Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Over 28.1 Million 'Assault' Rifles in Circulation

I wonder if the anti-gun crowd has any idea how many firearms are in the hands of private citizens in this country today?
https://www.nssf.org/articles/nssf-releases-most-recent-firearm-production-figures-2024/

January 11, 2024
NSSF Releases Most Recent Firearm Production Figures

Over 28.1 Million Modern Sporting Rifles in Circulation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — NSSF®, the Firearm Industry Trade Association, released the Firearm Production in the United States including the Firearm Import and Export Data 2023 Edition (reporting 2021 data) to its members. The report compiles the most up to date information based on data sourced from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF’s) Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Reports (AFMER). Key findings for public release showed:

The estimated total number of firearms in civilian possession from 1990-2021 is 473.2 million, according to data in reports such as ATF Firearms Commerce in the United States, ATF Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Reports and Congressional Research Service and including the collective ATF Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report (AFMER) reports up to the 2021 edition.

Total domestic firearm production reported in the 2021 AFMER was 12,521,614 – an increase of 28.6 percent over 2020 reported figures.

Data indicates that 28,144,000 Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs) are in circulation since 1990.

MSR production increased 32 percent from 2020 to 2021. This increased the estimated amount of MSRs produced (since 1990) by 15 percent from 24.4 million to 28.1 million.

In 2021, 21,037,810 total firearms were made available for the U.S. market, which includes firearms that were domestically produced plus those imported, minus exported firearms. Of those, 12,799,067 were handguns, 4,832,198 were rifles and 3,406,545 were shotguns.

An interim 2022 estimate showed a total of 11,217,388 total firearms were domestically produced. Of those 6,148,877 were pistols, 830,800 were revolvers, 3,575,322 were rifles and 662,389 were shotguns. Those are interim reports and will be updated when complete reports are available from the ATF.

Firearm and ammunition manufacturing accounted for over 12,400 employees producing over $5.6 billion in goods shipped in 2021.

From 1990 to 2021, 254,753,372 firearms have been made available to the U.S. market.

“This report demonstrates the strength and durability of the U.S. firearm manufacturing sector and the U.S. firearm sales markets,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF’s President and CEO. “The data continues to show that the Modern Sporting Rifle is the most popular centerfire rifle sold in America today with over 28.1 million in circulation and being used for lawful purposes every day. The continued popularity of handguns demonstrates a strong interest by Americans to protect themselves and their homes, and to participate in the recreational shooting sports.”

About NSSF
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

________________________

NSSF Media contact:
Mark Oliva
202-220-1340

I say it is way more than that with all those 80% lowers that have been finished, and all those lowers that turn into complete guns from parts, there are way more than the number said.

I know I’ve done my part.

Indeed. I'm guessing it's a way bigger number than that.

Lol same here.

It's the lowers that are counted. Not the barrels and handguards.

I wonder if ATF is counting each lower, even stripped lowers, as a complete rifle? That wouldn't include the 80 percenters!

Black rifles ain’t of much use in crime, too big to carry. Black handguns however aren’t . This coming year is gonna be another boom in sales with the election coming up (buy ammo while you still can).

Firearms are durable goods, they outlive their owners. In a community like mine another wave of handguns are gonna be sprinkled in, further increasing the supply. Which is probably explains in part the increasing numbers of high school kids caught on campus around here with guns. Not to shoot up the school, but for whatever reason.

I am a little disappointed in myself. I need to add a few more.

We are too.

I need another one.

It's as misleading as watching any TV "News" sources to title the thread "Assault" rifles when the NSSF didn't use that term.

And yet, people on the 'fire will bitch when the media misrepresents sporting rifles as being Assault Rifles.

Don't perpetuate a BS narrative.

Lowers, ready for parts assembly, that get sold by FFLs, are classified as firearms from the day they leave the factory.

Yer walkin' on thin ice Mister!

What is this assualt rifle they speak of?
I need to look into that

No assault rifles are sold to the public it's what the liberals like to call them. Same as gun violence

Heck I need to buy some, somebody has something I dont

When did they start keeping sales records? There are a whole lot of guns manufactured in the mid-20th century before the records were kept. Including AR's. A lot of M1 Garands and M1 carbines were sold back then. Each soldier from WWII brought back at least one gun of German or Japanese manufacture, like semi-auto pistols. These have no record and are still in circulation. If kept well, can still shoot.

Assault Rifle actually has a legitimate historical definition. It's a short rifle/carbine in an intermediate chambering (partway between full powered rifle and handgun in power factor) with a detachable, double-staggered, box magazine, and capable of firing both semiautomatic and fully automatic with the flip of a switch. This has been the accepted definition since WWII.

The made up term that politicians came up with was Assault Weapon, which basically refers to whatever they want it to refer to, typically any semi-automatic firearm (handgun, rifle, carbine, or shotgun), chambered for any centerfire cartridge, that accepts magazines holding more than 10 rounds.

Why do it matter? We don't know how many shovels are in circulation.