This Is the Gunmaker Behind the Best Selling American-Made .22 Caliber Pistol

The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge, or .22 LR, was introduced in 1887, long before many other ammunition types today’s sports men and women are likely familiar with. Not only one of the oldest cartridges still in use, .22 LR also currently ranks among the best-selling and most widely available cartridges in the world.

24/7 Wall St. Key Points:

• More than half a million .22 caliber pistols were manufactured in the U.S. in 2023 alone.
• While there are thousands of licensed gunmakers operating in the United States, the market for .22 caliber pistols is dominated by only a handful of companies.
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Firearms chambered for .22 caliber ammunition owe their popularity to a number of factors, including limited recoil and relatively low decibel output when fired, as well as its low price point, as .22 LR cartridges often sell for only pennies per round.

Even though .22 LR cartridges lack the power of their centerfire counterparts, they still have many practical applications, from a day at the range or backyard plinking, to small game hunting or self defense. The attributes have made .22 caliber firearms a popular choice for a wide range of gun owners, including both first-time shooters and seasoned hunters.

Unlike many other firearm cartridges, .22 LR rounds can be used in both rifles and pistols. According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, more than half a million .22 caliber pistols were manufactured in the U.S. in 2023 alone.

Using data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified the companies behind the best-selling .22 caliber pistols in the United States. We reviewed domestic manufacturing figures for thousands of federally licensed gunmakers and ranked them on .22 caliber pistol production volume in 2023. Data on the location of each company’s production facilities and total firearm manufacturing output in 2023 are also from the ATF. Firearms made outside of the United States, including those made by the companies on this list, were not included in this ranking.

Each of the companies on this list manufactured over 1,200 .22 caliber pistols in the U.S. in 2023. Combined, these 21 companies produced over 505,000 .22 pistols domestically, accounting for nearly 98% of all American made .22 caliber pistols in 2023. (Here is a look at the best selling pistols in the United States.)

The companies making the best-selling .22 pistols include some of the world’s largest gunmakers. Companies like Glock, Sig Sauer, and Taurus, stand out specifically for their pistols — some of which are chambered in .22 caliber. Ruger, the number one brand on this list, built its reputation decades ago, largely on the success of its .22 caliber firearms, including the Mark series pistol. (Here is a look at the most popular gun companies in America.)

It is important to note that while the majority of .22 caliber handguns made by the companies on this list are chambered for rimfire, .22 LR ammunition, several other ammunition types fall under the ATF’s .22 caliber classification — which encompasses all rounds up to the .22 caliber size. These chamberings include, but are not limited to, the .22 magnum, 5.7x28mm, and 5.56×45mm NATO.

Why It Matters

Arms and ammunition is a more than $90 billion industry in the United States — and as the largest consumer market for firearms, the U.S. is home to manufacturing operations for many of the world’s largest gunmakers. Firearms chambered for .22 caliber ammunition have been popular among American shooters for decades, and the latest available data from the ATF shows that when it comes to .22 caliber pistols, a small handful of companies are dominating the market.

21. CMMG Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 1,255 units (0.2% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• CMMG’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 15,145 units (8.3% .22 caliber pistols)
• CMMG’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Boonville, MO
• .22 caliber pistol models include: CMMG Banshee Mk4

20. Savage Arms, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 1,326 units (0.3% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Savage’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 725,644 units (0.2% .22 caliber pistols)
• Savage’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Westfield, MA
• .22 caliber pistol models include: N/A

19. Great Lakes Firearms and Ammunition LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 1,638 units (0.3% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Great Lakes’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 15,392 units (10.6% .22 caliber pistols)
• Great Lakes’ domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Sparta, MI
• .22 caliber pistol models include: N/A

18. Diamondback Firearms LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 1,755 units (0.3% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Diamondback’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 93,945 units (1.9% .22 caliber pistols)
• Diamondback’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Cocoa, FL
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Diamondback DBX

17. Outdoor Colors LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 2,206 units (0.4% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Outdoor Colors’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 24,889 units (8.9% .22 caliber pistols)
• Outdoor Colors’ domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Rutherfordton, NC
• .22 caliber pistol models include: N/A

