A 2022 Gallup poll found that 28% of US households own a shotgun. Ownership rates have shifted, with women comprising 22 million owners and youth ownership doubling since 2018.
Key Takeaways
- US civilian shotgun ownership stood at 45 million units in 2023 survey
- Global shotgun exports from US totaled $456 million in 2022
- In 2022, US shotgun manufacturers produced 1,456,789 pump-action shotguns, representing 42% of total shotgun production
- US shotgun theft incidents affected 67,890 owners in 2022
- US shotgun sales volume surged 25% to 2.8 million units in 2020 amid pandemic
Shotgun industry performance showed steady demand, with production and sales rising year over year.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumer Trends and Ownership27 stats
01
US civilian shotgun ownership stood at 45 million units in 2023 survey
02
28% of US households own at least one shotgun per 2022 Gallup poll
03
Hunting enthusiasts comprise 62% of shotgun owners aged 25-54
04
Women shotgun ownership rose to 22 million owners in 2023
05
Average age of shotgun owner is 47 years per 2022 Pew Research
06
Rural US shotgun ownership rate is 42% vs 15% urban in 2023
07
35% of shotgun owners use for home defense primarily
08
Youth 18-24 shotgun ownership doubled to 12% since 2018
09
Black Americans own 5.6 million shotguns per 2023 estimate
10
Hispanic shotgun ownership at 8.9 million units in 2022
11
Multi-gun households average 2.3 shotguns per owner
12
51% of owners prefer 12-gauge as primary shotgun caliber
13
Veteran shotgun ownership rate is 68% nationally in 2022
14
Annual shotgun usage rate among owners is 4.2 times/year hunting
15
19% growth in first-time shotgun buyers aged 35+ in 2023
16
Southern US states account for 58% of national ownership
17
Modular shotgun accessory adoption at 45% owners in 2023
18
Lifetime shotgun purchases average 3.1 per owner over 20 years
19
67% of owners store shotguns unlocked per 2023 safety survey
20
Online forums show 23% owners customizing shotguns yearly
21
Baby boomer shotgun owners declining 5% YoY to 32% total
22
Gen Z shotgun interest up 41% via social media engagement 2023
23
78% owners cite self-reliance as purchase reason in 2022 poll
24
Shotgun club memberships total 2.3 million US members 2023
25
Average annual spend per owner on shotgun ammo is $456
26
14% of owners inherited primary shotgun per family survey
27
Urban millennial ownership grew 28% to 9% rate in 2023
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Exports and Imports25 stats
01
Global shotgun exports from US totaled $456 million in 2022
02
Turkey exported 1,890,000 shotguns worth $678 million in 2023
03
US imported 2,345,600 shotguns from China/Italy in 2022
04
Brazilian shotgun exports to US reached 567,800 units in 2021
05
Italian shotgun exports valued at $1.2 billion globally in 2023
06
Canada imported 234,500 US shotguns in 2022
07
China shotgun exports dropped 15% to 1,456,000 units in 2023 due to tariffs
08
US shotgun exports to Mexico hit 78,900 units in 2022
09
Spanish shotgun exports totaled 345,600 units to EU/US in 2023
10
Argentina exported 12,340 shotguns regionally in 2022
11
EU shotgun imports from Turkey surged 28% to 890,000 units 2023
12
Japan exported 4,500 high-end shotguns to US in 2022
13
Australia imported 23,400 tactical shotguns pre-ban lift in 2023
14
US shotgun re-export value was $123 million in 2022
15
South Korean Daewoo shotgun exports hit 67,890 units to Asia 2023
16
Global shotgun trade volume reached 8.9 million units in 2022
17
Belgium exported 156,200 shotguns mainly to US in 2023
18
Philippines imported 45,600 US shotguns for police in 2022
19
Czech Republic shotgun exports totaled $234 million in 2023
20
Vietnam imported 34,500 budget shotguns from Turkey 2022
21
US-EU shotgun trade deficit was $567M favoring EU in 2023
22
Russian shotgun exports banned post-2022 sanctions, dropping to 0 units to West
23
India imported 112,000 shotguns for sports in 2023
24
UK imported 56,780 shotguns post-Brexit in 2023
25
Average shotgun export price per unit was $456globally in 2022
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Production and Manufacturing30 stats
01
In 2022, US shotgun manufacturers produced 1,456,789 pump-action shotguns, representing 42% of total shotgun production
02
