Who makes America’s guns? The 10 largest manufacturers in the U.S.

America’s modern gun culture runs on an enormous manufacturing engine most people never see.

Behind every AR on a store rack, every polymer pistol in a holster, and every lever gun in a truck rack, there’s a factory somewhere turning raw materials into serialized firearms. In a recent year, U.S. manufacturers turned out over 9.7 million firearms—more than 3.1 million rifles, 4.7 million handguns, nearly 600,000 shotguns, and over 1.3 million firearms that fall into the “miscellaneous” category, like frames, receivers, and “other” builds.

There are thousands of licensed manufacturers in the country – more than 3,700 – but only a handful sit at the very top of the pile.

This list looks at the 10 largest gun makers in the United States by domestic production, ranked by how many guns they actually manufacture inside the U.S. It does not count imported guns, which is why some brands look “smaller” on paper than they feel in the real world.

Let’s walk through the top ten, what they build, and what their numbers say about the American gun market.

1. Ruger – America’s Volume Powerhouse

Ruger sits at the top of the list with 1,305,615 firearms manufactured in a single year. That’s more than some entire countries produce.

What makes Ruger so dominant is its balance between handguns and long guns. They turned out 621,521 rifles and 683,101 handguns, plus a handful of shotguns and “miscellaneous” firearms. That mix tells you almost everything about Ruger’s identity: a company that quietly owns both the rimfire and centerfire rifle segments while also flooding the market with popular revolvers and semi-auto pistols.

Think about what lives inside those numbers – 10/22s, American Rifles, GP100s, LCRs, SR-series pistols, and more. Ruger’s catalog stretches from budget-friendly workhorses to surprisingly refined hunting and competition options, and the manufacturing volume shows just how broad their appeal is.

Ruger is also known for being relatively conservative and cautious with new designs. When they release something, it’s usually intended to be produced in big numbers and kept in the line for years, not as a short-lived experiment. Seeing them at the top of the heap isn’t surprising at all; it’s more like confirmation of what everyone in the gun world already feels: Ruger is everywhere.

2. Sig Sauer – The Handgun Juggernaut

In the number-two spot is Sig Sauer, with 1,020,755 firearms manufactured domestically. What jumps off the page immediately is how pistol-heavy those numbers are.

Out of that total, 944,562 are handguns, compared to just 57,354 rifles and a relatively small number of “miscellaneous” firearms. No shotguns. That aligns perfectly with what you see on store shelves and in holsters: Sigs are primarily handgun stars.

Between the P320, P365 line, classic P-series pistols, and their numerous variants, Sig has effectively become one of the default choices for both concealed carry and duty use. Their rifles – like the MCX and other modern platforms – are growing in presence, but clearly not on the same mass-production level as their handguns… yet.

It’s also worth remembering that Sig sells plenty of imported guns too, which don’t even show up in these domestic numbers. The takeaway is simple: inside the U.S., Sig’s manufacturing operation is built around handguns first. Given the explosion in concealed carry and the arms race around micro-compacts and duty pistols, that strategy makes a lot of sense.

3. Smith & Wesson – An Icon Still Going Strong

Smith & Wesson comes in a close third, with 991,847 firearms manufactured in the U.S. in the year reflected here. This is another company with deep roots and a wide product mix.

They produced 800,975 handguns, 188,453 rifles, and a small number of shotguns and “misc” items. That handgun dominance lines up with their well-known lineup of M&P pistols and classic revolvers that have been mainstays for generations. Whether it’s a snubnose for carry, a K-frame for the range, or a polymer M&P, S&W handguns are everywhere.

Their rifle numbers reflect a strong presence in the AR market and other long guns, but clearly, they live and die by the handgun. What’s interesting is how tight the race is between them and Sig in the handgun segment—both companies are refiners and mass producers of modern pistols aimed at law enforcement, self-defense, and general ownership.

