Special Report

The Country Exporting the Most Guns to the US

Courtesy of 144 Tactical Defense via Yelp

Many of the world’s largest firearm companies – including Sturm, Ruger & Co., Remington Outdoor, and Smith & Wesson – are located in the United States. However, the spike in gun sales also led to an influx of firearms from overseas. The U.S. imported over 6.8 million guns in 2020, up 71% from the previous year, and by far the most ever recorded. For comparison, American arms manufacturers assembled 7 million guns in 2019, the most recent year for which data is available. (Here is a look at the states with the most gun shops). 

Gun sales exploded in the United States in 2020, reaching an all-time high of nearly 23 million. Surging U.S. sales were a boon not only for American gun makers, but also for the global firearm manufacturing industry. 

Using data from the 2021 edition of Firearms Commerce in the United States, a report published by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 32 countries exporting the most guns to the US. Countries are ranked by the total number of handguns, rifles, and shotguns imported into the United States in 2020. 

The largest share of all U.S. imports of firearms in 2020 – nearly 60% – were handguns. Shotguns were the second largest category, accounting for about 28% of all firearm imports, followed by rifles, which made up just under 13% of all imports. 

The vast majority of countries on this list are located in Europe, though this list includes some Asian and South American countries as well. Some of the countries sending the most guns to the U.S. are home to firearm brands that many American gun enthusiasts and sports men and women would be familiar with, including Beretta, which is headquartered in Italy (No. 6 on the list); Glock, headquartered in Austria (No. 2), and Taurus, headquartered in Brazil (No. 3). (Here is a look at the 25 counties selling the most weapons).

Click here to see countries exporting the most guns to the US.

saiko3p / iStock via Getty Images

32. France
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 1,425 (0.02% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 1,042 (0.03% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 321 (0.04% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 62 (0.00% of all imported shotguns)

[in-text-ad]

hank5 / iStock via Getty Images

31. Russia
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 1,595 (0.02% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: None
> Rifles imported: 1,595 (0.18% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: None

ZoltanGabor / iStock via Getty Images

30. Hungary
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 2,029 (0.03% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 1,154 (0.03% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 875 (0.10% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: None

vvvita / Getty Images

29. Georgia
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 2,108 (0.03% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 608 (0.02% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 1,500 (0.17% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: None

[in-text-ad-2]

sorincolac / iStock via Getty Images

28. Slovakia
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 2,987 (0.04% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 2,987 (0.07% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: None
> Shotguns imported: None

StockByM / iStock via Getty Images

27. Taiwan
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 3,140 (0.05% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: None
> Rifles imported: 3,140 (0.36% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: None

[in-text-ad]

emicristea / iStock via Getty Images

26. Montenegro
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 3,639 (0.05% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 3,639 (0.09% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: None
> Shotguns imported: None

kasto80 / iStock via Getty Images

25. Slovenia
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 4,902 (0.07% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 4,902 (0.12% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: None
> Shotguns imported: None

TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images

24. Poland
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 18,577 (0.27% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 10,286 (0.26% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 8,291 (0.95% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: None

[in-text-ad-2]

Vladislav Zolotov / iStock via Getty Images

23. United Kingdom
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 20,494 (0.30% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 65 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 11,937 (1.36% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 8,492 (0.44% of all imported shotguns)

Nikolay Pandev / E+ via Getty Images

22. Bulgaria
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 20,671 (0.30% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 6,937 (0.17% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 13,733 (1.57% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 01 (0.00% of all imported shotguns)

[in-text-ad]

ake1150sb / iStock via Getty Images

21. Switzerland
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 21,368 (0.31% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 17,943 (0.45% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 3,390 (0.39% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 35 (0.00% of all imported shotguns)

RudyBalasko / iStock via Getty Images

20. Belgium
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 23,865 (0.35% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 14,120 (0.35% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 9,533 (1.09% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 212 (0.01% of all imported shotguns)

ivotheeditors / iStock via Getty Images

19. Argentina
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 29,030 (0.42% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 29,030 (0.72% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: None
> Shotguns imported: None

