These Guns Were Used in the Deadliest Mass Shootings in U.S. History

Having a better understanding of the weapons used in the deadliest mass shootings in American history is a means of developing strategies to mitigate and hopefully curtail the phenomenon. You'll see some common traits among the weapons listed today, such as magazine capacity, which are relatively easy to the motive behind the weapon's use. Today, we're looking at the weapons at the heart of some of the deadliest mass shootings in US history.

The debut model of Glock handguns has been a popular choice in law enforcement. It is also unfortunately at the center of two of the deadliest mass shootings in US history. The Glock 17 was utilized during the Pulse Nightclub shooting by Omar Mateen.

The M&P15 Sport is simply Smith & Wesson's take on the popular AR-15 platform. It has been utilized by law enforcement and sports shooters for many years. It was the primary weapon of gunman James Eagan Holmes during the 2012 Aurora Theater shooting.

The 870 Express has been the pump-action shotgun of choice for decades when it comes to law enforcement and military personnel. It was also, unfortunately, one of the weapons chosen by James Eagan Holmes for the Aurora theater shooting.

The Glock 22 was a response to the demand for a .40 S&W handgun to meet law enforcement requirements. The popular sidearm was also found on James Eagan Holmes' person in the aftermath of the Aurora theater shooting.

There has been no shortage of the deadliest mass shootings, with an AR-15 pattern rifle at the center of them. Examples include the 2018 Parkland high school shooting, the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, and the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

The forebear to the AR-15 was at the center of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. At least 8 of these rifles were utilized by Stephen Paddock, alongside another 14 AR-15 pattern rifles and others. The AR-10 is chambered in .308 or 7.62 NATO.

The Ruger American is an inexpensive bolt-action rifle introduced for hunters. It was one of the many rifles found in Stephen Paddock's hotel suite during the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.

The MCX is the basis for the next generation of American service rifles. It also unfortunately has the dubious distinction of being the primary weapon of Omar Mateen during the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting.

Daniel Defense has always been one of the top names in AR-15s, thanks in part to their superlative fit and finish. It was the sole weapon used by Salvador Ramos during the 2022 Uvalde school shooting.

The 2019 El Paso Walmart shooting saw a relative rarity compared to the other mass shootings on today's list. There was an AK-pattern rifle of some sort in use by the perpetrator, Patrick Wood Crusius.

The Uzi Model A is a curiosity of sorts in the long history of firearms. A carbine version of the famous submachine gun, it was eventually modified to avoid a federal ban due to its easy modification to fully-automatic operation. It was one of the primary weapons of James Huberty during the 1984 San Ysidro McDonald's massacre.

The Browning Hi-Power is one of the enduring sidearms of the military world, seeing consistent use in Canada, Great Britain, and Belgium among others. It was the sidearm of choice for James Huberty during the 1984 San Ysidro McDonald's Massacre.

The Winchester Model 1200 was a popular alternative to the Remington 870 throughout the 1960s, well into the 1990s. It was one of the many weapons carried by James Huberty during the 1984 San Ysidro McDonald's Massacre.

The TEC-DC9 was one of Intratec's many bids to capture the interest of gun buyers. The TEC-9 was a rightfully maligned handgun, but it is also one of the primary weapons used during one of the deadliest mass shootings in history. The TEC-DC9 was one of two weapons utilized during the 1999 Columbine High School shooting.

The Savage 67H is like any number of generic side-by-side shotguns. Chambered in multiple gauges, it's an inexpensive weapon intended for hunting purposes. It was the other main firearm used during the 1999 Columbine High School shooting.