Booming US Firearms Industry Could Get 2026 Deregulatory Boost From Trump Administration

Despite slight 2025 decline in background checks, domestic gunmakers enjoyed a robust year with sales up by more than 300 percent since 2019.

Prospective buyers get eye-on views of rifle scopes at the Trijicon booth, where the Michigan manufacturer’s scopes, sights, and optics were on display at the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show, a three-day annual firearms trade show, at the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum in Las Vegas on Jan. 21, 2026. John Haughey/The Epoch Times

LAS VEGAS—Record sales made the first year of the second Trump administration a profitable one for the nation’s $92 billion firearms industry, but the potential for federal regulatory rollbacks in its second year could provide manufacturers and retailers with long-term assurances they need to thrive.

That is why state lawmakers need to act fast, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden said, calling on Republicans in state capitols nationwide to “seize the opportunity ... right now with [President Donald] Trump” in the White House to adopt bills that protect gun owners’ rights.