Can You Guess the Caliber of These Legendary Firearms?

Photo of Chris Lange
By Chris Lange Published

Quick Read

  • Think you know your WW1 and WW2 firepower? From classic bolt-action rifles to massive anti-tank guns, each legendary weapon carried a caliber that defined its performance on the front lines.

  • This ranking is based on each weapon’s highest caliber round as a simple and consistent metric, even though some weapons might be able to fire smaller calibers.

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Can You Guess the Caliber of These Legendary Firearms?

© Jason Doiy / E+ via Getty Images

Think you know your WW1 and WW2 firepower? From classic bolt-action rifles to massive anti-tank guns, each legendary weapon carried a caliber that defined its performance on the front lines. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the small arms of the First and Second World Wars.

To determine the highest-caliber small arms used in the first half of the twentieth century, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of guns from Military Factory, an online database of military vehicles, aircraft, and arms. We ranked the guns according to caliber. We included supplemental data on the type of weapon, maximum effective range, and the year entered service.

It’s worth pointing out that this ranking is based on each weapon’s highest caliber round as a simple and consistent metric, even though some weapons might be able to fire smaller calibers. This method uses bullet diameter as the proxy for caliber because it’s easier to compute and explain, but it is not a full measure of the cartridge performance (muzzle energy, case capacity, sectional density, and bullet construction). Also, because this list ranks weapons on bullet diameter, some readers might be surprised to see some small arms ranking higher than others.

Here is a look at the highest-caliber small arms used in the First and Second World Wars:

Why Are We Covering This?

World War Two
2013 Getty Images / Archive Photos via Getty Images

Exploring the history of World War 2 is important not only to understand one of the most pivotal periods in modern history but also to grasp the profound impact that this global conflict had on the world at large. Ultimately, World War II reshaped boundaries, alliances, and ideologies in ways that still influence global relations and conflicts today. The outcome of World War II effectively made the world order that we know today.

65. Springfield Model 1922

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action training rifle
  • Year entered service: 1922
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Springfield Armory
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .22LR, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 328 ft.

64. Winchester Model 70

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
  • Year entered service: 1936
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Winchester
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .30-06 Springfield, 3-,4-, or 5-round box magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

63. Winchester Model 1894

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Lever-action rifle
  • Year entered service: 1894
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Winchester / Browning Arms
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .30-30 Winchester, 6- or 8-round tubular magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated lever-action
  • Maximum effective range: 300 ft.

62. Springfield Model 1903 (M1903)

Wikipedia

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle / sniper rifle
  • Year entered service: 1903
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Springfield Armory
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .30-03; .30-06 Springfield, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2000 ft.

61. Remington Model 1903 (Springfield)

Curiosandrelics Public Domain (US Army) The Smithsonian Institution

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1941
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Remington Arms
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .30-06 Springfield, 5-round stripper clips
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

60. M1 Garand

PHILIPIMAGE / Shutterstock.com
  • Weapon type: Battle rifle
  • Year entered service: 1936
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Springfield Armory
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .30-06 Springfield, 8-round internal clip
  • Firing action: Self-loading; gas-action piston
  • Maximum effective range: 1320 ft.

59. Browning M1918 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle)

David Parker / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
  • Weapon type: Light machine gun
  • Year entered service: 1918
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Colt Firearms / Winchester / Marlin Rockwell
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .30-06 Springfield, 20-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated piston; open-bolt; selective fire
  • Maximum effective range: 1069 ft.

58. Ross Rifle

  • Weapon type: Straight-pull bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1905
  • Country of origin: Canada
  • Manufacturer: State Factories
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .303 British, 5-round magazine
  • Firing action: Manual pull, bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2969 ft.

57. Lee-Enfield

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1895
  • Country of origin: United Kingdom
  • Manufacturer: Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .303 MK VII SAA Ball, 10-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

56. Enfield Pattern 1914

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle / sniper rifle
  • Year entered service: 1914
  • Country of origin: United Kingdom
  • Manufacturer: Enfield Lock
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .303 British, 5-round stripper clips
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2400 ft.

55. Charlton Automatic Rifle

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic rifle / light machine gun
  • Year entered service: 1942
  • Country of origin: New Zealand
  • Manufacturer: Charlton Motor Workshops
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .303 British, 10- or 30-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; semi/full-automatic fire
  • Maximum effective range: 3280 ft.

