Home to many of the world’s largest gunmakers, the United States is a global leader in firearms production. Data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives shows that over 13.8 million firearms were manufactured in the U.S. in 2021 alone.
While a small portion of American-made firearms are exported and sold abroad, our nation’s $32 billion a year arms and ammunition industry caters primarily to the domestic market, as consumer demand for firearms in the U.S. is second to none. According to the industry trade group National Shooting Sports Foundation, there are over 434 million guns in circulation in the United States. And with a population of 335 million, the U.S. is the only country in the world with more civilian-owned firearms than people.
There were over 3,200 federally licensed gunmakers in the U.S. in 2021. And while these companies are spread out across the 50 states, American firearm manufacturing is heavily concentrated in certain parts of the country.
According to the ATF, there were 47 active firearm manufacturing facilities in Iowa in 2021. Between them, output totaled 25,326 firearms in 2021, the 19th fewest among the 50 states.
The state’s single largest firearm manufacturing facility, as measured by annual output, is located in Grinnell and run by Brownells Inc. This plant alone accounted for 43.5% of all guns produced in Iowa in 2021.
RankStateFirearms manufactured in state, 2021Gunmakers in state, 2021Largest gunmaker in state, 2021Largest gunmaker output, 2021 (firearms produced)1Missouri2,467,14593Smith & Wesson2,316,8572New Hampshire1,992,73127Sig Sauer Inc.1,293,5323Georgia1,496,877105Glock Inc.581,9444North Carolina894,882152Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.604,9415Texas814,838401Maverick Arms, Inc.492,1676Arizona699,100192Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.603,5007Florida671,359198SCCY Industries LLC216,9328Illinois647,42343Springfield Inc.590,7509Kentucky510,67939WM C Anderson Inc.505,63510Massachusetts435,51427Savage Arms, Inc.406,86711Alabama294,16652Kimber Mfg Inc.275,32512Utah271,862103TDJ Buyer, LLC72,98313Nevada262,08656Legacy Sports International Inc.214,25814Washington242,73662Aero Precision LLC174,66215South Carolina240,11455FN America, LLC169,40716Pennsylvania228,400110IWI US Inc.96,66217New Jersey209,77011Henry RAC Holding Corp.208,42318Tennessee185,72082Beretta USA Corp.155,35219Connecticut184,63333Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC151,77120Wisconsin137,39780Henry RAC Holding Corp.112,18021Vermont135,03020Century Arms Inc.132,70522Ohio130,848117Strassells Machine Inc.106,80723New York128,27661RemArms LLC86,59424California82,53276Senga Engineering Inc.23,32425Arkansas73,35147Wilsons Gun Shop Inc.41,74626Minnesota46,58437Magnum Research Inc.14,58627Idaho43,24175FM Products Inc.18,59328Indiana41,49860Tippmann Arms Company LLC15,11329Maryland30,35824LWRC International27,33130Montana26,44655Noreen Firearms LLC16,29631Michigan26,42473Great Lakes Firearms and Ammunition LLC22,38832Iowa25,32647Brownells Inc.11,02433Maine23,22621Windham Weaponry Inc.22,93034Kansas19,28746CZ-USA14,38335Virginia17,89084Kriss USA, Inc.12,80936Oregon16,61950TNW Firearms Inc.4,00437Oklahoma14,65469International Firearm Corporation LLC11,42338Wyoming10,34152Weatherby Inc.7,63039West Virginia6,94128Childers Guns LLC5,10840Nebraska6,88226Zermatt Arms Inc.4,07641Colorado3,10975M+M Inc.1,71242Mississippi3,00339JMS Manufacturing Inc.1,28943Louisiana2,65843Brothers LA Arms, LLC64044North Dakota1,30110Roughrider Arms LLC1,16745South Dakota90620West River Rifle Company LLC27746New Mexico28124Farnsworth, Dustin Robert and Angie J8147Alaska25821Annex Industries, LLC5048Rhode Island1445Ocean State Armory LLC5049Delaware112Gusovsky Gunsmithing LLC850Hawaii82Koffin Wurks LLC7
