Each year, the ATF publishes the Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report (AFMER), providing detailed firearm production and export numbers for a given year. However, due to the extensive volume of data entailed, reports are published roughly nine months after data is collected, meaning the 2019 AFMER has only recently been published.

More than 125 pages long, the AFMER includes a summary of firearm totals, followed by pages divided by firearm type, listing every manufacturer responsible for producing a single pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun or “Misc. Firearm,” further broken down by caliber. Calibers are grouped so as to account for a wider range of cartridges up to said caliber. For example, the “To .50” grouping includes revolvers chambered for rounds larger than .44 Magnum and up to .50 caliber (e.g., .45 Colt, .500 S&W, etc.).

An interesting, detailed look at who is producing what and how much, last year we examined the top revolver producers of 2018. One year later, we’re back to see who rose into — and who fell from — the top 10 in 2019.

1. Heritage Mfg.

Behind more than 212,000 revolvers, topping the list in 2019 is Heritage Manufacturing, a Taurus company. Best known for their affordable small bore Rough Rider series of single actions, it’s no surprise 99.2% of their total revolvers produced were chambered to .22. In fact, Heritage produced more rimfire revolvers than any other manufacturer’s entire total.

Total Revolvers: 212,694
2018 Rank: #2 (187,104)

2. Ruger

The top overall firearm manufacturer for at least the second straight year, Ruger moved up one spot in 2019 with more than 184,000 revolvers produced. Like Heritage, a large majority of those were chambered in .22, likely in part to the release of the Ruger Wrangler that same year. Ruger also managed to produce at least 10,000 wheelguns in every caliber grouping, except “To .32.”

Total Revolvers: 184,198
2018 Rank: #3 (145,534)

3. Smith & Wesson

Despite a storied relationship with revolvers, Smith & Wesson dropped from first to third in 2019, cutting their total revolver production by 60%. Of their total, more than 60,000 revolvers were chambered to .38 or .357, while another 11,000 were made to .44 with the reintroduction of the 10mm Model 610. Another 7,000 were to .50 — including those in the venerable .45 Colt and the fun .460 S&W and .500 S&W.

Total Revolvers: 83,454
2018 Rank: #1 (210,333)

4. North American Arms

The third-largest producer of rimfire revolvers in 2019, North American Arms stayed firm in their fourth-position ranking despite producing roughly 7,000 fewer mini-revolvers. All 42,337 revolvers made were chambered in .22 — as is NAA’s specialty — making them the only manufacturer to produce as many wheelguns in just one caliber.

Total Revolvers: 42,337
2018 Rank: #4 (49,171)

5. Colt

One of the few manufacturers to actually increase revolver production in 2019, Colt rose two spots in our list behind more than 21,000 wheelguns. Two years following the reintroduction of the .38 Special Cobra, Colt continued shedding the Snake Gun series in 2019 with the re-release of the .357 Magnum King Cobra. Of their total, 16% were chambered to .38 with another 74% to .357.

Total Revolvers: 21,049
2018 Rank: #7 (16,697)

6. Charter Arms

Operating under Charco 2000 Inc., better known as Charter Arms, the “Fine American Firearms” company produced just over 19,000 revolvers in 2019. One of only four manufacturers to chamber guns for each caliber grouping, Charter Arms was the largest producer of .32-caliber revolvers (972) with the introduction of their 7-shot .32 H&R Professional. Over 10,000 were chambered to .38/.357.

Total Revolvers: 19,190
2018 Rank: #5 (21,761)

7. Kimber

Behind the popular K6s line of .357 Magnum revolvers, Kimber produced 9,000 wheelguns between their Yonkers, N.Y. and Troy, Ala. plants in 2019 — their first year operating in the southern state. While both locations put out nearly identical totals, it’s expected more will come from Alabama in the future following Kimber’s announcement to move its corporate headquarters to Troy.

Total Revolvers: 9,024
2018 Rank: #8 (9,609)

8. Frank Roth Co.

An unspoken secret of the firearms industry, companies often outsource production to machine shops to supplement in-house manufacturing. A Connecticut-based engineering, machining and welding company who has worked with “some of the largest and most highly-respected small arms manufacturers,” Frank Roth Co. is located less than 20 minutes from both Ruger and Charter Arms operations with Colt also not far away. Coincidence? Maybe. Either way, FR upped their production in 2019 to nearly 5,000 revolvers.

Total Revolvers: 4,953
2018 Rank: #9 (1,490)

9. Magnum Research

The embodiment of “bigger is better,” Magnum Research is best known for the Desert Eagle, but has also become popular for the BFR, or Biggest Finest Revolver. Offered in 10 total pistol (short cylinder) and rifle (long cylinder) calibers, as well as barrel lengths ranging from 5”–10”, MRI produced 1,300 revolvers in 2019, including over 1,000 chambered to .50.

Total Revolvers: 1,329
2018 Rank: Unranked

10. Nighthawk Custom

After partnering with legendary German firearm manufacturer Korth in 2016 to develop and import their high-end revolvers, Nighthawk Custom rounds out the top-10 with 751 total revolvers. Producing 500 models chambered to .357, Nighthawk and Korth launched the Ranger in 2019, a 4” .357 Magnum wheelgun with a price tag good enough to place eighth on this list if measuring in units instead of dollars.

Total Revolvers: 751
2018 Rank: Unranked

Declining Production

In a firearms market dominated by semi-auto, striker-fired, polymer frame handguns, revolver production in 2019 (580,601 revolvers) was down 15% from 2018 (664,835), continuing the trend since 2015 and marking the lowest total since 2011. However, overall handgun production, which had been increasing year-over-year since 2017, was also down 25% in 2019 — the third time handgun production had failed to grow since 2009, and just the sixth time in the last 20 years.

While revolvers may no longer be the top choice among most new shooters and gun owners, there’s hope for 2020 AFMER numbers, and a new record (885,259; 2015), following the biggest year in firearms history.

View ATF 2019 AFMER