Top 10 Gun Manufacturers in the World in 2017

The top 10 gun manufacturers in the world in 2017 had a lot to cheer about last year, as gun sales soared to a record high in the U.S. 27 million guns were sold in the country in 2016, with gun sales setting monthly records for an impressive 19 months in a row.

Interestingly, gun sales surged under President Obama, who was an advocate of stricter gun control, while they began slowing almost immediately after Donald Trump succeeded him as President. It appears the effect was similar to what we see after mass shootings, when gun sales tend to jump, partly on fears that the incident could lead to stricter gun control laws in the future.

However, that may not have been the case after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, with several gun stores stating that they saw no uptick in gun sales. With Trump, who is pro-gun ownership, far less likely to enact changes to gun control, there is little incentive for people to rush out and buy guns now. As one gun shop owner told the Daily Mail, Obama was the greatest gun salesmen the world has ever seen. Citing that, Barron’s recently stated that gun stocks look overvalued at the moment, without any near-term catalysts to drive growth.

Sales have slumped so much under Trump that his administration is considering loosening export regulations that would allow top gun manufacturers in 2017 like Sturm Ruger & Company Inc (NYSE:RGR), American Outdoor Brands Corp (NASDAQ:AOBC), and Vista Outdoor Inc (NYSE:VSTO) to export more of their firearms overseas.

That would be welcome news for gun companies like American Outdoor Brands Corp (NASDAQ:AOBC), whose second-quarter gun sales plunged by 50% from a year ago, including a 66% year-over-year decline in long gun sales. Sturm Ruger & Company Inc (NYSE:RGR) currently does just 5% of its business overseas, giving it huge growth potential. However, it remains to be seen how much demand there is overseas for U.S guns, as Europe and Russia have their own prominent gunmakers. U.S gun stocks surged at the prospect nonetheless.

If there’s any doubt as to what country makes the most guns, it is indeed the U.S. In terms of gun ownership per capita by country, the U.S is also atop the heap, at 88.8 guns per 100 citizens, a full 34 ahead of the next closest country, Yemen.

On the following pages, we’ll list the top 10 gun manufacturers in the world in 2017, based on the number of weapons they manufactured in 2015, which is the most recent data available. Afterwards, feel free to compare it to our previous list of the 6 Biggest Gun Manufacturers in the World.

10. Heritage Manufacturing Inc – 163,933

Our countdown of the top 10 gun manufacturers in the world in 2017 begins with Heritage Manufacturing, which lived up to its name by manufacturing 163,933 guns in 2015, all of which were revolvers. The company’s Rough Rider line of small bore and big bore revolvers are classically-styled in the vein of single-action revolvers used over 100 years ago.

9. Glock Inc. – 216,616

The American subsidiary of Glock Ges.m.b.H., Glock Inc. manufactured 216,616 guns in 2015, all of them pistols. The brand is renowned for its use by military and police personnel in the U.S, with about 65% of U.S police departments arming their officers with glocks, which includes the G25 and G28, which are law enforcement-only models. Glock’s newest models are the Glock 17 Gen 5 and Glock 19 Gen 5.

8. Anderson Manufacturing – 300,390

Anderson Manufacturing is eighth on the list of the top 10 gun manufacturers in the world in 2017, at just over 300,000 guns, all of which were rifles. The company’s RF85 rifles are touted as the world’s only rifles that never require lubrication, thanks to Anderson’s manufacturing process of using nano technology to inject calcium directly into the metal’s molecular fabric. RF85 is not exclusive to Anderson, as it’s also used in the medical and racing industries.

7. Henry Repeating Arms – 306,607

Henry Repeating Arms, or Henry RAC Holding Corp., is the seventh-ranked gun manufacturer, with 306,607 guns manufactured, all rifles. Henry manufactures a wide variety of rifles, including pump-action, lever-action, single-shot, and youth rifles. Henry has a history stretching back more than 150 years, dating back to the American Civil War.

6. Savage Arms – 381,695

Savage Arms, owned by Vista Outdoor Inc (NYSE:VSTO), lands in sixth place with over 380,000 guns manufactured, which were all rifles. While it has a modern sounding name, thanks to the current popularity of savage as a slang term, Savage Arms was actually founded in 1894 by Arthur Savage. Its weapons include the Fox A Grade, which retails for $5,000.

5. SIG Sauer – 497,218

SIG Sauer, owned by German company Lüke & Ortmeier Holding Gruppe, ranks fifth on the list of the top 10 gun manufacturers in the world in 2017 with just under 500,000 manufactured guns. The majority of its manufactured weapons were pistols, though it also produced 37,563 rifles. Its models include the P238, a powerful compact pistol perfect for concealed carry.

4. O.F. Mossberg & Sons- 504,497

Having built nearly 157,000 rifles and over 347,000 shotguns, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, or simply Mossberg, lands in fourth place. Its popular models include the bolt-action Mossberg Patriot and the Mossberg MVP. Mossberg does sell a semi-automatic pistol, the 715P, the sales of which may have been counted under rifle sales.

3. Remington Arms – 1.14 million

Owned by the Freedom Group, a private company, Remington Arms lands in third with more than double the guns manufactured that Mossberg had at 1.14 million. Most of those were rifles and shotguns, plus 36,049 pistols. Remington has a history dating back 200 years and was one of the big-three gun manufacturers in the early 1900’s, alongside Winchester and Colt.

2. American Outdoor Brands Corp (NASDAQ:AOBC) – 1.47 million

American Outdoor Brands Corp (NASDAQ:AOBC), formerly known as Smith & Wesson, is second with 1.47 million manufactured guns, including nearly 1 million pistols. After acquiring camping and survival gear company UST Brands, Smith & Wesson shareholders voted to change the company’s name to something more generic, though its firearms retain the Smith & Wesson name. It also sells pistols under the M&P brand.

1. Sturm Ruger & Company Inc (NYSE:RGR) – 1.67 million

Topping the list of the top 10 gun manufacturers in the world in 2017 is Sturm Ruger, with 1.67 million guns manufactured. Though it did not produce the most guns in any of the four categories, its high production in each carried it to the top. Some of its most celebrated models include its SR-556 Takedown assault rifle, and its No.1 rifles.

Disclosure: None