Firearms Manufacturers

The 494 firearms manufacturers in the US sell handguns, rifles, and shotguns to distributors, retailers, government agencies, and private individuals. Firms may also manufacture other shooting, hunting, and outdoor products and accessories such as knives and cutting tools, sighting lasers, shooting supplies, and survival gear.

Changes in Federal and State Regulation

Federal and state legislatures frequently consider legislation that may alter the regulation of firearms.

Competition from Used Firearms Sales

Used firearms can often be bought at a savings of 30% or more compared to their new equivalents.

Sep 8, 2026 - Firearms Makers See Uneven Demand

• US firearms manufacturers face a mixed 2026 outlook as softer consumer finances and reduced political urgency weigh on broad-based demand, according to a recent Shooting Industry report. Retailers reported that sales in some markets are running below 2025 levels, with inflation, high fuel and food costs, and higher firearm and ammunition prices limiting discretionary spending. State-level restrictions are also reshaping demand and purchasing channels. However, weakness is not uniform: some dealers reported year-over-year gains, with handguns, concealed-carry firearms, AR-platform rifles and suppressors showing particular strength. Seasonal hunting demand could support long-gun sales this fall, while the midterm elections may spur some precautionary purchases if concerns about future gun laws increase. Overall, manufacturers should expect uneven category performance rather than a broad demand surge, with product mix and state-level policy increasingly important to sales.
• US fabricated metal products manufacturers expanded in August, broadly outperforming the overall manufacturing sector, which remained in growth mode but slowed. The Manufacturing PMI fell to 54.6 from 55.6, while fabricated metals ranked ninth among 15 industries reporting growth. Fabricated metals reported growth in new orders, production and employment, while inventories and order backlogs also increased. Supplier deliveries slowed, indicating longer lead times. Customers’ inventories were considered too low, a positive signal for future production. However, the industry also faced rising input costs, reporting higher raw-material prices, while new export orders declined and imports fell. Overall, domestic demand appears healthy, but cost pressures and weaker international trade remain constraints.
• The Supreme Court's decision to let New York's firearms liability law remain in effect could increase legal and regulatory risks for the US firearms manufacturing industry, according to an NBC report. By declining to hear the challenge, the Court left intact a 2021 law allowing firearm manufacturers to be sued under state law when their business practices are alleged to contribute to gun violence, despite the liability protections generally provided by the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). Although the ruling applies only to New York and does not invalidate the federal liability shield, it could encourage other states to pursue similar laws and prompt additional litigation against manufacturers. As a result, gun makers may face higher legal costs, increased compliance and risk-management efforts, and greater uncertainty surrounding product marketing and distribution. The case could also shape future legal challenges testing the limits of federal liability protections for the firearms industry.
• ATF’s sweeping 2026 reform package could significantly lower compliance costs and operational friction for US firearms manufacturers and Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) operations, according to a recent JD Supra report. Key proposals expand electronic recordkeeping, modernize Form 4473, reduce record-retention burdens, simplify interstate transport of NFA firearms, ease certain machine-gun transfers between licensees, and broaden operations in Foreign Trade Zones and bonded warehouses. The package also repeals the stabilizing-brace rule and narrows parts of the “engaged in the business” dealer regulations, reducing regulatory uncertainty. Import-related changes may improve access to dual-use components and streamline permanent imports. Overall, the reforms aim to align ATF rules with current technology and business practices while maintaining statutory safeguards, potentially improving efficiency, reducing administrative overhead, and supporting manufacturing, distribution, and trade activity across the US firearms industry.

Industry size & Structure

The average firearms manufacturer employs about 109 workers and generates about $21 million annually.

• The firearms manufacturing industry consists of about 494 firms that employ 54,000 workers and generate about $10.4 billion annually.
• The industry is concentrated; the top 50 companies account for 85% of industry revenue.
• Large firms include Smith and Wesson; Sturm, Ruger & Company; Remington; Sig Sauer; and O.F. Mossberg.