Everybody Is Buying This .22 Handgun

The .22 caliber firearm is a favorite for beginners and young shooters, as well as a great option for more seasoned sportsmen looking to hunt small game or go target shooting.  The .22 caliber handgun is popular because of its low recoil, ease of use, and applicability in different situations.

Using data from the ATF, 24/7 Wall St. identified which 21 companies are making the most popular .22 caliber handguns in the United States. We reviewed manufacturing figures for thousands of federally licensed gunmakers and ranked them on .22 caliber handgun production volume in 2022.

Read on to see which guns made the cut.

Why It Matters

Firearm sales in the U.S. hit historic highs both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Guns also continue to provide significant economic benefits. Directly and indirectly, the U.S. arms and ammunition industry generated over $90 billion in economic output in 2023 and employed over 384,000 Americans, according to the industry advocacy group National Shooting Sports Foundation. Demand for specific firearms, like .22 caliber pistols, has been a boon for gunmakers in recent years. (Here are rifle rounds ranked from most to least expensive.)

21. Henry Repeating Arms Company

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 2,176 (99.8% pistols, 0.2% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): Mare’s Leg
• Henry RAC .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): New Jersey and Wisconsin
• Henry RAC’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 365,867 (0.6% .22 handguns)

20. Bond Arms, Inc

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 2,630 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): Honey B, Stubby, Stinger, BP22
• Bond Arms .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Texas
• Bond Arms’ total domestic firearm production in 2022: 52,104 (5.0% .22 handguns)

19. Great Lakes Firearms and Ammunition

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 4,050 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): GLFA .223 Wylde
• Great Lakes Firearms .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Michigan
• Great Lakes Firearms’ total domestic firearm production in 2022: 21,198 (19.1% .22 handguns)

18. IWI US, Inc

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 4,369 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): Galil ACE
• IWI .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Pennsylvania
• IWI’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 49,122 (8.9% .22 handguns)

17. Volquartsen Firearms

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 4,897 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): Black Mamba, Scorpion, Mamba-TF
• Volquartsen .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Iowa
• Volquartsen’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 9,021 (54.3% .22 handguns)

16. Standard Manufacturing

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 7,827 (0.6% pistols, 99.4% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): SG22, Jackhammer, Switch Gun, S333 Thunderstruck
• Standard Manufacturing .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Connecticut
• Standard Manufacturing’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 14,585 (53.7% .22 handguns)

15. Trailblazer Firearms

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 8,135 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): LifeCard
• Trailblazer .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): North Carolina
• Trailblazer’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 8,753 (92.9% .22 handguns)

14. North American Arms

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 10,765 (0% pistols, 100% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): NAR BBS, NAR HG, NAR 22MC
• North American Arms .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Utah
• North American Arms’ total domestic firearm production in 2022: 10,770 (100.0% .22 handguns)

13. Outdoor Colors

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 10,811 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): N/A
• Outdoor Colors .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): North Carolina
• Outdoor Colors’ total domestic firearm production in 2022: 51,527 (21.0% .22 handguns)

12. Radical Firearms

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 11,359 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): 5.56mm AR Pistol
• Radical .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Texas
• Radical’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 121,600 (9.3% .22 handguns)

11. Beretta USA

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 13,260 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): M9, 21A Bobcat, 92FSR
• Beretta .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Tennessee
• Beretta’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 180,447 (7.3% .22 handguns)

10. Phoenix Arms

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 16,214 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): HP22A
• Phoenix .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): California
• Phoenix’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 17,300 (93.7% .22 handguns)

9. Diamondback Firearms LLC

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 18,776 (33.6% pistols, 66.4% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): Sidekick
• Diamondback .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Florida
• Diamondback’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 123,025 (15.3% .22 handguns)

8. Browning Arms

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 39,131 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): Buck Mark, 1911-22
• Browning .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Utah
• Browning’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 47,996 (81.5% .22 handguns)

7. Smith & Wesson

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 67,780 (75.4% pistols, 24.6% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): Model 63, Model 48, M&P 22, SW22 Victory
• Smith & Wesson .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Massachusetts and Missouri
• Smith & Wesson’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 973,994 (7.0% .22 handguns)

6. Glock

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 74,158 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): G44
• Glock .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Georgia
• Glock’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 465,117 (15.9% .22 handguns)

5. Kel Tec CNC Industries

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 83,367 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): P17, CP33, PLR22
• Kel Tec .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Florida
• Kel Tec’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 196,118 (42.5% .22 handguns)

4. Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 114,325 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): TX 22, 942
• Taurus .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Georgia
• Taurus’ total domestic firearm production in 2022: 287,650 (39.7% .22 handguns)

3. Sig Sauer

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 155,876 (100% pistols, 0% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): P322
• Sig Sauer .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Arkansas and New Hampshire
• Sig Sauer’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 2,346,752 (6.6% .22 handguns)

2. Heritage Manufacturing

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 286,870 (0% pistols, 100% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): Barkeep, Rough Rider
• Heritage .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Georgia
• Heritage’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 308,040 (93.1% .22 handguns)

1. Sturm, Ruger & Company

• .22 cal. handguns manufactured domestically in 2022: 289,528 (64.9% pistols, 35.1% revolvers)
• Popular .22 handgun model(s): LCP II, SR22, Mark IV, GP100
• Ruger .22 handgun manufacturing location(s): Arizona, Connecticut, North Carolina, and New Hampshire
• Ruger’s total domestic firearm production in 2022: 1,565,743 (18.5% .22 handguns)

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