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What Rifles Won World War 2? Artillery and airpower were the primary drivers of casualties during the Second World War. That said, there still needs to be feet on the ground, rifles in hand, when it comes time to take and hold ground. The Second World War saw rifles of all shapes and sizes used throughout the conflict. Today, we're looking at some of the rifles used by every nation that participated.
63. Model 1889 Schmidt-Rubin Year entered service: 1890 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Switzerland Action: Manually actuated straight-pull bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7.5x53.5mm Swiss & 5-,6-, or 12-round detachable box magazine62. Rifle Model 1890 (Turkish Mauser) Year entered service: 1890 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Turkey Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7.65x53mm Turkish Mauser; 8x57mm & 5-round internal magazine61. Mosin-Nagant Model 1891 Year entered service: 1891 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Russia Action: Manual bolt-action Caliber & feed: 7.62x54mmR; 7.62x53mmR; 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-round integral magazine60. Carcano Modello 1891 (M91) Year entered service: 1892 Type: Bolt-action service rifle / infantry carbine Country of origin: Italy Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano; 7.35x51mm Carcano; 7.92x57mm Mauser & 6-round internal magazine59. Krag-Jorgensen Model 1894 Year entered service: 1894 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Norway Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 6.5x55mm M94 Norwegian Krag & 5-round integral magazine58. Marlin Model 1894 Year entered service: 1894 Type: Carbine rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Manually-actuated lever-action system Caliber & feed: .32-20 Winchester; .32 HR Magnum; .38 Spc & 6-,9-, or 10-round tubular magazine57. Winchester Model 1894 Year entered service: 1894 Type: Lever-action rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Manually-actuated lever-action Caliber & feed: .30-30 Winchester & 6- or 8-round tubular magazine56. Lee-Enfield Year entered service: 1895 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: United Kingdom Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: .303 MK VII SAA Ball & 10-round detachable box magazine55. Mannlicher Model 1895 Year entered service: 1895 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Austria-Hungary Action: Manually-actuated straight-pull bolt; repeating Caliber & feed: 8x50R Mannlicher & 5-round integral magazine54. Mauser Model 1898 (Gew 98) Year entered service: 1898 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Manually-actuated bolt mechanism Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-round clip with fixed integral magazine53. Arisaka Type 30 Year entered service: 1899 Type: Bolt-action service rifle/infantry carbine Country of origin: Japan Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British & 5-round internal magazine52. Mondragon Rifle (Fusil Mondragon) Year entered service: 1900 Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Mexico Action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt; also manual bolt-action Caliber & feed: 7x57mm Mauser & 8-,10-, or 20-round box; or 100-round drum magazine51. Mannlicher-Schonauer Model 1903 Year entered service: 1903 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Greece Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schonauer & 5-round rotating magazine50. Springfield Model 1903 (M1903) Year entered service: 1903 Type: Bolt-action service rifle/sniper rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: .30-03; .30-06 Springfield & 5-round internal magazine49. Model 1904 Vergueiro-Mauser Year entered service: 1904 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Portugal Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 6.5x58mm Vergueiro; 7x57mm Mauser & 5-round internal magazine48. Arisaka Type 38 Year entered service: 1905 Type: Bolt-action service rifle/infantry carbine Country of origin: Japan Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British & 5-round internal magazine47. Ross Rifle Year entered service: 1905 Type: Straight-pull bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Canada Action: Manual pull, bolt-action system Caliber & feed: .303 British & 5-round magazine46. Arisaka Type 44 Cavalry Rifle Year entered service: 1912 Type: Carbine service weapon Country of origin: Japan Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British & 5-round internal magazine45. Enfield Pattern 1914 Year entered service: 1914 Type: Bolt-action service rifle/sniper rifle Country of origin: United Kingdom Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: .303 British & 5-round stripper clips44. Fedorov Avtomat M1916 Year entered service: 1915 Type: Automatic rifle Country of origin: Russia Action: Short-recoil; locked breech; closed