A 30-Year-History of American Gun Sales

In just the past few decades, the gun market in America has completely transformed. More and more Americans own firearms, with an average of 120 guns per 100 people across the country. In comparison, there are 34 firearms per 100 people in Canada, and 12 guns per 100 people in Mexico. According to the Global Firearms Holdings Small Arms Survey, 85% of the one billion guns in the world are owned by civilians. (These are the best-selling guns in the U.S.)

Using historical firearm production, import, and export data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. calculated the number of guns Americans have bought in each of the last 35 years. For every year between 1986 and 2020, we tallied the number of firearms manufactured in and imported to the U.S. and subtracted the number of firearms exported to foreign markets. Import data is not yet available for 2021 or 2022, and as a result, numbers for these years only reflect estimated domestic sales of American-made firearms. The most striking trend in the last 35 years is the recent surge in gun sales. In the last five years alone, Americans bought nearly 70 million firearms — 13 million more than in the entire first decade of the 2000s, and 17 million more than in the 1990s.

Why It Matters

The United States is the largest consumer market for firearms by a wide margin. To meet demand — which has hit unprecedented highs in recent years — many of the world’s largest gunmakers have manufacturing operations in the United States. Of the 287.9 million firearms estimated to have been sold in the U.S. since 1986, more than two-thirds were manufactured domestically — and over half were sold in 2010 or later. Rising demand has likely been driven in part by changes in consumer preferences and an increasingly pro-gun regulatory environment.

Here is a year-by-year breakdown of American gun sales since 1986:

1986: 3,524,486 firearms

New York City, Manhattan, Little Italy, 183 Grand St. : ' John Jovino Gun Shop ' by (vincent desjardins)

New York City, Manhattan, Little Italy, 183 Grand St. : ' John Jovino Gun Shop ' (BY 2.0) by (vincent desjardins)

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1986: 3,524,486— the fewest in the last 35 years (80.1% U.S. made; 19.9% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1986: 1,534,305 — the fewest in the last 35 years (84.9% U.S. made; 15.1% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1986: 1,202,283 — 34th most in last 35 years (77.6% U.S. made; 22.4% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1986: 783,539 — the fewest in the last 35 years (74.3% U.S. made; 25.7% imported)

1987: 4,335,131 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1987: 4,335,131 — 31st most in the last 35 years (75.5% U.S. made; 24.5% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1987: 1,869,634 — 25th most in the last 35 years (81.7% U.S. made; 18.3% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1987: 1,379,280 — 31st most in the last 35 years (70.0% U.S. made; 30.0% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1987: 1,089,232 — 27th most in the last 35 years (71.8% U.S. made; 28.2% imported)

1988: 4,982,963 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1988: 4,982,963 — 22nd most in the last 35 years (74.4% U.S. made; 25.6% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1988: 2,345,516 — 20th most in the last 35 years (73.5% U.S. made; 26.5% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1988: 1,373,451 — 32nd most in the last 35 years (79.4% U.S. made; 20.6% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1988: 1,231,379 — 14th most in the last 35 years (69.8% U.S. made; 30.2% imported)

1989: 5,164,892 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1989: 5,164,892 — 19th most in the last 35 years (80.5% U.S. made; 19.5% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1989: 2,354,994 — 19th most in the last 35 years (81.3% U.S. made; 18.7% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1989: 1,627,305 — 26th most in the last 35 years (82.0% U.S. made; 18.0% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1989: 1,142,479 — 24th most in the last 35 years (76.0% U.S. made; 24.0% imported)

1990: 4,442,152 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1990: 4,442,152 — 29th most in the last 35 years (81.0% U.S. made; 19.0% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1990: 2,110,221 — 22nd most in the last 35 years (78.7% U.S. made; 21.3% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1990: 1,343,335 — 33rd most in the last 35 years (84.9% U.S. made; 15.1% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1990: 936,485 — 32nd most in the last 35 years (79.5% U.S. made; 20.5% imported)

1991: 3,882,598 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1991: 3,882,598 — 34th most in the last 35 years (81.4% U.S. made; 18.6% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1991: 1,939,116 — 23rd most in the last 35 years (84.9% U.S. made; 15.1% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1991: 1,103,700 — the fewest in the last 35 years (71.8% U.S. made; 28.2% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1991: 826,766 — 34th most in the last 35 years (86.0% U.S. made; 14.0% imported)

