In America, civilian gun ownership is relatively common. According to the Small Arms Survey, there were an estimated 393 million firearms in civilian possession in the United States as of 2018, making it the country with the world’s largest per capita gun ownership.
In terms of ownership, the General Social Survey performed by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago revealed that in 2020, 31% of U.S. households reported having at least one firearm, a decrease from the peak of 50% in the late 1970s.
Nonetheless, it is crucial to note that gun ownership rates in the United States can vary greatly across areas and demographic groupings. For instance, gun ownership tends to be more prevalent in rural areas than urban ones and among men more than women.
This article will describe the Top 25 Most Popular Civilian Guns in America.
1. Remington M700 sniper rifle
The Remington M700 is usually called a “rifle” in the United States. It is generally used for hunting or shooting sports. The gun has a variety of caliber models in the folk, which can fire .300 Winchester and .300 Magnum ammunition. , or .308 Winchester and .223 Remington ammunition, etc., the M700 sniper rifle has high accuracy and reliability and is very influential in civilian firearms.
In view of the excellent characteristics of the gun, it is still developed based on the original military version of the M24 and M40 sniper rifles.
2. Smith & Wesson M&P9 pistol
This is a semi-automatic pistol specially developed for personal self-defense or shooting sports. The biggest feature of M&P9 is that it is small and compact, and the base of the sleeve is made of polymer material, so the volume is also very light. The Parabellum pistol has a magazine capacity of 10 rounds, but you can also choose 15 rounds or 17 rounds of incremental magazines.
In addition, to adapt to different users’ hands, the components behind the grip can be replaced according to usage habits or hand shape. Most guns are used for personal or family defense in the United States.
3. Mossberg M500 series shotgun
The Mossberg M500 series is one of the most famous shotguns in the United States. It is divided into pump-action and semi-automatic types. It can fire 12-gauge shotguns. At the same time, the types of ammunition also include buckshot, birdshot, lead, and conventional shotguns.
The barrel has a capacity of 6 rounds, and some extended types can load 8 rounds. The internal structure of the firearm is basically the same as the Remington M870 or Bernelli M3, commonly used by the military and police.
Most of the Mossberg M500 series are also used for hunting or defense among the people. In addition, this series of shotguns has also been adopted by the military and police.
4. Beretta Beretta1301 semi-automatic shotgun
Beretta 1301, also known as a semi-automatic tactical shotgun, is a shotgun launched by Beretta, a famous Italian small arms manufacturer. It is divided into 610mm barrel and 533mm barrels, which can fire 12-gauge shotguns. It is simple and quick to operate, and the accuracy of firing slugs is very high. It is very practical in hunting. Coupled with the gun’s appearance, it is naturally popular among Americans.
5. AR-15 series rifles
Since its birth in the 1960s, the AR-15 has almost become a “gun tradition” in the United States. Every gun fan is familiar with it, and after more than half a century of development, today’s AR-15 There are various versions; through the continuous improvement of production technology, coupled with folk DIY, it has become more beautiful, and now AR-15 is not only produced by Armalite and Colt, but Sig Manufacturers such as Sauer and Springfield are also producing various AR-15s. This rifle has a high status among the American folk.
6. M70 assault rifle
The M70 is an AK47 imitation rifle produced by the former Yugoslav Zastava in the 1970s. The difference in appearance is that the M70 has a longer handguard, and a foldable grenade scale is added to the front end of the gas hoop. The rest of the internal structure is the same as the AK47. In terms of ammunition, it fires the 7.62x39mm M67 rifle ammunition imitating the M43 in Yugoslavia.
It also uses 30 rounds of magazines for ammunition. At the same time, it inherits the characteristics of the AK rifle’s leather and durability. In addition to being the standard weapon of Yugoslavia at that time, the M70 assault rifle also entered the Western civilian market. Later, the United States also reproduced it for the civilian field, and it became one of the most popular civilian guns in the area.
7. M1911 series pistols
M1911, like AR-15, is also a tradition in American firearms. It has been the favorite pistol of Americans since it came out in 1911 because the structure of M1911 is simple and durable, and it fires powerful 0.45ACP ammunition. Characteristics, so naturally loved. Although the original factory, Colt, no longer produces the M1911, manufacturers such as Sig Sauer, Springfield, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger are still producing for the private sector, and they have a variety of appearances.
