In terms of performance and capability, the .22 Long Rifle cartridge lags behind most alternatives. With a relatively small projectile and shell casing, .22 caliber ammunition lacks the stopping power of nearly every other firearm cartridge found on retailer’s shelves. Additionally, by virtue of their rimfire design, .22 caliber rounds are inherently less reliable than their centerfire counterparts. Still, even though these drawbacks are widely known among sports men and women, the .22 LR round has become firmly established as one of the best-selling and most ubiquitous firearm cartridges in the world.

24/7 Wall St. Key Points:

• Guns and ammunition is a $92 billion industry in the United States, and one that is driven in no small part by sales of .22 caliber firearms — particularly handguns. 
• While there are thousands of federally licensed gun makers in the U.S., the market for American made pistols and revolvers chambered for .22 caliber rounds is dominated by only a handful of companies.
• Also: 2 Dividend Legends To Hold Forever

Many of the qualities that make .22 caliber firearms fall short of those chambered for larger caliber ammunition are the same ones that have contributed to the .22’s enduring relevance and popularity. For instance, while rimfire rounds are more prone to failures than centerfire rounds, they are also far less expensive to manufacture – and lower production costs translate to lower consumer prices. While certain types of popular ammunition regularly sell for more than 50 cents per round, .22 LR cartridges often sell for pennies.

Additionally, even though .22 caliber firearms are generally inadequate for certain applications — including law enforcement, military, and hunting larger game – its power limitations do not preclude it from a number of other common uses. Owing to their limited firepower, .22 caliber firearms have relatively low recoil and decibel output when fired, making them an ideal choice for inexperienced, or smaller shooters. Whether for small game hunting, backyard plinking, target shooting, or even self-defense, .22 caliber firearms are a favorite for countless Americans — from first-time gun owners to the most experienced experts.

In recent years, handgun sales have surged in the United States, and, not surprisingly, many of the best-selling pistols and revolvers are chambered for .22 caliber ammunition. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, more than 4.7 million handguns were manufactured in the U.S. in 2023 – and nearly 20% of them were chambered for .22 caliber rounds.

Using data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified the companies behind the best-selling .22 caliber handguns in the United States. We reviewed domestic manufacturing figures for thousands of federally licensed gunmakers and ranked them on .22 caliber handgun production volume in 2023. Data on the location of each company’s production facilities and total firearm manufacturing output in 2023 are also from the ATF. Firearms made outside of the United States, including those made by the companies on this list, were not included in this ranking.

Each of the companies on this list manufactured over 600 .22 caliber handguns in the U.S. in 2023. Combined, these 30 companies produced over 880,000 .22 handguns domestically, accounting for nearly 99% of all American made .22 caliber handguns in 2023. (Here is a look at the most popular gun companies in America.)

Handguns are a broad firearm classification that includes both pistols – typically semi-automatics – and revolvers. Domestic manufacturing data suggests that pistols outsell revolvers by a 5-to-1 ratio. But when it comes to .22 firearms, revolvers have a slightly larger market share. Of the 893,000 .22 caliber handguns manufactured in the U.S. in 2023, 58% were pistols and 42% were revolvers. While most companies on this list do not manufacture .22 caliber revolvers, nine companies do, including four that focus exclusively on revolvers. (Here is a look at America’s leading revolver brands.)

It is important to note that while the majority of .22 caliber handguns made by the companies on this list are chambered for rimfire .22 LR ammunition, several other ammunition types fall under the ATF’s .22 caliber classification — which encompasses all rounds up to the .22 caliber size. These cartridges include, but are not limited to, the .22 short, .22 magnum, and .17 HMR.

These are the companies behind the best-selling, American-made .22 caliber handguns.

Why It Matters

More guns are sold in the U.S. than in any other country on Earth — and with thousands of federally licensed gun makers operating in the United States, Americans have their pick of virtually countless combinations of firearm makes, models, and configurations, including a .22 caliber handguns. Every year, hundreds of thousands of .22 pistols and revolvers are manufactured in the United States, and the market for these firearms is dominated by just a small handful of companies.