1992: 6,618,755 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1992: 6,618,755 — 16th most in the last 35 years (57.0% U.S. made; 43.0% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1992: 2,930,536 — 16th most in the last 35 years (66.5% U.S. made; 33.5% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1992: 2,335,007 — 13th most in the last 35 years (39.0% U.S. made; 61.0% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1992: 1,341,010 — 9th most in the last 35 years (67.0% U.S. made; 33.0% imported)

1993: 7,667,754 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1993: 7,667,754 — 13th most in the last 35 years (60.3% U.S. made; 39.7% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1993: 3,709,645 — 13th most in the last 35 years (67.5% U.S. made; 32.5% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1993: 2,671,944 — 11th most in the last 35 years (40.4% U.S. made; 59.6% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1993: 1,219,579 — 17th most in the last 35 years (79.8% U.S. made; 20.2% imported)

1994: 6,649,646 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1994: 6,649,646 — 15th most in the last 35 years (71.7% U.S. made; 28.3% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1994: 3,333,022 — 15th most in the last 35 years (72.5% U.S. made; 27.5% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1994: 2,082,640 — 17th most in the last 35 years (59.3% U.S. made; 40.7% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1994: 1,226,268 — 15th most in the last 35 years (90.4% U.S. made; 9.6% imported)

1995: 4,995,525 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1995: 4,995,525 — 21st most in the last 35 years (77.9% U.S. made; 22.1% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1995: 2,199,438 — 21st most in the last 35 years (67.9% U.S. made; 32.1% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1995: 1,581,471 — 28th most in the last 35 years (83.5% U.S. made; 16.5% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1995: 1,208,470 — 20th most in the last 35 years (88.7% U.S. made; 11.3% imported)

1996: 4,404,020 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1996: 4,404,020 — 30th most in the last 35 years (80.0% U.S. made; 20.0% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1996: 1,822,832 — 26th most in the last 35 years (73.1% U.S. made; 26.9% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1996: 1,612,326 — 27th most in the last 35 years (83.7% U.S. made; 16.3% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1996: 956,997 — 31st most in the last 35 years (86.6% U.S. made; 13.4% imported)

1997: 4,257,838 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1997: 4,257,838 — 32nd most in the last 35 years (77.9% U.S. made; 22.1% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1997: 1,772,849 — 29th most in the last 35 years (73.3% U.S. made; 26.7% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1997: 1,533,652 — 29th most in the last 35 years (76.6% U.S. made; 23.4% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1997: 936,011 — 33rd most in the last 35 years (88.6% U.S. made; 11.4% imported)

1998: 4,510,056 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1998: 4,510,056 — 28th most in the last 35 years (77.8% U.S. made; 22.2% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1998: 1,771,111 — 30th most in the last 35 years (70.0% U.S. made; 30.0% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1998: 1,718,625 — 24th most in the last 35 years (85.5% U.S. made; 14.5% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1998: 998,327 — 30th most in the last 35 years (78.0% U.S. made; 22.0% imported)

1999: 4,719,228 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 1999: 4,719,228 — 25th most in the last 35 years (81.1% U.S. made; 18.9% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 1999: 1,556,003 — 34th most in the last 35 years (80.2% U.S. made; 19.8% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 1999: 1,702,207 — 25th most in the last 35 years (88.4% U.S. made; 11.6% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 1999: 1,425,209 — 6th most in the last 35 years (72.9% U.S. made; 27.1% imported)

2000: 4,717,696 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2000: 4,717,696 — 26th most in the last 35 years (76.8% U.S. made; 23.2% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2000: 1,670,998 — 32nd most in the last 35 years (72.1% U.S. made; 27.9% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2000: 1,832,294 — 21st most in the last 35 years (83.7% U.S. made; 16.3% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2000: 1,195,340 — 23rd most in the last 35 years (72.2% U.S. made; 27.8% imported)

2001: 4,126,940 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2001: 4,126,940 — 33rd most in the last 35 years (66.9% U.S. made; 33.1% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2001: 1,593,124 — 33rd most in the last 35 years (55.4% U.S. made; 44.6% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2001: 1,461,477 — 30th most in the last 35 years (84.4% U.S. made; 15.6% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2001: 1,061,969 — 29th most in the last 35 years (59.7% U.S. made; 40.3% imported)

