Each January, ATF publishes its Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report (AFMER), revealing all firearms produced and sold or distributed into commerce or exported by manufacturers during the previous calendar year.

Following the recent release of ATF’s 2021 AFMER Final Report, we reviewed production data from over 3,000 FFLs to compile a list of the top 10 largest handgun manufacturers of 2021 – responsible for producing 6.5 million of the more than 7.9 reported handguns.

Note: ATF 2021 AFMER data is self-reported by manufacturers and does not include firearms still in possession of FFLs (i.e., produced but not distributed into commerce or exported) as of December 31, 2021.

Largest Pistol & Revolver Manufacturers of 2021

The AFMER divides handguns into two firearm types: pistols and revolvers. Below are the top 10 manufacturers of each category in 2021, followed by the largest combined handgun producers.

Top 10 Revolver Manufacturers

1. Heritage Manufacturing: 492,584
2. Ruger: 276,999
3. Smith & Wesson: 232,476
4. Colt: 65,062
5. North American Arms: 57,142
6. Kimber: 16,975
7. Standard Manufacturing: 11,602
8. Automated Finishing Company: 2,053
9. Magnum Research: 1,833
10. Nighthawk Custom: 1,110

Top 10 Handgun Manufacturers of 2021

15. Hi-Point Firearms

Total Handguns: 61,807

14. Bond Arms

Total Handguns: 80,093

13. Colt

Total Handguns: 90,262

12. KelTec

Total Handguns: 100,398

11. Beretta USA

Total Handguns: 129,965

10. FN America

Total Handguns: 132,205

A global leader in military and law enforcement firearms, FN America is the U.S. subsidiary of FN Herstal and manufacturer of defense and tactical pistols and rifles. | fnamerica.com

9. Springfield Armory

Total Handguns: 148,264

A firearm manufacturer and importer, Springfield Armory produces historically significant and modern handguns and rifles while honoring the American heritage of its namesake. | springfield-armory.com

8. SCCY

Total Handguns: 216,932

Made completely in-house and in the U.S., SCCY’s engineering technology enables the Florida-based manufacturer to combine quality and value to guarantee a superior pistol. | sccy.com

7. Taurus

Total Handguns: 290,780

Owned by Brazilian small arms manufacturer Taurus Armas, Taurus Holdings is a Georgia-based company responsible for producing an array of pistols and revolvers. | taurususa.com

6. Kimber

Total Handguns: 291,574

Founded in 1979, Kimber produces quality sporting and defense pistols, revolvers and rifles without compromise, including micro 1911s and 6-shot .357 Magnum revolvers. | kimberamerica.com

5. Heritage Manufacturing

Total Handguns: 492,584

Owned by Taurus Holdings, Heritage Manufacturing has been making modern revolvers that tell a story of the American Wild West and stand the test of time since 1922. | heritagemfg.com

4. GLOCK

Total Handguns: 581,944

From Austria to the U.S., GLOCK has been the standard for performance, durability, and reliability by which all other handguns are compared for over 30 years. | us.glock.com

3. SIG SAUER

Total Handguns: 1,214,013

The weapons of choice for U.S. and global military, law enforcement, and commercial users, SIG SAUER leads the industry in innovation, ingenuity, and manufacturing. | sigsauer.com

2. Ruger

Total Handguns: 1,335,204

A leading manufacturer of rugged, reliable, American-made sporting firearms, Ruger and the recently acquired Marlin brand offer 800 variations of pistols, revolvers and rifles. | ruger.com

1. Smith & Wesson

Total Handguns: 1,882,016

Since 1852, Smith & Wesson pistols, revolvers, rifles and shotguns have empowered Americans with the freedom, equality, and security guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. | smith-wesson.com

Previous Rankings: 2021 vs. 2020

The table below compares handgun production data reported in 2021 and 2020 ATF AFMER Final Reports.

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