The 30 Guns and Other Small Arms Used by the US Navy

By Chris Lange Published Sep 4, 8:35AM EDT

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The 30 Guns and Other Small Arms Used by the US Navy — © Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

In its beginning, the U.S. Navy relied heavily on small arms, and each Navy soldier was outfitted and trained with pistols, rifles, and swords. Much has changed since, as the Navy has evolved over the years. Today, in addition to its cruisers, submarines, and aircraft carriers, Navy sailors and soldiers still use a large arsenal of small arms.

The United States Navy employs a range of small arms for the safety and security of its personnel and operations. While the guns the Navy uses may not see as much time on the battlefield as guns the Army or Marines use, they are still important in carrying out naval operations. As such, Navy service members are still trained in the use of these small arms.

To identify the standard-issue guns of the U.S. Navy, 24/7 Wall St. referenced a catalog of U.S. small arms from Military Factory. We ordered these guns by the time they entered the service and included supplemental information regarding type of firearm, range, caliber, and manufacturer also from Military Factory. (Compare this list to the 26 guns in the U.S. Army arsenal.)

The Beretta M9 has been one of the standard sidearms in the Navy for at least a few decades. This semi-automatic pistol is chambered for the standardized 9x19mm Parabellum pistol cartridge. The M9’s effective range and large ammunition capacity make it an ideal choice for Navy personnel.

The Colt M4 carbine continues to be the primary service rifle across the Navy, much like some of the other U.S. armed forces. This compact variant of the M16 rifle is particularly effective in close-quarters and boarding operations. The M4’s reliability and modular options make it an ideal choice for various naval combat scenarios. Not just the M4 carbine, but over time, many of these weapons have been updated. (Also see: This military has the most guns.)

Here is a look at the most common guns in the U.S. Navy.

30. Browning M2
> Type: Heavy machine gun
> Year entered service: 1921
> Maximum effective range: 6,550 ft.
> Caliber: 12.7x99mm NATO (.50 BMG)
> Manufacturer: Saco Defense Industries

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29. Heckler & Koch HK MP5
> Type: Submachine gun
> Year entered service: 1966
> Maximum effective range: 660 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 parabellum
> Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

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28. Saco Mk 19
> Type: Automatic grenade launcher
> Year entered service: 1967
> Maximum effective range: 4,500 ft.
> Caliber: 40x53mm
> Manufacturer: Saco Defense Industries

27. Fabrique Nationale M240
> Type: General purpose machine gun
> Year entered service: 1977
> Maximum effective range: 5,905 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
> Manufacturer: FN Manufacturing

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26. FIM-92 Stinger
> Type: Air defense missile system
> Year entered service: 1981
> Maximum effective range: 15,750 ft.
> Caliber: 70mm
> Manufacturer: General Dynamics / Raytheon

Barrett...M82A1... (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Zachi Evenor

25. Barrett M82
> Type: Anti-materiel rifle
> Year entered service: 1982
> Maximum effective range: 1,850 ft.
> Caliber: 12.7x99mm NATO (.50 BMG)
> Manufacturer: Barrett Firearms

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P226 Dark Elite (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Jun Wang

24. SIG-Sauer P226
> Type: Semi-automatic handgun
> Year entered service: 1984
> Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 parabellum
> Manufacturer: SIG-Sauer

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23. Fabrique Nationale M249 SAW / LMG
> Type: Light machine gun
> Year entered service: 1984
> Maximum effective range: 2,600 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO
> Manufacturer: FN Manufacturing

22. M136 Light Anti-Armor Weapon (AT4)
> Type: Anti-armor rocket launcher
> Year entered service: 1987
> Maximum effective range: 985 ft.
> Caliber: 84mm
> Manufacturer: Alliant TechSystems

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21. Glock 19
> Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
> Year entered service: 1988
> Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 parabellum
> Manufacturer: Glock

20. Beretta M9
> Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
> Year entered service: 1990
> Maximum effective range: 164 ft.
> Caliber: 9×19 parabellum
> Manufacturer: Beretta

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19. Colt M16A4
> Type: Automatic rifle
> Year entered service: 1990
> Maximum effective range: 1,968 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing

