Reactivated .45 ACP Thompson Model 1928 Submachine gun, AKA "Tommy Gun"

Reactivated Browning 1919A4 with new side plate and 7.62 NATO conversion kit

AK-74 5.45x39 Assault Rifle converted from Romanian semiauto

M-11/9 COBRAY 9mm Submachine Gun fitted with HK MP-5 sights

Chinese AKM in 5.56 x45 converted to "KRINKOV" configuration

PPS 43 WWII Russian Submachine Gun in 7.62 x 25, rebuilt from parts kit

M-4 Carbine, .223mm, select fire, built on registered M-16 receiver

M-169

M-169 suppressed 9mm upper kit shown mounted on select fire M-16 lower receiver with optical sight (not included)

SUITE-16  conversion options are almost endless as evidenced by these M-4 SOCOM posters

The original heavy machine gun was water-cooled and so designated because of its combined weight with tripod and water condenser canister of about 80 pounds.  This one is a Vickers built adaptation of the first self loading machine gun, the Maxim. 

The Browning M-2 "Ma Deuce" .50 caliber heavy machine gun is still in service in the U.S.military and other militaries of the world

The Browning 1919A4 saw heavy action in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.  Normally mounted on a light tripod or pintle mounted on a truck or jeep, it also served in tanks, small boats, and aircraft. 

John Browning poses with his 30-06 caliber 1917 water cooled machine gun, a much less complicated gun than the Maxim and Vickers.  Originally classified as a heavy machine gun, it was redesignated a medium machine gun during WWII to avoid confusion with the more powerful M-2 .50 caliber machine gun.

The finely machined but temperamental MG34 was the first practical general purpose machine gun to see wide military use.  It could be mounted on a tripod for fixed, defensive operations, or used with a bipod for offensive, maneuvering operations.  It was often mounted on vehicles.  

The mass produced MG42 made excessive use of stampings and spot welding to speed production.  It proved to be a more robust and reliable gun than the MG34 and became the mainstay weapon of the standard German WWII infantry unit.   It remains in use today as the MG3, albeit in caliber 7.62 NATO.  During WWII the US Army reverse engineered captured specimens to produce an American version in 30-06, though after testing it was decided not to put it into production.  Features of the gun eventually were incorporated into America's first GPMG, the postwar M60. 

The FN MAG 58 has seen wide and popular acceptance across the free world, and remains the mainstay weapon of most NATO countries. 

The M60 was adopted by the US Army in time to play a key role in the Vietnam war.  Despite a long development period, it was plagued with problems which only recently have been effectively addressed.  Despite its yeoman service, it earned the unflattering moniker of "The Pig".  It has largely been superseded by the M240, itself a variant of the FN MAG 58.

Though no longer standard issue in the major militaries of the world, the BREN (top photos) has a well deserved reputation for reliability and dependability that no LMG has exceeded.  It was derived from the excellent Czech ZB-26, which itself would be used against them by German forces in WWII and Chinese forces in the Korean War.  The name BREN is a compilation of BR for Brno, Czechoslovakia, (where the design originated) and EN for Enfield, England, where it was built under license.  The MK1 (top left) was chambered in .303 British and uses a heavily curved magazine to offset the problems encountered when loading rimmed cartridges.  BRENs saw great service in WWII, Korea, and the colonial wars that followed.  During the Korean War British forces had the dubious honor of encountering, capturing, and using Chinese BRENs chambered in .303 British and 7.92 Mauser.  The former were UK guns previously captured by the Japanese and later by the Chinese, while the latter were Canadian built contract guns made for the Nationalist Chinese forces before the Communists seized power.  Many post-war Common Wealth guns were converted to the shorter and more reliably feeding 7.62 NATO and redesignated L4 (top right).  These guns had a straighter magazine and slotted flash hider. 

Another LMG of WWII vintage was the Johnson 1941 (bottom).  The Johnson LMG was a modification of their Model 1941 rifle which was rushed into use by the Marine Corps early in WWII.  Attempts to standardize the Johnson rifle and LMG in USMC service were scrapped once adequate supplies of M-1 Garands and BARs could be sourced from the Army, thus greatly simplifying logistics.  Though developed separately, it possesses a layout strikingly similar to the German FG42 battle rifle described below.  Also like the FG42, it fired in the full automatic mode with the bolt open and locked to the rear to aid cooling and to prevent an overheated chamber from igniting a round (referred to as "cook off"), and in the semiautomatic mode from a closed bolt position to improve accuracy.  Unlike the FG42, the Johnson was recoil operated, wherein the barrel reciprocates to unlock the action during firing.    The US Army acquired 125 Johnson LMGs to equip the First Special Service Force (a joint American Canadian airborne and mountain warfare commando raiding force), which used them in the Aleutian Campaign where they did not encounter Japanese opposition, and in Italy where they were successfully deployed against the Germans.  Ironically, the German Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) forces also fought in Italy with their FG42s, though there is no indication the units or weapons ever faced one another.          