Smith & Wesson has the added weight of history. Their name is tied to American law enforcement and civilian gun culture in a way few brands can match. The manufacturing data shows they’re not just coasting on their past; they’re still one of the biggest producers in the country.

4. Savage Arms – The Rifle Specialist

At 725,644 firearms manufactured, Savage Arms grabs fourth place—and its identity is about as clear as it gets: they’re overwhelmingly a long-gun shop.

Savage turned out 639,951 rifles and 81,723 shotguns, with only 4,330 handguns and nothing in the misc category. That tells you exactly where their engineering and marketing focus sits: bolt-action rifles, hunting guns, and more recently, some semi-auto and tactical styles.

Savage has built its reputation on accuracy for the price. Many shooters will tell you their first “serious” hunting rifle or entry-level precision gun wore a Savage badge. In recent years, the brand has pushed more aggressively into modern designs and shotguns, but the core remains the rifle.

What makes Savage’s placement impressive is that they’re competing at the same scale as all-around giants while staying heavily concentrated on long guns. That suggests they’ve done a very good job owning a niche: rifles that punch above their price class and are built in serious volume.

5. Palmetto State Armory – The AR-Era Manufacturer

Palmetto State Armory (PSA) is one of the most interesting names on this list. With 581,769 firearms manufactured, they land in fifth place—but the details show why they’re so influential in the modern market.

PSA’s breakdown looks like this: 103,124 rifles, 114,543 handguns, and a massive 364,111 firearms in the “miscellaneous” category. That “misc” number is the key. It generally includes things like stripped and complete lowers—parts that are legally firearms, but not yet rifles, pistols, or shotguns.

In other words, PSA is cranking out the backbone of the AR platform at industrial scale. Their business model has always been about making ARs, AKs, and related builds affordable and accessible to the average gun owner. Those misc numbers tell you how heavily they lean into serialized receivers, kits, and modular builds.

Their handgun and rifle totals are nothing to sneeze at, either. PSA has increasingly pushed into complete pistols, AR-style handguns, and more, but their strength is clearly giving everyday Americans an entry point into the world of modular, buildable firearms. If you’ve ever seen a “my first AR build” thread online, there’s a good chance PSA parts or receivers are in the parts list.

6. Henry – Lever Guns and Classic Americana

Henry (often branded as Henry Repeating Arms) produced 411,786 firearms, and their long-gun DNA shows through loud and clear.

They manufactured 377,743 rifles, 13,257 shotguns, and 13,849 handguns, plus 6,937 misc firearms. That rifle number alone makes them one of the major long-gun producers in the country, and anyone who’s walked a gun shop wall knows what those largely are: lever actions, rimfire plinkers, and classic-looking hunting rifles.

Henry’s brand is built around a certain aesthetic and ethos: “Made in America, or not made at all,” and a focus on traditional styling. Yet their production volume proves they’re not just a boutique nostalgia manufacturer – they’re mass-producing that nostalgia at scale.

The handgun number is interesting too, suggesting growth into sidearms and pistol-caliber platforms. But fundamentally, Henry is about that uniquely American style of rifle, often wood and steel, with a cowboy or heritage vibe. Their position on this list is proof that not every big manufacturer has to be dominated by polymer pistols and ARs.

7. Mossberg – Shotgun Royalty with a Broad Portfolio

Mossberg produced 397,739 firearms, and if you guessed a lot of those are shotguns, you’d be right.

Their breakdown: 253,569 shotguns, 76,986 rifles, 944 handguns, and 66,240 misc firearms. That huge shotgun number reflects the reality most shooters already know—Mossberg is one of the kings of the pump and semi-auto shotgun world, especially when it comes to the 500 and 590 series.

Still, they’re no longer just “that shotgun company.” Their rifle output is significant, covering hunting rifles and AR-style platforms, and the “misc” category hints at receivers and “other” builds as well. Handguns are a small slice, but Mossberg has been dipping its toes into that world with compact carry pistols.