54. Mannlicher Model 1888

The Swedish Army Museum via Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1888
  • Country of origin: Austria-Hungary
  • Manufacturer: Steyr
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 8mm Mannlicher, 5-round integral magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated straight-pull bolt; repeating
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

53. Lebel Model 1886

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1887
  • Country of origin: France
  • Manufacturer: Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Etienne
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 8mm Lebel, 8-round tube magazine
  • Firing action: Bolt-action lever
  • Maximum effective range: 10500 ft.

52. Marlin Model 1894

Courtesy of Marlin Firearms
  • Weapon type: Carbine rifle
  • Year entered service: 1894
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Marlin Firearms
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .32-20 Winchester; .32 HR Magnum; .38 Spc, 6-,9-, or 10-round tubular magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated lever-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 300 ft.

51. Boys 0.55in

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
  • Year entered service: 1937
  • Country of origin: United Kingdom
  • Manufacturer: Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 13.9mm (0.55 in), 5-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1500 ft.

50. Sturmgewehr 45 (StG45) / Maschinenpistole 45 (MP45)

Verein der Freunde und Förderer der Wehrtechnischen Studiensammlung Koblenz e. V. / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Assault rifle
  • Year entered service: 1945
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Mauser
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x33mm Kurz, 10- or 30-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; locked-breech; tilting bolt; select-fire
  • Maximum effective range: 984 ft.

49. Sturmgewehr 44 (StG44) / Maschinenpistole 44 (MP44)

Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum) / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Assault rifle
  • Year entered service: 1942
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Mauser
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x33mm Kurz, 30-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; locked-breech; tilting bolt; select-fire
  • Maximum effective range: 1970 ft.

48. Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic rifle
  • Year entered service: 1945
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Gustloff Werke
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x33mm Kurz, 30-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Semi-automatic; gas-delayed blowback
  • Maximum effective range: 984 ft.

47. Simonov SKS

aleks0649 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic carbine
  • Year entered service: 1945
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
  • Manufacturer: State Factories
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x39mm M1943, 10-round internal box magazine
  • Firing action: Self-loading short-stroke gas piston
  • Maximum effective range: 1312 ft.

46. Modello 1870 Italian Vetterli

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1870
  • Country of origin: Italy
  • Manufacturer: State Arsenals
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 10.4x47mmR; 6.5mm, Single shot; 4-round integral magazine
  • Firing action: Single-shot; manual-pull bolt-action
  • Maximum effective range: 656 ft.

45. Fusil Automatique Modele 1917 (Model 1917 RSC)

Quickload (photo)Sumek101 (photo editing) / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic rifle / bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1917
  • Country of origin: France
  • Manufacturer: Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Etienne
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 8x50mmR Lebel, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating belt
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

44. Fedorov Avtomat M1916

  • Weapon type: Automatic rifle
  • Year entered service: 1915
  • Country of origin: Russia
  • Manufacturer: Kovrov Arms Factory
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka, 25-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Short-recoil; locked breech; closed bolt; select-fire
  • Maximum effective range: 1312 ft.

43. Arisaka Type 97

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
  • Year entered service: 1937
  • Country of origin: Japan
  • Manufacturer: Arisaka
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2500 ft.

42. Arisaka Type 44 Cavalry Rifle

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Carbine service weapon
  • Year entered service: 1912
  • Country of origin: Japan
  • Manufacturer: Arisaka
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1968 ft.

41. Arisaka Type 38

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle / infantry carbine
  • Year entered service: 1905
  • Country of origin: Japan
  • Manufacturer: Arisaka
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1475 ft.

40. Arisaka Type 30

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle / infantry carbine
  • Year entered service: 1899
  • Country of origin: Japan
  • Manufacturer: Arisaka
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1475 ft.

39. Infantry Model 1889 (Belgian Mauser)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1889
  • Country of origin: Belgium
  • Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser, 5-round integral magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated straight-pull bolt; repeating
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

38. Fabrique Nationale FN M1930 (BAR)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Light machine gun
  • Year entered service: 1930
  • Country of origin: Belgium
  • Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser, 20-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; tilting breach block
  • Maximum effective range: 2600 ft.

