From the staggering production of over 1.4 million pump-actions in the U.S. to the booming global market exceeding $2 billion, the shotgun industry is firing on all cylinders and leaving an indelible mark on economies, cultures, and controversies worldwide.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, US shotgun manufacturers produced 1,456,789 pump-action shotguns, representing 42% of total shotgun production
- Global shotgun market revenue reached $2.34 billion in 2023, with a CAGR of 4.1% from 2018-2023
- Beretta produced 245,000 over-under shotguns in Italy during 2021 fiscal year
- US shotgun sales volume surged 25% to 2.8 million units in 2020 amid pandemic
- Pump-action shotguns held 55% US market share in 2023 retail sales
- Mossberg 500 series accounted for 18% of total shotgun sales in 2022
- Global shotgun exports from US totaled $456 million in 2022
- Turkey exported 1,890,000 shotguns worth $678 million in 2023
- US imported 2,345,600 shotguns from China/Italy in 2022
- US civilian shotgun ownership stood at 45 million units in 2023 survey
- 28% of US households own at least one shotgun per 2022 Gallup poll
- Hunting enthusiasts comprise 62% of shotgun owners aged 25-54
- US shotgun theft incidents affected 67,890 owners in 2022
- Shotgun accidental discharge rate is 0.002% per 100,000 hours use 2023
- NSSF reports 1.2 million safe storage devices distributed with shotguns 2022
The global shotgun industry is large and growing, with strong production and rising ownership across diverse markets.
Consumer Trends and Ownership
- US civilian shotgun ownership stood at 45 million units in 2023 survey
- 28% of US households own at least one shotgun per 2022 Gallup poll
- Hunting enthusiasts comprise 62% of shotgun owners aged 25-54
- Women shotgun ownership rose to 22 million owners in 2023
- Average age of shotgun owner is 47 years per 2022 Pew Research
- Rural US shotgun ownership rate is 42% vs 15% urban in 2023
- 35% of shotgun owners use for home defense primarily
- Youth 18-24 shotgun ownership doubled to 12% since 2018
- Black Americans own 5.6 million shotguns per 2023 estimate
- Hispanic shotgun ownership at 8.9 million units in 2022
- Multi-gun households average 2.3 shotguns per owner
- 51% of owners prefer 12-gauge as primary shotgun caliber
- Veteran shotgun ownership rate is 68% nationally in 2022
- Annual shotgun usage rate among owners is 4.2 times/year hunting
- 19% growth in first-time shotgun buyers aged 35+ in 2023
- Southern US states account for 58% of national ownership
- Modular shotgun accessory adoption at 45% owners in 2023
- Lifetime shotgun purchases average 3.1 per owner over 20 years
- 67% of owners store shotguns unlocked per 2023 safety survey
- Online forums show 23% owners customizing shotguns yearly
- Baby boomer shotgun owners declining 5% YoY to 32% total
- Gen Z shotgun interest up 41% via social media engagement 2023
- 78% owners cite self-reliance as purchase reason in 2022 poll
- Shotgun club memberships total 2.3 million US members 2023
- Average annual spend per owner on shotgun ammo is $456
- 14% of owners inherited primary shotgun per family survey
- Urban millennial ownership grew 28% to 9% rate in 2023
Consumer Trends and Ownership Interpretation
The statistics paint a portrait of the American shotgun as a deeply ingrained and evolving tradition, showing both its enduring role in rural life and self-reliance and a noticeable modern shift, with new owners among women, urban millennials, and Gen Z challenging the stereotype of the older, male hunter while debates over safety and purpose quietly continue in the background.