bolt; select-fire Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka & 25-round detachable box magazine43. Winchester Model 1915 Year entered service: 1915 Type: Lever-action rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Lever-action; repeat fire Caliber & feed: 7.62x54mmR & 5-round internal magazine42. Fusil Automatique Modele 1817 (Model 1917 RSC) Year entered service: 1917 Type: Semi-automatic rifle/bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: France Action: Gas-operated; rotating belt Caliber & feed: 8x50mmR Lebel & 5-round internal magazine41. M1917 Enfield Year entered service: 1917 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7.62x63mm (.30-06 Springfield) & 6-round magazine40. Browning M1918 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) Year entered service: 1918 Type: Light machine gun Country of origin: United States Action: Gas-operated piston; open-bolt; selective fire Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield & 20-round detachable box magazine39. Carl-Gustav m/21-m37 Year entered service: 1921 Type: Light machine gun Country of origin: Sweden Action: Gas-operated; tilting breach block Caliber & feed: 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser & 20-round detachable box magazine38. Springfield Model 1922 Year entered service: 1922 Type: Bolt-action training rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: .22LR & 5-round internal magazine37. Ceska Zbrojovka vz. 24 Year entered service: 1924 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Czechoslovakia Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser; 7.57mm Mauser; 7.65x53mm Argentine & 5-round integral magazine36. CZ Model 1924 (Mauser) Short Rifle Year entered service: 1924 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Guatemala Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7x57mm Mauser & 5-round internal magazine35. ZH-29 Year entered service: 1929 Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Czechoslovakia Action: Semi-automatic; gas-operated Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-,10-, or 20-round detachable box magazine34. Fabrique Nationale FN M1930 (BAR) Year entered service: 1930 Type: Light machine gun Country of origin: Belgium Action: Gas-operated; tilting breach block Caliber & feed: 7.65x53mm Belgian Mauser & 20-round detachable box magazine33. Fabrique Nationale FN Mle D (BAR) Year entered service: 1932 Type: Light machine gun Country of origin: Belgium Action: Gas-operated; tilting breech block Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Belgian Mauser; .30-06 Springfield; 7.62x51mm NATO & 20-round detachable box magazine32. FEG 35M (Mannlicher M1935) Year entered service: 1935 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Hungary Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 8x56mmR Hungarian Mannlicher; 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-round internal magazine31. Kb wz.35 (Marosczek) Year entered service: 1935 Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle Country of origin: Poland Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7.92x107mm DS & 4-round detachable box magazine30. Mauser Karabiner Kar 98k Year entered service: 1935 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Bolt-action Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 5-round internal magazine29. Type 24 (Chiang Kai-Shek Rifle) Year entered service: 1935 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: Taiwan Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action; repeat-fire Caliber & feed: 8x57mm IS (7.92x57mm Mauser) & 5-round internal magazine28. M1 Garand Year entered service: 1936 Type: Battle rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Self-loading; gas-action piston Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield & 8-round internal clip27. MAS 36 (modele 36 / mle 36) Year entered service: 1936 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: France Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7.5x54mm & 5-round internal magazine26. Winchester Model 70 Year entered service: 1936 Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield & 3-,4-, or 5-round box magazine25. Arisaka Type 97 Year entered service: 1937 Type: Bolt-action sniper rifle Country of origin: Japan Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 6.5x50mm Arisaka; .303 British & 5-round internal magazine24. Boys 0.55in Year entered service: 1937 Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle Country of origin: United Kingdom Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 13.9mm (0.55 in) & 5-round detachable box magazine23. Panzerbuchse 38 (PzB 38) Year entered service: 1938 Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Single-shot; manually-actuated bolt-action Caliber & feed: 7.92x94mm Patronen & Single shot 22. Solothurn S18-100 Year entered service: 1938 Type: Bullpup anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle Country of origin: Switzerland Action: Semi-automatic Caliber & feed: 