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SR-25 sniper rifle in IDF serv... by Zachi Evenor

SR-25 sniper rifle in IDF serv... (CC BY 2.0) by Zachi Evenor

18. Stoner SR-25
> Type: Sniper rifle
> Year entered service: 1990
> Maximum effective range: 4,500 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Knights Armament

17. M4 Carbine
> Type: Assault carbine
> Year entered service: 1994
> Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing / Remington Arms

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Mark23SuppressedLeft (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Joe Loong

16. Mk 23 Mod 0
> Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
> Year entered service: 1996
> Maximum effective range: 82 ft.
> Caliber: .45 ACP
> Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

15. FGM-148 Javelin
> Type: Anti-tank guided missile launcher
> Year entered service: 1996
> Maximum effective range: 8,202 ft.
> Caliber: 127mm
> Manufacturer: Raytheon / Lockheed Martin

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14. Benelli M4 Super 90 (M1014 JSCS)
> Type: Semi-automatic combat shotgun
> Year entered service: 1999
> Maximum effective range: 164 ft.
> Caliber: 12-gauge
> Manufacturer: Benelli Armi

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Tac50white1 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by MathKnight

13. McMillan TAC-50
> Type: Sniper rifle
> Year entered service: 2000
> Maximum effective range: 6,561 ft.
> Caliber: 12.7x99mm NATO (.50 BMG)
> Manufacturer: McMillan Tactical Products

HK MP7 Bundeswehr noBG by KrisfromGermany

HK MP7 Bundeswehr noBG (CC BY-SA 4.0) by KrisfromGermany

12. Heckler & Koch HK MP7
> Type: Submachine gun
> Year entered service: 2001
> Maximum effective range: 656 ft.
> Caliber: HK 4.6x30mm
> Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

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11. Navy Mark 12 Special Purpose Rifle
> Type: Designated marksman rifle
> Year entered service: 2002
> Maximum effective range: 1,800 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing / Knights Armament Company

10. Fabrique Nationale Mk 48 LWMG
> Type: Light weight machine gun
> Year entered service: 2003
> Maximum effective range: 2,624 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale

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9. Mk 14
> Type: Designated marksman rifle
> Year entered service: 2004
> Maximum effective range: 1,500 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Smith Enterprises

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HK416N (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Dybdal.

8. Heckler & Koch HK 416
> Type: Assault rifle
> Year entered service: 2005
> Maximum effective range: 985 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

7. McMillan TAC-338
> Type: Sniper rifle
> Year entered service: 2005
> Maximum effective range: 5,250 ft.
> Caliber: .338 Lapua Magnum, .338 Norma Magnum
> Manufacturer: McMillan Tactical Products

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Heckler &amp; Koch HK417 Sniper Rifle of PASKAL by Rizuan

Heckler &amp; Koch HK417 Sniper Rifle of PASKAL (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Rizuan

6. Heckler & Koch HK 417
> Type: Designated marksman rifle
> Year entered service: 2006
> Maximum effective range: 2,625 ft.
> Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

MK47 Striker closeup (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Jasonkwe

5. General Dynamics Mk 47 Striker AGL
> Type: Automatic grenade launcher
> Year entered service: 2006
> Maximum effective range: 5,600 ft.
> Caliber: 40x53mm
> Manufacturer: General Dynamics

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FN SCAR-L - FN SCAR-H (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Arbal01

4. Fabrique Nationale FN SCAR (Mk 16 / Mk 17)
> Type: Automatic assault rifle
> Year entered service: 2009
> Maximum effective range: 1,640 ft.
> Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO, 7.62x51mm NATO
> Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationale

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3. M320 GLM
> Type: Grenade launcher
> Year entered service: 2010
> Maximum effective range: 492 ft.
> Caliber: 40x46mm SR
> Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

HK45C Threaded Barrel (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Ckindel

2. HK 45
> Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
> Year entered service: 2013
> Maximum effective range: 165 ft.
> Caliber: .45 ACP
> Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch

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1. Accuracy International Mk 13
> Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle
> Year entered service: 2017
> Maximum effective range: 3,940 ft.
> Caliber: .300 Winchester Magnum
> Manufacturer: Accuracy International

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.