The Browning Automatic Rifle or BAR, was invented by John Browning during WWI.  Though superior to all other portable automatic rifles of the period, it was only to see limited use during the war, most notably in the hands of the sons inventor, Lt. Val Browning.  It saw heavy use in WWII and Korea, and soldiered into the Vietnam era.  The standard US Army infantry squad of WWII was built around one gun, while the Marines preferred up to three guns in each squad.  Its primary weakness was the lack of a quick change barrel and the limitations of a 20 round magazine.  Despite its 20+ lbs. of weight, soldiers and Marines swore by it.  Many Marines preferred their guns in a WWI configuration and so often removed the bipod to save weight .  The carrying handle, a late addition to the gun, would likely have been removed as well.

The remarkable German FG42 was created for the Luftwaffe (Air Force) because the Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) units were assigned to them.  After the debacle at the Battle of Crete, the paras demanded a weapon with greater range and firepower than the MP-40 SMG, but more compact and capable of emergency automatic fire, features that bolt action and semiautomatic rifles lacked.  The result was the first select fire battle rifle.  Gas operated, and complex, it proved difficult to produce and went through several iterations.  Estimates are that less than 7500 were built.    

The FN FAL was the most common battle rifle of the free world from the late 1950s to the 1990s and was nearly adopted by the US Army, which favored the M-14 prototype.  Three major patterns exist, inch, metric, and Israeli (a combination of both patterns with a few Israeli oddities thrown in).  To a good extent, many parts will interchange between the various patterns, or can be altered to work.  During the Falklands/Malvines War both sides used the FAL as their standard service rifle.  In theory, the British had a slight logistical advantage due to their inch pattern rifles accepting captured metric magazines (though somewhat wobbly), while the reverse was not true.  Though still in service in some counties, the FAL has largely been supplanted by lighter and smaller assault rifles.

Despite a long and checkered development period tracing back to WWII, the M-14 was a mainline service rifle in the US Army and Marine Corps for only about a decade, when it was supplanted by the M-16.  It remains in limited use today primarily as a sniper rifle and special purpose weapon.  A heavy barrel squad automatic rifle version, the M-15, was not issued because tests showed a modified M-14, called the M-14A1, performed as well.  The M-14A1 saw only brief service before being withdrawn due to excessive recoil and overheating. 

The German G3 evolved from the Spanish CETME, which itself was a development of a late war German prototype assault rifle, the StG45.  The MP5 SMG is based on the G3 and uses the same roller locked delayed blowback action, though in a smaller package.  As with other battle rifles, the G3 has largely been replaced with smaller, handier assault rifles.

Known by several names, the MP43, MP44, and StG 44, was an outgrowth of several earlier designs intended for use on the Russian front where human wave tactics demanded a handier high capacity firearm capable of engaging at ranges greater than the submachine gun but less than the slow firing bolt action rifle.  Several hundred thousand were issued and saw action on both the eastern, and to a lesser extent, western fronts.  The Soviets captured specimens and were so intrigued by both the weapon and the ammunition, that it lead to their development of the 7.62x39 round in 1943, and the prototype AK assault rifle shortly thereafter. 

The Air Force adopted the M-16 as a base defense weapon in the early 1960s.  The Army soon acquired it, and later the improved M-16A1 (pictured), as a limited use weapon to deal with the jungle fighting of the Vietnam War.  The premature rush to field it was coupled with an initial shortage of cleaning kits, a general lack of proper training, and a change in gunpowder which accelerated fouling and wear. Coupled with a small caliber high velocity round, it soon earned a reputation among some soldiers and Marines as an unreliable "mouse gun".  The M-16A1 proved much more successful and lead to full standardization within the Army and Marine Corps.   

The superficial similarities between the Soviet AK (left) and the Stg 44 (panel above) are readily apparent, though the AK uses a different internal design and general fabrication techniques.  Since the 1950s it has been the symbol of both communist countries and revolutionaries around the world.  Ergonomically lacking, and less accurate than the M-16, it has a well earned reputation for being extremely robust, simple, and reliable.  Many variants exist, including a compact SMG version, but all are made with either stamped or solid steel receivers, folding or fixed stocks, and in calibers 7.62 x 39, 5.45 x 39, or 5.56 x 45.  The RPK squad automatic weapon version (right) utilizes a bipod, longer barrel, and different rear stock.  Since it lacks a belt feed and quick change barrel, it has limited utility in this role. The AK series is believed to be the most mass produced firearm in history, with estimates ranging from 50 million to over 80 million produced, and still growing.         

The M-16A2 (above) was adopted to improve the ruggedness, handiness, and long range effectiveness of the M-16.  Though it has almost completely supplanted the earlier M-16A1, it has itself been superseded to a large degree by the M-16A4 rifle (detachable carrying handle) and M-4, M-4A1 (below), and M-4A1 SOPMOD carbines.

