The United States is the world’s largest civilian market for firearms – and consumer demand is growing. Over 250 million new firearms were manufactured in, or imported to, the U.S. between 1986 and 2019 – and according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, over half of them hit the market in the last 10 years.
With millions of new firearms proliferating each year, there are now an estimated 434 million civilian-owned guns in the United States, or about 1.7 for every American adult, according to the Firearm Industry Trade Association.
Using data from the ATF’s 2021 report Firearms Commerce in the United States, 24/7 Wall St. identified the number of new guns that were either manufactured domestically or shipped to the U.S. each year since 1986, the earliest year of available data. American-made guns that were sold overseas are not included in totals.
Beginning in 2012, more than 10 million new guns were made in or imported to the United States each year. The number of new guns peaked in 16.3 million in 2016. Meanwhile, the number of new guns on the market never exceeded 10 million between 1986 and 2012, and were below 5 million for most of those years. (Here is a look at the most popular guns of all time.)
Gun manufacturing data reveals how American preferences have evolved in recent decades. In most years from 1986 to 2009, rifles dominated domestic firearm production. However, that changed in 2010, when pistols – not including revolvers – overtook rifles in domestic production and have held the top spot nearly every year since. (Here is a look at the most powerful handguns.)
Click here to see the no. of new guns in the US each year since 1986.
Click here to see our detailed methodology.
1986
> New guns on the market: 3,524,486 – the fewest in 34 years (19.9% imported, 80.1% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (31.9% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Rifles (38.4% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Revolvers (48.1% of all exported firearms)
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1987
> New guns on the market: 4,335,131 – 30th most in 34 years (24.5% imported, 75.5% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (28.3% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Rifles (38.9% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Revolvers (46.7% of all exported firearms)
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1988
> New guns on the market: 4,982,963 – 21st most in 34 years (25.6% imported, 74.4% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (28.9% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (48.7% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Revolvers (38.6% of all exported firearms)
1989
> New guns on the market: 5,164,892 – 18th most in 34 years (19.5% imported, 80.5% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (31.9% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (43.7% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Revolvers (29.3% of all exported firearms)
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1990
> New guns on the market: 4,442,152 – 28th most in 34 years (19.0% imported, 81.0% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (34.6% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (53.2% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Revolvers (29.5% of all exported firearms)
1991
> New guns on the market: 3,882,598 – 33rd most in 34 years (18.6% imported, 81.4% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (38.7% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Rifles (43.2% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Shotguns (29.4% of all exported firearms)
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1992
> New guns on the market: 6,618,755 – 15th most in 34 years (43.0% imported, 57.0% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (40.0% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Rifles (50.0% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Shotguns (29.5% of all exported firearms)
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1993
> New guns on the market: 7,667,754 – 12th most in 34 years (39.7% imported, 60.3% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (41.4% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Rifles (52.3% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Shotguns (39.8% of all exported firearms)
1994
> New guns on the market: 6,649,646 – 14th most in 34 years (28.3% imported, 71.7% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (38.7% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (48.7% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Shotguns (36.2% of all exported firearms)
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1995
> New guns on the market: 4,995,525 – 20th most in 34 years (22.1% imported, 77.9% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (32.7% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (64.0% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Revolvers (31.0% of all exported firearms)
1996
> New guns on the market: 4,404,020 – 29th most in 34 years (20.0% imported, 80.0% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (37.0% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (55.6% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Shotguns (29.3% of all exported firearms)
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1997
> New guns on the market: 4,257,838 – 31st most in 34 years (22.1% imported, 77.9% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (34.8% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (50.5% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Shotguns (31.4% of all exported firearms)
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1998
> New guns on the market: 4,510,056 – 27th most in 34 years (22.2% imported, 77.8% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (41.4% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (53.2% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Shotguns (44.1% of all exported firearms)
1999
> New guns on the market: 4,719,228 – 24th most in 34 years (18.9% imported, 81.1% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (38.8% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Shotguns (43.2% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Shotguns (30.6% of all exported firearms)
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2000
> New guns on the market: 4,717,696 – 25th most in 34 years (23.2% imported, 76.8% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (41.7% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (42.5% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (28.8% of all exported firearms)
2001
> New guns on the market: 4,126,940 – 32nd most in 34 years (33.1% imported, 66.9% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (43.8% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (52.0% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (29.4% of all exported firearms)
