It can be confusing trying to figure out who owns who in the world of gun companies. It’s a little sad, but most of the great names in US guns are no longer independently owned. In fact, it can be confusing trying to figure out who owns who. But that puzzle is for another day. Today and tomorrow, we are looking at who makes guns on US soil and what state those guns are made in. We won’t be able to cover all US gun manufacturers, but we will look at some of the greats.
A lot of the legendary guns we enjoy today are made in countries around the world. Germany, Italy, Israel, and many other countries make some legendary guns. But no matter how awesome they are, there is something special about owning a gun made in the United States. Even when the parent company is not a US company, I will pay a little more for it when it’s made on US soil by Americans.
O.F Mossberg & Sons: Texas
Just about every American who owns or has ever owned a shotgun owns a Mossberg. If not, they are familiar with the famous pump-action model 500. Mossberg is now the oldest family-owned firearms company in the US. Founded in 1919 by Oscar Frederick Mossberg, the company is now more than a century old. It is still owned by the Mossberg family, with the current CEO, Iver Mossberg, the great-grandson of Oscar F Mossberg. Mossberg’s headquarters is in North Haven, but almost all their manufacturing is now done in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Mossberg is known for their shotguns and rifles, so it surprises most people to learn that Mossberg’s first gun wasn’t either. Instead, it was a .22 caliber pistol named the Brownie. In recent years, Mossberg has begun making pistols, taking them back to where they started in the beginning—an American gun, for the American people.
Sturm, Ruger and CO: New Hampshire, Arizona, Connecticut
Ruger is an American household name when it comes to guns. They are most well-known for their .22 caliber line of pistols and, of course, the Ruger 10-22 rifle. In recent years, their line of LCP and LCR handguns has landed them a place in the CCW market. Their most recent version of the LCP is the LCP Max, a .380 compact pistol that has a magazine capacity of 10 + 1 rounds. One thing that makes Ruger stand out is that it is one of the last big-name gun manufacturers, and it is still independently operating today.
Sturm, Ruger & Co was founded in 1949 when Alexander Sturm invested $50,000 with William B. Ruger to start the company. Sturm died just a few years later, but Ruger continued and kept the Sturm name alive. Ruger Sr. retired in 2000, and his son, William B. Ruger Jr., took over as CEO until his retirement in 2006. The company has manufactured more than 20 million guns and has plants in New Hampshire and Arizona. The corporate office is located in Connecticut. They are truly a great American gun company.
Springfield Armory: Illinois
Firearms manufacturer Springfield Armory is not a new name. In fact, it was a name given to a government manufacturing plant in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1794. It produced a ton of weapons, most notably the M1 carbine, during WWII. It was shut down in 1968. So, who is making guns under the name Springfield Armory today? A man by the name of Bob Reese and his family started a firearms manufacturing company in 1974. They used the name Springfield Armory as a tribute to the original government plant and started producing the same type of guns that were made in the original factory.
While the name is symbolic of the plant in Massachusetts, Springfield Armory is headquartered in Geneseo, Illinois. They produce classic weapons like the M1A1 and 1911, but they have made their own way in the gun world as well. The XD, and Hellcat pistols along with the Saint AR-15 line of rifles have placed them firmly on the map. The company continues to produce both classic and modern weapons with no signs of slowing down.
Sig Sauer: New Hampshire
Like a lot of other gun companies, Sig Sauer wasn’t originally a gun company. It was first started in Switzerland in 1853 as a Wagon factory. They soon submitted a prototype of a rifle for the Swiss Army. They won the award, and the wagon company eventually became the Sig Arms Company, later named changed to Sig Sauer. The Swiss company started moving operations to the US in the 1980s. Today, they’re headquartered in New Hampshire and produce a long line of respected weapons for citizens, police, and militaries.
One of the most notable mentions for Sig Sauer today is the M17. Based on the P320, it won the US Military contract to become the standard issue sidearm in 2017. They now offer a full line of handguns, rifles, and compact pistol caliber carbines (PCC) like the MPX line of weapons. Sig may not have started out as an American gun maker, but they have become one of the major gun manufacturers in the US today.
