Guns and Hunting

The Companies Making America's Best-Selling Revolvers

Samuel Stebbins

Published: May 22, 2024 8:50 am

Since its invention in 1831 by Samuel Colt of Hartford, Connecticut, the revolver has established itself as an iconic American firearm. Though revolvers have been all but replaced by modern semi-automatic handguns in military and law enforcement circles, consumer demand for wheel guns remains strong in the United States.

Nearly 1.2 million revolvers were manufactured in the U.S. in 2021, more than in any year since at least 1986, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Though manufacturing output fell to about 830,800 the following year, 2022 still ranks among the top five years for revolver production in the last 37 years of available data.

Notable for their reliability and mechanical simplicity, revolvers are a popular choice for first-time handgun owners and seasoned sportsmen and women alike. Available in a range of calibers, including .32, .44, and .50, the two most popular revolver chamberings in the U.S. are .357 and .22. Respectively, these calibers accounted for 15% and 53% of all American-made revolvers in 2022. (Here is a look at the companies behind the best-selling, American-made .22 caliber pistols.)

While most handguns made in the United States are now semi-automatic pistols, some gunmakers are still churning out thousands of revolvers every year.

Using data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 13 companies making the best-selling American-made revolvers. We reviewed manufacturing figures for thousands of federally licensed gunmakers in the United States and ranked them on total revolver production in 2022.

Among the companies on this list, 2022 revolver production volumes range from about 600, to over 287,000. These 13 companies alone dominate the industry, accounting for over 99% of all domestic revolver manufacturing. These companies include some of the largest arms manufacturers in the world, and for most, revolvers account for less than half of all firearms they produce. (Here is a look at America’s best selling guns of 2023.)

Why It Matters

Source: intek1 / Getty Images

Firearm sales in the U.S. hit historic highs during and after the pandemic. Both directly and indirectly, the U.S. arms and ammunition industry generated over $90 billion in economic output in 2023, and employed over 384,000 Americans, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry advocacy group. In recent years, surging demand for firearms has been a boon for American gunmakers.

13. Belmont Firearms & Range

Source: 2018 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 592 (0.1% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): N/A
• Belmont Firearms revolver production location(s): New Hampshire
• Belmont Firearms 2022 total domestic firearm production: 959 (61.7% revolvers)

12. Nighthawk Custom

Source: frankieleon / Wikimedia Commons

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 965 (0.1% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): Super Sport, Korth Classic, Mongoose, Ranger
• Nighthawk revolver production location(s): Arkansas
• Nighthawk 2022 total domestic firearm production: 4,831 (20.0% revolvers)

11. Magnum Research

BFR, .50, Revolver (BY-SA 4.0) by Surv1v4l1st u258cTalk Contribsu258c

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 2,304 (0.3% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): BFR
• Magnum Research revolver production location(s): Minnesota
• Magnum Research 2022 total domestic firearm production: 18,512 (12.4% revolvers)

10. Automated Finishing Company

Source: wingedwolf / iStock via Getty Images

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 2,487 (0.3% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): N/A
• Automated Finishing Company revolver production location(s): Massachusetts
• Automated Finishing Company 2022 total domestic firearm production: 5,456 (45.6% revolvers)

9. Bearman Industries

Source: Spike78 / Wikimedia Commons

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 3,866 (0.5% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): N/A
• Bearman revolver production location(s): Utah
• Bearman 2022 total domestic firearm production: 11,675 (33.1% revolvers)

8. Standard Manufacturing

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 8,203 (1.0% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): S333 Thunderstruck, Sheriff’s Model
• Standard Manufacturing revolver production location(s): Connecticut
• Standard Manufacturing 2022 total domestic firearm production: 14,585 (56.2% revolvers)

7. North American Arms

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 10,765 (1.3% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): TGH-M, PUG-D, 22M-R4
• North American Arms revolver production location(s): Utah
• North American Arms 2022 total domestic firearm production: 10,770 (100.0% revolvers)

6. Diamondback Firearms

Source: Tony Hisgett / Wikimedia Commons

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 12,458 (1.5% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): Sidekick, Sidekick Birdshead
• Diamondback revolver production location(s): Florida
• Diamondback 2022 total domestic firearm production: 123,025 (10.1% revolvers)

5. Kimber Manufacturing

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 15,853 (1.9% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): K6XS, K6S DASA, K6S DCR
• Kimber revolver production location(s): Alabama
• Kimber 2022 total domestic firearm production: 230,325 (6.9% revolvers)

4. Colt’s Manufacturing

Source: szuppo / Flickr

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 98,839 (11.9% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): Kodiak, Python, Anaconda, King Cobra
• Colt revolver production location(s): Connecticut
• Colt 2022 total domestic firearm production: 158,797 (62.2% revolvers)

3. Sturm, Ruger & Company

Ruger GP100 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Mitch Barrie

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 174,947 (21.1% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): Bearcat, Wrangler, Redhawk, Super Blackhawk
• Ruger revolver production location(s): Arizona, Connecticut, and New Hampshire
• Ruger 2022 total domestic firearm production: 1,565,743 (11.2% revolvers)

2. Smith & Wesson

Source: NoDerog / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 208,737 (25.1% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): Model 19, Model 29, Model 27
• S&W revolver production location(s): Massachusetts and Missouri
• S&W 2022 total domestic firearm production: 973,994 (21.4% revolvers)

1. Heritage Manufacturing

Source: James Case / Wikimedia Commons

• Revolvers manufactured domestically in 2022: 287,283 (34.6% of all U.S.-made revolvers)
• Popular revolver model(s): Barkeep, Rough Rider, Roscoe
• Heritage revolver production location(s): Georgia
• Heritage 2022 total domestic firearm production: 308,040 (93.3% revolvers)