Firearms have been used since 800 years ago. They evolved from the simple hand cannons of the olden days notably in the 13th century to the automatic weapons of today.
Among the firearms being sold today, a third of all gun sales can be attributed to rifles and shotguns, according to data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Other than the traditional way of buying firearms from brick and mortar stores, it is now possible to purchase shotguns online.
Below are some of the most popular tactical rifles ever created ranging from the old models to the more modern.
M1 Garand
In 1936, John Garand of the Springfield Armory based in Canada developed the first semi-automatic rifle in the history of firearms. In technical lingo, it is referred to as the M1 caliber .30 rifle. People, however, know it more as simply the Garand.
Compared to the earlier weapons, this rifle has a higher rate of fire and utilizes energy from the high-pressure gas generated during the firing process. An estimated four million Garand rifles were manufactured in the Second World War.
Thompson Muzzeloader
In the past, this traditional firearm was popular only among gun collectors and re-enactors. However in the recent years, more people were noted to be purchasing this rifle because of its improved design and the new trend in hunting season in certain regions. Reports say some hunting seasons have been added allowing the use of primitive weapons particularly in regions which have growing whitetail deer populations.
The inline muzzleloader is the modern version of this rifle and considered by sportsmen to be the most versatile of such kind of firearm today. Its Encore features a 26-inch barrel and a muzzle velocity of 2,203 feet per second.
Bushmaster AR-15
This semi-automatic rifle was designed by ArmaLite in the 1950s. Its name AR actually refers to ArmaLite rifle and not assault rifle as what some people believe.
ArmaLite’s chief engineer Eugene Stoner earlier developed the AR-10 which weighed less than 7 pounds. The AR-15 was later created in response to a request by U.S. Army officials in 1956 to downsize the first version.
Today, various companies are manufacturing this rifle. It remains to be one of the top sellers based on the AR-15 platform.
AK-47
Mikhail Kalashnikov is the man behind this assault rifle which he designed for the Soviet Red Army in the 1940s. His concept then was to create a simple yet reliable and affordable firearm.
The 7.62-mm AK-47 is now considered the most effective and popular weapon in world history. Proof of this is the 75 million rifles of such kind created and used worldwide.
Other than the soldiers, guerillas, terrorists and freedom fighters preferred to use the AK-47 owing to its durability, low maintenance and ease of use during training.
About the guest author:
Preston Cooper is a professional blogger that provides information and advice on firearms. He writes for Fire Arms For You, the best place to find guns for sale and gun accessories online.