Firearms Exports And Imports Tumble In July

Imports and exports of handguns, rifle, shotguns and other hunt categories fell broadly and sharply in July, according to US International Trade Commission compiled by the NSSF.

July 2017 – FIREARM & AMMUNITION IMPORTS

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 July 2017 compared to July 2016.

• July Handgun imports decreased 13.7 percent from 314,171 to 271,226 units. Within the handgun category, Pistol import units dropped 16.7 percent from 291,582 to 242,764 units while imported Revolver units increased 26.0 percent from 22,589 to 28,462 units.
• July Rifle imports were down 24.0 percent from 49,022 to 37,250 units. This category has been adjusted to exclude HTS codes 9303304010 & 9303308005 (Telescopic Sights Imported with Rifles).
• July Shotgun category posted a 10.4 percent decrease in imported units from 71,412 to 63,950.
• July Muzzleloader category decreased 44.2 percent from 16,886 to 9,429 units.
• July Other Cartridges (excluding Shotgun cartridges) category decreased 52.8 percent from 315.2 million to 148.7 million units.
• July Shotgun Cartridges category increased by 1.7 percent rising to 25.4 million units as compared to last year’s 25.0 million.
• Telescopic Sights:
  • July 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 17.3 percent from 1,828 units to 2,145.
  • July Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013101000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not designed for use with infrared light) decreased 36.5 percent from 392,511 units to 249,428.
  • July Telescopic sights for rifles (HTS code 9013103000, defined as telescopic sights for rifles not elsewhere specified or included [NESOI]) rose 83.5 percent from 16,696 units to 30,638.
• Binoculars:
  • July Prism Binoculars [not for use with infrared light] (HTS code 9005100040) decreased 41.6 percent from 319,749 units to 186,741.
  • July Binoculars HTS code 9005100080 [Other Binoculars, NESOI] increased 36.2 percent from 192,091 units to 261,577.

July 2017 – FIREARMS & AMMUNITION EXPORTS

NSSF tracks and reports monthly U.S. export units for several sporting arms, ammunition, and optics categories from the US International Trade Commission.  Below are the results for July 2017 compared to July 2016.

• July Handgun exports decreased 55.1 percent from 36,924 to 16,596 units. Within the handgun category, Pistol export units decreased 55.3 percent from 34,297 to 15,333 units while exported Revolver units dropped 51.9 percent from 2,627 to 1,263 units.
• July Rifle exports were down 4.8 percent from 23,057 to 21,960 units.
• July Shotgun category posted a 35.4 percent decrease in exported units from 8,249 to 5,328.
• July Muzzleloader category increased 61.7 percent from 183 to 296 units exported.
• July Other Cartridges (excluding Shotgun cartridges) category decreased 19.7 percent from 75.3 million in 2016 to 60.4 million units exported in 2017.
• July Shotgun Cartridges category increased by 14.6 percent rising to 3.0 million units as compared to last year’s 2.6 million.
• Telescopic Sights:
  • July Telescopic Sights for Rifles (HTS code 9013102000, which includes military use) dropped by 27.4 percent from 30,395 units to 22,081.
• Binoculars:
  • July Prism Binoculars [not for use with infrared light] (HTS code 9005100040) decreased 55.0 percent from 25,028 units to 11,272.
  • July Binoculars HTS code 9005100080 [Other Binoculars, NESOI] decreased 26.8 percent from 18,318 units to 13,413.