From the NSSF . . .

The total economic impact of the firearm and ammunition industry in the United States increased to $80.73 billion in 2022 from $19.1 billion in 2008, a 322 percent increase, while the total number of full-time equivalent jobs rose to over 393,696 from approximately 166,000, a 136 percent increase in that same period, according to a report released by the NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association.

On a year-over-year basis, the industry’s economic impact rose to $80.73 billion in 2022 from $70.52 billion in 2021. Total jobs increased by over 17,877 in the same period, to 396,696 from 375,819. The firearm industry has broader impacts throughout the economy. It supports and generates business for firms seemingly unrelated to firearms, at a time when every job in America counts. These are real people, with real jobs, working in industries as varied as banking, retail, accounting, metalworking and printing among others.

The firearm and ammunition industry paid over $7.48 billion in business taxes, including property, income and sales-based levies. An additional $1.15 billion was paid in federal excise taxes, which directly contributes to wildlife conservation.

“Our industry’s economic input is undeniably contributing to every state and every community. This milestone achievement of over $80 billion in economic impact proves that the American firearm and ammunition industry is strong,” said Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President and CEO.

Ours is an industry that is consistently growing and innovating to meet the American demand for the highest quality firearms and ammunition for lawful firearm ownership. Over 4.2 million Americans from all walks of life, for the first time, discovered and exercised their right to lawful firearm owners and safely participate in the recreational shooting sports last year. This growth equals more jobs that add to our local economies, averaging $65,000 in wages and benefits, up from $56,900 reported last year. Since 2008, federal tax payments increased by 266 percent, Pittman-Robertson excise taxes that support wildlife conservation by 226 percent and state business taxes by 46 percent.

The annual Firearm and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report provides a state-by-state breakdown of job numbers, wages and output covering direct, supplier and induced employment, as well as federal excise taxes paid. Access the full report here.

 

 

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

42 COMMENTS

  1. I love the American “military industrial complex”. It provides me with all the guns, ammunition, and accessories that I could possibly afford. Including any new technological innovations. Which are being created all the time.

  2. Having a job is racist.
    Wildlife conservation is speciesist.
    The employees should own the means of production.
    Blue cities are in decay because corporations won’t pay their fair share.
    Everyone involved should be murdered because guns kill people and killing is bad.

    • Shire-man,

      “Having a job is racist.”

      You forgot that education is also racist. (Expecting minority children to have solid Mathematics skills, for example, is somehow not appropriate.)

    • “Having a job is racist.”

      Close.

      I have seriously heard it being argued that for some, being expected to show up for work on time is ‘racist’…

      • Many years ago I retired from a public school district. This was a fairly middle class town in CA with no ghettos.

        More than once I witnessed black students savagely ridicule other black students for doing well in tests and in class.

        How do you battle that?

        • They’ve been doing that since I was in grade school in the 80’s.
          You don’t want to be caught “acting white” or they’ll kick your ass on the bus or back in the neighborhood a.k.a. “treating you white”.

          TBF the mindless “you think you’re better than me!?!?!” anger isn’t anything that’s race/class/gender/other exclusive I just got to see that specific “acting white” scenario play out daily from fourth grade until high school when I stopped taking the bus.

        • “How do you battle that?”

          I lived in an area with a smaller than average black population. I never witnessed or heard of anything close to that happening there. Maybe the key is to get as far away from the blue city hellholes as possible.

  3. My name is Rusty Chains and I am a speciesist. I do not ever expect to recover nor do I want to.

  4. The firearm industry is an $80 billion industry? Queue Democrats scheming how to destroy it (because reasons) in 3 … 2 … 1 …

    (For reference my comment above refers to the fact that Democrats seem Hell-bent on destroying large industries regardless of the nature of the industry.)

    • Why does America need any industry at all, we can import everything we need. That’s how you keep an independent nation independent.

    • I’ve been saying that’s one of the reasons they’ve been trying to destroy it. They want both the firearms and the natural gas/oil industries to only serve the government and a select few who can afford the absurd taxes they want to impose on it. It just so happens that those are two major industries that mostly support conservatives. That’s purely coincidence, right?

  5. Firearms are among the few things one can purchase and still be around when other gizmos and gadgets are long forgotten. I hear poor mouthers saying they cannot afford such and such firearm when if they were not wasting money on a cell phone, cable TV and a bling vehicle they could afford it and then some.

    With the cost of a M1A being through the roof the sleeper out there today IMO is the Aero Precison .308. It would not take much for the deep pockets M1A crowd to elevate the now affordable AP to M1A prices.

    When it comes to buying firearms the question is…How long can you snooze before all you can do is talk about the good old days?

