NSSF® tracks and reports monthly U.S. import units for several sporting arms, ammunition, and optics categories from the US International Trade Commission. Below are the results for February 2024 compared to February 2023.
- February Handgun imports decreased 28.7 percent from 309,783 to 220,859 units. Within the handgun category, Pistol import units dropped 31.9 percent from 283,368 to 192,856 units while imported Revolver units increased 6.0 percent from 26,415 to 28,003 units.
- February Rifle imports were down 10.5 percent from 72,112 to 64,514 units. This category has been adjusted to exclude HTS codes 9303.30.4010 & 9303.30.8005 (Telescopic Sights Imported with Rifles).
- February Shotgun category posted a 5.0 percent increase in imported units from 70,532 to 74,063.
- February Muzzleloader category increased 19.4 percent from 7,622 to 9,099 units.
- February Other Cartridges (excluding Shotgun cartridges) category decreased 4.9 percent from 212.9 million to 202.5 million units.
- February Shotgun Cartridges category decreased by 21.1 percent dropping to 26.3 million units as compared to last year’s nearly 33.4 million.
- Telescopic Sights:
- February Telescopic sights with rifles (HTS codes 9303.30.4010 and HTS 9303.30.8005, defined as telescopic sights or other optical devices suitable for use with arms, if mounted on a firearm or entered with the firearm on which they are designed to be mounted) decreased 27.8 percent from 1,415 units to 1,022.
- February Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013.10.1000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not designed for use with infrared light) decreased 9.0 percent from 203,418 units to 185,200.
- February Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013.10.3000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not elsewhere specified or included [NESOI]) dropped 32.2 percent from 85,595 units to 58,014.
- Binoculars:
- February Prism Binoculars [not for use with infrared light] (HTS code 9005.10.0040) decreased 23.0 percent from 223,441 units to 171,941.
- February Binoculars HTS code 9005.10.0080 [Other Binoculars, NESOI] decreased 18.5 percent from 129,591 units to 105,581.
- February Hunting Knives (with fixed blades and wood handles) category dropped 46.7 percent from 29,190 units to 15,556 units.
Source: US International Trade Commission
Notice: The import and export data on DataWeb for 2020-2022 have been updated as of July 5, 2023, based on the latest official revisions from the Census Bureau (the first official revisions for 2023 data will not be available until June 2024). For the years 2010-2022 data reflect all published revisions by the Census Bureau. For data prior to 2010, DataWeb will continue to show import and export data as originally issued by the Census Bureau with no revisions.
Additional firearm import/export data, including monthly historical data and charts for each category, is available to NSSF members by logging in and clicking NSSF Industry Research then Monthly Firearm Import/Export Data.