Daniel Defense: Georgia, South Carolina
Known for excellent quality, Daniel Defense firearms are considered high-end. They didn’t start out as a gun company, and their history does not go back near as far as the senior gun manufacturers. They are a newer company in the old world of guns, but they have never let that stop them. While they didn’t start making guns until 2009, they got their foot in the door in 2001. This happened when founder Marty Daniel started making sling loops for rifles in 2001. A decade later, Daniel Defense would be making weapons not only for people around the globe but for the Military and law enforcement as well.
Kimber: Alabama
Mossberg’s first gun wasn’t a shotgun or rifle but a handgun. Gun companies like to switch it up, and Kimber is no different. A company that is known for producing 1911 pistols, they first manufactured rifles in the late 60s and had a rocky future with bankruptcies and takeovers. It wasn’t until the 90s that Greg Warne and Les Edelman revived the company as “Kimber of America.” The company started to grow and today, it is known for excellent quality and unique finishes on its 1911 pistols. They offer full-size 1911s, mid-size, and a line of micro-9 compact pistols for CCW. They are now based in Troy, Alabama, where they continue to grow.
Smith & Wesson: Massachusetts, Tennessee
Another household name, Smith & Wesson, does not need any introduction. They have been around since 1852 and produced the Volcanic pistol in 1854. This pistol looked like a baby of a lever action rifle and used the same concept to make it the first repeating handgun using a self-contained cartridge. While S&W is a household name, they have struggled with staying alive. They were purchased in 2001 by Saf-T-Hammer Corporation for 15 million with the agreement that the new owners also assumed 30 million of debt owed by S&W. The gun company was then moved back and forth to different divisions with different name changes.
Smith & Wesson is known for making revolvers. In recent years, however, they have produced a line of M&P (military and police) handguns, rifles, and shotguns. They also saw success with the Bodyguard and EZ Shield compact guns.
Even though the old-school gun company has been through some shaky ground, they have remained a household name that makes guns in the US. S&W guns had been made in Springfield, Massachusetts for decades. But in 2021, the company announced it would be moving some of its manufacturing operations to Maryville, Tennessee because new laws were being proposed to stop them from manufacturing assault-style weapons.
Wilson Combat: Arkansas
Who doesn’t like Wilson Combat? They make one of the best-made 1911s you can buy. Wilson Combat has grown from a custom firearms company to a manufacturer of rifles and compact handguns sold around the world. Founded in 1977 by Bill Wilson, the company started as a custom firearms company. They didn’t want to just mass produce but make custom weapons for competitors, 1911 enthusiasts, and anyone else who appreciated quality craftsmanship. Wilson was trained as a watchmaker but worked in a retail store in Arkansas that sold guns. They are known most for their custom 1911 handguns but make multiple calibers in the AR-15 style of rifles.
Armalite: Arizona
While Armalite may not be one of the dominating gun manufacturers like Sig, Glock, or Wilson Combat, they deserve a mention anyway. Armalite was the creator of the infamous AR-15 rifle. The AR-10 was created first, but the AR-15 is by far the most popular rifle in the US. A lack of education causes many to believe that “AR” stands for assault rifle when, in fact, it stands for Arma-Lite rifle. In 1954, Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation founded the Armalite company. Today, they are owned by Strategic Armory Corp. and make their rifles in Arizona.
Barrett: Tennessee
Every gun company has its niche, and Barrett has one, too. To some in the gun world, it is known as the BFG (big freaking gun). To others, it is known as the Barrett .50 caliber rifle. It doesn’t matter if you want a bolt action rifle for a sniper or a semi-auto gun that will blow big holes in things miles away; Barret makes big guns. Founded in 1982 by Ronnie G Barret, the company set out to make a semi-auto rifle that could shoot a .50 caliber round. Their first working model, the M82 was introduced in 1982 and has been improved multiple times since then.
As the company began to grow, it started to produce bolt-action sniper rifles and now has contracts with governments around the world. Barret guns are produced in Tennessee and the state is not ashamed of it. In 2016, Tennessee named the Barret M82 the official rifle of the State of Tennessee. Barretts are not cheap guns. But if you want a big gun that shoots a big bullet, Berrett has an American-made rifle ready to sell you.
Summary
There are a lot of companies out there making firearms. Some are on the cheap side, and some are on the high end of the price tag. There are some great guns made in other parts of the world, but it’s nice to know which ones are made in America. In section two, we will continue to look at some of the major gun manufacturers who produce firearms in the US. Later, I will start tackling some of the smaller gun companies that could be up and coming rock-stars in the firearms industry.
