These Gunmakers Make the American Military the Best in the World

Given that the United States was founded in part on the individual's right to own firearms, it is no surprise that the country is home to many gun manufacturers. At the time of its founding, America was immediately involved in war. With the British bearing down on the East Coast, the gun industry had to quickly ramp up production to provide the Continental Army with muskets. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Although it ceased operations in 2015, Harrington & Richardson had been in business since 1871 and first received military contracts during World War I, beginning with flare guns. In World War II, the company started to produce the Reising submachine gun. After the war, H&R produced the M1 Garand rifle for postwar contracts, and later the M16A1 rifle during the Vietnam War.

Founded in Utah in 1878, the Browning Arms Company has long incorporated the designs of John Browning, one of the most prolific firearms inventors in world history. Thanks to licensing deals with Winchester, Colt, Remington, and more, Browning’s designs have been utilized across multiple conflicts, including the M2 machine gun in World War II and the M2 .50 caliber, which remains in active military use.

One of the newer firearms companies in the US, Beretta USA is also one of the best-known names, thanks, in part, to its use by law enforcement. However, the US military adopted the company’s popular M9 pistol in 1985, using it in Iraq and Afghanistan to replace the equally renowned M1911.

According to recent ATF data, Ruger has frequently ranked as the largest firearm manufacturer in the United States in recent years, though the top spot is closely contested with Sig Sauer and Smith & Wesson.

Founded in 1949, the company has produced firearms such as the Ruger Mini-14 carbine and the M77 rifle, which were used by special operations units in Vietnam and Desert Storm. Ruger remains a leading firearms manufacturer for both civilian and law enforcement use.

Once self-proclaimed as the 'largest producer of sporting arms in the world,' Stevens Arms is an American firearms company founded in 1864. Later, when purchased by Savage Arms, the company focused heavily on producing Mosin-Nagant rifles for Russia under the Lend-Lease program during World War II. The 620A trench shotgun was also produced for use in World War II and Vietnam.

Better known as O.F. Mossberg & Sons, this firearm staple was founded in 1919 and specializes in shotguns, pistols, rifles, and scopes. During World War II, the company’s production of .22-caliber training rifles, including the Model 44US, helped prepare troops for war. The company also helped produce the Browning M2 .50-caliber heavy machine gun during WWII and the Enfield No. 4 rifle under contract for the US Army and Navy.

The High Standard Firearms company, founded in 1926 in Connecticut, began making .22-caliber pistols for the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor to the CIA. In addition, the company supplied the military with .22-caliber pistols for weapons training for troops heading to the frontlines.

Founded by John T. Thompson in 1916, the Auto-Ordnance Company produced one of the most popular American weapons with the Thompson submachine gun. This weapon was a staple of Allied forces during World War II and was also prominent during the height of gangster activity in the 1920s. The company also developed the M1928A1, M1, and M1A1, which became legacy weapons used by various military branches.

The Ithaca Gun Company, which has existed in Ohio since 1880, is famous for building guns based on Remington Arms patents. The company produced the M1911 pistol during World War II and the M3 Grease Gun during the Korean War, all for the military. The company’s shotguns are now the gold standard for the Los Angeles and New York Police Departments.

Started in 1870 by John Marlin, Marlin Firearms makes a slew of semi-automatic, lever-action, and bolt-action rifles. Before merging with Remington Arms, the company famously helped produce the M1895 Colt-Browning machine gun, nicknamed the 'Marlin gun,' for aircraft use. The company also made components for the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine, which were used in World War II and Korea.

Located in Westfield, Massachusetts, Savage Arms was famous for supplying its Lewis machine guns for World War I and its .45 pistols for World War II. The company’s Model 110 rifle was a favorite of Vietnam snipers, and the same goes for its .300 Savage cartridge, which was also favored by US forces. The Model 99 lever-action rifle was issued to the Montreal Home Guard in World War I.

An iconic gun manufacturer in the United States, Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc., was founded in 1852 and has been a staple ever since. The company’s Model 10 revolver was in the hands of US troops during World War I, while its .357 Magnum gained fame during the Korean conflict. Today, the company still provides guns for military and law enforcement use as well as revolvers for civilians.

Since 1816, Remington had supplied American owners and the military with many famously used arms. Unfortunately, the company went bankrupt in 2020, but before that, it began providing the US military with flintlock rifles as early as the Mexican-American War. Remington also played a role in World War I, when the army asked it to produce the Model 1903, which became the standard-issue bolt-action rifle for US troops.

The Winchester Repeating Arms Company is a privately owned, prominent American manufacturer that has existed since 1866. The company’s first real foray into warfare began in World War II when its Enfield rifle and the Browning Automatic Rifle became a staple of the conflict. The same is true for the M1 Garand in World War II, which General Patton called 'the greatest battle implement ever devised.

Now known as Colt’s Manufacturing Company, LLC, Colt was founded in 1855 by Samuel Colt and has been an American staple ever since. Manufacturing the beloved M1911 for World War I through Vietnam and the M16 for Vietnam, Colt has been responsible for some of America’s most prominent firearms in the last 100 years. Among its most notable models today are the AR-15 and the M4.