Consumer demand for handguns is surging in the United States. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, American gunmakers produced nearly 21.4 million pistols and revolvers between 2020 and 2022, 17% more than were made throughout the 1990’s. Now the most popular firearm type in the U.S., handguns topped the combined sales volume of both rifles and shotguns in each of the last seven years.
While the domestic market for firearms is constantly evolving, some aspects of American gun culture do not change — and one of them is the popularity of the .22 Long Rifle cartridge. A versatile and inexpensive round with little-to-no recoil, .22 LR has long been one of the best selling calibers in the United States. Favored by beginners and young shooters, .22 caliber firearms are also widely used by more seasoned sportsmen and women for small game and varmint hunting, plinking, and days at the range.
Not surprisingly, record-breaking handgun sales in recent years have been driven in part by .22 caliber pistols and revolvers. According to the ATF, more than 1.2 million .22 caliber handguns were manufactured domestically in 2022, accounting for nearly 18% of all U.S. handgun production.
Using data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 21 companies making the most popular .22 caliber handguns in the United States. We reviewed manufacturing figures for thousands of federally licensed gunmakers and ranked them on .22 caliber handgun production volume in 2022.
The companies on this list manufactured a combined 1.2 million .22 caliber handguns in 2022, accounting for over 98% of all domestic production volume. Among these 21 companies, manufacturing totals range from about 2,200 to nearly 290,000. (Here is a look at the top gunmakers in each state.)
It is important to note that while the majority of .22 caliber handguns made by the companies on this list are chambered for rimfire, .22 LR ammunition, several other ammunition types fall under the ATF’s .22 caliber classification – which encompasses all rounds up to the .22 caliber size. These chamberings include, but are not limited to, the .22 magnum, 5.7x28mm, and 5.56×45mm NATO. (Here is a look at the most and least expensive handgun calibers.)
Why It Matters
Firearm sales in the U.S. hit historic highs during and after the pandemic. Both directly and indirectly, the U.S. arms and ammunition industry generated over $90 billion in economic output in 2023, and employed over 384,000 Americans, according to the industry advocacy group National Shooting Sports Foundation. Demand for specific firearms, like .22 caliber pistols, have been a boon for gunmakers in recent years.
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