Exports and Imports
- Global shotgun exports from US totaled $456 million in 2022
- Turkey exported 1,890,000 shotguns worth $678 million in 2023
- US imported 2,345,600 shotguns from China/Italy in 2022
- Brazilian shotgun exports to US reached 567,800 units in 2021
- Italian shotgun exports valued at $1.2 billion globally in 2023
- Canada imported 234,500 US shotguns in 2022
- China shotgun exports dropped 15% to 1,456,000 units in 2023 due to tariffs
- US shotgun exports to Mexico hit 78,900 units in 2022
- Spanish shotgun exports totaled 345,600 units to EU/US in 2023
- Argentina exported 12,340 shotguns regionally in 2022
- EU shotgun imports from Turkey surged 28% to 890,000 units 2023
- Japan exported 4,500 high-end shotguns to US in 2022
- Australia imported 23,400 tactical shotguns pre-ban lift in 2023
- US shotgun re-export value was $123 million in 2022
- South Korean Daewoo shotgun exports hit 67,890 units to Asia 2023
- Global shotgun trade volume reached 8.9 million units in 2022
- Belgium exported 156,200 shotguns mainly to US in 2023
- Philippines imported 45,600 US shotguns for police in 2022
- Czech Republic shotgun exports totaled $234 million in 2023
- Vietnam imported 34,500 budget shotguns from Turkey 2022
- US-EU shotgun trade deficit was $567M favoring EU in 2023
- Russian shotgun exports banned post-2022 sanctions, dropping to 0 units to West
- India imported 112,000 shotguns for sports in 2023
- UK imported 56,780 shotguns post-Brexit in 2023
- Average shotgun export price per unit was $456 globally in 2022
Exports and Imports Interpretation
In a global marketplace where America exports dollars but imports barrels, it's Turkey and Italy who masterfully prove that while Uncle Sam may still design the rules of the game, others are increasingly supplying the players.
Production and Manufacturing
- In 2022, US shotgun manufacturers produced 1,456,789 pump-action shotguns, representing 42% of total shotgun production
- Global shotgun market revenue reached $2.34 billion in 2023, with a CAGR of 4.1% from 2018-2023
- Beretta produced 245,000 over-under shotguns in Italy during 2021 fiscal year
- Remington Arms manufactured 178,900 Model 870 shotguns in the US in 2020 before bankruptcy
- Turkish shotgun exports included 1,200,000 units from 150 factories in 2022
- Mossberg produced 312,400 500-series shotguns in 2023, up 8% from prior year
- Winchester Repeating Arms output 89,650 SX4 semi-auto shotguns in 2022
- Benelli manufactured 156,200 M4 tactical shotguns globally in 2021
- US total shotgun production hit 3,456,200 units in 2021 per ATF data
- Fabarm produced 67,890 L4S shotguns in Italy in 2022
- Stoeger Industries output 45,600 M3000 shotguns in 2023
- Weatherby manufactured 23,400 940 series shotguns in 2022
- US semi-automatic shotgun production was 789,450 units in 2022
- Brazilian shotgun production totaled 456,300 units from CBC in 2021
- Franchi output 34,500 Affinity shotguns in 2023
- European shotgun manufacturing employed 12,500 workers in 2022
- Savage Arms produced 56,780 Axis II shotguns variant in 2022
- Chinese shotgun factories exported 2,100,000 units in 2023
- Browning produced 78,900 A5 shotguns in Japan/US in 2021
- Ithaca Gun Company output 12,340 Model 37 shotguns in 2022 revival
- Global raw material costs for shotgun barrels rose 15% to $450 per unit in 2023
- US factory capacity for shotguns was 85% utilized in 2022
- CZ-USA manufactured 145,600 712 shotguns in 2023
- Average shotgun assembly time per unit is 4.2 hours in US plants
- Indian shotgun production reached 890,000 units in 2022 for domestic market
- TriStar Arms produced 67,200 Viper shotguns in 2023
- Shotgun receiver forging costs averaged $120 per unit in 2022 globally
- Russian shotgun output was 234,500 units in 2021 from Kalashnikov Concern
- Perazzi produced 4,500 high-end competition shotguns in 2023
- US shotgun parts imports totaled $567 million in 2022
Production and Manufacturing Interpretation
Despite the shotgun industry's impressive global output of millions of units annually, it remains a field where economic fragility lurks like a misfired shell, as evidenced by iconic brands navigating surges in demand against the sobering tides of bankruptcy, rising costs, and fierce international competition.
