World’s Largest Small Arms Manufacturers: Türkiye’s American Breakthrough and SIG Sauer’s Decade (2026)

Small arms is where the Turkish defense industry’s most surprising success story plays out. Türkiye has been the United States’ largest handgun supplier since 2021, and in 2024 more than 538,000 Turkish pistols entered the US market — a marked jump from 433,621 the year before. Samsun Yurt Savunma (SYS), the parent company of Canik, ranks third among pistol exporters to the United States, behind Austrian and Brazilian firms. On the military side another name sits at the center of the table: SIG Sauer won the US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program to replace the M4 and M249, taking a ten-year contract for the M7 rifle and M250 light machine gun, with the Army planning 107,000 M7s and 13,000 M250s. The roughly $9.7 billion global small arms market is on a steady path toward $13 billion by 2034. Following our electro-optical file, Envanter Medya compares the world’s small arms makers across production scale, military program weight, exports and brand base.

The research at a glance

“Largest” by which measure?

Small arms differ sharply from every other sector in this series: most of the market is civilian, not military. A tank builder’s only customers are armies; a pistol maker’s customers are armies, police forces and millions of individuals. So the answer to “largest” changes entirely with which market you look at. This file uses four yardsticks: production scale (annual units and export volume), military program weight (is it an army’s standard weapon?), export footprint and product breadth (pistols, rifles, machine guns, sniper systems). The global market stood at $9.70 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach $10.00 billion in 2026 and $13.10 billion by 2034.

By military program weight: SIG Sauer’s ten-year contract

The biggest rupture in military small arms this decade was the US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program: SIG Sauer received a ten-year production contract for the systems replacing the M4 carbine and M249 squad automatic weapon, decades-old standards. The program covers two weapons — the M7 rifle and the M250 light machine gun — and the Army’s stated plan is 107,000 M7s and 13,000 M250s for close combat forces. It is the kind of decision that fixes a company’s position in the sector for a decade, and a reference point that will shape NATO rifle choices to come.

By production scale: Türkiye’s American breakthrough

The civilian market’s biggest address is the United States, and the picture there changed quietly over five years: Türkiye has been America’s largest handgun supplier since 2021. In 2024 more than 538,000 Turkish pistols entered the US, up from 433,621 the year before. Samsun Yurt Savunma (SYS), Canik’s parent, ranks third among pistol exporters to the US with $70 million in sales, behind Austrian and Brazilian firms; Sarsılmaz is another Turkish brand growing in the same market. By brand-level unit sales inside the US, however, domestic giants lead: in a 2025 sales dataset for semi-automatic pistols, Glock led with 51,750 units, followed by SIG Sauer (22,750), Ruger (15,290), Canik USA (6,220) and CZ-USA (5,570).

Verified production and programs

Data types: R = official/company statement, T = credible industry reporting, D = insufficient data. US market unit figures come from a specific 2025 sales dataset and reflect sales within that dataset, not total market production.

The Envanter Medya Composite Index: EM-GDPI (adapted)

The series’ nine-criterion index was adapted for this sector: because civilian sales weigh so heavily, the production criterion was assessed in two sub-parts (military and civilian), and military program weight was added as a separate criterion. Kalashnikov Concern was not scored for lack of data — which does not mean Russia builds no small arms; no data, no score.

What the index says: SIG Sauer leads by holding the US Army’s decade-long rifle program and second place in the civilian market at the same time — no other company combines both. Beretta Holding ranks on five centuries of history and a portfolio spanning pistols to sniper rifles; Glock on civilian and police market dominance. Canik/SYS’s sixth place at 74 points comes from near-full marks on the export criterion: third place in the world’s most competitive firearms market is a position no other branch of Turkish industry holds. MKE and Sarsılmaz appear with different strengths — MKE on military program weight, Sarsılmaz on export growth.

Where does Türkiye stand?

Small arms is where Turkish industry has reached its highest export market share — and it did so not through state programs but in a fully competitive civilian market. Türkiye has been America’s largest handgun supplier since 2021; more than 538,000 Turkish pistols entered the US in 2024, up markedly from 433,621 the year before. Canik’s parent SYS ranks third among pistol exporters to the US with $70 million in sales, and Sarsılmaz is another growing brand there. On the military side, MKE’s MPT-76/55 family is the Turkish Armed Forces’ standard infantry rifle and has been exported to several countries; MKE’s integration with ammunition production reinforces that line — detailed in our ammunition manufacturers file.