20x105mmB; 20x138mmB Long & 5- or 10-round detachable box magazine21. Tokarev SVT-38 Year entered service: 1938 Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Soviet Union Action: Self-loading; semi-automatic Caliber & feed: 7.62x54mmR Russian & 10-round detachable box magazine20. Arisaka Type 99 Year entered service: 1939 Type: Bolt-action service rifle/infantry carbine Country of origin: Japan Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7.7x58mm Arisaka & 5-round internal magazine19. Panzerbuchse 39 (PzB 39) Year entered service: 1939 Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Single-shot; manually-actuated bolt-action Caliber & feed: 7.92x94mm Patronen & Single shot18. Tokarev SVT-40 Year entered service: 1940 Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Soviet Union Action: Gas-operated, semi-automatic Caliber & feed: 7.62x54mmR & 10-round detachable box magazine17. Degtyarev PTRD 1941 Year entered service: 1941 Type: Anti-tank rifle / anti-material rifle Country of origin: Soviet Union Action: Manually-operated bolt; semi-automatic breach Caliber & feed: 14.5x114mm & Single shot16. Johnson Model 1941 Year entered service: 1941 Type: Semi-automatic rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Semi-automatic; short-recoil; rotating bolt Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield; 7x57mm Mauser & 10-round cylindrical magazine15. Remington Model 1903 (Springfield) Year entered service: 1941 Type: Bolt-action service rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Manually-actuated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: .30-06 Springfield & 5-round stripper clips14. Walther Gewehr 41 (G41 / Gew 41) Year entered service: 1941 Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 10-round integral box magazine13. Carl-Gustav m/42 Year entered service: 1942 Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Sweden Action: Gas-operated; direct impingement Caliber & feed: 6.5x55mm Swedish Mauser; 7.92x57mm; 7.62x39mm Soviet' & 10-round detachable box magazine; 5-round stripper clips12. Charlton Automatic Rifle Year entered service: 1942 Type: Semi-automatic rifle / light machine gun Country of origin: New Zealand Action: Gas-operated; semi/full-automatic fire Caliber & feed: .303 British & 10- or 30-round detachable box magazine11. Fallschirmjagergewehr 42 (FG42 / FjG42) Year entered service: 1942 Type: Automatic rifle / light machine gun Country of origin: Germany Action: Gas-operated; select fire Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 10- or 20-round detachable box10. M1 Carbine Year entered service: 1942 Type: Semi-automatic / full-automatic carbine Country of origin: United States Action: Gas-operated, short-stroke piston; semi-automatic Caliber & feed: 30 M1 Carbine & 15- or 30-round detachable box magazine9. Sturmgewehr 44 (StG44) / Maschinenpistole 44 (MP44) Year entered service: 1942 Type: Assault rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Gas-operated; locked-breech; tilting bolt; select-fire Caliber & feed: 7.92x33mm Kurz & 30-round detachable box magazine8. Walther Gewehr 43 (G43 / Gew 43) Year entered service: 1943 Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Mauser & 10-round integral box magazine7. Arisaka Type 4 / Type 5 Year entered service: 1944 Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Japan Action: Self-loading; gas-operated; rotating belt Caliber & feed: 7.7x58mm Arisaka & 10-round integral magazine6. M2 Carbine Year entered service: 1944 Type: Select-fire automatic carbine Country of origin: United States Action: Selective-fire (semi/full-automatic) capability; gas-operated, short-stroke piston Caliber & feed: 30 M1 Carbine & 15- or 30-round detachable box magazine5. M3 Carbine Year entered service: 1944 Type: Sniper carbine rifle Country of origin: United States Action: Selective-fire (semi/full-automatic) capability; gas-operated, short-stroke piston Caliber & feed: 30 M1 Carbine & 15- or 30-round detachable box magazine4. Gustloff Volkssturmgewehr Year entered service: 1945 Type: Semi-automatic rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Semi-automatic; gas-delayed blowback Caliber & feed: 7.92x33mm Kurz & 30-round detachable box magazine3. Simonov SKS Year entered service: 1945 Type: Semi-automatic carbine Country of origin: Soviet Union Action: Self-loading short-stroke gas piston Caliber & feed: 7.62x39mm M1943 & 10-round internal box magazine2. Sturmgewehr 45 (StG45) / Maschinenpistole 45 (MP45) Year entered service: 1945 Type: Assault rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Gas-operated; locked-breech; tilting bolt; select-fire Caliber & feed: 7.92x33mm Kurz & 10- or 30-round detachable box magazine1. Volkssturmgewehr VG Year entered service: 1945Type: Semi-automatic service rifle Country of origin: Germany Action: Manually-operated bolt-action system Caliber & feed: 7.92x57mm Kurz & 10-round detachable box magazine← PreviousNext →
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