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 April 2024 compared to April 2023.

• April Handgun imports decreased 8.9 percent from 353,883 to 322,266 units. Within the handgun category, Pistol import units dropped 12.5 percent from 318,589 to 278,655 units while imported Revolver units increased 23.6 percent from 35,294 to 43,611 units.
• April Rifle imports were down 5.9 percent from 88,487 to 83,252 units. This category has been adjusted to exclude HTS codes 9303.30.4010 & 9303.30.8005 (Telescopic Sights Imported with Rifles).
• April Shotgun category posted a 21.2 percent increase in imported units from 79,137 to 95,938.
• April Muzzleloader category increased 116.8 percent from 9,807 to 21,262 units.
• April Other Cartridges (excluding Shotgun cartridges) category increased 44.4 percent from 215.2 million to 310.8 million units.
• April Shotgun Cartridges category increased by 6.1 percent rising to 44.6 million units as compared to last year’s 42.0 million.
• First quarter handgun imports dropped 28.3 percent from 920,047 to 659,434 units.
• Telescopic Sights:
  • April 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) increased 6.8 percent from 2,746 units to 2,933.
  • April Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013.10.1000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not designed for use with infrared light) increased 1.9 percent from 231,948 units to 236,270.
  • April Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013.10.3000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not elsewhere specified or included [NESOI]) dropped 41.7 percent from 114,462 units to 66,703.
• Binoculars:
  • April Prism Binoculars [not for use with infrared light] (HTS code 9005.10.0040) decreased 2.0 percent from 157,943 units to 154,743.
  • April Binoculars HTS code 9005.10.0080 [Other Binoculars, NESOI] decreased 31.6 percent from 92,903 units to 63,573.
• April Hunting Knives (with fixed blades and wood handles) category rose 51.2 percent from 19,212 units to 29,042 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.