Americans buy a lot of firearms. The American gun and ammunition market generates more than $70 billion in economic output in the U.S., according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The NSSF estimates that 16.4 million guns were sold in America last year alone. That actually represents a significant decrease from the 18.5 million sold in 2021 and the 21 million sold in 2020.
But even though millions of those guns are produced in the U.S., between 20% to 43% of the guns sold in the U.S. market are imported from abroad each year, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Handguns are by far the most popular type of firearm the U.S. imports, but shotguns are also highly sought after. The number of imported shotguns has increased steadily over the years, but it saw a sharp increase in 2020. Between 2000 and 2019, annual shotgun imports increased from approximately 350,000 to about 750,000. In 2020, that number increased to approximately 1,500,000 shotguns. (These are the number of new guns in the U.S. each year since 1986.)
Using data from the ATF’s National Firearms Commerce and Tracking Assessment report, 24/7 Wall St. identified the countries Americans are buying the most shotguns from. (These are the world’s biggest gun manufacturers.)
Between 2010 and 2020, the U.S. imported nearly 9 million shotguns, including autoloading shotguns, pump shotguns, over-and-under shotguns, and other types of shotguns. The 10 countries on this list accounted for 8.2 million, or 91%, of all imported guns.
Click here to see countries Americans buy the most shotguns from.
Source: Courtesy of Grulla Armas via Facebook
10. Spain
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 18,445 (0.2% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in Spain: Grulla
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9. Portugal
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 19,482 (0.2% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in Portugal: Winchester
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8. Germany
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 24,972 (0.3% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in Germany: Blaser
Source: Courtesy of Armscor / Rock Island Armory via Facebook
7. Philippines
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 48,635 (0.6% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in Philippines: Armscor
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6. United Kingdom
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 52,745 (0.6% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in United Kingdom: Holland & Holland, John Dickson & Son, James Purdey & Sons
5. Russia
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 183,815 (2.2% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in Russia: Molot
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4. Brazil
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 857,918 (10.3% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in Brazil: E.R. Amantino (Boito)
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3. China
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 1,541,940 (18.6% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in China: Savage Stevens
2. Italy
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 1,906,097 (23.0% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in Italy: Benelli, Beretta, Fabarm, Fausti
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Source: Courtesy of Stoeger Industries via Facebook
1. Turkey
> Shotguns exported to U.S., 2010-2020: 3,581,958 (43.2% of all imported shotguns)
> Popular shotgun brand(s) made in Turkey: CZ, Stoeger, Weatherby
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