8. Colt “Python” revolver
Colt’s “Python” revolver was introduced as early as the mid-1950s. At that time, it was mainly used as a shotgun among the people or for home defense. The gun can fire 0.357-inch Magnum ammunition and has a strong At the same time. The “Python” revolver is also divided into four different size models: 2.5 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches, and 8 inches. It is still one of the most popular pistols among American folks.
9. Ruger Ruger Mk.IV sports pistol
A sports pistol specially developed by Sturm Ruger for civilian shooting. It fires 0.22LR small-caliber ammunition. This gun is mostly used for shooting competitions in the United States. At the same time, the gun also has strong accuracy. Therefore, it is very popular among the people.
10. Glock G19X pistol
It is also a popular model in the Glock family. Compared with the original G17, it has fewer parts and is easier to maintain. At the same time, the socket base of the G19X also has an interface, which can be installed with an infrared laser pointer or a strong light, Tactical flashlights, etc.
The tail of the sleeve can also be installed with a small red dot sight; the overall shape has changed a lot compared with the previous model, and the appearance has also been greatly improved. Glock has a high influence in the world, and so does the United States.
11. Glock G43X Compact Pistol
G43X is a compact pistol in the Glock family. The length of the gun is only 165 mm, and the weight of the empty gun is 0.5 kg. It fires 9×19 mm pistol bullets and has a magazine capacity of 10 rounds. The Glock G43X pistol is usually used for personal self-defense. It is small, light, and easy to hide; gun fans love it.
12. SIG Sauer SIG P365 Compact Pistol
It is a compact pistol launched by German SIG Sauer for civil defense. The biggest feature of the P365 is its small size. Belum pistol has a magazine capacity of 10 rounds. Despite the small size of the P365, it also has the power of a standard gun. It is one of the first personal defense weapons choices in the United States.
13. Ruger Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle
Mini-14 is a small-caliber weapon developed by Ruger based on the M14 automatic rifle in the mid-1970s. It can fire 5.56x45mm Nato rifle ammunition and can use 20 rounds or 30 rounds of magazines for ammunition.
The effective range is 430. The military and police adopted the gun after it came out, and it can shoot fully automatic or single shot. Still, the later civilian version of the Mini-14 can only shoot semi-automatically with a single shot and is classified as a shotgun. It is still used in the United States today. Some gun fans use it for target shooting or hunting.
14. Springfield M1A semi-automatic rifle
The M1A is actually a civilian version of the M14 rifle produced by Springfield in the United States. The biggest difference is that the barrel of the M1A is shorter. Later, the wooden butt was changed to a polymer butt. The M1A fires 7.62x51mm full-power ammunition, which can be used 10 rounds or 20 rounds supplied by a double-row magazine, but as a civilian gun, the Springfield M1A has removed the speed device and can only shoot semi-automatic single shots. The gun has been used as a competition gun in the United States since its inception, but Some are also used as shotguns.
15. Winchester M70 sniper rifle
Winchester M70 is also called “shotgun” or “rifle” by the American folk. Meters and various sights can be installed on the top of the gun body, which has higher accuracy, and the gun is still used as a shotgun in the United States today.
16. M9 series pistols
M9 is actually the 92F pistol produced by Beretta in Italy. In the mid-1980s, it became a new generation of the standard pistol for the US military. It was named M9. After becoming a military pistol, the M9 was also oriented to the civilian market in large quantities, and various models were derived.
It can fire 9x19mm pistol ammunition and has a magazine capacity of 15 rounds. The gun has a high appearance, stable performance, and can adapt to various environments. The internal structure is relatively simple, and it can be easily maintained. M9 series pistols are now in American folk and are also very popular.
17. Henry.45-70 Lever Action Rifle
Looking at the gun’s appearance, you can tell that it is a product of the late 19th century, but Henry 45-70 is not an old gun from more than a hundred years ago, but a replica version of modern technology. This gun is mainly used for collection because lever-action rifles were the standard equipment for western cowboys in the 19th century; Americans were influenced by this aspect, coupled with their feelings for old guns; naturally, many people like to collect this retro lever-action rifle.
18. HK MP5 series submachine guns
HK MP5 has a reputation as “the king of micro-pulse in the world.” It was produced by Heckler & Koch in Germany in the 1950s and then became the main weapon of the military and police all over the world.
