In your opinion, What arethe most significant Guns of gun History?

Just wanted to se what you people thought

That's an interesting site

And these seem to be my picks, most found there:
Colt revolver
Gattling gun
Maxim machine gun
An M16

And also:
Browning Machine Gun
AK
The SPIW
CAW and ACR project prototypes
OICW

"god didn't make all men equal, Mr. colt did"

History channel just did another re-run of the top ten list of this topic.

Variable

the machine gun
changed the warfare

the BAR and the ma deuce. both of these guns were designed by John Browning. I think the m2 is still in service. Browning also had a hand in designing the m1911 handgun.

the first matchlock with a trigger to fire the weapon. what would todays guns be like if tht had never happened?

[edit on 9-6-2004 by minimi]

The kentucky rifle.

With it's rifled barrel it beat the British and brought about an independent America.

(Just an off-the-cuff answer)

The air powerd pump rifle that M. Lewis used in his trek to the Pacific. It was accurate, powerful, and the first of it's kind that didn't require the tediously long process of loading powder into the gun. It was at times the only thing that saved his ass when approaching unknown Indian tribes. He used it in demonstrations to the Indian tribes he encountered. They had never seen such a gun that could be fired several times a minute and this mad them fear and respect Lewis, thus allowing him to avoid several would be confrontations. Not that it was the only way the voyage would be successfull, but without it it the establishment of the west would have been diffulcult to say the least.

Heckler & koch especially MP5A3,MP5K,MP5SDAND HK53.

Originally posted by weirdo
Heckler & koch especially MP5A3,MP5K,MP5SDAND HK53.

all the way man!
heckler and koch are the best

This is the Winchester Model 1873. It was the most famous of it's kind of rifle. Originally known as the Henry Repeating Rifle, The Winchester (this model just one of many) is credited with revolutionizing the process of lever action repeated fire rifles. it was accurate, trustworthy, was low maintenance and it's ammunition was powerful...this rifle was a turning point in weapons of its kind...

The Colt model 1873 revolver, universally known as the Colt Single Action, Peacemaker, or Frontier, is one of the most popular and legendary small arms in USA. It is also one of the longest living production small arms, being produced for some 130 years and still popular. The Colt 1873 was actually developed by the 1872, based on the patents granted to Charles B. Richards (cartridge conversion of the open-top percussion Colt revolvers) and W. Mason (improved ejector). In 1873, US Army adopted this revolver along with its black powder centerfire cartridge of .45 caliber, and issued it to troops in 2 models. The Army / Cavalry model had a 7� inch barrel, and the artillery model had 5� barrel. Both were chambered in .45 Colt (also known as .45Long Colt or .45LC). For the civilian market, Colt also initially produced same gun in .44-40 WCF and .32-20WCF, later adding more modern chamberings like .38 S&W Special (.38Spl), .44 S&W Special (.44Spl), .357 Magnum, .22LR. Civilian guns also were available in various barrel lengths, varying from 4� and up to 12 inches. There also was a Bisley model, which appeared near the turn of the centuries. Colt Bisleys were intended as a target guns, and had hammers with wider and lower spurs, and a different grip frame.

US Army bought about 37 000 Colts of both Artillery and Cavalry flavors during period from 1873 and until 1893. Commercial production was ceased in 1941, with the outbreak of the World War 2, with about 370 000 guns made total. In 1956, following the popular demand for "Wild West" era guns, raised by the TV and movie "Western" films, Colt brought the Single Action back to production and still makes it. Other than Colt, several US and foreign companies also made more or less exact copies and clones of the legendary "Peacemaker", for Cowboy action shooting, hunting, general plinking and collecting.