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2002
> New guns on the market: 4,845,376 – 23rd most in 34 years (33.6% imported, 66.4% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (45.0% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (45.5% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (40.2% of all exported firearms)
2003
> New guns on the market: 4,632,994 – 26th most in 34 years (31.7% imported, 68.3% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (43.2% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (43.0% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (44.1% of all exported firearms)
2004
> New guns on the market: 4,869,964 – 22nd most in 34 years (39.2% imported, 60.8% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (42.8% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (43.9% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (44.6% of all exported firearms)
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2005
> New guns on the market: 5,153,487 – 19th most in 34 years (40.9% imported, 59.1% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (44.2% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (41.7% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (47.3% of all exported firearms)
2006
> New guns on the market: 5,718,325 – 17th most in 34 years (42.5% imported, 57.5% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (41.0% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (47.9% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (39.4% of all exported firearms)
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2007
> New guns on the market: 6,461,824 – 16th most in 34 years (42.5% imported, 57.5% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (41.1% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (50.5% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (39.4% of all exported firearms)
2008
> New guns on the market: 6,876,842 – 13th most in 34 years (37.9% imported, 62.1% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (38.6% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (56.3% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (45.8% of all exported firearms)
2009
> New guns on the market: 8,968,180 – 10th most in 34 years (40.2% imported, 59.8% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (40.5% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (60.6% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (31.4% of all exported firearms)
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2010
> New guns on the market: 8,057,210 – 11th most in 34 years (35.2% imported, 64.8% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (41.4% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (62.8% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (33.1% of all exported firearms)
2011
> New guns on the market: 9,497,402 – 9th most in 34 years (34.2% imported, 65.8% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (39.7% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (53.0% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (40.8% of all exported firearms)
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2012
> New guns on the market: 13,135,646 – 3rd most in 34 years (36.9% imported, 63.1% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (40.7% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (54.2% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (44.6% of all exported firearms)
2013
> New guns on the market: 15,991,210 – 2nd most in 34 years (34.6% imported, 65.4% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (41.0% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (55.9% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (42.6% of all exported firearms)
2014
> New guns on the market: 12,254,962 – 7th most in 34 years (29.6% imported, 70.4% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (40.1% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (60.3% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (49.4% of all exported firearms)
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2015
> New guns on the market: 12,945,416 – 4th most in 34 years (30.4% imported, 69.6% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Rifles (39.4% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (62.8% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Rifles (46.5% of all exported firearms)
2016
> New guns on the market: 16,258,394 – the most in 34 years (31.6% imported, 68.4% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (41.1% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (71.5% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (45.8% of all exported firearms)
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2017
> New guns on the market: 12,331,748 – 6th most in 34 years (36.4% imported, 63.6% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (44.3% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (73.2% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (56.4% of all exported firearms)
2018
> New guns on the market: 12,804,242 – 5th most in 34 years (33.6% imported, 66.4% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (42.9% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (68.3% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (60.1% of all exported firearms)
2019
> New guns on the market: 10,681,126 – 8th most in 34 years (37.3% imported, 62.7% U.S. made)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type: Pistols (43.4% of all U.S. made firearms)
> Most popular foreign-made firearm type in America: Handguns (65.1% of all imported firearms)
> Most popular U.S.-made firearm type abroad: Pistols (43.7% of all exported firearms)
Methodology
To identify the number of new guns in the U.S. every year since 1986, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the ATF’s 2021 report Firearms Commerce in the United States. Years are listed in chronological order but ranked by the number of new guns that were either manufactured in, or shipped to, the U.S. each year since 1986, the earliest year of available data. The number of American-made guns that were sold overseas were then deducted from that total.
Total firearm manufacturing tallies includes miscellaneous firearms, such as pistol grip firearms, starter guns, and firearm frames and receivers. Firearms produced for the U.S. military are not included, but firearms purchased by domestic law enforcement agencies are.
We also considered the most popular firearm types each year that were manufactured domestically, imported to the U.S., or exported from the U.S. It is important to note that for firearms manufactured domestically – including those that end up being exported – firearms are broken into four specific categories: pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and rifles. Meanwhile, for imported firearms, there are only three specific categories: handguns, shotguns, and rifles, as pistols and revolvers are not distinguished.
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