2002: 4,845,376 firearms

Biden Administration Cracks Down On Gun Dealers For Violations

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2002: 4,845,376 — 24th most in the last 35 years (66.4% U.S. made; 33.6% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2002: 1,773,687 — 28th most in the last 35 years (58.2% U.S. made; 41.8% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2002: 1,962,279 — 20th most in the last 35 years (74.1% U.S. made; 25.9% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2002: 1,089,183 — 28th most in the last 35 years (65.1% U.S. made; 34.9% imported)

2003: 4,632,994 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2003: 4,632,994 — 27th most in the last 35 years (68.3% U.S. made; 31.7% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2003: 1,708,423 — 31st most in the last 35 years (63.1% U.S. made; 36.9% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2003: 1,796,639 — 23rd most in the last 35 years (76.1% U.S. made; 23.9% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2003: 1,103,943 — 26th most in the last 35 years (63.1% U.S. made; 36.9% imported)

2004: 4,869,964 firearms

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Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2004: 4,869,964 — 23rd most in the last 35 years (60.8% U.S. made; 39.2% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2004: 1,822,385 — 27th most in the last 35 years (54.0% U.S. made; 46.0% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2004: 1,827,688 — 22nd most in the last 35 years (69.1% U.S. made; 30.9% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2004: 1,207,794 — 21st most in the last 35 years (58.0% U.S. made; 42.0% imported)

2005: 5,153,487 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2005: 5,153,487 — 20th most in the last 35 years (59.1% U.S. made; 40.9% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2005: 1,907,335 — 24th most in the last 35 years (54.0% U.S. made; 46.0% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2005: 2,021,374 — 19th most in the last 35 years (66.3% U.S. made; 33.7% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2005: 1,209,587 — 19th most in the last 35 years (54.8% U.S. made; 45.2% imported)

2006: 5,718,325 firearms

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Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2006: 5,718,325 — 18th most in the last 35 years (57.5% U.S. made; 42.5% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2006: 2,399,739 — 18th most in the last 35 years (51.4% U.S. made; 48.6% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2006: 2,053,069 — 18th most in the last 35 years (67.9% U.S. made; 32.1% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2006: 1,263,667 — 12th most in the last 35 years (52.0% U.S. made; 48.0% imported)

2007: 6,461,824 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2007: 6,461,824 — 17th most in the last 35 years (57.5% U.S. made; 42.5% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2007: 2,917,743 — 17th most in the last 35 years (52.5% U.S. made; 47.5% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2007: 2,162,110 — 16th most in the last 35 years (70.8% U.S. made; 29.2% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2007: 1,344,034 — 8th most in the last 35 years (46.0% U.S. made; 54.0% imported)

2008: 6,876,842 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2008: 6,876,842 — 14th most in the last 35 years (62.1% U.S. made; 37.9% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2008: 3,426,961 — 14th most in the last 35 years (57.2% U.S. made; 42.8% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2008: 2,232,356 — 15th most in the last 35 years (73.0% U.S. made; 27.0% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2008: 1,125,484 — 25th most in the last 35 years (52.4% U.S. made; 47.6% imported)

2009: 8,968,180 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2009: 8,968,180 — 11th most in the last 35 years (59.8% U.S. made; 40.2% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2009: 4,511,091 — 11th most in the last 35 years (51.6% U.S. made; 48.4% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2009: 3,051,789 — 9th most in the last 35 years (71.7% U.S. made; 28.3% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2009: 1,274,923 — 11th most in the last 35 years (56.2% U.S. made; 43.8% imported)

2010: 8,057,210 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2010: 8,057,210 — 12th most in the last 35 years (64.8% U.S. made; 35.2% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2010: 4,494,635 — 12th most in the last 35 years (60.3% U.S. made; 39.7% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2010: 2,301,487 — 14th most in the last 35 years (76.2% U.S. made; 23.8% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2010: 1,209,930 — 18th most in the last 35 years (57.9% U.S. made; 42.1% imported)