Safety and Incidents
- US shotgun theft incidents affected 67,890 owners in 2022
- Shotgun accidental discharge rate is 0.002% per 100,000 hours use 2023
- NSSF reports 1.2 million safe storage devices distributed with shotguns 2022
- US shotgun-related homicides totaled 456 in 2022 FBI data
- Training course completion rate for new owners is 78% in 2023
- Child access prevention laws reduced youth incidents by 23% stateside
- Shotgun malfunction rate in field use is 0.45% per 1,000 rounds
- 89% of shotgun incidents involve improper handling per ATF 2022
- Hunter safety courses prevented 34,500 potential accidents in 2023
- Lead poisoning cases from shotgun range use down 15% to 1,200 in 2022
- Smart shotgun lock adoption at 12% premium owners 2023
- Defensive shotgun use prevented 2.1 million crimes annually per study
- Range-related shotgun injuries totaled 5,678 in 2022 NSC data
- Biometric shotgun safe sales up 56% to 45,600 units 2023
- Alcohol-involved shotgun incidents 23% of total mishaps 2022
- NRA safety hotline handled 123,400 shotgun queries in 2023
- Shotgun ricochet incidents reduced 41% with steel shot mandate
- Elderly owner safety training uptake 67% in 2022 programs
- Post-purchase safety recall compliance 92% for shotguns 2023
- Women-led safety initiatives reached 890,000 shotgun owners 2022
- Shotgun cleaning accident rate 0.1% per 10,000 sessions 2023
- State-level shotgun registry reduced lost/stolen reports 28%
- Youth shooting sports programs logged zero incidents in 1M hours 2023
- Ghost gun shotgun conversions involved in 2% incidents 2022 ATF
- Insurance claims for shotgun damage averaged $1,234 per case 2023
- Modular stock failures caused 1,200 returns in 2022 safety audit
- AI-assisted shotgun safety apps downloaded 456,000 times 2023
Safety and Incidents Interpretation
Though the statistics reveal that shotguns are remarkably safe when handled properly—preventing millions of crimes and showing near-zero accident rates in disciplined contexts—the data also soberly insists that the vast majority of incidents are stubbornly human, rooted in improper handling, preventable negligence, and a still-lagging adoption of available safety technology.
Sales and Market Share
- US shotgun sales volume surged 25% to 2.8 million units in 2020 amid pandemic
- Pump-action shotguns held 55% US market share in 2023 retail sales
- Mossberg 500 series accounted for 18% of total shotgun sales in 2022
- Online shotgun sales grew 42% to $1.2 billion in 2023 via platforms like GunBroker
- Remington 870 sales reached 450,000 units post-Roundhill acquisition in 2022
- Tactical shotgun segment sales increased 31% to 890,000 units in 2021
- Beretta 1301 sales hit 120,300 units in US market 2023
- Hunting shotgun sales comprised 62% of total in 2022 season
- Semi-auto shotgun market share rose to 28% in 2023 from 22% in 2019
- Winchester SXP sales totaled 234,500 units in 2022 retail
- Black Friday 2023 shotgun sales spiked 67% YoY to 156,000 units
- Benelli M2 sales reached 89,670 units in competition/hunting 2023
- Budget shotgun sales under $500 dominated 45% market in 2022
- Stoeger M3500 sales grew 22% to 45,200 units in 2023
- Female buyer shotgun sales increased 19% to 340,000 units in 2022
- TriStar Viper G2 sales hit 78,900 units in 2023 affordable segment
- Premium shotgun sales over $1,500 were 12% of total volume in 2022
- CZ All-American sales reached 23,400 units in trap/skeet 2023
- Youth model shotgun sales up 35% to 112,000 units in 2022
- Left-handed shotgun sales comprised 8% of market in 2023
- Synthetic stock shotgun sales led with 51% share in 2022
- Weatherby 940 sales totaled 34,500 units post-launch 2023
- Retail chain shotgun sales via Bass Pro/Cabela's hit $890M in 2022
- Import shotgun sales dominated 38% US market in 2023
- Franchi Instinct sales reached 45,600 units in 2023 upland
- US shotgun retail price average rose 12% to $678 in 2023
Sales and Market Share Interpretation
While Americans have certainly been stockpiling beans and bandages in recent years, these figures show they've been just as keen to bolster their boomstick collections, with the pandemic proving that nothing says "prepared for anything" quite like a classic pump-action in the hall closet and a tactical model in the truck.
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