The Massachusetts firearms industry is dominated by one company

24/7 Wall St. Perspectives

• The United States is the largest consumer market for firearms in the world, and to meet demand, there are thousands of federally licensed gun manufacturers in all 50 states.
• Due to the presence of a small number of companies, more firearms are manufactured in Massachusetts than in most other states.
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The United States is home to less than 5% of the global population and more than 45% of the world’s civilian-owned guns. The only country with more firearms than people — according to the Geneva-based public policy research organization Small Arms Survey — the U.S. has a gun culture unlike anywhere else on Earth, and American consumer demand fuels a billion-dollar industry . (Here’s a look at the best-selling firearms in the United States.)

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives records show that there were more than 3,700 active gun manufacturers in the US in 2022. In the same year, these companies together manufactured nearly 13.4 million firearms. As of 2023, the gun and ammunition industry has generated more than $90 billion in economic output, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry trade association.

Although there are gun manufacturers operating in each of the 50 states, Massachusetts stands out as a center for small arms production. A reported 735,445 firearms were manufactured in Massachusetts in 2022, the seventh most of the 50 states and equal to about 5.5% of the entire domestic production of firearms that year.

Rifles accounted for the largest share of firearms production in Massachusetts at approximately 82.9%. Meanwhile, about 14.0% of firearms manufactured in the state were rifles, 2.7% pistols, and 0.4% revolvers. Miscellaneous firearms, an ATF category that includes any other unclassified firearm or firearm component, including frames and receivers, accounted for 0.1% of total Massachusetts production in 2022.

Although there were 28 federally licensed gun manufacturers operating in Massachusetts in 2022, the state’s firearms industry is dominated by just a small handful of companies. Only eight manufacturing facilities in the state produced at least 100 firearms in 2022. Among them, the largest by total production is a Westfield, MA plant operated by Savage Arms. Savage manufactured 719,641 firearms at this plant alone in 2022, or about 97.9% of all firearms produced in the state that year. (Here’s a look at the largest firearms company in each state.)

Massachusetts’ firearms industry has a significant economic impact. Both directly and indirectly, arms and ammunition generated $926.4 million in output and supported approximately 4,135 jobs in 2023, according to the NSSF. Additionally, through property, sales, and income taxes, the state and federal government collected a combined $105.2 million in revenue from the Massachusetts gun and ammunition industry.

They are the leading firearms manufacturers in Massachusetts. It is important to note that this list is a ranking of federally licensed manufacturing facilities, and as a result, a company may appear more than once. Similarly, some brands on this list may produce firearms in the same facility as another, but are listed separately. Gun manufacturers that are federally licensed under their first and last names, rather than a company or brand name, have been excluded from this list.

Why it matters

The United States is the largest consumer market for firearms in the world, and partly as a result, there are thousands of federally licensed gun manufacturers in all 50 states. Due to the presence of a small number of companies, especially Savage, more guns are made in Massachusetts than anywhere else in the country.

8. JJT Enterprises, LLC

• Firearms manufactured in 2022: 132 (0.02% of all guns manufactured in the state)
• Production of firearms by type: 100% diverse.
• Location of the production facility: Barre, MA

7. Yankee Hill Machine Co. Inc.

• Firearms manufactured in 2022: 383 (0.05% of all weapons manufactured in the state)
• Production of firearms by type: 4.7% rifles, 95.3% misc.
• Location of the production facility: Easthampton, MA

6. Smith & Wesson Inc.

• Firearms manufactured in 2022: 399 (0.05% of all guns manufactured in the state)
• Production of firearms by type: 59.1% pistols, 28.8% revolvers, 10.8% rifles, 0.3% shotguns, 1.0% misc.
• Location of the production facility: Springfield, MA

5. Mass Armament, LLC

• Firearms manufactured in 2022: 614 (0.08% of all guns manufactured in the state)
• Production of firearms by type: 47.9% pistols, 8.0% revolvers, 31.1% rifles, 13.0% rifles
• Location of the production facility: Bellingham, MA

4. Whalley Precision Inc.

• Firearms manufactured in 2022: 2,892 (0.39% of all guns manufactured in the state)
• Production of firearms by type: 100% guns
• Location of the production facility: Southwick, MA

3. Automated Finishing Company Inc.

• Firearms manufactured in 2022: 5,456 (0.74% of all guns manufactured in the state)
• Production of firearms by type: 50.3% pistols, 45.6% revolvers, 0.1% rifles, 4.0% rifles
• Location of the production facility: Attleboro, MA

2. Saeilo, Inc.

• Firearms manufactured in 2022: 5,480 (0.75% of all guns manufactured in the state)
• Production of firearms by type: 90.9% pistols, 9.1% rifles
• Location of the production facility: Worcester, MA

1. Savage Arms, Inc.

• Firearms manufactured in 2022: 719,641 (97.85% of all guns manufactured in the state)
• Production of firearms by type: 1.2% pistols, 84.6% rifles, 14.2% rifles
• Location of the production facility: Westfield, MA

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