The United States is the only country with more civilian-owned firearms than people. It is also the world’s largest private market for gun sales and consumer demand has been rising for years. Federally licensed gunmakers produced over 13.8 million firearms in 2021, up 25% from the previous year and 155% from 2010.
The surge in firearm production in the U.S. is being driven by demand for handguns – particularly semi-automatic pistols. Distinct from revolvers, pistols are defined as handguns that do not contain ammunition in a revolving cylinder. In 2000, pistols accounted for only about a quarter of all domestic firearm manufacturing. In the last two years, they have made up about half of all U.S.-made guns.
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.
9mm is by far the most popular of all the common pistol calibers in the United States. Of the 6.8 million pistols domestically manufactured in 2021, 4.3 million were chambered for 9mm rounds. Production did not exceed 1 million for any other caliber category. (These are the companies making America’s favorite 9mm pistols.)
Here are popular handgun manufacturers in America
30. ZEV Technologies Inc
Source: Courtesy of ZEV Technologies
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 15,046 (0.2% market share)
- Popular pistol model: OZ9 V2 Elite Compact
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Centralia, WA
29. Trailblazer Firearms LLC
Source: Courtesy of Trailblazer Firearms via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 16,900 (0.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Lifecard
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Asheville, NC
28. American Tactical Inc.
Source: Courtesy of American Tactical, Inc. via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 17,660 (0.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: GSG M1911 HGA
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Summerville, SC
27. Phoenix Arms
Source: Fancy-cats-are-happy-cats / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 20,200 (0.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: HP22A
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Ontario, CA
26. CMMG Inc.
Source: Mike Kemp / In Pictures via Getty Images
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 20,301 (0.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Dissent Mk4
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Boonville, MO
25. Polymer80 Inc.
Source: Courtesy of Polymer80 via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 21,695 (0.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: P80 PFS9
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Dayton, NV
24. CZ-USA
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 22,041 (0.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: CZ P-10 S
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 2
- U.S. headquarters: Kansas City, KS
23. Walther Manufacturing Inc.
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 22,158 (0.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: PDP Compact
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Fort Smith, AR
22. STI Firearms, LLC
Source: Courtesy of Staccato 2011 via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 22,362 (0.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Staccato CS
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Georgetown, TX
21. Maverick Arms, Inc. (Mossberg)
Source: Courtesy of O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 24,311 (0.4% market share)
- Popular pistol model: MC2C
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Eagle Pass, TX
20. Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 25,200 (0.4% market share)
- Popular pistol model: 1911 Classic
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: West Hartford, CT
19. Radical Firearms LLC
Source: Courtesy of Radical Firearms via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 26,086 (0.4% market share)
- Popular pistol model: 7.5″ 5.56 NATO pistol with 7″MHR
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Stafford, TX
18. Diamondback Firearms LLC
Source: Courtesy of Diamondback Firearms via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 28,977 (0.4% market share)
- Popular pistol model: DB380
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Cocoa, FL
17. Bearman Industries, LLC (now Old West Firearms)
Source: Courtesy of P4 Firearms via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 37,619 (0.6% market share)
- Popular pistol model: BBG9BB Derringer
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Salt Lake City, UT
16. Browning Arms Company
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 44,491 (0.7% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Buck Mark
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Morgan, UT
15. IWI US Inc.
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 49,094 (0.7% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Masada
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Middletown, PA
14. Shadow Systems LLC
Source: Courtesy of Shadow Systems via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 59,615 (0.9% market share)
- Popular pistol model: MR920L
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Plano, TX
13. Strassells Machine Inc. (Hi-Point)
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 61,807 (0.9% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Model C9
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Mansfield, OH
12. Bond Arms, Inc.
Source: Courtesy of Bond Arms via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 80,093 (1.2% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Rawhide 22LR
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Granbury, TX
11. Kel Tec CNC Industries Inc.
Source: capcase / Flickr
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 100,398 (1.5% market share)
- Popular pistol model: P32
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Cocoa, FL
10. Beretta USA Corp.
Source: Courtesy of BERETTA via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 129,965 (1.9% market share)
- Popular pistol model: 92X Performance
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, MD
9. FN America, LLC
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 132,205 (2.0% market share)
- Popular pistol model: 509 Series
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: McLean, VA
8. Springfield Inc.
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 148,264 (2.2% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Hellcat
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Geneseo, IL
7. SCCY Industries LLC
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 216,932 (3.2% market share)
- Popular pistol model: DVG-1
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Daytona Beach, FL
6. Kimber Manufacturing Inc.
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 274,599 (4.1% market share)
- Popular pistol model: 1911 variants
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 2
- U.S. headquarters: Troy, AL
5. Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc.
Source: Courtesy of Taurus USA via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 290,780 (4.3% market share)
- Popular pistol model: G3
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Bainbridge, GA
4. Glock Inc.
Source: Courtesy of GLOCK via Facebook
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 581,944 (8.6% market share)
- Popular pistol model: G19
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 1
- U.S. headquarters: Smyrna, GA
3. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 1,058,205 (15.7% market share)
- Popular pistol model: Mark IV
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 6
- U.S. headquarters: Southport, CT
2. Sig Sauer Inc.
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 1,214,013 (18.0% market share)
- Popular pistol model: P365
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 2
- U.S. headquarters: Newington, NH
1. Smith & Wesson
Source: Parsecboy/Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Pistols manufactured in the U.S. in 2021: 1,649,540 (24.4% market share)
- Popular pistol model: M&P 2.0 Series
- Number of U.S. manufacturing plants: 2
- U.S. headquarters: Springfield, MA
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