It has been five years since we last produced one of these annual summaries. The total database view volume for 2025 was 1,558,635 views. This is lower than the number of views we had back in 2020. But we still feel that the higher 2020 view count was most likely due to the pandemic lockdowns at the time, increasing online activity. Still, over one-and-a-half million database views for the year is notable.
The table below lists the top 25 manufacturers ranked by total aggregated views, including the number of models each contributes to the top 500 list.
Smith & Wesson occupies the top position with 237,665 total views across 117 distinct models. This extensive representation covers a range of semi-automatic pistols (including third-generation series and modern M&P variants) and revolvers, indicating broad and persistent database queries across their historical and current product lines. Taurus ranks second with 119,350 views from 66 models, reflecting significant interest in both their semi-automatic pistols (PT-series) and revolvers (including Raging and Tracker families).
Ruger follows with 81,360 views from 32 models, showing engagement with discontinued P-series semi-automatics alongside revolvers such as the GP-100 and Redhawk lines. SIG achieves 42,760 views across 27 models, with contributions from modular platforms like the P320 family and compact carry options such as the P365 series.
Manufacturers with fewer models but high view totals include Jimenez (4 models, 22,130 views), where interest concentrates heavily on the JA-Nine and related budget semi-automatics, and Raven (2 models, 10,437 views), driven primarily by the P-25 pocket pistol. In contrast, brands like Beretta (23 models, 32,805 views) and Springfield Armory (16 models, 22,310 views) demonstrate more distributed interest across their catalogs.
Lower-ranked entries in the top 25, such as Canik (3 models, 8,905 views) and Tanfoglio (4 models, 6,990 views), reflect targeted queries on specific imported designs, often value-oriented semi-automatics. The presence of niche producers like American Derringer (4 models) and Arminius (4 models) highlights sustained, though narrower, engagement with specialized categories such as derringers and revolvers.
Below is our compilation of the top 500 handgun models viewed in our database for 2025, with view counts aggregated by manufacturer and model name. This aggregation accounts for model variants, such as different calibers or configurations, which are otherwise treated as separate entities in our database. As a result, the list consolidates duplicate references, summing their views to reflect overall interest in a base model. The top entry, the Jimenez JA-Nine, records 15,254 views, while the 500th, the Bersa Thunder 40 Pro, has 879 views. The mean view count is approximately 1,885, and the median is around 1,372, indicating a distribution where a small number of models attract a disproportionate share of attention.
Manufacturer Dominance and Distribution
Smith & Wesson maintains a substantial presence, with numerous models in the list contributing to an estimated total of over 200,000 aggregated views across entries like the M&P (11,766), 6906 (10,975), and 4506 (5,011). This reflects consistent database interactions with their semi-automatic pistols and revolvers, particularly third-generation models from the 1980s and 1990s. Taurus follows with models such as the PT-100 (5,986 views) and PT-945 (4,031), totaling around 80,000 views, emphasizing their revolvers and compact semi-automatics.
Ruger appears frequently, with the P90 at 10,431 views and the Mark II at 6,656, alongside revolvers like the GP-100 (5,198). Other notable manufacturers include Colt (e.g., Detective Special at 4,264), SIG (P229 at 3,182), and Beretta (8045 Cougar at 2,689). Budget-oriented brands like Jimenez (JA-Nine at 15,254) and Norinco (M-77B at 6,555) secure high positions, while imports from Llama (III A at 8,843) and Astra (Constable at 3,254) also feature prominently. The dataset includes 55 manufacturers, with U.S.-based entities accounting for about 60% of the top 100 by views, and international or lesser-known brands making up the remainder. This balance suggests viewer research spans established domestic lines and economical foreign alternatives, potentially driven by availability in secondary markets.
Key Model Categories and View Count Patterns
The aggregated order reveals concentrated interest in budget semi-automatic pistols, with the Jimenez JA-Nine—a 9mm striker-fired model known for its low cost—leading the list. Similar economical options, such as the Raven P-25 (8,797 views) and Hi-Point JS-9 (1,495), appear in the upper half, indicating queries related to affordable defensive firearms. Older semi-automatics dominate, including Smith & Wesson's 6906 (10,975) and Ruger's P-series (P90 at 10,431, P91 at 3,930), which are discontinued but retain relevance through used sales and maintenance discussions.
Revolvers constitute a significant portion, with models like the H&R 732 (6,328 views), Ruger GP-100 (5,198), and Taurus Raging Hornet (4,489) reflecting engagement with wheelguns for hunting or home defense. Compact and subcompact carry pistols, such as the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Plus (4,700) and SIG P365 (2,251), rank in the top 50, showing interest in modern concealed-carry options. View counts exhibit a steep decline: 30 models exceed 4,000 views, 100 surpass 2,000, and the lower 300 range from 1,000 to 879. This long-tail effect implies focused attention on a core set of models, with broader but less intense curiosity across the list.
Niche categories include derringers (American Derringer Model 1 at 3,184) and large-caliber handguns (Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark XIX at 2,959), alongside historical pieces like the Colt Python (2,723). The aggregation amplifies totals for versatile platforms; for example, the Taurus PT-100's combined views (5,986) underscore research into its Beretta-inspired design across calibers.
Trends in Viewer Interest for 2025
The ranked order points to sustained database queries on historical and discontinued models, such as the Llama III A (8,843) and Walther PPK (3,682), which may relate to collector interest or comparisons with contemporary alternatives. Budget imports from Norinco (CF-98 at 6,277) and Canik (TP40v2 at 4,077) rank highly, suggesting viewers explore cost-effective clones of premium designs amid potential economic considerations in 2025. Modern polymer pistols, like the Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0 (3,850) and Springfield Armory Hellcat (1,970), appear mid-list, indicating steady but not overwhelming engagement compared to legacy options.
Caliber diversity influences aggregation benefits; models like the Taurus PT-945 (4,031 views across variants) highlight interest in .45 ACP compacts. The presence of multiple Taurus revolvers (e.g., 425 Tracker at 3,506) reflects queries on their titanium and stainless offerings for outdoor use. Lower-ranked entries, such as the SIG P365-380 (1,113) and Glock 43X (1,384), suggest emerging interest in .380 ACP carry guns, possibly tied to ammunition availability trends.
Top 500 Handguns Viewed in 2025