24/7 Wall St. Insights
- More than 3,600 active, federally licensed gunmakers in the U.S. in 2022
- Guns are manufactured in each of the 50 states, and in most states, the industry is dominated by a single brand
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The United States is among the few countries where gun ownership is a constitutional right — but it is the only country with more civilian-owned firearms than people. As of 2023, there were an estimated 378 million guns in circulation nationwide. And with each passing year, that number grows by millions.
As the world’s largest consumer-market for firearms, the U.S. has a thriving small arms and ammunition industry. Both directly and indirectly, arms and ammunition generated nearly $90.1 billion in economic output and over $10.9 billion in state and federal tax revenue in 2023, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Much of the industry’s economic impact is driven by firearm manufacturers. The latest data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, shows there were over 3,600 federally licensed gunmakers operating across the 50 states in 2022. Still, most licensed gunmakers operate on a relatively small scale, producing fewer than 100 firearms annually. The majority of the millions of firearms manufactured in the U.S. each year are made by only a handful of companies. (Here is a complete list of America’s largest gun brands.)
Using data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified the largest gunmaker in each state. We reviewed firearm manufacturing volume and listed the company or brand that produced the most guns within each state’s borders in 2022. Alaska is not included in this analysis.
Total firearm production in 2022 varies considerably across the country, from fewer than 100 guns in some states, to well over 1 million in others. Partially as a result, in many states, the gunmakers with the highest production volume are not well-known brands. Still, in the majority of states on this list, a single company or brand accounted for over 50% of all firearm manufacturing in 2022.
Several of America’s largest firearm companies have manufacturing operations in more than one state — and in some cases, these companies rank as the largest manufacturer in multiple states. Ruger, for example, was the second largest gunmaker in the U.S. in 2022. With a total domestic production volume of over 1.5 million firearms that year, Ruger has active production facilities in four states and ranks as the top gunmaker in two of them. Similarly, Henry Repeating Arms Company, a brand known for its lever-action rifles, is also one of the largest firearm companies in the U.S., and ranks as the leading manufacturer in two states. (These are the brands making the best-selling American rifles.)
Why It Matters
Firearm sales have hit unprecedented highs in the U.S. in recent years. To meet growing demand, many of the world’s largest gunmakers have manufacturing operations in the United States. Each of the 50 states is home to multiple federally licensed gunmakers, and in most states, a single company accounts for over half of all production volume.
Alabama
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Kimber Mfg. Inc. (96.3 % of all guns made in-state)
- Kimber output in 2022: 230,324 firearms manufactured in Alabama
- Kimber output by firearm type: 98.2% handguns, 1.8% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Alabama, 2022: 239,050
Arizona
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (91.8 % of all guns made in-state)
- Ruger output in 2022: 432,162 firearms manufactured in Arizona
- Ruger output by firearm type: 95.0% handguns, 5.0% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Arizona, 2022: 470,969
Arkansas
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Walther Manufacturing Inc. (52.9 % of all guns made in-state)
- Walther output in 2022: 29,861 firearms manufactured in Arkansas
- Walther output by firearm type: 100% handguns
- Total firearms manufactured in Arkansas, 2022: 56,434
California
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Phoenix Arms (36.8 % of all guns made in-state)
- Phoenix Arms output in 2022: 17,300 firearms manufactured in California
- Phoenix Arms output by firearm type: 100% handguns
- Total firearms manufactured in California, 2022: 47,012
Colorado
- Top gunmaker in 2022: M+M Inc. (15.4 % of all guns made in-state)
- M+M output in 2022: 427 firearms manufactured in Colorado
- M+M output by firearm type: 10.1% handguns, 89.9% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Colorado, 2022: 2,781
Connecticut
