Last updated July 23, 2026. Every figure below names the year it measures and links to the original source. Figures are not estimates by DRD Precision Firearms.
The measures on this page are different by design. Participation counts, manufacturing reports, background checks, and economic-impact studies should not be treated as interchangeable measures of sales, ownership, or annual growth.
Key statistics
Use the permanent link on each entry when citing a specific figure.
47 million
Americans age six and older participated in firearms target shooting in 2022.
Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2022 Target Shooting in the United States#14.4 million
Americans age 16 and older hunted in 2022.
Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2022 National Survey#241 million
Hunting days were recorded by U.S. hunters age 16 and older in 2022.
Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2022 National Survey#3.12 million
Rifles were manufactured and disposed of in commerce in the United States during 2023.
Source: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 2023 AFMER#26.1 million
Firearm-related background checks were conducted through the NICS system in 2025.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2025 NICS Operational Report#$91.65 billion
Total U.S. economic activity attributed to the firearm and ammunition industry in 2024.
Source: National Shooting Sports Foundation, 2025 Economic Impact Report#382,995
Full-time-equivalent jobs attributed to the firearm and ammunition industry in 2024.
Source: National Shooting Sports Foundation, 2025 Economic Impact Report#$886.5 million
Federal excise tax from firearms and ammunition reported for the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund in 2024.
Source: National Shooting Sports Foundation, 2025 Economic Impact Report#What the figures show
The broadest participation figure on this page is target shooting: the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reported 47 million firearms target shooters age six and older in 2022. The same federal survey family counted 14.4 million hunters age 16 and older, who logged 241 million hunting days that year.
The federal manufacturing report recorded 3,119,376 rifles manufactured and disposed of in commerce in 2023. That report measures manufacturing activity, not retail purchases or the number of individual owners.
The FBI recorded 26,123,215 firearm-related NICS background checks in 2025. A background check should not be read as one firearm sale: the system is used for several transaction types and state processes.
The NSSF economic-impact report attributes $91.65 billion in 2024 U.S. economic activity and 382,995 full-time-equivalent jobs to the firearm and ammunition industry. Because it is an industry-commissioned study, it is identified as such here and should be cited with that context.
Sources and methodology
This page is refreshed when a key source publishes a newer annual or survey update.
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation
Participation, hunting days, and trips. The survey is the federal source for the 2022 hunting figures on this page.
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: 2022 Target Shooting in the United States
Participation and demographic information for firearms and archery target shooting, published March 2025.
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives: 2023 Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report
Federal reporting on firearms manufactured and disposed of in commerce. It is not a retail-sales report.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation: 2025 NICS Operational Report
Firearm-related background-check activity. A background check is not the same thing as a firearm sale.
- National Shooting Sports Foundation: 2025 Firearm and Ammunition Industry Economic Impact Report
Industry economic activity, employment, and excise-tax figures for 2024. This is a trade-association report.
Cite this page
DRD Precision Firearms. “U.S. Hunting & Target Shooting Statistics.” Updated July 23, 2026. https://drdprecisionfirearms.com/industry-statistics