More than 494 million firearms have been produced in the US since 1899, with the pace of production currently at some of the highest levels. This process is driven by the demand for firearms which seems to be at an all-time high in the US. This is despite a growing controversy about the availability of firearms and the effect this has on domestic and other violence.
Since 2010, nearly two dozen states have enacted laws allowing citizens to carry firearms in public without a permit. This ease in gun restrictions has led to a growing popularity of pistols in much of the country. (Here are the laws for carrying firearms in public in every state.) According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), there were over 3,200 federally licensed gunmakers in the U.S. in 2021, but only a handful of these companies account for the bulk of domestic pistol production.
24/7 Wall St. identified the companies making America’s favorite pistols by using data from the ATF. Each of the 30 companies on this list manufactured over 15,000 pistols in 2021 and accounted for a combined 95% of all domestic pistol production that year. The companies on this list include many of the largest gunmakers in the world, including Smith & Wesson, Ruger, and Beretta. (These are the companies making America’s favorite 9mm pistols.)
Here are popular handgun manufacturers in America
30. ZEV Technologies Inc
Source: Askild Antonsen / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 15,046 (0.2% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: OZ9 V2 Elite Compact
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Centralia, WA
29. Trailblazer Firearms LLC
Source: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 16,900 (0.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Lifecard
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Asheville, NC
28. American Tactical Inc.
Source: American Tactical Imports Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 17,660 (0.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: GSG M1911 HGA
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Summerville, SC
27. Phoenix Arms
Source: Fancy-cats-are-happy-cats / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 20,200 (0.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: HP22A
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Ontario, CA
26. CMMG Inc.
Source: Mike Kemp / In Pictures via Getty Images
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 20,301 (0.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Dissent Mk4
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Boonville, MO
25. Polymer80 Inc.
Source: https://www.polymer80.com/ Wikipedia
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 21,695 (0.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: P80 PFS9
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Dayton, NV
24. CZ-USA
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 22,041 (0.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: CZ P-10 S
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 2
- U.S. headquarters: Kansas City, KS
23. Walther Manufacturing Inc.
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 22,158 (0.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: PDP Compact
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Fort Smith, AR
22. STI Firearms, LLC
Source: STI Custom Rude / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 22,362 (0.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Staccato CS
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Georgetown, TX
21. Maverick Arms, Inc. (Mossberg)
Source: OJUP / Shutterstock.com
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 24,311 (0.4% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: MC2C
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Eagle Pass, TX
20. Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 25,200 (0.4% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: 1911 Classic
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: West Hartford, CT
19. Radical Firearms LLC
Source: TheFrog001 / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 26,086 (0.4% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: 7.5″ 5.56 NATO pistol with 7″MHR
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Stafford, TX
18. Diamondback Firearms LLC
Source: Stephen ZFollow / flickr
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 28,977 (0.4% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: DB380
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Cocoa, FL
17. Bearman Industries, LLC (now Old West Firearms)
Source: Joe Guetzloff / Shutterstock.com
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 37,619 (0.6% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: BBG9BB Derringer
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Salt Lake City, UT
16. Browning Arms Company
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 44,491 (0.7% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Buck Mark
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Morgan, UT
15. IWI US Inc.
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 49,094 (0.7% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Masada
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Middletown, PA
14. Shadow Systems LLC
Source: Loadmaster (David R. Tribble) / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 59,615 (0.9% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: MR920L
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Plano, TX
13. Strassells Machine Inc. (Hi-Point)
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 61,807 (0.9% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Model C9
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Mansfield, OH
12. Bond Arms, Inc.
Source: Mike - Μολὼν λαβέ / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 80,093 (1.2% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Rawhide 22LR
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Granbury, TX
11. Kel Tec CNC Industries Inc.
Source: capcase / Flickr
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 100,398 (1.5% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: P32
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Cocoa, FL
10. Beretta USA Corp.
Source: Picanox / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 129,965 (1.9% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: 92X Performance
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, MD
9. FN America, LLC
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 132,205 (2.0% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: 509 Series
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: McLean, VA
8. Springfield Inc.
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 148,264 (2.2% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Hellcat
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Geneseo, IL
7. SCCY Industries LLC
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 216,932 (3.2% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: DVG-1
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Daytona Beach, FL
6. Kimber Manufacturing Inc.
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 274,599 (4.1% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: 1911 variants
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 2
- U.S. headquarters: Troy, AL
5. Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc.
Source: Taurus Armas / flickr
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 290,780 (4.3% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: G3
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Bainbridge, GA
4. Glock Inc.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 581,944 (8.6% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: G19
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Smyrna, GA
3. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 1,058,205 (15.7% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: Mark IV
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 6
- U.S. headquarters: Southport, CT
2. Sig Sauer Inc.
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 1,214,013 (18.0% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: P365
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 2
- U.S. headquarters: Newington, NH
1. Smith & Wesson
Source: Parsecboy/Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Number of pistols manufactured (U.S., 2021): 1,649,540 (24.4% market share)
- Best-selling pistol model: M&P 2.0 Series
- Manufacturing plants in the US: 2
- U.S. headquarters: Springfield, MA
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