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 August 2023 compared to August 2022.

• August Handgun imports increased 7.3 percent from 291,766 to 313,122 units. Within the handgun category, Pistol import units rose 4.4 percent from 252,954 to 264,199 units while imported Revolver units increased 26.1 percent from 38,812 to 48,923 units.
• August Rifle imports were up 32.4 percent from 78,912 to 104,476 units. This category has been adjusted to exclude HTS codes 9303.30.4010 & 9303.30.8005 (Telescopic Sights Imported with Rifles).
• August Shotgun category posted a 15.0 percent increase in imported units from 78,239 to 89,954.
• August Muzzleloader category increased 15.5 percent from 22,565 to 26,070 units.
• August Other Cartridges (excluding Shotgun cartridges) category decreased 14.5 percent from 299.8 million to 256.4 million units.
• August Shotgun Cartridges category decreased by 24.9 percent dropping to 36.6 million units as compared to last year’s 48.8 million.
• Telescopic Sights:
  • August 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) decreased 46.1 percent from 3,771 units to 2,034.
  • August Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013.10.1000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not designed for use with infrared light) decreased 22.9 percent from 336,163 units to 259,173.
  • August Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013.10.3000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not elsewhere specified or included [NESOI]) dropped 52.6 percent from 79,522 units to 37,714.
• Binoculars:
  • August Prism Binoculars [not for use with infrared light] (HTS code 9005.10.0040) decreased 23.6 percent from 377,607 units to 288,447.
  • August Binoculars HTS code 9005.10.0080 [Other Binoculars, NESOI] increased 97.5 percent from 171,135 units to 337,951.
• August Hunting Knives (with fixed blades and wood handles) category dropped 74.0 percent from 70,094 units to 18,255 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.