The U.S. Imports Over 14 Million Handguns From This Country Each Year

By Jessica Lynn Published May 2, 11:10AM EDT

Key Points

The majority of pistols and revolvers sold in the U.S. were also manufactured in the United States.
Still, certain countries are home to firearm brands that have a loyal following among Americans, and these places have exported hundreds, if not thousands, of handguns to the U.S. in recent years.

Follow 24/7 Wall St. on Google

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

The U.S. Imports Over 14 Million Handguns From This Country Each Year — © Scott Olson / Getty Images News via Getty Images

In 2023, the United States imported $3 trillion in goods, equipment, and other resources, reports the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), an online data visualization and distribution platform focused on the geography and dynamics of economic activities. This made the U.S. the largest importer in the world. However, with U.S. President Donald Trump now pushing for American goods, and beginning a trade war with many trade partners including Canada and China, U.S. imports sit in an uncertain position. China has halted numerous exports to the U.S., the U.S. economy shrank, and consumers have been putting off purchasing new items at extraordinary prices. As President Trump ends the de minimis loophole — which allowed Americans to bring up to $800 worth of products into the U.S. without declaring them — packages from companies outside the U.S., such as Temu and Shein, will now be subject to a 120% levy or a flat fee of $100, rising to $200 in June, on top of the existing 145% tariff against Chinese goods. (These tariffs completely reshaped the world.)

While buying American is beneficial for our local and state economies, and for businesses and jobs, there are some issues with American-made products in certain industries. For example, while many gun producers and manufacturers operate in the United States, there are several firearm components that may need to be sourced from outside the country. There are also several gun manufacturers who are not based in the U.S. and may import a significant number of handguns — which may now ramp up in price, or become wholly unavailable, should the trade war intensify. Here, 24/7 Wall St. explored how many handguns are imported into the U.S. each year and from which countries. To do so, we sourced data from a 2023 Firearm Commerce report published by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), which includes the most current data at this time. Countries are listed in ascending order from least imported handguns to most. Considering the top country on this list provides the U.S. with over 14 million handguns each year, gun enthusiasts may want to purchase one of those weapons now while you still have the chance.

This previously published article was updated on May 2, 2025 to provide additional data on three countries and to give an overview of the trade war and how it might impact firearm purchasing.

Why It Matters Now

Millions of firearms roll off American assembly lines every year. Still, the U.S. is the largest consumer market for guns in the world, and to meet demand, the U.S. also imports millions of firearms annually. While the majority of pistols and revolvers sold in the U.S. were manufactured domestically, certain foreign countries still have a meaningful foothold in the domestic market for handguns. As gunmakers and firearm sellers attempt to adapt to changing trade decisions and tariff information from the Trump adminstration, the gun market in the U.S. could see some severe fluctuation.

Here are the 37 countries that sell the U.S. the most guns each year:

37. Georgia

Handguns exported to U.S. from Georgia, 2010-2023: 608 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Georgia, 2010-2023: 2,109 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Georgia between 2010 and 2023 include: N/A

36. Portugal

Beautiful view of the city of Porto on a beautiful summer day. Porto, Portugal

Handguns exported to U.S. from Portugal, 2010-2023: 682 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Portugal, 2010-2023: 281,140 (0.4% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Portugal between 2010 and 2023 include: Winchester, Browning Viana

35. Finland

Handguns exported to U.S. from Finland, 2010-2023: 882 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Finland, 2010-2023: 645,106 (0.9% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Finland between 2010 and 2023 include: Sako Limited

34. India

Handguns exported to U.S. from India, 2010-2023: 1,185 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from India, 2010-2023: 2,708 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in India between 2010 and 2023 include: Thirumala Precicasts, Rifle Factory Ishapore, Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli, SSS Defence

33. Taiwan

Handguns exported to U.S. from Taiwan, 2010-2023: 1,720 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Taiwan, 2010-2023: 12,451 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Taiwan between 2010 and 2023 include: N/A

32. Netherlands

Handguns exported to U.S. from Netherlands, 2010-2023: 1,931 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Netherlands, 2010-2023: 2,385 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2023 include: A.I Armaments B.V.

31. Bosnia-Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina-02260 - Old Bridge - Other side by archer10 (Dennis)

Bosnia and Herzegovina-02260 - Old Bridge - Other side (BY-SA 2.0) by archer10 (Dennis)

Handguns exported to U.S. from Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2010-2023: 2,470 (0.01% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2010-2023: 3,006 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Bosnia-Herzegovina between 2010 and 2023 include: N/A

30. Pakistan

Pakistan | Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan

Handguns exported to U.S. from Pakistan, 2010-2023: 4,541 (0.01% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Pakistan, 2010-2023: 6,119 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Pakistan between 2010 and 2023 include: Peshawar Arms Company, North Star Arsenal, Pakistan Ordnance Factories

29. South Korea

Seoul City skyline and downtown and skyscraper at night is The best view and beautiful of South Korea at Namhansanseong mountain.