So called "First generation" Colts were made from 1873 and until 1941. These guns can be recognized by the serial numbers below 357860 and with no letters. With the re-introduction of this gun by Colt in the 1956, the "Second generation" of the SAA came into existence. The second generation guns have serial numbers in the range from 0001SA to 73319SA. Production of the second generation SAA revolvers was ceased in 1974, but, in the 1976, with the introduction of newer machinery and production techniques, Colt brought the SAA back in the "Third generation". Third Generation Colt Single Action Armies have been originally offered in .45 Colt, .44 Special, .44-40 and .357 Magnum. By the 1981, Colt dropped the SAA out of production again, and for some time the legendary "Peacemakers" were available only as an expensive custom shop offerings. At the present time, Colt again offers these guns as regular products, in the .45LC, .357Mag and .44-40, and in all standard barrel lengths.

Technical description.
the Colt M1873 is a single action, six shot, solid frame revolver (as opposed to the earlier "open top" Colts or "hinged frame" S&W's). The frame actually is made from 2 parts, the cylinder frame, and the grip frame with the triggerguard, which are assembled by set of screws. The cylinder is loaded by single rounds, via side-swinging loading gate, located at the right side of the frame. Empty cases are ejected one by one, through the opened loading gate, by pulling back on the ejector rod, located under the barrel and to the right. The gun can be loaded and unloaded only when the hammer is set to half-cock position. Cylinder can be removed for cleaning and inspection by unscrewing the base pin screw, and then by pulling out the base pin (cylinder axis) forward and out of the frame.

Since this handgun has no special drop-proof safeties, it is strongly recommended that it should be carried with the empty chamber under the hammer (with only 5 rounds loaded). To achieve that, use the following loading procedure: Starting with the empty cylinder, load one chamber; skip one; load remaining four chambers. Now you got loaded gun that can be carried reasonably safely (when not cocked, of cause). Most versions of SAA had fixed sights.

Of all the small arms used by military forces around the world, no firearm can boast the long track record of the Model 1911 series of pistols. Officially adopted by the US military in 1911, this service sidearm remained on active duty 74 years until being officially replaced in 1985. Even today small numbers remain in use with both the US military and the armed forces of many smaller nations. The 1911's record of use includes virtually every US-involved armed conflict of the 20th Century. Despite being one of the oldest automatic pistol designs it is still considered among the very best by many experts in the field, even when compared to the current generation of military handguns. Genuine military-issue examples have now become much sought-after collectors items.

The Stg-44. Pretty much the father of modern assault rifles.

I'm going to with the semi-automatic. Well, or the automatic. Right when guns were able to be automated in some fashion...

Did anyone already mentioned the M1 Garand?

That's my choice because the M1 was not termed "the rifle that won the war" for no reason. The semi-auto M1 was available in massive quantity to the US troops during WW2 when every body else was still stuck with bolt-action rifles.

The German semi/full-auto rifles like Stg44 and the FG42 didn't arrive till it was too late and only used in small quatities. The Russians also didn't get their semo-auto rifle till very alte in the war.

So for many years, the US riflemen had much more firepower on their hands than anyone else did.

Other choices I feel concur with others here like:

� John Browning's machine guns - (although I don't really agree that it changed the way wars are fought all that much. The general still ordered their troops to charge into machinegun fire. I feel it was the tank in both WW1 and WW2 that changed the way wars are fought.)

� MP-38/40 German SMG for pioneering the use of completely stamped-steel body

� World's first GPMG the MG34

� M16 for being the first widely-issued small calibre rifle and also pioneering the use of lightweight materials and also long service.

� AK47 for sheer popularity and long service.

Well, I would have to say the 1911, the SKS and the AK-47. I have shot the 1911, it rarely jams, is accurate, and powerful. The only thing I would change about it is the grip safety, I don't think it is necessary. I have shot an SKS and it has never jammed but is not what I would call accurate. Although I have not shot an AK , I heard they were very reliable and they have made a huge difference of the world in the hands of the people who use them.

My choices would be:
The Colt Revolver
The Colt M1911 (all other semi-auto pistols are similar to Browning's design)
The Henry Rifle
The 98 Mauser
The M-1 Garand
The MP-5

my favorites are the maxim machine gun the colt 45 handgun and the 50 cal browning.