There were some interesting tidbits of information in “Firearms Commerce in the United States 2011” published recently by the ATF.
Manufacturing – There are 5400 licensed firearms manufacturers in the United States. Â Going through my web browser’s bookmarks, I clearly have only a small fraction of that number on my radar.
It stands to reason that if the USA is built on small business, so is the firearms industry. Â While not everyone is a Remington, Ruger or Smith & Wesson, a manufacturer doesn’t need to be massive to be profitable. Â There are a lot of small manufacturers that are building custom rifles, race guns and other niche firearms. Â Thousands of them, actually.