37. Model 1889 Schmidt-Rubin

Grzegorz Wiśniewolski/PK-U "Parabellum" Sp. z o.o. / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1890
  • Country of origin: Switzerland
  • Manufacturer: W+F Bern
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.5×53.5mm Swiss, 5-,6-, or 12-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated straight-pull bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

36. Winchester Model 1915

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Lever-action rifle
  • Year entered service: 1915
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Winchester
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x54mmR, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Lever-action; repeat fire
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

35. Tokarev SVT-40

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1940
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
  • Manufacturer: State Factories
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x54mmR, 10-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated, semi-automatic
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

34. Tokarev SVT-38

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1938
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
  • Manufacturer: State Factories
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x54mmR Russian, 10-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Self-loading; semi-automatic
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

33. Mannlicher-Schonauer Model 1903

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1903
  • Country of origin: Greece
  • Manufacturer: Steyr
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schonauer, 5-round rotating magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2000 ft.

32. MAS 36 (modele 36 / mle 36)

joelogon / Joe Loong, cropped by user:Nemo5576 / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1936
  • Country of origin: France
  • Manufacturer: Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Etienne
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.5x54mm, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1125 ft.

31. Berthier Rifle

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1890
  • Country of origin: France
  • Manufacturer: State Factories
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 8x50mmR Lebel; 7.5x54mm French, 3- or 5-round magazine
  • Firing action: Manual-pull bolt-action
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

30. Krag-Jorgensen Model 1894

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1894
  • Country of origin: Norway
  • Manufacturer: Kongsberg Vapenfabrikk
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x55mm M94 Norwegian Krag, 5-round integral magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 3000 ft.

29. Carl-Gustav m/21-m37

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Light machine gun
  • Year entered service: 1921
  • Country of origin: Sweden
  • Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale / Carl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser, 20-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; tilting breach block
  • Maximum effective range: 4500 ft.

28. ZH-29

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1929
  • Country of origin: Czechoslovakia
  • Manufacturer: Brno
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser, 5-,10-, or 20-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Semi-automatic; gas-operated
  • Maximum effective range: 1320 ft.

27. Walther Gewehr 43 (G43 / Gew 43)

Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum) / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1943
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Berlin-Luebecker Maschinenfabrik
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser, 10-round integral box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

26. Walther Gewehr 41 (G41 / Gew 41)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1941
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Berlin-Luebecker Maschinenfabrik
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser, 10-round integral box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic
  • Maximum effective range: 1312 ft.

25. Volkssturmgewegr VG

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1945
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Mauser
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Kurz, 10-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

24. Type 24 (Chiang Kai-Shek Rifle)

Kampfer Lin / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1935
  • Country of origin: Taiwan
  • Manufacturer: State Arsenals
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 8x57mm IS (7.92x57mm Mauser), 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action; repeat-fire
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

23. Rifle Model 1890 (Turkish Mauser)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1890
  • Country of origin: Turkey
  • Manufacturer: Waffenfabrik Mauser
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.65x53mm Turkish Mauser; 8x57mm, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

22. Mosin-Nagant Model 1891

Russian Post via Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1891
  • Country of origin: Russia
  • Manufacturer: Tula, Izhevsk, Sestroryetsk
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x54mmR; 7.62x53mmR; 7.92x57mm Mauser, 5-round integral magazine
  • Firing action: Manual bolt-action
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

21. Mondragon Rifle (Fusil Mondragon)

Meeepmep / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1900
  • Country of origin: Mexico
  • Manufacturer: Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7x57mm Mauser, 8-,10-, or 20-round box; or 100-round drum magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt; also manual bolt-action
  • Maximum effective range: 1804 ft.

20. Mauser Model 1898 (Gew 98)

Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum) / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1898
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Mauser
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser, 5-round clip with fixed integral magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt mechanism
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

19. Mauser Model 1888 (Gew 88)

Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum) / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1888
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Mauser
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser, 5-round clip with fixed integral magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt mechanism
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

18. Mauser Karabiner Kar 98k

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1935
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Mauser
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Bolt-action
  • Maximum effective range: 1969 ft.

17. Johnson Model 1941

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic rifle
  • Year entered service: 1941
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Iver Johnson
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: .30-06 Springfield; 7x57mm Mauser, 10-round cylindrical magazine
  • Firing action: Semi-automatic; short-recoil; rotating bolt
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

16. Fallschirmjagergewehr 42 (FG42 / FjG42)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Automatic rifle / light machine gun
  • Year entered service: 1942
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Heinrich Krieghoff Waffenfabrik
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser, 10- or 20-round detachable box
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; select fire
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

15. Fabrique Nationale FN Mle D (BAR)

Public Domain / WIkimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Light machine gun
  • Year entered service: 1932
  • Country of origin: Belgium
  • Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Belgian Mauser; .30-06 Springfield; 7.62x51mm NATO, 20-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; tilting breach block
  • Maximum effective range: 2853 ft.