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC (89.7 % of all guns made in-state)
- Colt output in 2022: 158,797 firearms manufactured in Connecticut
- Colt output by firearm type: 84.1% handguns, 13.1% rifles, 2.8% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Connecticut, 2022: 177,104
Delaware
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Gusovsky Gunsmithing LLC (65.2 % of all guns made in-state)
- Gusovsky output in 2022: 30 firearms manufactured in Delaware
- Gusovsky output by firearm type: 23.3% handguns, 26.7% rifles, 50.0% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Delaware, 2022: 46
Florida
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Kel Tec CNC Industries Inc. (37.0 % of all guns made in-state)
- Kel Tec output in 2022: 196,118 firearms manufactured in Florida
- Kel Tec output by firearm type: 43.4% handguns, 35.6% rifles, 21.0% shotguns
- Total firearms manufactured in Florida, 2022: 529,360
Georgia
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Glock Inc. (39.2 % of all guns made in-state)
- Glock output in 2022: 465,117 firearms manufactured in Georgia
- Glock output by firearm type: 100% handguns
- Total firearms manufactured in Georgia, 2022: 1,185,497
Hawaii
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Cerakote Hawaii LLC (64.7 % of all guns made in-state)
- Cerakote output in 2022: 11 firearms manufactured in Hawaii
- Cerakote output by firearm type: 72.7% handguns, 27.3% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Hawaii, 2022: 17
Idaho
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Seekins Precision LLC (26.4 % of all guns made in-state)
- Seekins output in 2022: 8,386 firearms manufactured in Idaho
- Seekins output by firearm type: 3.5% handguns, 83.2% rifles, 13.3% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Idaho, 2022: 31,773
Illinois
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Springfield Inc. (92.6 % of all guns made in-state)
- Springfield output in 2022: 562,466 firearms manufactured in Illinois
- Springfield output by firearm type: 45.9% handguns, 54.1% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Illinois, 2022: 607,716
Indiana
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Freedom Ordnance Manufacturing Inc. (45.6 % of all guns made in-state)
- Freedom Ordnance output in 2022: 5,432 firearms manufactured in Indiana
- Freedom Ordnance output by firearm type: 91.6% handguns, 8.4% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Indiana, 2022: 11,904
Iowa
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Lewis Machine & Tool Co. (39.5 % of all guns made in-state)
- Lewis output in 2022: 10,679 firearms manufactured in Iowa
- Lewis output by firearm type: 23.6% rifles, 76.3% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Iowa, 2022: 27,006
Kansas
- Top gunmaker in 2022: CZ-USA (63.5 % of all guns made in-state)
- CZ-USA output in 2022: 14,104 firearms manufactured in Kansas
- CZ-USA output by firearm type: 97.5% handguns, 2.5% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Kansas, 2022: 22,203
Kentucky
- Top gunmaker in 2022: WM C Anderson Inc. (98.9 % of all guns made in-state)
- WM C Anderson output in 2022: 157,264 firearms manufactured in Kentucky
- WM C Anderson output by firearm type: 2.2% handguns, 4.8% rifles, 93.0% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Kentucky, 2022: 159,093
Louisiana
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Wise Arms LLC (56.7 % of all guns made in-state)
- Wise output in 2022: 3,207 firearms manufactured in Louisiana
- Wise output by firearm type: 33.1% handguns, 66.9% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Louisiana, 2022: 5,655
Maine
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Windham Weaponry Inc. (96.1 % of all guns made in-state)
- Windham output in 2022: 6,291 firearms manufactured in Maine
- Windham output by firearm type: 3.5% handguns, 91.3% rifles, 5.2% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Maine, 2022: 6,548
Maryland
- Top gunmaker in 2022: LWRC International (88.9 % of all guns made in-state)
- LWRC output in 2022: 21,066 firearms manufactured in Maryland
- LWRC output by firearm type: 24.3% handguns, 62.9% rifles, 12.8% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Maryland, 2022: 23,700
Massachusetts
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Savage Arms, Inc. (97.9 % of all guns made in-state)
- Savage Arms output in 2022: 719,641 firearms manufactured in Massachusetts
- Savage Arms output by firearm type: 1.2% handguns, 84.6% rifles, 14.2% shotguns
- Total firearms manufactured in Massachusetts, 2022: 735,445
Michigan
