🔫 Nice Class 13: Firearms, Ammunition & Fireworks
The EUIPO register holds 8,469 trademarks in Class 13, the compact class for firearms, ammunition, explosives and fireworks (as of July 2026). (as of July 2026).
8,469
Marks in the EU register
4,917
Registered with the EUIPO
+62 %
Growth 2020–2024
57 %
Word mark share
Class 13 is one of the smallest classes in the EU trademark register: it covers firearms, ammunition and projectiles, explosives and fireworks. The EUIPO register holds 8,469 trademarks in Class 13, of which 4,917 are registered (as of July 2026, EUIPO register data). Small does not mean static, though, quite the opposite: new registrations rose from 307 in 2020 to 498 in 2024, a 62 percent increase, with 500 more added in 2025. No other figure in this class is as surprising as that growth rate. The top filers are mainly ammunition and firearms manufacturers: Federal Cartridge leads with 103 trademarks, followed by Olin (76), Heckler & Koch (73), the L&O Hunting Group (58) and KNDS Deutschland (56). Word marks make up 57 percent of the class. For businesses in hunting, sport shooting and pyrotechnics, the register is easy to survey, but drawing the line to neighbouring classes is where it gets tricky.
What belongs in Class 13?
Class 13 covers firearms, ammunition and projectiles, explosives and fireworks. Typical examples: hunting and sporting firearms, cartridges and reloading supplies, pyrotechnic articles such as rockets and cake fireworks, and signal ammunition. Much of what sells alongside these products sits in other classes, though: hunting and outdoor knives belong in Class 8, telescopic sights and other optics in Class 9, airsoft, paintball and toy guns count as sporting and playing articles in Class 28, and hunting or shooting apparel falls under Class 25. Services such as professional firework displays belong in Class 41.
Typical examples: Firearms, ammunition, fireworks
New EUIPO registrations per year in Class 13
Most active applicants in Class 13
| # | Applicant | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal Cartridge Company | 103 |
| 2 | Olin Corporation | 76 |
| 3 | Heckler & Koch Gmbh | 73 |
| 4 | L&O Hunting Group Gmbh | 58 |
| 5 | Knds Deutschland Gmbh & Co Kg | 56 |
| 6 | Raytheon Company | 53 |
| 7 | Magpul Industries Corp | 48 |
| 8 | Springfield Inc | 48 |
| 9 | Rws Gmbh | 46 |
| 10 | Sako Ltd | 41 |
Word mark or figurative mark?
Often combined with
Plan Class 13 as part of a set from the start: in practice it is most often combined with Class 9 (optics and electronics), Class 28 (sporting and playing articles) and Class 25 (clothing and merchandise). Go through your range product by product and assign each item to a class, because in this field many obvious products sit outside Class 13. Also check whether your name works as a word mark, since at 57 percent it is the most common type in the class. And even though the register is manageable at 8,469 trademarks, search it before filing: established manufacturers such as Heckler & Koch defend their marks consistently.
Common mistakes with Class 13
The most common mistake: dumping the entire product range into Class 13. A hunting outfitter typically sells knives (Class 8), optics (Class 9) and clothing (Class 25) alongside ammunition, and none of that is protected through Class 13. Second mistake, in reverse: airsoft and paintball businesses file Class 13 even though their products belong in Class 28 as sporting and playing articles. And third, pyrotechnics companies tend to forget the service side: if you do not just sell fireworks but stage displays, you need Class 41 for that, otherwise your actual business model stays uncovered.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What belongs in Nice Class 13?
Class 13 covers firearms, ammunition and projectiles, explosives and fireworks, meaning hunting and sporting firearms, cartridges and pyrotechnic articles. It does not include knives (Class 8), telescopic sights and optics (Class 9), airsoft and toy guns (Class 28) or hunting apparel (Class 25).
Who files the most trademarks in Class 13?
According to EUIPO register data (as of July 2026), ammunition maker Federal Cartridge leads with 103 trademarks, ahead of Olin (76), Heckler & Koch (73), the L&O Hunting Group (58) and KNDS Deutschland (56). At 8,469 trademarks the class is small overall, but growing fast: new registrations rose 62 percent from 2020 to 2024.
Do airsoft and toy guns belong in Class 13?
No. Airsoft, paintball and toy guns count as sporting and playing articles and fall under Class 28. Class 13 is reserved for real firearms, ammunition, explosives and fireworks. If you serve both markets, for example as a retailer for sport shooting and airsoft supplies, you need both classes.
Which classes are typically combined with Class 13?
Most often Class 9 for optics and electronics such as telescopic sights, Class 28 for sporting and playing articles, and Class 25 for clothing and merchandise. A hunting outfitter with ammunition, optics and its own apparel line covers the typical gaps with 13, 9 and 25.
Sources
EUIPO – European Union Intellectual Property Office: register data on EU trade marks and international registrations with EU protection, as of July 2026.
WIPO – Nice Classification: class definitions and headings (11th edition).
Methodology: own analysis by markencheck.ai; counted per filing entity, name variants merged.
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