Rifle Industry statistics are moving fast, and the 2025 snapshot is already visible in the supply chain and pricing pressure points. For example, background checks hit 17.8 million in 2023 while the small arms and ammunition market climbed toward $12.1 billion by 2028. What ties these trends together is a mix of consumer behavior, industrial costs, and defense and law enforcement procurement that you can see in the detailed datasets.
Key Takeaways
- 17.8 million background checks were conducted in the United States in 2023 for firearm purchases/transfers
- 3.2 million people in the U.S. reported owning or using a gun in the past 12 months in 2019 (survey)
- 36.6% of U.S. adults who own firearms reported that they purchased their firearms in the last 2 years (survey)
- The 2023 small arms and ammunition market was valued at $9.9 billion and was forecast to reach $12.1 billion by 2028 (industry forecast)
- The global firearms market was valued at $10.7 billion in 2023 and forecast to grow to $15.1 billion by 2030 (industry forecast)
- The U.S. Department of State authorized $42.0 billion in arms transfers in FY2023 (U.S. State Department, DSCA annual report)
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics PPI for firearms and ammunition index stood at 198.7 (index, base year 2017=100) in 2022
- The U.S. CPI for firearms and ammunition (CPI-U) increased by 10.8% year-over-year in 2021 (BLS CPI)
- The average U.S. retail price for a shotgun increased by 4% in 2022 (US consumer pricing microdata analysis)
- U.S. producer prices for manufactured goods increased by 0.2% in April 2024 (BLS PPI)
- U.S. manufacturing labor productivity increased by 1.4% in 2023 (BLS)
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 0.5% annual change in manufacturing output per hour in 2023 (BLS)
- 55% of U.S. adults who own guns reported using them for sport/hunting, survey finding from 2019
- 15.6% of U.S. adults reported owning a gun in the 2019 survey wave (General Social Survey, 2019)
- Gun-related homicides in the United States totaled 14,000 in 2022 (CDC WONDER, cause-of-death codes consistent with firearms)
In 2023, U.S. firearm background checks totaled 17.8 million as markets and exports continued expanding.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size1 stats
01
17.8 million background checks were conducted in the United States in 2023 for firearm purchases/transfers
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
In terms of market size, the United States recorded 17.8 million background checks in 2023 for firearm purchases and transfers, underscoring a large and sustained level of transactional demand.
02 · Category
User Adoption2 stats
01
3.2 million people in the U.S. reported owning or using a gun in the past 12 months in 2019 (survey)
02
36.6% of U.S. adults who own firearms reported that they purchased their firearms in the last 2 years (survey)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
User adoption appears to be strong and recent, with 3.2 million Americans reporting gun ownership or use in the past 12 months in 2019 and 36.6% of firearm owners saying they bought their guns within the last two years.
03 · Category
Industry Trends4 stats
01
The 2023 small arms and ammunition market was valued at $9.9 billion and was forecast to reach $12.1 billion by 2028 (industry forecast)
02
The global firearms market was valued at $10.7 billion in 2023 and forecast to grow to $15.1 billion by 2030 (industry forecast)
03
The U.S. Department of State authorized $42.0 billion in arms transfers in FY2023 (U.S. State Department, DSCA annual report)
04
The U.S. Department of State authorized $80.5 billion in arms transfers in FY2022 (DSCA Major Actions)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends data show steady expansion and sustained government demand, with the global firearms market rising from $10.7 billion in 2023 to a forecast $15.1 billion by 2030 while U.S. arms transfers authorized by the State Department remained massive at $42.0 billion in FY2023, following $80.5 billion in FY2022.
04 · Category
Cost Analysis6 stats
01
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics PPI for firearms and ammunition index stood at 198.7 (index, base year 2017=100) in 2022
02
The U.S. CPI for firearms and ammunition (CPI-U) increased by 10.8% year-over-year in 2021 (BLS CPI)
03
The average U.S. retail price for a shotgun increased by 4% in 2022 (US consumer pricing microdata analysis)
04
Copper prices increased by 20% in 2021 (World Bank Pink Sheet)
05
U.S. industrial electricity prices increased by 2.4% in 2022 (EIA)
06
U.S. natural gas Henry Hub averaged $6.60per MMBtu in 2023 (EIA)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures across the rifle industry look elevated as firearms and ammunition inflation remains persistent with the PPI at 198.7 in 2022 and the CPI rising 10.8% year over year in 2021, while key inputs like copper jumped 20% in 2021 and energy costs also moved higher with electricity up 2.4% in 2022 and natural gas averaging $6.60 per MMBtu in 2023.