Handguns exported to U.S. from South Korea, 2010-2023: 5,163 (0.01% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from South Korea, 2010-2023: 5,165 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in South Korea between 2010 and 2023 include: SNT Motiv, Dasan Machinery

28. Montenegro

Montenegro (BY-SA 2.0) by Aleksandr Zykov

Handguns exported to U.S. from Montenegro, 2010-2023: 6,787 (0.02% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Montenegro, 2010-2023: 8,229 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Montenegro between 2010 and 2023 include: N/A

27. Ukraine

Amazing summer sunrise of Kiev Pechersk Lavra Orthodox Monastery. Impressive morning view of Kiev, capital of Ukraine, Europe. Traveling concept background.

Handguns exported to U.S. from Ukraine, 2010-2023: 9,500 (0.02% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Ukraine, 2010-2023: 44,200 (0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Ukraine between 2010 and 2023 include: RPC Fort

26. Hungary

Hungary-0024 - Buda Castle by archer10 (Dennis)

Hungary-0024 - Buda Castle (BY-SA 2.0) by archer10 (Dennis)

Handguns exported to U.S. from Hungary, 2010-2023: 10,334 (0.02% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Hungary, 2010-2023: 16,751 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Hungary between 2010 and 2023 include: Sero International

25. United Arab Emirates

Handguns exported to U.S. from United Arab Emirates, 2010-2023: 10,460 (0.02% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from United Arab Emirates, 2010-2023: 11,228 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in United Arab Emirates between 2010 and 2023 include: Caracal International

24. France

Skyline of Paris with Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Panoramic sunset view of Paris by Catarina Belova

Skyline of Paris with Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Panoramic sunset view of Paris (Shutterstock.com) by Catarina Belova

Handguns exported to U.S. from France, 2010-2023: 14,240 (0.03% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from France, 2010-2023: 29,363 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in France between 2010 and 2023 include: Armes Mathelon, Chapuis Armes, Manurhin, PGM Precision

23. Costa Rica

Handguns exported to U.S. from Costa Rica, 2010-2023: 19,538 (0.04% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Costa Rica, 2010-2023: 19,538 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Costa Rica between 2010 and 2023 include: N/A

22. Slovakia

Handguns exported to U.S. from Slovakia, 2010-2023: 21,851 (0.05% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Slovakia, 2010-2023: 21,874 (<0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Slovakia between 2010 and 2023 include: Grand Power

21. Russia

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Russia,Moscow

Handguns exported to U.S. from Russia, 2010-2023: 30,346 (0.07% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Russia, 2010-2023: 871,024 (1.2% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Russia between 2010 and 2023 include: Kurbatov Arms, Kalashnikov Group, Lobaev Arms

20. Bulgaria

View of picturesque buildings in Dzhambaz Tepe, one of the Three Hills of the Old Town of Plovdiv, Bulgaria by SerFF79

View of picturesque buildings in Dzhambaz Tepe, one of the Three Hills of the Old Town of Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Shutterstock.com) by SerFF79

Handguns exported to U.S. from Bulgaria, 2010-2023: 47,375 (0.11% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Bulgaria, 2010-2023: 148,687 (0.2% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Bulgaria between 2010 and 2023 include: Arsenal JSCo

19. United Kingdom

Handguns exported to U.S. from United Kingdom, 2010-2023: 50,731 (0.12% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from United Kingdom, 2010-2023: 233,410 (0.3% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in United Kingdom between 2010 and 2023 include: Holland & Holland, Boss & Co., Gallyon Gun & Rifle Makers, IMI plc, Webley & Scott

18. Slovenia

Handguns exported to U.S. from Slovenia, 2010-2023: 60,603 (0.14% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Slovenia, 2010-2023: 60,616 (0.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Slovenia between 2010 and 2023 include: IZOP-K, Arex

17. Spain

Handguns exported to U.S. from Spain, 2010-2023: 60,870 (0.14% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Spain, 2010-2023: 753,309 (1.1% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Spain between 2010 and 2013 include: Bergara Barrels, ASTRA Defense, Traditions Performance Firearms, Arrieta Shotguns, Grulla Armas

16. Canada

Handguns exported to U.S. from Canada, 2010-2023: 77,389 (0.18% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Canada, 2010-2023: 3,676,709 (5.2% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Canada between 2010 and 2023 include: Colt Canada Corporation, Savage Arms, PGW Defence

