FAST - How many AR-rifles in US?

[bogie]

How many semi-auto AR-variant rifles do you guys think there are in the US? Not talking about brands, but about actual numbers of rifles - does anyone have access to manufacturers' figures?

And does anyone have any idea how many AK/SKS rifles have been imported? Is the info out there anywhere?

 

[taliv]

the atf website has reports of guns produced by mfg. i don't think it's broken into models though.

 

[10-Ring]

A whole lot of'em In the last year alone since the advent of the off list lower in CA, more than 35,000 AR lowers have been sold state wide. That doesn't count the ones in this state that were registered before the ban....

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

exactly 87

 

[GreenFurniture]

Half a million produced a year.

Don't know how many stay in country and how many are shipped elsewhere.

That figure also included weapons made (full-auto, non-transferable) for LEO/Gov't/Military/Export.

 

[Hardtarget]

I know one person with one.
Mark.

 

[nico]

Given the production numbers I've seen thrown out there, I'd bet it's well over 100,000. AR variants are, by far, the best selling type of gun today.

 

[cheygriz]

Considering that ARs have been available sionce the late 60s, I'll just betcha there are one helluva lot more than 100 K of them out there!

I would sincerely hope that at least 500,000 more of them will be manufactured and sold this year.

And at least that many AKs as well!

 

[Still 2 Many Choices!?]

100,000!!!!

I estimate there are more than that many just in Texas from seeing them on my range visits !!

Still 2 Many Choices!?

 

[cbsbyte]

I don't think that there are that many people who own them in this country. Maybe a million but that is probably a very high estaminte. Personally I know only one person who ones one, I have yet to see a person with one at a local range. I have seen more AK rifles than ARs in Massachusetts.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Owned by civilians, I would guess 2 million.

 

[Outlaw Man]

I think Colt estimates 80 million worldwide, but that may be just full auto/burst versions or just military/govt sales.

I'm sure it's a lower number than that for private owned ARs in the US, but I'd expect well over a million. I'd like to see the real numbers, though.

 

[Hemicuda]

umm... 2? (like it matters... I have a .308 version, I thought I'd like it, but that action STILL doesn't impress me much, even in a decent caliber...)

 

[Kaylee]

cbs... no offense intended, but you're in Massachusetts. That's like one state away from the Soviet Union. I'm not surprised you don't see many.

Here in the free states, they're all over. In Idaho and Tennessee many many shooting hobbyists and just plain well-to-do rednecks have 'em. Many have several. And just on a cost bases, AKs are two or three times more common than that, especially among younger folk with less cash. SKSs..well.. moreso.

If I recall correctly, domestic production of ARs was around 100K/year around 2000. There was a 10K uptic between 1999 and 2000 for some strange reason.

Anyhow, assuming generally steady rates pf 90-100K year since the ban, I'd say a conservative estimate is 1.3 million or so entered circulation just since the ban was enacted in 1994 which has been said to have caused a significant uptic in interest. Assume they were in production (though in lower numbers) for almost 30 years before that....

.. the answer is lots.

 

[aguyindallas]

Well, I know how many I have....

 

[arthurcw]

Not Enough. I know from personal experience we need at least 2 more. And a few extra uppers too.

 

[romma]

From my cold dead... Nevermind!

 

[Zero_DgZ]

At least one, because I've got one.

 

[beaucoup ammo]

I can walk into a store today with a FFL and walk out with one.

This is a great country and a great state...but it shouldn't be a Great Big Deal. If I were King, we'd all have several.

 

[mpmarty]

I'd guess if you lump AKs and all their variants in with the ARs and their ilk there are probably over four million in civilian hands in the US. However in Iraq each family is allowed one full auto AK 47/74 for home protection under US occupation law. I wish my government trusted me as much.

 

[cbsbyte]

cbs... no offense intended, but you're in Massachusetts. That's like one state away from the Soviet Union. I'm not surprised you don't see many.

Here in the free states, they're all over. In Idaho and Tennessee many many shooting hobbyists and just plain well-to-do rednecks have 'em. Many have several. And just on a cost bases, AKs are two or three times more common than that, especially among younger folk with less cash. SKSs..well.. moreso.

Thats funny maybe we are closer to the Soviet Union because I see plenty of AKs and SKS in Mass but not many ARs. In the local gun store they have at least a few different Aks, and Dragovs models but no AR-15s. They are just not that popular around here. Though I don't know about the more well off areas of the state, maybe around Boston, and cape their are more AR owners.

 

[pbhome71]

From ATF 2005 manufacturing statistics,

Bushmaster - 61K
RRA - 12K
Olympic Arms - 8.5K
Stag - 7.8K
Armalite - 7.5K
LMT - 2.7K
Colt - 2K

Around 100K per year.

-Pat

 

[Prince Yamato]

I think there are something like 450,000 assault weapons in California alone (registered). I recall that number from the CA DOJ website a couple years ago. Let's assume 1/3 of those are ARs (though probably more are) and that would be 150,000 AR-15s in CALIFORNIA ALONE. I'm sure I'm low on that number. I'd say nationally, probably over 2 million EASY.

 

[Glockfan.45]

I would sincerely hope that at least 500,000 more of them will be manufactured and sold this year.

Tell me about it. I am having a hell of a time finding a place that isnt sold out of lowers :banghead: .

 

[Kim]

Isn't there somewhere between 280-300 million firearms owned by civilians in the USA. I would say Tens of Millions are semi-automatic military style rifles. Tens of thousands to maybe a few hundred thousands would be machine guns.