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 March 2024 compared to March 2023. Additionally, first quarter (January-March) 2024 total units imported in the four sporting arms categories dropped 16.5 percent while the two ammunition categories increased 27.3 percent over the same time period in 2023.

• March Handgun imports decreased 30.8 percent from 391,649 to 271,144 units. Within the handgun category, Pistol import units dropped 30.3 percent from 355,053 to 247,559 units while imported Revolver units decreased 35.6 percent from 36,596 to 23,585 units.
• First quarter handgun imports dropped 28.3 percent from 920,047 to 659,434 units.
• March Rifle imports were up 0.4 percent from 96,807 to 97,241 units. This category has been adjusted to exclude HTS codes 9303304010 & 9303308005 (Telescopic Sights Imported with Rifles).
  Imported rifle units for the first quarter decreased a total of 5.8 percent from 243,788 units to 229,609.
• March Shotgun category posted a 10.5 percent increase in imported units from 78,002 to 86,192.
  Shotgun imports were up in the first quarter from 231,450 to 283,710 units – an increase of 22.6 percent.
• March Muzzleloader category decreased 61.5 percent from 23,135 to 8,910 units.
  For muzzleloaders, first quarter import units dropped 33.3 percent from 41,539 to 27,702.
• March Other Cartridges (excluding Shotgun cartridges) category increased 18.6 percent from 213.2 million to 252.8 million units.
  First quarter imports of Other Cartridges in 2024 increased by 32.5 percent from 593.3 million units to 786.0 million units.
• March Shotgun Cartridges category increased by 26.1 percent rising to 39.7 million units as compared to last year’s 31.5 million.
  The total 2024 first quarter Shotgun Cartridge units imported were down 8.5 percent from 85.1 million in 2023 to 77.9 million units.
• Telescopic Sights:
  • March Telescopic sights with rifles (HTS codes 9303304010 and HTS 9303308005, 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 68.0 percent from 1,145 units to 1,924.
    The 2024 first quarter total of 3,798 units imported for Telescopic sights was a decrease of 38.1 percent compared to the 6,137 units imported in 2023.
  • March Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013101000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not designed for use with infrared light) decreased 37.5 percent from 207,676 units to 129,711.
    The first quarter imported units for Telescopic sights in 2024 increased by 2.5 percent from 558,327 units to 572,133.
  • o March Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013103000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not elsewhere specified or included [NESOI]) dropped 38.1 percent from 82,705 units to 51,222.
    Telescopic sights for rifles imported first quarter 2024 dropped 22.0 percent from 223,428 units in 2023 to 174,351 units.
• Binoculars:
  • March Prism Binoculars [not for use with infrared light] (HTS code 9005100040) increased 39.0 percent from 107,654 units to 149,594.
  • March Binoculars HTS code 9005100080 [Other Binoculars, NESOI] increased 15.7 percent from 73,097 units to 84,586.
  • First quarter 2024 figures: Prism Binoculars [not for use with infrared light] (HTS code 9005100040) increased 12.5 percent from 467,958 to 526,506 units. Binoculars HTS code 9005100080 [Other Binoculars, NESOI] decreased 9.8 percent from 315,174 units to 284,157 units.
• March Hunting Knives (with fixed blades and wood handles) category rose 47.4 percent from 18,953 units to 27,940 units.
  The total 2024 first quarter Hunting Knives (with fixed blades and wood handles) category dropped 48.0 percent from 117,197 units to 60,905 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.