Global Small Arms Market 2016-2020

This market research report identifies players like Beretta, Heckler & Koch, HS Produkt, SIG SAUER, and Smith & Wesson to be the key vendors in the global small arms market. This research report also presents a detailed segmentation of the market by end-users (civilians, armed forces, and law enforcement) and by geography (the Americas, APAC, and EMEA).

Overview of the global small arms market

Technavio’s market research analyst predicts the global small arms market to reach almost USD 6 billion by 2020. Small arms and light weapons constitute those armaments that are intended for individual use and can also be operated as portable weapons by a group of persons serving as a crew. Small arms can be categorized into revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, rifles, light machine guns, portable anti-aircraft guns, grenade launchers, portable anti-tank guns, and mortars. As per Technavio's market study, around 60% of the global small arms are possessed by civilians including private citizen, gangs, private security personnel, and non-state armed forces owing to the growing need for self-defense. Several countries across the globe are providing small arms for civilian defense purposes on legal grounds, which is one of the primary driving forces for the overall market’s growth. One of the latest developments in this market is the emergence of smart guns, which comprise of several technologies, including proximity sensors, biometrics, radio frequency identification (RFID), and microchips to improve gun safety. Owing to the technological benefits of these guns, several defense organizations are planning modernization strategies across the globe, which, in turn, will boost the growth prospects of this market during the predicted period.

Owing to the changing requirements from end-user segments, several vendors are coming up with new technologies for the manufacture of small arms and light weapons. For instance, there are programs like the lightweight small arms technologies (LSAT), which target to minimize the weight of small arms and their ammunition. LSAT is an initiative of the US military project to replace the existing small arms of the US Army under Joint Service Small Arms Program. Moreover, the growing use of 3D-printed guns is also having a positive impact on the growth of this market. 3D printing technology enables the construction of a working gun directly from the computer-aided design (CAD) files to the 3D-printed component.

Competitive landscape and key vendors

The global small arms market is highly competitive with many prominent players competing in terms of price, quality, weight, and size of firearms to increase their market share. However, in the military segment, there are very few major vendors who dominate the market, which has intensified competition among the vendors in this segment to gain major defense contracts. The market players are focusing on the design, development, and manufacture of firearms that are more reliable and superior than the existing ones in the military department. To sustain themselves in this intensely competitive scenario, vendors can boost their profit margins by opting for efficient production techniques that can significantly diminish production expenses and mitigate associated risks.

Leading vendors in the market are -

• Beretta
• Heckler & Koch
• HS Produkt
• SIG SAUER
• Smith & Wesson

Other prominent vendors in the small arms market include Arsenal Jsco, Browning Arms, Colt Manufacturing, E.R. Shaw, FnHerstal, Glock Perfection, Indian Ordnance Factories, Israel Military Industries, and Nammo Group.

Segmentation by end-users and analysis of the small arms market

• Civilians
• Armed forces
• Law enforcement

During 2015, the civilians segment dominated the market and constituted the largest share with around 62% of the global market share. Most of the armaments including small arms and light weapons, are owned privately by civilians, and the possession includes both legal as well as illegal ones. Moreover, with the government's encouragement towards shooting sports, there is anticipated to be a positive impact on the sales of sports and hunting rifles and associated equipment. Furthermore, with growing concerns regarding self-defense, there will be an increasing preference among couples, women, and the elderly people to possess small arms in the coming years.

Geographical segmentation and analysis of the small arms market

• Americas
• APAC
• EMEA

EMEA leads the global market for small arms and is anticipated to continue its dominance during the forecast period. Countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, the UK, Russia, Italy, Belgium, France, Austria, and Spain are the major exporters and importers of small arms and light weapons in this region. Much of the region’s growth can be attributed to huge investments made in military and law enforcement modernization programs. Factors such as increasing replacements in the inventory of small arms including assault rifles, light machine guns, sub-machine guns, and pistols, will significantly contribute to the growth of the market in this region in the coming years.

 Key questions answered in the report include

• What will the market size, market forecast and the growth rate be in 2020?
• What are the key factors driving the global small arms market?
• What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the global small arms market?
• What are the challenges to market growth?
• Who are the key vendors in the global small arms market?
• What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global small arms market?
• Trending factors influencing the market shares of the Americas, APAC, and EMEA.
• What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the global small arms market?