30. Keystone Sporting Arms LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 601 units (0.1% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Keystone Arms’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 601 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Keystone Arms’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 21,769 units (2.8% .22 caliber handguns)
• Keystone Arms’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Milton, PA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

29. Lets Go Baby LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 637 units (0.1% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Lets Go Baby’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 135 pistols, 502 revolvers
• Lets Go Baby’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 3,706 units (17.2% .22 caliber handguns)
• Lets Go Baby’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): McHenry, IL
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

28. Bearman Industries, LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 688 units (0.1% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Bearman Industries’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 688 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Bearman Industries’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 1,865 units (36.9% .22 caliber handguns)
• Bearman Industries’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Bear River City, UT
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

27. Akdal Arms, LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 970 units (0.1% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Akdal Arms’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 970 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Akdal Arms’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 1,220 units (79.5% .22 caliber handguns)
• Akdal Arms’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Henderson, NV
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

26. CMMG Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 1,255 units (0.1% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• CMMG’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 1,255 pistols, 0 revolvers
• CMMG’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 15,145 units (8.3% .22 caliber handguns)
• CMMG’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Boonville, MO
• .22 caliber handgun models include: CMMG Banshee Mk4

25. Savage Arms, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 1,326 units (0.1% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Savage Arms’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 1,326 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Savage Arms’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 725,644 units (0.2% .22 caliber handguns)
• Savage Arms’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Westfield, MA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

24. Automated Finishing Company Inc

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 1,411 units (0.2% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Automated Finishing’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 0 pistols, 1,411 revolvers
• Automated Finishing’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 15,022 units (9.4% .22 caliber handguns)
• Automated Finishing’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Attleboro, MA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

23. Great Lakes Firearms and Ammunition LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 1,638 units (0.2% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Great Lakes Firearms’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 1,638 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Great Lakes Firearms’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 15,392 units (10.6% .22 caliber handguns)
• Great Lakes Firearms’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Sparta, MI
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

22. Outdoor Colors LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 2,206 units (0.2% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Outdoor Colors’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 2,206 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Outdoor Colors’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 24,889 units (8.9% .22 caliber handguns)
• Outdoor Colors’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Rutherfordton, NC
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

21. Henry Repeating Arms Company Holding Corp

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 2,705 units (0.3% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Henry RAC’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 2,705 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Henry RAC’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 411,786 units (0.7% .22 caliber handguns)
• Henry RAC’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Bayonne, NJ, Rice Lake, WI
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Henry RAC Mare’s Leg

20. Bond Arms, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 2,923 units (0.3% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Bond Arms’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 2,923 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Bond Arms’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 35,506 units (8.2% .22 caliber handguns)
• Bond Arms’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Granbury, TX
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Bond Arms Stinger, Honey B, Stubby

19. Volquartsen Firearms Inc

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 3,256 units (0.4% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Volquartsen’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 3,256 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Volquartsen’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 5,116 units (63.6% .22 caliber handguns)
• Volquartsen’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Carroll, IA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Volquartsen Black Mamba, ENV, Scorpion

18. Radical Firearms LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 3,461 units (0.4% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Radical’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 3,461 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Radical’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 86,758 units (4.0% .22 caliber handguns)
• Radical’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Stafford, TX
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

17. Standard Manufacturing Co. LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 4,344 units (0.5% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Standard Manufacturing’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 352 pistols, 3,992 revolvers
• Standard Manufacturing’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 6,222 units (69.8% .22 caliber handguns)
• Standard Manufacturing’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): New Britain, CT
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Standard Manufacturing S333 Thunderstruck Double Barrel, Switch Gun

16. Trailblazer Firearms LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 6,285 units (0.7% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Trailblazer’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 6,285 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Trailblazer’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 6,661 units (94.4% .22 caliber handguns)
• Trailblazer’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Fletcher, NC
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Trailblazer LifeCard

15. Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 6,758 units (0.8% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Colt’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 0 pistols, 6,758 revolvers
• Colt’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 193,057 units (3.5% .22 caliber handguns)
• Colt’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): West Hartford, CT
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Colt King Cobra Target

