The 50 Most Influential Guns in Modern History

Key Points:

• Guns have long been a crucial part of our existence, with some models standing the test of time.
• The most popular guns represent a range of uses and eras.
• This knowledge helps us spot historical trends, technological advancement, and cultural influence across time.

Guns have played a significant role throughout the world for centuries, affecting everything from military history and law enforcement to sport shooting and personal lifestyles. Over time, certain models have stood out. These guns are known for their wide use, innovative design, reliability, or cultural impact. Some firearms have achieved enduring popularity across generations, whether historic service rifles or competition pistols.

The 50 most popular guns ever made reflect a range of uses and eras. By noting the most loved guns, we see how technology, craftsmanship, and consumer demand have shaped the industry. Some guns became staples due to their dependability on the battlefield, while others earned reputations for affordability or precision. Together, the models on this list offer a snapshot of how firearms evolved and why certain designs remain influential decades after their introduction.

24/7 Wall St. compiled a list of the most popular guns in the world by reviewing various sources, such as GunBroker.com, Small Arms Survey, and more to get estimates of global gun sales. 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.

This post was updated on March 3, 2026.

Why You Need to Know These Guns

Understanding which firearms became the most popular allows us to spot historical trends, technological advancement, and cultural influence across time. It also helps explain how specific designs heavily influenced manufacturing standards, training practices, and consumer preferences. Together, these most popular guns provide a lesson on firearm development and their ongoing relevance in today’s market.

50. Winchester Model 1892

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

49. Winchester Model 1912/1942

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

48. Winchester Models 1900 through 1968

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

47. Marlin Model 1891/1892/1897/1939

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

46. M14

• Approximate Units Sold: 2,380,000
• Country of Origin: United States

45. Fusil Gras mle 1874

• Approximate Units Sold: 2,500,000
• Country of Origin: France

44. Remington Model 740/742/7400 Woodsmaster

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

43. Gewehr 1888

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

42. Browning Auto-5

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

41. Browning M2

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

40. Luger Parabellum

• Approximate Units Sold: 3,000,000
• Country of Origin: Germany

39. Nagant M1895

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

38. QBZ-95

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

37. Ruger Standard

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

36. Springfield M1903

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

35. Berdan M1870

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

34. Beretta 92

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

33. Lebel Model 1886

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

32. Mannlicher M1895

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

31. Remington Model 1100

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

30. Ruger Single Six/Blackhawk/Vaquero

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

29. ‘Brown Bess’ Land Pattern Musket

• Approximate Units Sold: 4,300,000
• Country of Origin: United Kingdom

28. Carcano Modello 1891

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

27. STEN Gun

• Approximate Units Sold: 4,500,000
• Country of Origin: United Kingdom

26. M1911 (and copies)

• Approximate Units Sold: 5,000,000
• Country of Origin: United States

25. Walther PP/PPK

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

24. Marlin Model 336

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

23. PPSh-41

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

22. Ruger 10/22

Ruger 10/22 (CC BY 2.0) by James Case

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

21. Smith & Wesson Model 10

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

20. Type 63

Rifle Type 63 (CC0) by Nemo5576

• Approximate Units Sold: 6,000,000
• Country of Origin: China

19. M1/M2/M3 Carbine

• Approximate Units Sold: 6,500,000
• Country of Origin: United States

18. FN FAL (and derivatives)

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

17. Musket Model 1777

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

16. Winchester Model 1894

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

15. Heckler & Koch G3

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

14. M1 Garand

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

13. Arisaka Type 30/38/99

• Approximate Units Sold: 10,000,000
• Country of Origin: Japan

12. Glock

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

11. IMI Uzi

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

10. Makarov Pistol

• Approximate Units Sold: 10,000,000
• Country of Origin: Soviet Union

9. Marlin Model 60

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

8. Remington 870

Remington Wingmaster 870 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by lledslinger

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

7. Mossberg 500

• Approximate Units Sold: 12,000,000
• Country of Origin: United States

6. SKS

• Approximate Units Sold: 15,000,000
• Country of Origin: Soviet Union

5. Lee-Enfield

• Approximate Units Sold: 17,000,000
• Country of Origin: United Kingdom

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

• Approximate Units Sold: 20,000,000
• Country of Origin: United States

3. Mosin-Nagant

Mosin-Nagant M1938 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Mitch Barrie

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

2. Mauser Gewehr 98 (and similar)

• Approximate Units Sold: 102,000,000
• Country of Origin: Germany

1. Kalashnikov AK-47 (and derivatives)

• Approximate Units Sold: 150,000,000
• Country of Origin: Soviet Union