What’s notable is how their shotgun production still dominates their identity. In a handgun- and AR-obsessed market, Mossberg reminds you there’s still huge demand for defensive and sporting shotguns – and they’re more than happy to fill that need by the quarter-million.

8. Glock – A Pistol Giant, Even Without Imports

Seeing Glock at only 345,119 firearms manufactured domestically might surprise people, because Glock feels omnipresent. The catch here is that these numbers only count guns actually made inside the U.S., not the large volume imported from Austria.

All 345,119 of those guns are handguns. No rifles, no shotguns, no misc—just pistols. That is completely on-brand for Glock. Their identity is built around one thing: simple, reliable polymer-framed pistols in a family of similar designs and calibers.

If you added imports to the total, Glock would likely rocket much higher on this list, possibly doubling their effective footprint. Even limited to U.S. manufacturing, they still crack the top ten, which shows just how many pistols they move.

From duty belts to nightstands to concealed carry holsters, Glock has become almost a generic word for “modern pistol.” These domestic numbers are just a partial snapshot of their real presence, but they’re still big enough to keep them firmly in the conversation.

9. Anderson Manufacturing – The AR Parts Workhorse

Anderson Manufacturing produced 337,658 firearms, and their profile looks a lot like a company deeply tied to the AR platform.

Their breakdown: 28,008 rifles, 1,084 handguns, and a massive 308,566 firearms in the “misc” category. That huge misc number is the giveaway—just like with PSA, it strongly suggests a focus on AR lowers and other serialized components rather than complete rifles alone.

Anderson is often associated with budget-friendly AR receivers and parts. For many people, their first AR build starts with an Anderson lower because it’s affordable, easy to find, and works. The data backs that up: they’re not primarily about complete guns, but about supplying the key piece that legally counts as the firearm.

This kind of manufacturer flies under the radar for non-gun people, but in the enthusiast and builder community, Anderson is a very common name. When you see how many “misc” firearms they produce, you realize just how many home builds and custom AR projects probably started life with their roll mark.

10. Springfield Armory – Split Between Rifles and Pistols

Rounding out the top ten is Springfield Armory, with 268,769 firearms manufactured in the U.S. Their numbers are split in a very modern way between rifles and handguns.

They built 91,438 rifles and 177,331 handguns, with no shotguns or misc firearms listed in this particular breakdown. That makes sense when you picture their lineup: popular semi-auto pistols like the XD and Hellcat lines, alongside rifles like the SAINT AR series and the M1A.

Springfield’s numbers can be a bit deceptive because, like Glock, they also deal in imported firearms that don’t show up in this domestic manufacturing tally. Even so, they’re clearly a major player in both self-defense pistols and modern sporting rifles.

The balance between rifles and handguns shows Springfield straddling two of the hottest segments in the market: concealed carry and AR-style rifles. They’ve positioned themselves as a go-to brand for people who want a recognizable name with a mix of classic and modern designs.

A Snapshot of a Massive Industry

Looking at these ten manufacturers together gives you a quick x-ray of the American gun market:

• Handguns dominate: Companies like Sig, Smith & Wesson, Glock, and Springfield crank out hundreds of thousands of pistols each year to meet demand for personal protection, duty use, and general ownership.
• Rifles and shotguns still matter: Ruger, Savage, Henry, Mossberg, and others show that long guns—whether ARs, bolt-actions, lever guns, or shotguns—remain a huge part of the industry.
• “Miscellaneous” firearms are a quiet giant: Palmetto State Armory and Anderson Manufacturing reveal how big the AR and modular market really is. Serialized receivers and “other” builds are a major piece of the puzzle.

All of this is just the domestic manufacturing side. Once you factor in imports, the true scale gets even bigger.

But even from this one slice, you can see how diverse and powerful the U.S. firearms industry really is: traditional and tactical, budget and premium, revolvers and polymer pistols, lever guns and ARs—all rolling out of thousands of factories, with these ten companies leading the charge.

If you own guns in America, odds are at least one of them came from a name on this list… and somewhere, right now, another one is coming off a production line.