14. Palmetto State Armory, LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 9,456 units (1.1% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Palmetto State Armory’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 9,456 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Palmetto State Armory’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 391,760 units (2.4% .22 caliber handguns)
• Palmetto State Armory’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): West Columbia, SC, Summerville, SC, Myrtle Beach, SC, Garden City, GA, Denver, NC, Charleston, SC
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

13. Beretta USA Corp.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 11,142 units (1.2% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Beretta’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 11,142 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Beretta’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 139,710 units (8.0% .22 caliber handguns)
• Beretta’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Gallatin, TN
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Beretta 92FSR, 21A Bobcat

12. Phoenix Arms

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 12,787 units (1.4% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Phoenix Arms’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 12,787 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Phoenix Arms’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 15,850 units (80.7% .22 caliber handguns)
• Phoenix Arms’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Ontario, CA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Phoenix Arms HP 22

11. Diamondback Firearms LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 14,553 units (1.6% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Diamondback’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 1,755 pistols, 12,798 revolvers
• Diamondback’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 93,945 units (15.5% .22 caliber handguns)
• Diamondback’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Cocoa, FL
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Diamondback DBX, Birdshead Sidekick, Sidekick

10. Glock Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 17,780 units (2.0% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Glock’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 17,780 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Glock’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 345,119 units (5.2% .22 caliber handguns)
• Glock’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Smyrna, GA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Glock G44

9. DC Machine LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 21,195 units (2.4% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• DC Machine’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 21,195 pistols, 0 revolvers
• DC Machine’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 189,992 units (11.2% .22 caliber handguns)
• DC Machine’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Summerville, SC
• .22 caliber handgun models include: N/A

8. Browning Arms Company

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 39,466 units (4.4% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Browning’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 39,466 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Browning’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 49,459 units (79.8% .22 caliber handguns)
• Browning’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Morgan, UT
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Browning Buck Mark

7. Sig Sauer Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 49,485 units (5.5% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Sig Sauer’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 49,485 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Sig Sauer’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 1,020,755 units (4.8% .22 caliber handguns)
• Sig Sauer’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Newington, NH, Epping, NH
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Sig Sauer P322

6. Smith & Wesson Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 60,113 units (6.7% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Smith & Wesson’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 42,538 pistols, 17,575 revolvers
• Smith & Wesson’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 991,847 units (6.1% .22 caliber handguns)
• Smith & Wesson’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Columbia, MO, Maryville, TN, Springfield, MA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Smith & Wesson M&P 22, SW22 Victory, Model 41, Model 317, Model 617 Model 63, Model 43, Model 17

5. North American Arms Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 60,215 units (6.7% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• NAA’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 0 pistols, 60,215 revolvers
• NAA’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 60,343 units (99.8% .22 caliber handguns)
• NAA’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Provo, UT
• .22 caliber handgun models include: NAA 22MS-VL, Pug-T, BBS

4. Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 71,459 units (8.0% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Taurus’ domestic .22 handgun output by type: 71,459 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Taurus’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 75,956 units (94.1% .22 caliber handguns)
• Taurus’ domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Bainbridge, GA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Taurus TX-22

3. Kel Tec CNC Industries Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 78,196 units (8.8% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Kel Tec’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 78,196 pistols, 0 revolvers
• Kel Tec’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 185,949 units (42.1% .22 caliber handguns)
• Kel Tec’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Cocoa, FL
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Kel Tec P17

2. Heritage Manufacturing, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 178,592 units (20.0% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Heritage’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 0 pistols, 178,592 revolvers
• Heritage’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 199,500 units (89.5% .22 caliber handguns)
• Heritage’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Bainbridge, GA
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Heritage Rough Rider, Barkeep

1. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing output in 2023: 217,252 units (24.3% of all domestically made .22 handguns)
• Ruger’s domestic .22 handgun output by type: 124,714 pistols, 92,538 revolvers
• Ruger’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 1,305,615 units (16.6% .22 caliber handguns)
• Ruger’s domestic .22 caliber handgun manufacturing location(s): Prescott, AZ, Mayodan, NC, Newport, NH, Southport, CT
• .22 caliber handgun models include: Ruger SR22, Mark IV, GP100, SP101, Wrangler

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