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Great Lakes Firearms and Ammunition LLC (66.5 % of all guns made in-state)
- Great Lakes output in 2022: 21,198 firearms manufactured in Michigan
- Great Lakes output by firearm type: 19.1% handguns, 80.9% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Michigan, 2022: 31,886
Minnesota
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Magnum Research Inc. (45.3 % of all guns made in-state)
- Magnum Research output in 2022: 18,512 firearms manufactured in Minnesota
- Magnum Research output by firearm type: 87.6% handguns, 12.4% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Minnesota, 2022: 40,832
Mississippi
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Art of War Custom LLC (35.1 % of all guns made in-state)
- Art of War output in 2022: 522 firearms manufactured in Mississippi
- Art of War output by firearm type: 45.0% handguns, 55.0% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Mississippi, 2022: 1,489
Missouri
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Smith & Wesson Sales Company (91.8 % of all guns made in-state)
- S&W output in 2022: 973,595 firearms manufactured in Missouri
- S&W output by firearm type: 85.7% handguns, 13.4% rifles, 0.8% shotguns, 0.1% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Missouri, 2022: 1,060,717
Montana
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Defiance Machine Inc. (43.9 % of all guns made in-state)
- Defiance output in 2022: 6,219 firearms manufactured in Montana
- Defiance output by firearm type: 2.0% rifles, 98.0% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Montana, 2022: 14,156
Nebraska
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Zermatt Arms Inc. (75.2 % of all guns made in-state)
- Zermatt output in 2022: 6,034 firearms manufactured in Nebraska
- Zermatt output by firearm type: 100% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Nebraska, 2022: 8,027
Nevada
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Legacy Sports International Inc. (57.2 % of all guns made in-state)
- Legacy Sports output in 2022: 75,310 firearms manufactured in Nevada
- Legacy Sports output by firearm type: 2.8% handguns, 55.2% rifles, 42.0% shotguns
- Total firearms manufactured in Nevada, 2022: 131,546
New Hampshire
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Sig Sauer Inc. (81.0 % of all guns made in-state)
- Sig Sauer output in 2022: 2,346,752 firearms manufactured in New Hampshire
- Sig Sauer output by firearm type: 93.2% handguns, 6.2% rifles, 0.6% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in New Hampshire, 2022: 2,896,632
New Jersey
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Henry RAC Holding Corp. (99.4 % of all guns made in-state)
- Henry RAC output in 2022: 241,607 firearms manufactured in New Jersey
- Henry RAC output by firearm type: 2.2% handguns, 96.8% rifles, 1.0% shotguns
- Total firearms manufactured in New Jersey, 2022: 243,125
New Mexico
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Matrix International Security Training Center Inc. (32.4 % of all guns made in-state)
- Matrix output in 2022: 208 firearms manufactured in New Mexico
- Matrix output by firearm type: 58.2% handguns, 32.2% rifles, 9.6% shotguns
- Total firearms manufactured in New Mexico, 2022: 642
New York
- Top gunmaker in 2022: RemArms LLC (81.6 % of all guns made in-state)
- RemArms output in 2022: 148,711 firearms manufactured in New York
- RemArms output by firearm type: 27.9% rifles, 56.3% shotguns, 15.8% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in New York, 2022: 182,336
North Carolina
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (79.4 % of all guns made in-state)
- Ruger output in 2022: 592,129 firearms manufactured in North Carolina
- Ruger output by firearm type: 50.3% handguns, 49.1% rifles, 0.6% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in North Carolina, 2022: 745,313
North Dakota
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Roughrider Arms LLC (42.9 % of all guns made in-state)
- Roughrider output in 2022: 132 firearms manufactured in North Dakota
- Roughrider output by firearm type: 65.9% handguns, 15.9% rifles, 18.2% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in North Dakota, 2022: 308
Ohio
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Strassells Machine Inc. (77.3 % of all guns made in-state)
- Strassells output in 2022: 87,800 firearms manufactured in Ohio
- Strassells output by firearm type: 47.7% handguns, 52.3% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Ohio, 2022: 113,567
Oklahoma
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Tape Matics Inc. (68.9 % of all guns made in-state)