    • I wouldn’t bother with a Springfield M1A. If you want a semi auto .308 there’s a plethora to choose from. Plenty of good AR10s these days, but also if you just want old school battle rifle there’s PTR 91s, and DSA FAL clones. I personally don’t much about DSA though. I have a PTR 91 and I like it.

    • when the goobermint tells you that you don’t need a gun, buy two, or twenty four.

    • “Just bought another gat yesterday.”

      Gat tease.

      What was it?

        • That is sweet. My last gun buy was during the plandemic. A Ruger gp100-7 in .357. I prefer Smith and Ruger for revolvers.

        • @jethro
          I prefer revolvers to semis, though I own both. Ruger and Smith are what I buy, too. A neighbor has two Taurus revolvers, and I’ve shot them. They seem fine, but when looking at Taurus I’m always spooked by the bad reviews.

          I don’t like the cylinder release mechanism on Colt revolvers, but they look fantastic and get good reviews. Haven’t shot one yet.

          I can’t afford a Korth or Manurhin, though they look awesome.

        • Johnny. I have one semi auto pistol. A glock 19 just in case of shtf. The rest are revolvers.

          For me The old school Colts were good. I still regret trading off my old Detective Special and my 1903 Colt. They worked like legends. It’s been a while since I used a Colt product so I won’t comment on the modern stuff.

          My experience with Taurus Revolvers has been positive. They are not Smith or Ruger level but they ain’t bad for a budget gun.

        • I am also a revolver wh*re.

          I just bought a never fired 1980 vintage M629. Thanks to the recent ballot measures and laws in Washington state, I have wait for my background check.

        • I have some vintage Colt Snake guns and a Trooper MkV. The cylinder release on Colts is not as odd to me as the cylinder release on a Dan Wesson.
          I have heard good things about the new Python and the new Anaconda is better than my old 1993 Anaconda. I reload both light loads and hotter loads for my .357 magnum and .44 magnum wheel guns. I use hotter loads for self defense against both quadrupeds and bipeds.

      • I’m a little disappointed in the new emu loadings, seems to be a little under powered from what I used to buy. .357 just doesn’t seem to have the snap it used to have. Reloading is the answer.

  7. mostly due to Obama/Biden combo in Whitehouse. I never owned a firearm until those two POS’s defrauded their way into the Whitehouse.

    • I’ve had a few gunms always. However when Bill Cliton got elected(?) that’s when I really started my inventory.
      And thanx to Bill Cliton I’ve got all the emu I will ever need.

  8. The wages graph is pretty impressive. Guess I should’ve followed my dream instead of taking the more “secure” path.

  9. It amazes me that such a hated industry is such a large tax payer.
    I hope we continue to see growth and development in the industry for decades to come.

    • I fear for the industry as a whole.

      Now that they know from ‘Bruen’ they can’t attack the right to keep and bear, their next target will be the industry itself… 🙁

      • If I can sue Winchester for selling a gunm I should be able to sue Ford for selling a pickup. The sad thing is I can find no reference to “The Right to Drive A Vehicle Shall Not Be Infringed”

  10. I plan on continuing to contribute to the economy by purchasing another firearm just as soon as I get my tax return.

  11. In the US this past week, a boy was shot in the face for knocking on a door, a woman was shot and killed for driving up the wrong driveway, and a woman was shot for approaching the wrong car in a supermarket parking lot. And a 6 year old and her parents were shot when her basketball went into the neighbors yard. What is going on with the sudden batch of crazies?

    • Stress. The nation is coming apart at the seams. It will get worse before it gets better. Maybe it won’t get better.

      • I know suicides can be contagious as can mass shootings. But these? Just seems strange that all of a sudden there was a spate of them.

        The guy who shot the 6 year old should never have been out in society. And hopefully whoever prosecutes him does not allow him back out.

  12. the best way to represent this amount of revenue and have it carry weight with politicians is to show the tax revenue that it produces from local to federal.

  13. This growth in the industry can be attributed to various factors, including increased demand for firearms, ammunition, and related accessories, as well as expanded opportunities for export and trade.

    The gun industry has also been a significant contributor to employment, providing jobs for hundreds of thousands of people across various sectors such as manufacturing, retail, and distribution. Additionally, the industry has been instrumental in supporting local economies, particularly in areas where gun-related businesses are concentrated.

    While the economic impact of the gun industry has been significant, it is not without controversy. Advocates for stricter gun control measures argue that the industry’s growth has contributed to an increase in gun violence and other related issues. However, proponents of gun ownership and the industry argue that firearms serve as a means of self-defense and are an integral part of American culture.

    Regardless of one’s stance on the issue, it is clear that the gun industry’s economic impact will continue to be a topic of debate and scrutiny in the years to come.

Comments are closed.