[in-text-ad-2]

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

18. Portugal
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 34,648 (0.51% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: None
> Rifles imported: 34,576 (3.95% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 72 (0.00% of all imported shotguns)

RossHelen / iStock via Getty Images

17. Romania
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 38,056 (0.56% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 22,145 (0.55% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 15,911 (1.82% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: None

[in-text-ad]

scanrail / iStock via Getty Images

16. Finland
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 46,546 (0.68% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 08 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 46,506 (5.31% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 32 (0.00% of all imported shotguns)

mareandmare / iStock via Getty Images

15. Serbia
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 46,799 (0.69% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 22,703 (0.56% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 24,096 (2.75% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: None

RudyBalasko / iStock via Getty Images

14. Israel
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 56,893 (0.83% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 41,357 (1.03% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 7,839 (0.90% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 7,697 (0.40% of all imported shotguns)

[in-text-ad-2]

Esteban Martinena Guerrero / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

13. Spain
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 58,981 (0.86% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 960 (0.02% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 57,506 (6.57% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 515 (0.03% of all imported shotguns)

Sean Pavone / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

12. Japan
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 78,869 (1.15% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: None
> Rifles imported: 78,249 (8.94% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 620 (0.03% of all imported shotguns)

[in-text-ad]

Joseph Christopher Oropel / iStock via Getty Images

11. Philippines
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 117,217 (1.72% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 113,399 (2.81% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 3,818 (0.44% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: None

XIUYUAN YAO / iStock via Getty Images

10. China
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 217,462 (3.18% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: None
> Rifles imported: 12,000 (1.37% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 205,462 (10.67% of all imported shotguns)

AlbertoLoyo / iStock via Getty Images

9. Canada
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 236,427 (3.46% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 3,050 (0.08% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 232,395 (26.55% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 982 (0.05% of all imported shotguns)

[in-text-ad-2]

DaLiu / iStock via Getty Images

8. Czech Republic
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 275,943 (4.04% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 247,491 (6.14% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 28,418 (3.25% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 34 (0.00% of all imported shotguns)

bluejayphoto / iStock via Getty Images

7. Germany
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 350,291 (5.13% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 274,799 (6.82% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 73,118 (8.35% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 2,374 (0.12% of all imported shotguns)

[in-text-ad]

RudyBalasko / iStock via Getty Images

6. Italy
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 371,088 (5.43% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 146,565 (3.64% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 48,705 (5.57% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 175,818 (9.13% of all imported shotguns)

nantonov / iStock via Getty Images

5. Sweden
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 431,787 (6.32% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 45 (0.00% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 1,680 (0.19% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 430,062 (22.34% of all imported shotguns)

sorincolac / iStock via Getty Images

4. Croatia
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 521,932 (7.64% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 521,932 (12.95% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: None
> Shotguns imported: None

[in-text-ad-2]

FG Trade / E+ via Getty Images

3. Brazil
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 1,016,630 (14.88% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 849,700 (21.08% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 120,864 (13.81% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 46,066 (2.39% of all imported shotguns)

2. Austria
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 1,284,785 (18.81% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 1,279,123 (31.73% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 5,632 (0.64% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 30 (0.00% of all imported shotguns)

[in-text-ad]

Gogosvm / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

1. Turkey
> Firearms imported into the US, 2020: 1,490,251 (21.81% of all imported firearms)
> Handguns imported: 415,180 (10.30% of all imported handguns)
> Rifles imported: 29,450 (3.37% of all imported rifles)
> Shotguns imported: 1,045,621 (54.32% of all imported shotguns)

Sponsored: Attention Savvy Investors: Speak to 3 Financial Experts – FREE

Ever wanted an extra set of eyes on an investment you’re considering? Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help guide you through the financial decisions you’re making. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.