Rimfire Ammunition Market Report 2025

The rimfire ammunition market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $1.76 billion in 2024 to $1.9 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8%. The growth during the historic period can be attributed to increasing demand for affordable ammunition, expanded use in training and practice, greater adoption in youth shooting programs, and rising preference for low-recoil ammunition.

The rimfire ammunition market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $2.53 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5%. The projected growth in the forecast period is driven by increased participation in shooting sports, rising demand for affordable training ammunition, growing interest in small game hunting, expanding civilian firearm ownership, and the rising popularity of recreational shooting activities. Key trends expected during this time include advancements in lead-free ammunition technology, the use of biodegradable materials in cartridge design, technology-driven enhancements in rimfire cartridge performance, development of high-precision rimfire ammunition, and improvements in manufacturing processes to reduce production costs.

The growing interest in shooting sports is expected to drive the growth of the rimfire ammunition market in the coming years. Shooting sports involve competitive or recreational activities centered around aiming and firing firearms or airguns for accuracy and precision. This increasing interest is attributed to the expansion of shooting ranges and training facilities, which has made the sport more accessible to the public. Rimfire ammunition supports shooting sports by providing low-cost, low-recoil rounds, making it suitable for beginners and recreational shooters. It improves training and competition by delivering consistent performance and affordability, encouraging broader participation in the sport. For example, in January 2024, the National Shooting Sports Foundation Inc., a US-based trade association, reported that in 2022, the most popular recreational shooting activities for adult participation were target shooting with a handgun (16.9%), target shooting with a rifle (15.6%), and target shooting at an outdoor range (13.3%). Additionally, 17% of all adults participating in shooting sports in 2022 were newcomers, representing a 42% increase since 2020. Therefore, the rising interest in shooting sports is contributing to the growth of the rimfire ammunition market.

Leading companies in the rimfire ammunition market are concentrating on developing technologically advanced products such as lead-free projectiles to comply with environmental regulations and meet the increasing demand for non-toxic alternatives. Lead-free projectiles are ammunition designed without any lead components in the bullet, primer, or casing, utilizing alternative materials to reduce toxic exposure and environmental harm. For instance, in September 2024, Winchester Ammunition, a US-based firearms and ammunition manufacturer, launched the 21 Sharp, a rimfire cartridge engineered to deliver enhanced accuracy and on-target performance. This advanced rimfire ammunition provides lead-free accuracy, broad projectile compatibility, and reliable performance, making it ideal for modern shooting and eco-friendly applications. The 21 Sharp cartridge is highly versatile, offering consistent performance across a variety of bullet types, including jacketed options, due to its purpose-built design focused on precision and reliability for both recreational shooting and small game hunting.

In December 2023, Colt CZ Group SE, a firearms manufacturer based in the Czech Republic, acquired Sellier & Bellot for $703 million. This acquisition allows Colt CZ Group to strengthen its position in the small-caliber ammunition segment by incorporating established manufacturing capabilities and product lines, thereby expanding its ammunition offerings. Sellier & Bellot, also based in the Czech Republic, is known for producing reliable and affordable rimfire ammunition for target shooting, training, and hunting.

Major players in the rimfire ammunition market are Hornady Manufacturing Company, Fiocchi Munizioni S.p.A., Browning Arms Company, Lapua, Nosler Inc., True Velocity Inc., Eley Group Ltd., Pobjeda Technology, Freedom Munitions LLC, Czechoslovak Group, DRT Ammo, Aguila Ammunition, Atomic Ammo Holdings Inc., HSM Ammunition, Prvi Partizan, SBR Ammunition, Sellier & Bellot, Winchester Ammunition, Geco Ammunition, and RWS Ammunition.

North America was the largest region in the rimfire ammunition market in 2024. The regions covered in rimfire ammunition report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the rimfire ammunition market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The sharp hike in U.S. tariffs and the associated trade disputes in spring 2025 are notably impacting the aerospace and defense sector by raising costs for titanium, carbon fiber composites, and avionics materials largely sourced from global suppliers. Defense contractors, locked into fixed-price government contracts, absorb these added costs, while commercial aerospace firms face airline pushback on higher aircraft prices. Delays in component shipments due to customs bottlenecks further disrupt tight production schedules for jets and satellites. The industry is responding by stockpiling critical materials, seeking waivers for defense-related imports, and collaborating with allied nations to diversify supply chain.

Rimfire ammunition is a type of metallic cartridge used in firearms, characterized by the primer being located inside the hollow rim at the base of the cartridge case. It is commonly used in small-caliber firearms and favored for recreational shooting, target practice, small game hunting, and training because of its affordability and low recoil.

The primary types of rimfire ammunition include.22 Long Rifle (LR),.22 Short,.22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire),.17 HMR (Hornady Magnum Rimfire), and subsonic rounds. The.22 Long Rifle (LR) is a popular variant known for its versatility, low recoil, and broad applications in hunting, target shooting, and training. It is extensively used by hunters, competitive shooters, and for recreational purposes, with key users including individual consumers, sports shooting groups, hunting clubs, law enforcement, and military training units.

The rimfire ammunition market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides rimfire ammunition market statistics, including the rimfire ammunition industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the rimfire ammunition market share, detailed rimfire ammunition market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the rimfire ammunition industry. This rimfire ammunition market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The rimfire ammunition market consists of sales of conical ball cap,.5mm remington rim fire,.22 bulleted breech cap. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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