing employs 74,000 workers directly
- 106,900 jobs in firearms retail sector
- Shooting range employment totals 42,900 jobs
- Supplier industries support 168,100 jobs
- Average wage in firearms manufacturing $62,500 annually
- Firearms industry paid $16.7 billion in wages 2022
- 1.1 million total jobs supported by industry ecosystem
- Growth in FFL dealers to 80,000+ active licenses
- Ammunition manufacturing employs 30,000 directly
- Hunting-related jobs 300,000 nationwide
- Firearms industry workforce grew 10% from 2018-2022
- Top employer Smith & Wesson has 2,000+ employees
- Sturm Ruger employs 1,900 workers
- Vista Outdoor (ammo/firearms) 6,500 employees
- Olin Corp (Winchester) 7,000 employees
- Remington (pre-bankruptcy) employed 2,000
- Industry labor income $19 billion in 2021
- Female employment in industry rose to 20% in 2022
- Veteran hiring in firearms sector 15% above average
Employment Interpretation
This isn't just about bang for your buck; it's a serious economic engine that provides hundreds of thousands of solid, well-paying jobs—from factory floors to store counters—proving that while debates rage, the industry's payroll quietly and steadily cashes checks.
Exports
- U.S. exported 1,461,431 firearms in 2022
- Firearms exports valued at $1.7 billion in 2022
- Top export destination Canada received 520,000 firearms in 2022
- Exports to Mexico totaled 15,000 firearms in 2022
- Imports of firearms reached 5.1 million in 2022
- Firearms import value $2.8 billion in 2022
- Exports grew 15% from 2021 to 2022
- Pistol exports 845,000 units in 2022
- Rifle exports 570,000 in 2022
- In 2021, exported 1,970,587 firearms
- 2020 exports 2,151,000 firearms amid domestic surge
- Imports peaked at 5.2 million in 2020
- Canada imports 40% of U.S. firearm exports
- Exports to Europe totaled 200,000 firearms 2022
- Ammunition exports $3.5 billion in 2022
- U.S. share of global small arms exports 40%
- Firearms trade deficit $1.1 billion in 2022
- Imports from Turkey 1.2 million pistols 2022
- Brazil imported 100,000 U.S. firearms 2022
- Exports of shotguns 46,000 in 2022
Exports Interpretation
While America's domestic gun debate rages, its factories quietly arm the world, sending over 1.4 million firearms abroad in 2022, even as it imports more than three times that number to meet its own insatiable demand.
Production
- In 2022, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 11,650,953 pistols
- In 2022, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 265,001 revolvers
- In 2022, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 7,720,384 rifles
- In 2022, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 1,030,389 shotguns
- In 2022, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 1,028,165 other firearms
- In 2021, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 10,517,312 pistols
- In 2021, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 281,677 revolvers
- In 2021, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 7,463,372 rifles
- In 2021, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 864,461 shotguns
- In 2021, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 866,880 other firearms
- In 2020, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 8,389,284 pistols
- In 2020, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 308,984 revolvers
- In 2020, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 7,924,625 rifles
- In 2020, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 904,243 shotguns
- In 2020, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 1,184,069 other firearms
- In 2019, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 6,505,707 pistols
- In 2019, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 317,125 revolvers
- In 2019, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 7,200,380 rifles
- In 2019, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 868,681 shotguns
- In 2019, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 764,355 other firearms
- In 2018, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 5,603,859 pistols
- In 2018, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 323,135 revolvers
- In 2018, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 5,809,686 rifles
- In 2018, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 757,450 shotguns
- In 2018, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 503,258 other firearms
- In 2017, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 5,095,214 pistols
- In 2017, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 347,116 revolvers
- In 2017, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 5,857,862 rifles
- In 2017, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 815,739 shotguns
- In 2017, U.S. firearms manufacturers produced 468,979 other firearms
Production Interpretation
While the revolver seems content to be a nostalgic classic, the pistol has clearly decided it's the star of the show, with production nearly doubling since 2018 as if to personally arm every American who suddenly remembered they have a constitutional right to bear arms.
Sales
- Firearm background checks reached 39.7 million in 2021
- Firearm background checks were 40 million in 2020
- Adjusted NICS checks for 2022 totaled 29.3 million
- Firearm retail sales estimated at 21.5 million units in 2021
- Handgun sales made up 54% of total sales in 2021
- Long gun sales reached 11.8 million in 2021
- Modern sporting rifle sales hit 2.7 million in 2021
- Firearm sales surged 64% in March 2020 to 2.25 million
- Total NICS checks from 1998-2022 exceed 500 million
- 2022 saw 1.4 million first-time buyers via NICS
- Firearms industry generated $70 billion in economic activity in 2022
- Pistol sales dominated with 8.4 million units in 2020
- Semi-automatic pistol sales grew 30% year-over-year in 2021
- Black Friday 2021 NICS checks hit 1 million+
- Cyber Monday 2021 saw record 379,735 checks
- Handguns accounted for 42% of 2022 sales
- Rifle sales in 2022 estimated at 7.1 million
- Shotgun sales 2022 around 1 million units
- Online firearm sales grew 50% in 2020
- U.S. firearms market revenue projected $19.5B in 2023
- 24 million firearms sold in 2020 peak year
- Firearms industry retail sales $28.3 billion in 2020
- Firearms manufacturing direct GDP contribution $8.5 billion in 2022
- Supplier and distributor impact $15 billion in sales 2022
Sales Interpretation
The sheer scale of these numbers reveals an industry thriving on a potent mix of pragmatic self-preservation, sporting tradition, and cultural identity, turning political unease and pandemic anxiety into a multi-billion dollar engine that shows no sign of running out of ammunition.
Sources & References
- Reference 1ATFatf.govVisit source
- Reference 2NSSFnssf.orgVisit source
- Reference 3STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 4PROJECTCHILDSAFEprojectchildsafe.orgVisit source
- Reference 5BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 6INVESTORinvestor.smith-wesson.comVisit source
- Reference 7RUGERruger.comVisit source
- Reference 8VISTAOUTDOORvistaoutdoor.comVisit source
- Reference 9OLINolin.comVisit source
- Reference 10CENSUScensus.govVisit source
- Reference 11SIPRIsipri.orgVisit source
- Reference 12BEAbea.govVisit source
- Reference 13GRANDVIEWRESEARCHgrandviewresearch.comVisit source
- Reference 14FWSfws.govVisit source
- Reference 15USPTOuspto.govVisit source