16. Henry Repeating Arms Company Holding Corp

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 2,705 units (0.5% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Henry RAC’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 411,786 units (0.7% .22 caliber pistols)
• Henry RAC’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Bayonne, NJ, Rice Lake, WI
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Henry RAC Mare’s Leg

15. Bond Arms, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 2,923 units (0.6% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Bond Arm’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 35,506 units (8.2% .22 caliber pistols)
• Bond Arm’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Granbury, TX
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Bond Arms Stinger, Honey B, Stubby

14. Volquartsen Firearms Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 3,256 units (0.6% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Volquartsen’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 5,116 units (63.6% .22 caliber pistols)
• Volquartsen’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Carroll, IA
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Volquartsen Black Mamba, ENV, Scorpion

13. Radical Firearms LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 3,461 units (0.7% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Radical’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 86,758 units (4.0% .22 caliber pistols)
• Radical’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Stafford, TX
• .22 caliber pistol models include: N/A

12. Trailblazer Firearms LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 6,285 units (1.2% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Trailblazer’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 6,661 units (94.4% .22 caliber pistols)
• Trailblazer’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Fletcher, NC
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Trailblazer LifeCard

11. Palmetto State Armory, LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 9,456 units (1.8% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Palmetto State’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 391,760 units (2.4% .22 caliber pistols)
• Palmetto State’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): West Columbia, SC, Summerville, SC, Myrtle Beach, SC, Garden City, GA, Denver, NC, Charleston, SC
• .22 caliber pistol models include: N/A

10. Beretta USA Corp.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 11,142 units (2.2% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Beretta’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 139,710 units (8.0% .22 caliber pistols)
• Beretta’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Gallatin, TN
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Beretta 92FSR, 21A Bobcat

9. Phoenix Arms

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 12,787 units (2.5% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Phoenix’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 15,850 units (80.7% .22 caliber pistols)
• Phoenix’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Ontario, CA
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Phoenix HP 22

8. Glock Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 17,780 units (3.4% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Glock’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 345,119 units (5.2% .22 caliber pistols)
• Glock’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Smyrna, GA
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Glock G44

7. DC Machine LLC

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 21,195 units (4.1% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• DC Machine’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 189,992 units (11.2% .22 caliber pistols)
• DC Machine’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Summerville, SC
• .22 caliber pistol models include: N/A

6. Browning Arms Company

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 39,466 units (7.6% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Browning’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 49,459 units (79.8% .22 caliber pistols)
• Browning’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Morgan, UT
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Browning Buck Mark

5. Smith & Wesson Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 42,538 units (8.2% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Smith & Wesson’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 991,847 units (4.3% .22 caliber pistols)
• Smith & Wesson’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Columbia, MO, Maryville, TN, Springfield, MA
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Smith & Wesson M&P 22, SW22 Victory, Model 41

4. Sig Sauer Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 49,485 units (9.6% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Sig Sauer’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 1,020,755 units (4.8% .22 caliber pistols)
• Sig Sauer’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Newington, NH, Epping, NH
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Sig Sauer P322

3. Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 71,459 units (13.8% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Taurus’ total domestic firearm production in 2023: 75,956 units (94.1% .22 caliber pistols)
• Taurus’ domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Bainbridge, GA
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Taurus TX-22

2. Kel Tec CNC Industries Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 78,196 units (15.1% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Kel Tec’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 185,949 units (42.1% .22 caliber pistols)
• Kel Tec’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Cocoa, FL
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Kel Tec P17

1. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.

• Domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing output in 2023: 124,714 units (24.1% of all domestically made .22 pistols)
• Ruger’s total domestic firearm production in 2023: 1,305,615 units (9.6% .22 caliber pistols)
• Ruger’s domestic .22 caliber pistol manufacturing location(s): Prescott, AZ, Mayodan, NC, Newport, NH, Southport, CT
• .22 caliber pistol models include: Ruger SR22, Mark IV

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