- Tape Matics output in 2022: 2,521 firearms manufactured in Oklahoma
- Tape Matics output by firearm type: 0.4% rifles, 99.6% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Oklahoma, 2022: 3,657
Oregon
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Axts Inc. (38.2 % of all guns made in-state)
- Axts output in 2022: 6,799 firearms manufactured in Oregon
- Axts output by firearm type: 3.5% handguns, 8.9% rifles, 87.6% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Oregon, 2022: 17,809
Pennsylvania
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Keystone Sporting Arms LLC (40.9 % of all guns made in-state)
- Keystone Arms output in 2022: 60,269 firearms manufactured in Pennsylvania
- Keystone Arms output by firearm type: 2.8% handguns, 89.9% rifles, 7.3% shotguns
- Total firearms manufactured in Pennsylvania, 2022: 147,435
Rhode Island
- Top gunmaker in 2022: A&M Acquisitions, LLC (77.2 % of all guns made in-state)
- A&M output in 2022: 44 firearms manufactured in Rhode Island
- A&M output by firearm type: 4.5% handguns, 63.6% rifles, 31.8% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Rhode Island, 2022: 57
South Carolina
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Palmetto State Armory, LLC (71.7 % of all guns made in-state)
- Palmetto State output in 2022: 551,448 firearms manufactured in South Carolina
- Palmetto State output by firearm type: 24.9% handguns, 18.4% rifles, 56.8% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in South Carolina, 2022: 769,641
South Dakota
- Top gunmaker in 2022: West River Rifle Company LLC (46.3 % of all guns made in-state)
- West River output in 2022: 681 firearms manufactured in South Dakota
- West River output by firearm type: 0.9% rifles, 99.1% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in South Dakota, 2022: 1,470
Tennessee
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Beretta USA Corp (87.1 % of all guns made in-state)
- Beretta output in 2022: 180,447 firearms manufactured in Tennessee
- Beretta output by firearm type: 69.6% handguns, 30.4% shotguns
- Total firearms manufactured in Tennessee, 2022: 207,086
Texas
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Maverick Arms, Inc. (82.0 % of all guns made in-state)
- Maverick output in 2022: 1,404,446 firearms manufactured in Texas
- Maverick output by firearm type: 0.4% handguns, 5.3% rifles, 19.0% shotguns, 75.4% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Texas, 2022: 1,711,726
Utah
- Top gunmaker in 2022: TDJ Buyer, LLC (36.4 % of all guns made in-state)
- TDJ Buyer output in 2022: 63,053 firearms manufactured in Utah
- TDJ Buyer output by firearm type: 4.3% handguns, 95.6% rifles, 0.1% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Utah, 2022: 173,445
Vermont
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Century Arms Inc. (97.6 % of all guns made in-state)
- Century Arms output in 2022: 106,970 firearms manufactured in Vermont
- Century Arms output by firearm type: 9.4% handguns, 40.3% rifles, 50.2% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Vermont, 2022: 109,639
Virginia
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Kriss USA, Inc. (76.4 % of all guns made in-state)
- Kriss USA output in 2022: 17,213 firearms manufactured in Virginia
- Kriss USA output by firearm type: 50.5% handguns, 49.5% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Virginia, 2022: 22,526
Washington
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Aero Precision LLC (82.2 % of all guns made in-state)
- Aero Precision output in 2022: 202,265 firearms manufactured in Washington
- Aero Precision output by firearm type: 1.1% rifles, 98.9% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Washington, 2022: 246,063
West Virginia
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Childers Guns LLC (68.6 % of all guns made in-state)
- Childers Guns output in 2022: 3,512 firearms manufactured in West Virginia
- Childers Guns output by firearm type: 100% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in West Virginia, 2022: 5,117
Wisconsin
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Henry RAC Holding Corp (82.6 % of all guns made in-state)
- Henry RAC output in 2022: 124,260 firearms manufactured in Wisconsin
- Henry RAC output by firearm type: 81.2% rifles, 14.2% shotguns, 4.6% misc.
- Total firearms manufactured in Wisconsin, 2022: 150,496
Wyoming
- Top gunmaker in 2022: Weatherby Inc. (55.0 % of all guns made in-state)
- Weatherby output in 2022: 9,274 firearms manufactured in Wyoming
- Weatherby output by firearm type: 100% rifles
- Total firearms manufactured in Wyoming, 2022: 16,848
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