Sarsılmaz: Company, Products, History and Global Presence

Sarsılmaz is one of the oldest private arms makers in Türkiye and one of the few that covers the whole small-arms spectrum under one roof, from compact 9 mm pistols to a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun mounted on the ALTAY main battle tank. This page brings together the verifiable facts about the company: who owns it, where it builds its weapons, what it makes, who uses its products and where it sells them. Where a figure is not published by the company, we say so rather than estimate.

Sarsılmaz at a glance

Last verified: 30 September 2026. Figures marked as company statements are the manufacturer’s own descriptions.

History: from an 1880 repair shop to a defence group

The company traces its origins to a flintlock repair workshop opened in Elazığ in eastern Anatolia in 1880. The family business moved from repairing firearms to designing and producing its own, and today describes itself as having close to 150 years of industrial heritage. Production is concentrated in Düzce, in north-western Türkiye, between Istanbul and Ankara.

In the last decade Sarsılmaz has shifted from a pistol and rifle maker into a broader defence group. Its SAHA 2026 statement lists sister companies active in cannon systems, remote weapon stations, ammunition and mechatronics, including BEST Defence and TR Mekatronik, the latter set up with Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ). The company exhibited more than 70 models at DSEI 2023 in London.

What Sarsılmaz manufactures

The official catalogue groups products into polymer and steel pistols, revolvers, submachine guns, infantry rifles, machine guns and sporting shotguns. The table below lists representative models with data taken from the manufacturer’s product pages.

The pistol line is the company’s commercial core, and the SAR9 is its flagship. Military demand centres on the SAR 56 and MPT 76 rifles and the SAR 762 MT and SAR 127 MT machine guns. A separate guide covers the SAR9 family in depth, including variants, specifications and users.

Military, police and platform users

Only users confirmed by official or reliable public sources are listed below. Sarsılmaz does not publish a full customer list, and export contracts are often confidential.

Some media reports have claimed use of the SAR 762 MT in Ukraine. We have found no official confirmation and do not list it as a user.

Exports and international presence

Sarsılmaz said in 2026 that it exports to more than 80 countries and that it had tripled its export target compared with the previous year (Anadolu Agency). Defensehere reported 81 countries in the same period. The company does not publish a country-by-country list.

United States. SAR USA has handled the US civilian market since 2017. The SAR9 launched there in 2018, and the two police adoptions above made Sarsılmaz one of the few Turkish brands with US law-enforcement customers.

Europe. Search data shows steady brand interest in Germany, Poland, Italy and Spain, including queries such as “Sarsılmaz Deutschland”, “Sarsılmaz Polska” and “Sarsılmaz España”. Sarsılmaz does not publish a consolidated list of European distributors, and we have not found an official European military or police contract. Its European profile is therefore mainly civilian and sporting. The K12 Sport and SAR9 Sport are the models that appear most often in European searches.

Where Sarsılmaz sits in the Turkish small-arms industry

Türkiye’s small-arms sector combines the state-owned MKE, large private pistol makers such as Sarsılmaz, CANiK (SYS), TİSAŞ and GİRSAN, and a large number of shotgun producers. Sarsılmaz stands out for two things: its age, and the breadth of its range, which runs from pistols to a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. Competitors with larger US pistol volumes exist, notably CANiK, so Sarsılmaz’s distinctive position is breadth and military integration rather than the largest single-model export volume.

For Turkish-language background on the company, Envanter Medya maintains a Sarsılmaz company profile.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Sarsılmaz from?

Sarsılmaz is a Turkish company. It was founded in Elazığ in 1880 and today manufactures in Düzce, north-western Türkiye.

Who owns Sarsılmaz?

Sarsılmaz is a family-owned company that has remained with the Aliş family since 1880. Its chairman is Latif Aral Aliş.

What does Sarsılmaz make?

Pistols (including the SAR9 family), revolvers, the SAR 109T submachine gun, infantry rifles such as the SAR 56 and MPT 76 SH, the SAR 556 MT, SAR 762 MT and SAR 127 MT machine guns, and 12-gauge shotguns.

Is Sarsılmaz the same as SAR USA?

No. SAR USA is the US importer and distributor of Sarsılmaz products, active since 2017. The weapons are manufactured by Sarsılmaz in Türkiye.

How many countries does Sarsılmaz export to?

The company said in 2026 that it exports to more than 80 countries. It does not publish a full list.

Does the Turkish military use Sarsılmaz weapons?

Yes. The Turkish Armed Forces use the SAR 56 rifle and SAR 762 MT machine gun, and the SAR 127 MT is mounted on the ALTAY tank delivered in October 2025.

Sources

• Sarsılmaz — About us
• Sarsılmaz — SAR9 Gen3 product page
• Sarsılmaz — SAR 56 14.5″ product page
• Sarsılmaz — SAR 127 MT product page
• Sarsılmaz — SAR 127 MT on the ALTAY tank (news)
• Sarsılmaz — Group synergy at SAHA 2026 (news)
• Sarsılmaz — SAR 109T enters US police service (news)
• Sarsılmaz — More than 70 models at DSEI 2023 (news)
• Anadolu Agency — Sarsılmaz triples 2026 export target
• Defence Turkey — SAR9 SOCOM becomes a US police pistol