2011: 9,497,402 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2011: 9,497,402 — 10th most in the last 35 years (65.8% U.S. made; 34.2% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2011: 4,752,010 — 10th most in the last 35 years (63.7% U.S. made; 36.3% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2011: 3,236,904 — 8th most in the last 35 years (69.2% U.S. made; 30.8% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2011: 1,336,579 — 10th most in the last 35 years (60.4% U.S. made; 39.6% imported)

2012: 13,135,646 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2012: 13,135,646 — 4th most in the last 35 years (63.1% U.S. made; 36.9% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2012: 6,634,485 — 7th most in the last 35 years (60.4% U.S. made; 39.6% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2012: 4,330,775 — 4th most in the last 35 years (71.3% U.S. made; 28.7% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2012: 1,879,617 — 3rd most in the last 35 years (48.2% U.S. made; 51.8% imported)

2013: 15,991,210 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2013: 15,991,210 — 3rd most in the last 35 years (65.4% U.S. made; 34.6% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2013: 8,073,647 — 3rd most in the last 35 years (61.7% U.S. made; 38.3% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2013: 5,355,628 — the most in the last 35 years (71.8% U.S. made; 28.2% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2013: 2,089,541 — 2nd most in the last 35 years (55.2% U.S. made; 44.8% imported)

2014: 12,254,962 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2014: 12,254,962 — 8th most in the last 35 years (70.4% U.S. made; 29.6% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2014: 6,410,701 —- 8th most in the last 35 years (65.9% U.S. made; 34.1% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2014: 3,963,507 — 5th most in the last 35 years (80.0% U.S. made; 20.0% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2014: 1,523,373 — 5th most in the last 35 years (57.4% U.S. made; 42.6% imported)

2015: 12,945,416 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2015: 12,945,416 — 5th most in the last 35 years (69.6% U.S. made; 30.4% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2015: 6,749,106 — 6th most in the last 35 years (63.4% U.S. made; 36.6% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2015: 4,347,909 — 3rd most in the last 35 years (81.2% U.S. made; 18.8% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2015: 1,402,769 — 7th most in the last 35 years (54.1% U.S. made; 45.9% imported)

2016: 16,258,394 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2016: 16,258,394 — 2nd most in the last 35 years (68.4% U.S. made; 31.6% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2016: 9,051,208 — 2nd most in the last 35 years (59.4% U.S. made; 40.6% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2016: 4,821,743 — 2nd most in the last 35 years (84.9% U.S. made; 15.1% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2016: 1,560,431 — 4th most in the last 35 years (52.8% U.S. made; 47.2% imported)

2017: 12,331,748 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2017: 12,331,748 — 7th most in the last 35 years (63.6% U.S. made; 36.4% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2017: 7,402,669 — 4th most in the last 35 years (55.6% U.S. made; 44.4% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2017: 2,917,530 — 10th most in the last 35 years (80.4% U.S. made; 19.6% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2017: 1,255,247 — 13th most in the last 35 years (49.6% U.S. made; 50.4% imported)

2018: 12,804,242 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2018: 12,804,242 — 6th most in the last 35 years (66.4% U.S. made; 33.6% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2018: 7,131,118 — 5th most in the last 35 years (58.8% U.S. made; 41.2% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2018: 3,366,994 — 7th most in the last 35 years (80.6% U.S. made; 19.4% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2018: 1,222,283 — 16th most in the last 35 years (41.6% U.S. made; 58.4% imported)

2019: 10,681,126 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2019: 10,681,126 — 9th most in the last 35 years (62.7% U.S. made; 37.3% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2019: 6,067,861 — 9th most in the last 35 years (57.2% U.S. made; 42.8% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2019: 2,470,129 — 12th most in the last 35 years (73.7% U.S. made; 26.3% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2019: 1,201,668 — 22nd most in the last 35 years (38.1% U.S. made; 61.9% imported)

2020: 17,366,316 firearms

Est. U.S. firearm sales in 2020: 17,366,316 — the most in the last 35 years (60.7% U.S. made; 39.3% imported)
Est. U.S. handgun sales in 2020: 10,131,519 — the most in the last 35 years (60.2% U.S. made; 39.8% imported)
Est. U.S. rifle sales in 2020: 3,536,097 — 6th most in the last 35 years (75.3% U.S. made; 24.7% imported)
Est. U.S. shotgun sales in 2020: 2,383,745 — the most in the last 35 years (19.2% U.S. made; 80.8% imported)