15. Switzerland

Handguns exported to U.S. from Switzerland, 2010-2023: 116,028 (0.26% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Switzerland, 2010-2023: 156,122 (0.2% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Switzerland between 2010 and 2023 include: Christensen Arms, Bleiker, B&T AG

14. Poland

Poland | Warsaw, Royal castle and old town at sunset

Handguns exported to U.S. from Poland, 2010-2023: 119,572 (0.27% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Poland, 2010-2023: 185,957 (0.3% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Poland between 2010 and 2023 include: Son of Gun, WBP, FB Radom, Pioneer Arms

13. Serbia

Serbia | Belgrade downtown skyline with temple of Saint Sava and Avala tower

Handguns exported to U.S. from Serbia, 2010-2023: 224,286 (0.51% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Serbia, 2010-2023: 577,399 (0.8% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Serbia between 2010 and 2023 include: Zastava Arms

12. Romania

Handguns exported to U.S. from Romania, 2010-2023: 227,746 (0.52% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Romania, 2010-2023: 523,080 (0.7% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Romania between 2010 and 2023 include: Nova Modul, Cugir Arms Factory

11. Belgium

Handguns exported to U.S. from Belgium, 2010-2023: 309,158 (0.70% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Belgium, 2010-2023: 691,408 (1.0% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Belgium between 2010 and 2023 include: Winchester, Browning, FN Herstal

10. Israel

A guy in a soldier's uniform with an Israeli flag in his hand against a cloudy sky. Remembrance Day - Yom HaZikaron, Patriotic holiday, Israeli Independence Day - Yom Ha'atzmaut concept.

Handguns exported to U.S. from Israel, 2010-2023: 356,518 (0.81% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Israel, 2010-2023: 496,317 (0.7% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Israel between 2010 and 2023 include: IMI Systems, Israel Weapon Industries

9. Argentina

Handguns exported to U.S. from Argentina, 2010-2023: 714,455 (1.63% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Argentina, 2010-2023: 714,455 (1.0% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Argentina between 2010 and 2023 include: Bersa S.A.

8. Philippines

Handguns exported to U.S. from Philippines, 2010-2023: 1,450,368 (3.30% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Philippines, 2010-2023: 1,558,441 (2.2% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in the Philippines between 2010 and 2023 include: Shooters Arms Mfg., Armscor, United Defense Manufacturing Corporation

7. Czechia

Handguns exported to U.S. from Czechia, 2010-2023: 1,700,436 (3.87% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Czechia, 2010-2023: 2,117,562 (3.0% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Czechia between 2010 and 2023 include: Colt CZ Group, Luvo Firearms, FK BRNO

6. Italy

Handguns exported to U.S. from Italy, 2010-2023: 2,323,677 (5.29% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Italy, 2010-2023: 5,446,618 (7.8% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Italy between 2010 and 2023 include: Franchi S.p.A., Benelli Armi, Beretta, Chiappa Firearms, Perugini & Visini, Perazzi

5. Turkey

Handguns exported to U.S. from Turkey, 2010-2023: 2,666,588 (6.07% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Turkey, 2010-2023: 10,209,178 (14.5% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Turkey between 2010 and 2023 include: Barathrum Arms, Typhoon Defens, Huglu, Carrera Arms

4. Germany

Handguns exported to U.S. from Germany, 2010-2023: 5,025,686 (11.44% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Germany, 2010-2023: 5,946,615 (8.5% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Germany between 2010 and 2023 include: Heckler & Koch, Umarex, SIG Sauer GmbH & Co.

3. Croatia

Aerial view at capital town of Croatia, Zagreb city main square, Europe. / Zagreb aerial cityscape Croatia.

Handguns exported to U.S. from Croatia, 2010-2023: 5,431,491 (12.36% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Croatia, 2010-2023: 5,455,639 (7.8% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Croatia between 2010 and 2023 include: HS Produkt

2. Brazil

Handguns exported to U.S. from Brazil, 2010-2023: 8,496,042 (19.34% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Brazil, 2010-2023: 11,517,759 (16.4% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Brazil between 2010 and 2023 include: Amadeo Rossi S.A., Taurus Armas

1. Austria

Handguns exported to U.S. from Austria, 2010-2023: 14,329,710 (32.62% of all imported handguns)
Total firearms exported to U.S. from Austria, 2010-2023: 14,437,266 (20.6% of all imported firearms)
Gunmakers operating in Austria between 2010 and 2023 include: Glock, Steyr Arms, Strasser