After more than 70 years of development, today’s MP5 series already has dozens of models that are no longer just used as standard weapons. Many civilian versions of the MP5 submachine gun have also been launched for civilian use. Due to the gun’s strong performance, high appearance, and influence worldwide, the MP5 is naturally popular in the United States.
19. CZ “Scorpion” EVO3 submachine gun
A modular submachine gun launched by the Czech Republic in the early 21st century. It is not only related to military use but also to the Western civilian field. The shape of the gun conforms to the aesthetics of most people. Picatinny rails on the sides are convenient for installing scopes or adjusting the front sight.
In terms of ammunition, 9x19mm Parabellum pistols can be fired, and 20, 25, or 30 rounds of transparent magazines can be used for bombs. Due to the “scorpion,” The Japanese-style submachine gun has a good appearance and is very popular among Americans, most of which are used for family protection.
20. SIG Sauer SIG P320 pistol
SIG P320 is a modular pistol developed by SIG Sauer in Germany. It was launched for the American civilian market in 2014. With its good looks and the influence of the SIG Sauer series, it quickly became popular among American folks.
The SIG P320 is also divided into four caliber models: 9mm, 0.45ACP, 0.40S&W, and 0.357SIG. The 9mm version not only has a civilian model but also became a new generation of standard pistols for the US Army in the later period.
21. FN PS90 semi-automatic submachine gun
FN PS90 is actually the civilian version of the Belgian FN P90. The biggest difference is that it can only shoot semi-automatically without automatic shooting capability. At the same time, the barrel of the PS90 is longer than the military version, and the ammunition is still 5.7x28mm, using 50 rounds.
The transparent magazine feeds the gun. Most of the guns are used for DIY in the United States. Rails, scopes, and grips are added to it, and the overall appearance and tactical style are further improved.
22. Remington M870 shotgun
The Remington M870 series was born as early as the 1950s. It is also one of the most famous shotguns in the United States. It can fire various types of 12-caliber shotguns. The gun has excellent performance and reliable use. The three major fields of military, police, and civilian use in the world, especially the civilian models, after decades of development and improvement, there have been many versions, such as tactical, hunting, compact and lengthened, etc., and now Remington The M870 remains one of the most popular shotguns among American civilians.
23. Kriss Vector submachine gun
A submachine gun developed by KRISS in the United States in the early 21st century. Kriss Vector has a sci-fi shape and a unique structure. It is often called the “future submachine gun” and also has the nickname “short sword.” I believe many people are familiar with it. I have seen this kind of submachine gun in film and television dramas or video games.
The biggest feature of the Kriss Vector is its special structure, which can greatly reduce the problems of recoil and muzzle rise. It is easy to control when firing bursts and can even be operated with one hand. The gun is divided into a variety of caliber models, but the most common ones are 0.45 inches, 0.40 inches, and 9 mm.
It also has a modular design. The receiver comes with a Picatinny rail, which can be equipped with scopes and other accessories. It also combines a strong ergonomic design. The Kriss Vector submachine gun was originally designed for military use, but due to the large size of the gun body, it is not easy to carry, and the rapid-fire rate of up to 1200 rounds per minute was not selected in the end. One of the most popular submachine guns.
24. SIG MPX submachine gun
A modular submachine gun launched by SIG Sauer in Germany in 2013, the MPX is designed like a scaled-down version of the American AR-style rifle. The short position hang-ups are the same as the AR series. The MPX submachine gun is also divided into three caliber versions: 9 mm, 0.40 inch, and 0.357 inches.
The top of the gun body has a guide rail, which can be installed with various scopes or other modules. It is very practical. At the same time, the SIG MPX submachine gun has a dazzling Cool appearance. This alone is very popular among American folks.
25. Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic rifle
Sturm Ruger of the United States launched a semi-automatic small-caliber rifle in the 1960s. It is mainly used for shooting sports or shooting events. The gun fires 0.22LR small-caliber ammunition and uses a fixed magazine for ammunition. The capacity is 10 rounds, and the effective range is only 50 meters.
Although the gun has a short range, it has high accuracy. From the 1960s to the present, it has been active in the field of civilian shooting sports, and it is also a very popular sports rifle in the United States.