14. FEG 35M (Mannlicher M1935)

Armémuseum (The Swedish Army Museum) / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1935
  • Country of origin: Hungary
  • Manufacturer: Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 8x56mmR Hungarian Mannlicher; 7.92x57mm Mauser, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

13. Ceska Zbrojovka vz. 24

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1924
  • Country of origin: Czechoslovakia
  • Manufacturer: Povazska Bystrica
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser; 7.57mm Mauser; 7.65x53mm Argentine, 5-round integral magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

12. Carl-Gustav m/42

Armémuseum (Swedish Army Museum) / CC BY 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1942
  • Country of origin: Sweden
  • Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale / Carl Gustafs Stads Gevarsfaktori
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser; 7.92x57mm; 7.62x39mm Soviet’, 10-round detachable box magazine; 5-round stripper clips
  • Firing action: Gas-operated; direct impingement
  • Maximum effective range: 1969 ft.

11. Carcano Modello 1891 (M91)

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle / infantry carbine
  • Year entered service: 1892
  • Country of origin: Italy
  • Manufacturer: Turin Army Arsenal
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano; 7.35x51mm Carcano; 7.92x57mm Mauser, 6-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1968 ft.

10. CZ Model 1924 (Mauser) Short Rifle

Galeria del Ministerio de Defensa del Perú / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1924
  • Country of origin: Guatemala
  • Manufacturer: CZ Brno
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7x57mm Mauser, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

9. Model 1904 Vergueiro-Mauser

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1904
  • Country of origin: Portugal
  • Manufacturer: Jose Alberto Vergueiro
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 6.5x58mm Vergueiro; 7x57mm Mauser, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

8. Arisaka Type 99

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle / infantry carbine
  • Year entered service: 1939
  • Country of origin: Japan
  • Manufacturer: Arisaka
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.7x58mm Arisaka, 5-round internal magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

7. Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5

Nytsuga / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

  • Weapon type: Semi-automatic service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1944
  • Country of origin: Japan
  • Manufacturer: Arisaka
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.7x58mm Arisaka, 10-round integral magazine
  • Firing action: Self-loading; gas-operated; rotating belt
  • Maximum effective range: 1320 ft.

6. M1917 Enfield

  • Weapon type: Bolt-action service rifle
  • Year entered service: 1917
  • Country of origin: United States
  • Manufacturer: Winchester / Remington
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.62x63mm (.30-06 Springfield), 6-round magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

5. Panzerbuchse 39 (PzB 39)

  • Weapon type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
  • Year entered service: 1939
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Gustloff Werke
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x94mm Patronen, Single shot
  • Firing action: Single-shot; manually-actuated bolt-action
  • Maximum effective range: 1050 ft.

4. Panzerbuchse 38 (PzB 38)

  • Weapon type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
  • Year entered service: 1938
  • Country of origin: Germany
  • Manufacturer: Gustloff Werke
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x94mm Patronen, Single shot
  • Firing action: Single-shot; manually-actuated bolt-action
  • Maximum effective range: 1640 ft.

3. Kb wz.35 (Marosczek)

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Weapon type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
  • Year entered service: 1935
  • Country of origin: Poland
  • Manufacturer: Panstwowa Fabryka Karabinow
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 7.92x107mm DS, 4-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Manually-operated bolt-action system
  • Maximum effective range: 2625 ft.

2. Degtyarev PTRD 1941

  • Weapon type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
  • Year entered service: 1941
  • Country of origin: Soviet Union
  • Manufacturer: Degtyaryov Design Bureau
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 14.5x114mm, Single shot
  • Firing action: Manually-operated bolt; semi-automatic breach
  • Maximum effective range: 1800 ft.

1. Solothurn S18-100

  • Weapon type: Bullpup anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle
  • Year entered service: 1938
  • Country of origin: Switzerland
  • Manufacturer: Solothurn
  • Caliber of ammunition and feed: 20x105mmB; 20x138mmB Long, 5- or 10-round detachable box magazine
  • Firing action: Semi-automatic
  • Maximum effective range: 4921 ft.
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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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