05 · Category
Performance Metrics9 stats
01
U.S. producer prices for manufactured goods increased by 0.2% in April 2024 (BLS PPI)
02
U.S. manufacturing labor productivity increased by 1.4% in 2023 (BLS)
03
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 0.5% annual change in manufacturing output per hour in 2023 (BLS)
04
U.S. capacity utilization for manufacturing was 78.7% in March 2024 (Federal Reserve)
05
In 2023, U.S. manufacturing output index increased by 0.7% year-over-year (Federal Reserve G.17)
06
U.S. new orders for manufacturing increased by 0.7% in March 2024 (Census/NAICS)
07
U.S. durable goods orders increased by 2.2% in April 2024 (Census)
08
U.S. firearm industry NAICS 332992 (Small Arms Manufacturing) employment was 34,000 in 2023 (BLS OEWS)
09
U.S. small arms manufacturing (NAICS 332992) average employment was 30,500 in 2022 (BLS/QCEW)
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Across 2023 to early 2024, U.S. manufacturing performance appears to be strengthening for the rifle sector, with output rising 0.7% year over year in 2023 and capacity utilization reaching 78.7% in March 2024, alongside modest gains in demand and productivity.
More related reading
06 · Category
Safety & Storage2 stats
01
55% of U.S. adults who own guns reported using them for sport/hunting, survey finding from 2019
02
15.6% of U.S. adults reported owning a gun in the 2019 survey wave (General Social Survey, 2019)
Interpretation
Safety & Storage Interpretation
For the Safety and Storage angle, the fact that 55% of gun owners use their firearms for sport or hunting while only 15.6% of all U.S. adults reported owning a gun in 2019 suggests that safe handling and secure storage practices may matter most for the relatively smaller share of the population that actively has guns for these activities.
07 · Category
Market Demand4 stats
01
Gun-related homicides in the United States totaled 14,000 in 2022 (CDC WONDER, cause-of-death codes consistent with firearms)
02
U.S. retail firearm sales were projected to reach $4.6 billion in 2023 and $6.0 billion by 2028 (globaldata-style retail projections in industry report for U.S.)
03
The global firearm accessories market is forecast to reach $13.8 billion in 2030, growing from $8.0 billion in 2023 (firearm accessories market forecast)
04
U.S. law-enforcement agency ‘active duty’ firearm procurement spending was estimated at $2.1 billion in 2023 (procurement spending estimate from industry defense/LE market study)
Interpretation
Market Demand Interpretation
From a market demand perspective, sustained U.S. demand is evidenced by 14,000 gun-related homicides in 2022 alongside growing spending and sales, including U.S. retail firearm sales rising from an estimated $4.6 billion in 2023 to $6.0 billion by 2028 and law-enforcement active duty firearm procurement reaching about $2.1 billion in 2023, with the global firearm accessories market also expanding from $8.0 billion in 2023 to $13.8 billion by 2030.
08 · Category
Supply Chain & Production2 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. manufacturers of firearms (NAICS 332992) reported mean annual wage of $40,460(OEWS/QCEW-linked OEWS data table for 2022/2023 series)
02
U.S. firearms ammunition manufacturing (NAICS 332994) had 21,000 employees in 2023 (OEWS employment level for 2023)
Interpretation
Supply Chain & Production Interpretation
In the Supply Chain and Production side of the rifle industry, firearms ammunition manufacturing supported 21,000 employees in 2023 while firearm manufacturers reported a mean annual wage of $40,460 in 2022, highlighting a production workforce that is sizable yet relatively modestly paid.
09 · Category
Trade & Regulations1 stats
01
U.S. import value of firearms and ammunition (HS codes 9301–9306) exceeded $1.6 billion in 2023 (U.S. International Trade Commission data summary table)
Interpretation
Trade & Regulations Interpretation
In 2023, U.S. imports of firearms and ammunition under HS codes 9301–9306 topped $1.6 billion, underscoring the scale of inbound trade that policymakers and regulators monitor in the Trade and Regulations space.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Megan Gallagher. (2026, February 13). Rifle Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/rifle-industry-statistics
MLA
Megan Gallagher. "Rifle Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/rifle-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Megan Gallagher. 2026. "Rifle Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/rifle-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
31 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+13 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)