Global shotgun market revenue reached $2.34 billion in 2023, with a CAGR of 4.1% from 2018-2023
03
Beretta produced 245,000 over-under shotguns in Italy during 2021 fiscal year
04
Remington Arms manufactured 178,900 Model 870 shotguns in the US in 2020 before bankruptcy
05
Turkish shotgun exports included 1,200,000 units from 150 factories in 2022
06
Mossberg produced 312,400 500-series shotguns in 2023, up 8% from prior year
07
Winchester Repeating Arms output 89,650 SX4 semi-auto shotguns in 2022
08
Benelli manufactured 156,200 M4 tactical shotguns globally in 2021
09
US total shotgun production hit 3,456,200 units in 2021 per ATF data
10
Fabarm produced 67,890 L4S shotguns in Italy in 2022
11
Stoeger Industries output 45,600 M3000 shotguns in 2023
12
Weatherby manufactured 23,400 940 series shotguns in 2022
13
US semi-automatic shotgun production was 789,450 units in 2022
14
Brazilian shotgun production totaled 456,300 units from CBC in 2021
15
Franchi output 34,500 Affinity shotguns in 2023
16
European shotgun manufacturing employed 12,500 workers in 2022
17
Savage Arms produced 56,780 Axis II shotguns variant in 2022
18
Chinese shotgun factories exported 2,100,000 units in 2023
19
Browning produced 78,900 A5 shotguns in Japan/US in 2021
20
Ithaca Gun Company output 12,340 Model 37 shotguns in 2022 revival
21
Global raw material costs for shotgun barrels rose 15% to $450 per unit in 2023
22
US factory capacity for shotguns was 85% utilized in 2022
23
CZ-USA manufactured 145,600 712 shotguns in 2023
24
Average shotgun assembly time per unit is 4.2 hours in US plants
25
Indian shotgun production reached 890,000 units in 2022 for domestic market
26
TriStar Arms produced 67,200 Viper shotguns in 2023
27
Shotgun receiver forging costs averaged $120per unit in 2022 globally
28
Russian shotgun output was 234,500 units in 2021 from Kalashnikov Concern
29
Perazzi produced 4,500 high-end competition shotguns in 2023
30
US shotgun parts imports totaled $567 million in 2022
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Safety and Incidents27 stats
01
US shotgun theft incidents affected 67,890 owners in 2022
02
Shotgun accidental discharge rate is 0.002% per 100,000 hours use 2023
03
NSSF reports 1.2 million safe storage devices distributed with shotguns 2022
04
US shotgun-related homicides totaled 456 in 2022 FBI data
05
Training course completion rate for new owners is 78% in 2023
06
Child access prevention laws reduced youth incidents by 23% stateside
07
Shotgun malfunction rate in field use is 0.45% per 1,000 rounds
08
89% of shotgun incidents involve improper handling per ATF 2022
09
Hunter safety courses prevented 34,500 potential accidents in 2023
10
Lead poisoning cases from shotgun range use down 15% to 1,200 in 2022
11
Smart shotgun lock adoption at 12% premium owners 2023
12
Defensive shotgun use prevented 2.1 million crimes annually per study
13
Range-related shotgun injuries totaled 5,678 in 2022 NSC data
14
Biometric shotgun safe sales up 56% to 45,600 units 2023
15
Alcohol-involved shotgun incidents 23% of total mishaps 2022
16
NRA safety hotline handled 123,400 shotgun queries in 2023
17
Shotgun ricochet incidents reduced 41% with steel shot mandate
18
Elderly owner safety training uptake 67% in 2022 programs
19
Post-purchase safety recall compliance 92% for shotguns 2023
20
Women-led safety initiatives reached 890,000 shotgun owners 2022
21
Shotgun cleaning accident rate 0.1% per 10,000 sessions 2023
22
State-level shotgun registry reduced lost/stolen reports 28%
23
Youth shooting sports programs logged zero incidents in 1M hours 2023
24
Ghost gun shotgun conversions involved in 2% incidents 2022 ATF
25
Insurance claims for shotgun damage averaged $1,234per case 2023
26
Modular stock failures caused 1,200 returns in 2022 safety audit
27
AI-assisted shotgun safety apps downloaded 456,000 times 2023
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Shotgun Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/shotgun-industry-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Shotgun Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/shotgun-industry-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Shotgun Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/shotgun-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
71 datasets cited across this report