List of 20th-century weapons explained
This is a list of small arms used during the 20th century.
Sidearms
Submachine guns
- Owen gun (1942–1960s) – Australian submachine gun used in World War II and subsequent conflicts until the 60s
- F1 submachine gun (1962–1991) – Australian submachine gun intended to replace the Owen gun
- Steyr AUG 9 mm (1977)
- FN P90 (1990–present) – Belgian personal defense weapon, a submachine gun but with a scaled down intermediate rifle cartridge
- MP 18 (1918–1945) – German submachine gun, world's first widely used and successful
- MP 28 (1928–early 1940s) – An improvement of the MP 18
- Steyr-Solothurn MP 34 (1930–1970s) – Often called "The Rolls-Royce of submachine guns", the Steyr-Solothurn MP 34 is based on the MP 28 made from the best quality materials available at the time
- MP 35 (1935–1945) – An improved submachine gun based on the MP 28
- MP40 (1940–1945 in Germany) – The MP 40 is a simplified MP 38, intended to replace older, more expensive submachine guns. This particular submachine gun is widely used by Germany in World War II
- Walther MP (1963–present) – Intended to rearm military and police forces positioned in West Germany, also used by the German Intelligence Service and some American troops stationed in the region
- HK MP5 (1966–present) – the most widely used submachine gun of the later half of the 20th century
- UZI (1954–present) – Israeli submachine gun, one of the first designs to implement a system to accommodate the magazine in the pistol grip
- PM-63 Rak (1965–present)
- Sten (1941–1960s in UK) – British submachine gun used extensively throughout World War II
- Sterling submachine gun (1944–present) – Designed as a replacement for the Sten in 1945 but only started its process in the 50s
- PPD-40 (1935–45) – The submachine gun used by the Russians before the implementation of the PPSh-41
- PPSh-41 (1941–1960s in USSR) – Russian submachine gun distinctive for its high rate of fire
- PPS (1942–1960s in USSR) – Family of submachine guns used alongside the PPSh family
- Thompson submachine gun (1938–1971 in USA) – Family of submachine guns designed in 1910 and onwards, The Thompson is a famous submachine gun commonly associated with American gangsters
- M3 submachine gun (1943–present) – A cheaper and lighter alternative to the Thompson submachine gun
- MAC 10 (1970–present) – Family of submachine guns, famous among media for their association with gangs
- American 180 (Designed in the 1960s, never implemented) – Chambered in 22 LR. It was described as being a "swarm of angry bees" shooting 1200 rounds per minute, it relied on shattering enemy armor through consistent and repetitive fire
Automatic rifles
Battle rifles
- M1 Garand (1936–1958) – The standard rifle of the United States during the Second World War
- M1941 Johnson rifle (1941–1961 Worldwide) – A rare rifle issued to marine raiders early during the war
- M1903 Springfield rifle (1903–1975) – The standard-issue rifle of the U.S. in World War I it became a sniper weapon in the next world war
- M1917 Enfield rifle (1917–present worldwide) – A supplement for the M1903 during World War I
- MAS 36 (1936–present worldwide) – Standard rifle of the French in World War II
- Ross rifle (1905–1945)
- Gewehr 98 (1898–1935) – Standard rifle of Germany in World War I
- Karabiner 98k (1935–present) – Standard rifle of Germany in World War II, the smaller version of the Gewehrkarabiner98 (Gewehr 98)
- Lee–Enfield SMLE (MLE: 1895–1926/SMLE: 1904–present) – The standard rifle of the British Empire during the first half of the 20th century
- Carcano M91 (1981–present Worldwide)
- Arisaka type 38 (1906–1945)
- Arisaka type 99 (1939–1945)
- Mosin–Nagant (1891–present) – The standard Issue Russian/Soviet rifle for almost the entire first half of the 20th century
- K31 (1933–1958) – Standard Swiss rifle from 1933 to 1958
- SAFN 49 (1948–1982)
- ZH-29 (Uncertain time frame between its adoption and last use in military, presumably between early 1930s to mid 1950s)
- Hakim Rifle (1950s–early 1960s) – A slightly modified Ag m/42 rifle used by the Egyptian military
- Rasheed Carbine (1950s–early 1960s) – Egyptian carbine derived from the Hakim Rifle
- RSC M1917 (1917–1926) – Officially named Fusil Automatique Modèle 1917 by the French army
- MAS 49 (1951–1979)
- FG 42 (1943–1970s) – An automatic rifle built for German paratroopers
- Gewehr 43 (1943–1945) – Fairly successful semi-automatic German gun compared to the others, was designed from captured SVT-40
- SVT-40 (1940–present) – Widely issued Soviet semi-automatic rifle
- SVT-38 – (Subsection of article SVT-40)
- FN FAL (1953–present) – Designed in Belgium, widely adopted by NATO countries during the cold war
- Heckler & Koch G3 (1959–present Worldwide) – Used by the German military before the adoption of the G36
- M14 rifle (1959–present) – An upgrade from the M1, its use was limited since 1964
- SKS (1945–present)
Sniper rifles
Machine guns
Explosive devices