Where is Türkiye behind?

Let the data speak, from the right angle: the Turkish success is mostly in civilian pistols. In military standard-rifle programs the picture differs — there is no Turkish military rifle export on the scale of SIG Sauer’s ten-year NGSW contract or the HK416’s spread across NATO armies including France. MKE’s MPT family has been exported, but its user-army count sits far behind the dozens-of-countries base held by FN and H&K. Turkish brands also have a limited global footprint in machine guns and sniper systems. Against that, three data points support optimism: third place in the world’s most competitive firearms market is hard to imitate; three separate Turkish companies appearing in one index shows ecosystem depth; and MKE’s weapon-plus-ammunition integration allows package offers in export competitions.

How this research was prepared

Data year: Market data 2025-2026 (industry reports); export data 2024-2025; program data from official announcements, January 2024 – August 2026. Scope: Eleven groups producing pistols, infantry rifles, light machine guns and sniper rifles; heavy machine guns and autocannon are out of scope. Missing data: Most builders do not disclose annual production; US market unit figures rest on a specific sales dataset. Kalashnikov Concern data is not public. EM-GDPI (adapted): The production criterion was split into military/civilian and military program weight added as a separate criterion.

Frequently asked questions

Which company is the world’s largest small arms manufacturer?

It depends on the measure: SIG Sauer leads on military program weight (the US Army’s NGSW), Glock on civilian market dominance, Beretta Holding on portfolio breadth. SIG Sauer tops Envanter Medya’s adapted index.

How many pistols does Türkiye export to the US?

More than 538,000 Turkish pistols entered the US in 2024, up from 433,621 the year before. Türkiye has been America’s largest handgun supplier since 2021.

Where does Canik rank in the US market?

Canik’s parent Samsun Yurt Savunma (SYS) ranks third among pistol exporters to the United States with $70 million in sales, behind Austrian and Brazilian firms.

What is the NGSW program?

The US Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program, replacing the M4 carbine and M249 squad automatic weapon. SIG Sauer won the ten-year contract; the plan is 107,000 M7 rifles and 13,000 M250 light machine guns.

How big is the global small arms market?

$9.70 billion in 2025, expected to reach $10.00 billion in 2026 and $13.10 billion by 2034 (about 3.4 percent average annual growth).

What is the MPT-76?

The 7.62 mm version of MKE’s National Infantry Rifle family, the Turkish Armed Forces’ standard rifle, used alongside the 5.56 mm MPT-55 and exported to several countries.

Which pistol sells most in the US?

In a 2025 sales dataset for semi-automatic pistols, Glock led with 51,750 units, followed by SIG Sauer (22,750), Ruger (15,290), Canik USA (6,220) and CZ-USA (5,570). These reflect sales within that dataset, not total market production.

How old is Beretta?

Beretta marks its 500th anniversary in 2026 — among the world’s oldest operating arms makers and one of the rare industrial firms still run by the same family.

What is NATO’s standard machine gun?

The FN MAG and Minimi family built by Belgium’s FN Herstal serves as the standard machine gun of dozens of NATO and allied armies.

Does Türkiye export military rifles?

Yes; MKE’s MPT family has been exported to several countries. But its user-army count remains behind the dozens-of-countries base held by FN and Heckler & Koch.

How many small arms does Russia produce?

No reliable public data exists since sanctions; Kalashnikov Concern was excluded from the index for that reason.

Why have Turkish pistols succeeded?

Price-performance balance, high production capacity and early entry into US distribution networks are the factors most often cited. See the Defense Atlas for product profiles.

Sources and methodology notes

This study is an editorial research product prepared by Envanter Medya by cross-checking publicly available official company data, trade records, industry reports and program announcements. Principal sources:

• Foreign Policy — Türkiye as America’s largest handgun supplier since 2021; over 538,000 pistols in 2024
• Canik/SYS official publication — SYS’s third place among pistol exporters to the US ($70 million)
• M7 and M250 program records — SIG Sauer’s ten-year NGSW contract; the 107,000 M7 + 13,000 M250 plan
• Fortune Business Insights — global small arms market size and growth outlook
• The Gun Database — Canik and Sarsılmaz’s rise in the US market and brand-level sales data
• all4shooters — Beretta’s 500th anniversary

Last updated: August 25, 2026. This is a living research page, updated as export and program announcements arrive. The next file in the series examines the world’s largest trainer aircraft manufacturers. For the full series, see the 2026 Global Defense Industry Report.