The only country with more guns than people, the United States is the largest civilian firearm market in the world. And America’s gun industry is booming. According to a study from the University of Chicago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly one in every five U.S. households purchased a gun – and about one in every 20 adults purchased a firearm for the first time.
Government data shows there are over 3,000 federally licensed gun makers operating in the U.S., and according to the industry advocacy group National Shooting Sports Foundation, guns and ammo are a $32 billion a year industry.
While most U.S.-based firearm manufacturers are small-scale operations, the largest and best known among them have found markets for their products both domestically and abroad. A recent report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives shows that American gunmakers exported nearly half a million firearms in 2021 alone.
Using data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified the companies selling the most firearms abroad. Companies were ranked on the total number of domestically manufactured firearms exported in 2021. We considered companies headquartered in the United States, as well as foreign companies with U.S. production facilities.
Each of the 24 companies on this list exported over 1,000 firearms in 2021. Depending on the company, these foreign sales accounted for anywhere from about 1% of their American firearm production up to nearly 90%. Together, these two dozen companies accounted for over 96% of U.S. firearm exports in 2021. (Here is a look at the companies selling the most guns online.)
As is the case in the domestic firearm market, pistols are the most popular firearm type among foreign buyers of American-made guns. Not including revolvers, pistols – mostly semi-automatic – accounted for over half of all exported firearms in 2021. For some of the largest gun makers on this list, including Sig Sauer, Glock, and Taurus, pistols accounted for all, or nearly all, of foreign gun sales in 2021. (Here is a look at the companies that control over half of their industry.)
Click here to see the most popular US-made guns abroad.
24. Barrett Firearms Mfg. Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 1,010 firearms (17.3% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 4.4% pistols; 95.6% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): REC10 rifle, Model 95 rifle, M107A1 rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Murfreesboro, TN
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23. Daniel Defense LLC
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 1,118 firearms (1.5% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 100% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): M4A1 rifle, DD5 SBR rifle, MK18 rifle, Delta 5 rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Black Creek, GA
22. Aero Precision LLC
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 1,318 firearms (0.7% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 0.8% pistols; 30.4% rifles; 68.8% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): AR-15 barrels, upper receivers, and lower receivers
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Tacoma and Lakewood, WA
21. North American Arms Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 1,359 firearms (2.3% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 2.9% pistols; 97.1% revolvers
> Popular firearm model(s): Guardian pistol, Companion revolver, Sidewinder revolver, Hogleg revolver
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Provo, UT
20. M+M Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 1,512 firearms (88.3% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 98.9% rifles; 1.1% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): M10X rifle, M10-762P rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Northglenn, CO
19. American Tactical Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 2,275 firearms (4.3% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 14.1% pistols; 85.9% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): GSG Firefly pistol, ATI Omni rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Summerville, SC
18. Kimber Mfg. Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 2,701 firearms (0.9% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 69.5% pistols; 30.4% revolvers; 0.1% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): Hunter rifle, K6XS revolver, K6S DASA revolver, AEGIS 1911 pistol
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Troy, AL, Yonkers, NY
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17. Legacy Sports International Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 2,959 firearms (1.4% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 100% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): Pointer shotgun, Citadel Coach shotgun, Howa H7 rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Reno, NV
16. ZEV Technologies Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 3,015 firearms (13.0% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 82.7% pistols; 16.9% rifles; 0.4% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): OZ9 pistol, Core rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Centralia, WA
15. Tippmann Arms Company LLC
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 3,132 firearms (20.7% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 10.7% pistols; 89.3% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): M4-22 rifle, MICRO Elite Pistol
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Fort Wayne, IN
14. KRISS USA, Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 3,217 firearms (25.1% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 4.4% pistols; 95.5% rifles; 0.1% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): Vector rifle, DMK22C rifle, SPHINX SDP pistol
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Chesapeake, VA
13. Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 4,889 firearms (3.2% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 44.7% pistols; 44.0% revolvers; 10.2% rifles; 1.0% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): Python revolver, King Cobra revolver, 1911 pistol, M4 Carbine
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): West Hartford, CT
12. Diamondback Firearms LLC
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 5,157 firearms (3.2% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 71.6% pistols; 18.7% rifles; 9.7% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): Sidekick revolver, DB15 rifle, DB10 rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Cocoa, FL
11. Springfield Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 5,992 firearms (1.0% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 59.8% pistols; 40.2% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): Saint AR-15 rifle, Hellcat pistol, 1911 pistol
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Geneseo, IL
10. Kel Tec CNC Industries Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 7,179 firearms (3.3% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 15.0% pistols; 66.0% rifles; 19.0% shotguns; 0.1% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): P15 pistol, PLR22 pistol, SU16 rifle, KS7 shotgun
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Cocoa, FL
9. Beretta USA Corp.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 8,015 firearms (5.2% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 90.4% pistols; 0.6% rifles; 9.0% shotguns
> Popular firearm model(s): 92X pistol, A300 Ultima shotgun, Ultraleggero shotgun
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Gallatin, TN
8. Henry RAC Holding Corp.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 8,768 firearms (2.7% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 0.9% pistols; 96.2% rifles; 1.6% shotguns; 1.3% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): Golden Boy rifle, Big Boy Carbine, Long Ranger rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Bayonne, NJ, Rice Lake, WI
7. Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 15,187 firearms (5.2% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 100% pistols
> Popular firearm model(s): G3 pistol, 605 revolver, 44 revolver, GX4 pistol
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Bainbridge, GA
6. Maverick Arms (incl. Mossberg)
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 35,540 firearms (7.2% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 2.2% pistols; 18.1% rifles; 65.5% shotguns; 14.1% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): Mossberg 500 shotgun, Mossberg Patriot rifle, MC2C pistol
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Eagle Pass, TX, North Haven, CT
5. Smith & Wesson
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 36,928 firearms (1.6% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 50.0% pistols; 36.3% revolvers; 13.4% rifles; 0.3% misc.
> Popular firearm model(s): Model 60 revolver, M&P Shield pistol, M&P 15 rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Columbia, MO, Springfield, MA
4. Savage Arms, Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 43,094 firearms (10.6% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 96.2% rifles; 3.8% shotguns
> Popular firearm model(s): 110 rifle, 63 rifle, 320 shotgun
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Westfield, MA
3. Glock Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 67,106 firearms (11.5% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 100% pistols
> Popular firearm model(s): G19 pistol, G17 pistol, G27 pistol
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Smyrna, GA
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2. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 78,232 firearms (3.8% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 9.5% pistols; 9.7% revolvers; 80.7% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): Mark IV pistol, 10/22 rifle, Bearcat pistol, American rifle
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Newport, NH, Prescott, AZ, Mayodan, NC, Southport, CT
1. Sig Sauer Inc.
> U.S. made exports, 2021: 102,515 firearms (7.9% of total domestic production)
> 2021 exports by firearm type: 97.3% pistols; 2.7% rifles
> Popular firearm model(s): MCX-Spear rifle, P320 pistol
> U.S. manufacturing location(s): Newington and Exeter, NH
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