Mark A. Keefe, IV, Editor-In-Chief
1. Mauser 98: It was the bolt-action rifle perfected. Adopted by nearly every nation in the world (save Russia) in one form or another at some time, it was the dominant military rifle for 50 years. It was safe for the shooter, reliable and so widespread. It remains the most important military rifle of the 20th century, and became the basis of the modern sporting rifle as well
2. M1 Garand: It represents American industry and manufacturing at their absolute height. No other nation issued every infantryman a semi-automatic rifle during World War II. Always reliable, accurate enough to dominate at Camp Perry, chambered for the best cartridge of all time, in the context of its time and place in history the M1 stands alone.
3. AK-47: The most reliable, most produced firearm in history. It’s easy to make, easy to shoot and became not only a military rifle but a cultural icon. How many other firearms are on a country’s flag or are a form of currency in the Third World? Designed to defend Mikail Kalashikov’s Motherland, it became much, much more.
4. Lee-Enfield: The best battlefield bolt-action rifle adopted by any nation at any time. Smooth bolt operation, a 10-round magazine capacity, it always worked from Mafeking to Korea. More than 9 million made and a century of service. Enough said.
5. Pattern 1853 Enfield: This was the rifle-musket perfected; the accuracy of a rifle with rapid reloading of the smoothbore musket. Arguably inferior to the Model 1861 Springfield in some respects, it was widely used by British forces all over the world from the Crimean War until the adoption of the Martini-Henry. Used extensively by both sides during the American Civil War, its combat record and service stand alone among rifle-muskets.
6. M16: Eugene Stoners AR-15/M16 rifle was absolutely revolutionary in terms of design and materials when adopted first by the U.S. Air Force, then all the American military. Despite issues with the wrong powder and the bad rap it received in the Vietnam War, it has become an effective and reliable arm for American and other solider around the world. It is the most widely produced arm in American military history.