Guns and Hunting

The Top-Selling Guns of All Time, Ranked

philipimage / iStock via Getty Images

On June 25, the US Surgeon General issued an advisory declaring gun violence a public health crisis. To address the issue, he recommends banning automatic rifles, universal background checks, industry regulations, restrictions on use in public spaces, and the creation of penalties for improper gun storage. His suggested remedies are just that, suggested, because all would require legislation passed by Congress to implement nationwide. According to 2022 Center for Disease Control data, there is an average of 53 gun homicides per day. On a local level, preventative measures can be implemented immediately, such as community violence intervention programs and safe storage education programs.

One billion firearms are circulating worldwide, and 85% of those are in the hands of private citizens. American citizens are estimated to own more guns than all the combined totals of 24 other major countries. The Small Arms Survey, the most comprehensive survey of gun ownership worldwide, rated the United States at 120.50 civilian guns per 100 people. The survey further breaks down firearm possession into citizens (393,000,000), military (4,540,000), and law enforcement (1,020,000) for the US.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed various sources to get estimates of global gun sales to identify the world’s 50 most popular guns. Guns were ranked by estimated lifetime sales. The origin of each gun is the historical country of origin or where the weapon was first created. Different models of the same gun released in different years are included in the gun sales estimates.

Almost half of the firearms that make this list originated in the United States. The iconic Winchester lever-action rifle is part of the Wild West persona from many movies, TV shows, and actual, real people. The AR-15 currently ranks high for many collectors nationwide. Russian influence is evident through the Makarov semi-automatic pistol and Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle, which has significantly more sales than any of the others mentioned.

Why Are We Talking About Guns?

saechang / Flickr

Understanding the connection between gun sales, gun use, gun violence, and gun deaths helps to participate in conversations about the topic and get involved when it reaches the political realm. Living in a country with a civilian population holding more guns than people, guns are a part of the makeup of the US. The surgeon general’s recent advisory brings to light the need for these conversations to continue, and further education will allow for that to happen.

Here are the most popular 50 guns ever.

50. Winchester Model 1892

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 2,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

49. Winchester Model 1912/1942

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 2,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

48. Winchester Models 1900 through 1968

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 2,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

47. Marlin Model 1891/1892/1897/1939

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 2,200,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

46. M14

PEO Soldier / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 2,380,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

45. Fusil Gras mle 1874

Fusil Gras M80, 1874
Musee de l'Armee / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 2,500,000
  • Country of Origin: France

44. Remington Model 740/742/7400 Woodsmaster

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 2,500,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

43. Gewehr 1888

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 2,800,000
  • Country of Origin: Germany

42. Browning Auto-5

Wikimedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

41. Browning M2

Wikipedia /Public Domain
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

40. Luger Parabellum

Rama / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Germany

39. Nagant M1895

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Russia

38. QBZ-95

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,000,000
  • Country of Origin: China

37. Ruger Standard

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

36. Springfield M1903

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

35. Berdan M1870

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,200,000
  • Country of Origin: Russia

34. Beretta 92

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,500,000
  • Country of Origin: Italy

33. Lebel Model 1886

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,500,000
  • Country of Origin: France

32. Mannlicher M1895

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 3,500,000
  • Country of Origin: Austria-Hungary

31. Remington Model 1100

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 4,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

30. Ruger Single Six/Blackhawk/Vaquero

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 4,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

29. ‘Brown Bess’ Land Pattern Musket

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 4,300,000
  • Country of Origin: United Kingdom

28. Carcano Modello 1891

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 4,500,000
  • Country of Origin: Italy

27. STEN Gun

mikedabell / iStock via Getty Images
  • Approximate Units Sold: 4,500,000
  • Country of Origin: United Kingdom

26. M1911 (and copies)

Wikipedia / Public Domain
  • Approximate Units Sold: 5,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

25. Walther PP/PPK

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 5,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Weimar Republic, Germany

24. Marlin Model 336

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 6,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

23. PPSh-41

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 6,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Soviet Union

22. Ruger 10/22

  • Approximate Units Sold: 6,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

21. Smith & Wesson Model 10

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 6,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

20. Type 63

Public domain / wikimedia commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 6,000,000
  • Country of Origin: China

19. M1/M2/M3 Carbine

Wikipedia / Public Domain
  • Approximate Units Sold: 6,500,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

18. FN FAL (and derivatives)

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 7,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Belgium

17. Musket Model 1777

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 7,000,000
  • Country of Origin: France

16. Winchester Model 1894

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 7,500,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

15. Heckler & Koch G3

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 8,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Germany

14. M1 Garand

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 8,200,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

13. Arisaka Type 30/38/99

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 10,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Japan

12. Glock

Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 10,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Austria

11. IMI Uzi

Wikipedia
  • Approximate Units Sold: 10,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Israel

10. Makarov Pistol

baronvsp / iStock via Getty Images
  • Approximate Units Sold: 10,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Soviet Union

9. Marlin Model 60

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 11,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

8. Remington 870

  • Approximate Units Sold: 11,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

7. Mossberg 500

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 12,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

6. SKS

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 15,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Soviet Union

5. Lee-Enfield

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Approximate Units Sold: 17,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United Kingdom

4. M16/M4/AR-15 (and derivatives)

blackwaterimages / E+ via Getty Images
  • Approximate Units Sold: 20,000,000
  • Country of Origin: United States

3. Mosin-Nagant

  • Approximate Units Sold: 37,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Russia

2. Mauser Gewehr 98 (and similar)

philipimage / iStock via Getty Images
  • Approximate Units Sold: 102,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Germany

1. Kalashnikov AK-47 (and derivatives)

serikbaib / iStock via Getty Images
  • Approximate Units Sold: 150,000,000
  • Country of Origin: Soviet Union

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