Pictured above is a Model 1928 Thompson SMG.   The 1928 was a simple modification of the original 1921 to reduce the rate of fire.   Designed too late to see service in WWI, it received its baptism of fire during the rum wars of the prohibition period, serving on both sides of the law.  It's first use in combat was by U.S. Marines fighting in the "banana wars" in places like Nicaragua, and in China.  The Chinese even built copies which showed up as late as the Vietnam War.  It gave great service during WWII, and though continuously revised and simplified, it was eventually replaced by the far cheaper and somewhat lighter M-3 "grease gun", much to the chagrin of many G.I.s.     

The MP40 "Burp Gun" (referring to the sound it makes when fired) was derived from the earlier German MP38, designed and built at Erma, which had a long history of SMG manufacturing.  The MP40 was compact due its novel folding stock, and made up largely of stampings and even plastic.  It set the standard for SMGs to follow and served in large numbers during WWII.  It has erroneously been called the Schmeisser, after Hugo Schmeisser, who designed some earlier SMGs, though no evidence exists that he contributed much to the design of this gun.     

After the huge loss of arms at Dunkirk, the British Army and Home Guard were in desperate need of firearms.  Limited quantities of Thompson SMGs were reaching England, but not enough to meet the demand.  Having captured some German MP38s and MP40s, the British issued a requirement for an even simpler gun that could be mass produced in home workshops.  The result was a design by Shepherd and Turpin at Enfield, hence the name STEN.  Though crude and suffering from magazine defects that were never fully corrected, the STEN was dirt cheap to make and its various Marks (MK II pictured) were produced in the millions at home and abroad, where they contributed significantly to the Allied victory.  They became a fixture in the proxy wars and revolutions that followed, and may even be encountered today in some remote areas.

In Winter War of 1940 the Soviet Army suffered so many casualties at the hands of Finnish troops armed with their superb Suomi KP/-31 SMG, that they instituted a policy of mass SMG armament of their own forces.  Their initial gun, the PPD-40 was soon replaced by the cruder yet more easily mass produced PPSh-41 (Pistolet Pulemyot Shpagin) designed by Georgi Shpagin.  This weapon, more than any other, became the iconic symbol of Soviet resistance to Nazism, and until the 1960s when the AK became ubiquitous, the PPSh-41, along with the Red Star and hammer and sickle, was the most recognized sign of Communism.  

Inspired by several Czech designs, the Israeli UZI first appeared in combat during the 1956 Suez Crisis.  It's compact size is attributed to the bolt design which telescopes over much of the barrel and lends stability to the gun during firing.  Rugged, reliable, and safe to operate, its popularity has dwindled over the years in favor of more accurate close bolt operating SMGs and compact assault rifles such as the M-4. 

The MP5 was developed by Heckler and Koch in West Germany in the 1960s and has evolved into the most popular police and antiterrorist SMG in the world.  Offered in several pistol calibers, the most common is 9mm.  Both burst fire and full automatic versions are offered, along with a civilianized semiautomatic carbine.  Its continued popularity is due to its compact size, light weight, and closed bolt method of operation which enhances first shot accuracy, a critical component in SWAT and antiterrorism work.     

The Mauser Model 712 was one of several select fire variants of the famous "Broomhanlde" pistol.

Though outwardly very similar to the Mauser, the semiautomatic Astra 900 and select-fire 902 had improved internal lockwork.  The German SS acquired limited quantities of the Astra prior to WWII because the Wehrmacht (German Army) refused to arm them.

This photograph shows the internal workings of a select fire Star.  Note the unique inertial wheel which allows the shooter to control the rate of fire. 

The Glock 18 is one of the latest incarnations of a select-fire pistol.  The selector switch is mounted at the rear of the slide, and the compensated barrel is optional.

M-2 select fire carbine with 30 round magazine, heavier stock, improved magazine catch, heavier rounded bolt,

and additional internal parts and selector switch (not visible)

The XM-177E2 pictured above was one incarnation of the SMG/assault carbine version of the M-16 that appeared during the Vietnam War and was used mostly by special operations personnel.  The Air Force procured a very similar firearm which became the GAU-5 series.  The 10" - 11.5" barrels reduced bullet performance significantly, and the shortened gas system affected reliability.  The Air Force guns were given a new lease on life when the longer 14" fast twist barrel was adopted as the GUU-5P.  The Air Force has subsequently replaced most, if not all of these guns with the M-4 series used by the Army.      

The 20mm Oerlikon rapid fire cannon is a recoil operated weapon that was common on board US Navy ships during WWII to offer low altitude antiaircraft defense.

The 40mm Bofors, shown here in split quad mount, was the premier antiaircraft defense on American ships in WWII, especially against the late war Kamikaze attacks.  It soldiers on today in the AC-130 gunships of the USAF.  

Early, intermediate, and late model Gatling guns of the 19th century

7.62 NATO caliber GAU-17 being fired by a Marine helicopter gunner                                                   30mm GAU-8 from A-10 "Warthog" attack aircraft                                                                   variant of 5.56mm GE XM214 "Six Pack"