What weapons do Americans prefer

The sale of weapons in the United States is regulated, but the severity of this regulation varies from state to state. In most cases, guns can be bought by anyone of legal age with no mental illness, criminal record, or recorded violent tendencies. In a special category (Class III firearms), however, automatic weapons were withdrawn in the USA (by the way, manufacturers of assault rifles got 19 out of 49 million aid). To purchase it, you must obtain a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF), be fingerprinted and pay a tax of $ 200. At the same time, only automatic weapons manufactured and registered before 1986 are allowed for sale. “Lenta.ru” decided to find out which “trunks” are most popular among US residents.

Pistols and revolvers

According to the publication How Stuff Works, which refers to the US Department of Justice, about 58 percent of the population owns pistols and revolvers. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, in turn, estimates sales of handguns at about thirty percent of the entire American gun market. Another third is accounted for by long-barreled weapons and ammunition.

It is difficult to name a clear leader among short-barreled weapons in the United States. Ruger LCP, Glock 19, 23, 26 and 27 pistols, as well as various versions of the Colt M1911A1 military pistol, are the most popular among Americans, according to a survey conducted on the USA Carry portal. Among the revolvers, the Smith & Wesson models are considered the “hottest”.
The Colt 1911 in .45 (11.43 mm) was developed in 1911 and until recently was the standard in the US military. It is still in service with American law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the police. In total, about 2.7 million of these pistols were produced. In addition, the model is produced under license by a number of other companies, including Springfield, Taurus and Rock Island.
Austrian Glock pistols are considered among the best in the world. They appeared on the American market in the 1980s and quickly gained popularity. The USA Carry survey called the compact Glock 19 the most demanded on the market. It has been produced since 1988 and is designed for cartridges of 9×19 mm Parabellum caliber. With relatively small dimensions (length 174 mm, weight 890 grams), the weapon can be supplied with magazines for 15, 17, 19 or 33 rounds. As noted on the manufacturer’s website, the gun received high marks from the US Air Force.
Ruger LCP (Lightweight Compact Pistol) nine-millimeter subcompact pistols appeared in 2008 and are now one of the market leaders. According to USA Carry, the pistol even surpasses the Colt 1911 in popularity. Which is not surprising: with a weight of 270 grams and a length of 13 centimeters, it has enough power (high muzzle velocity), easily fits into a holster on the leg or handbag. In this case, the magazine is enough for six rounds.
The legendary Smith & Wesson Model 10 six-shot revolver is even older than the army Colt. He appeared in 1899, but is still in demand among Americans. For a long time, the Model 10 was in service with the American police. Subsequently, based on the Model 10, Smith & Wesson released several new models, including revolvers chambered in .357 Magnum. The authoritative publication American Rifleman ranked Smith & Wesson revolvers second only to Colt 1911 in the ranking of the best American short barrels.

Shotguns

If a gun is one of the “hidden weapons” that Americans carry with them on the street and store in the glove compartments of cars or drawers of desks, then guns are the place at home, under the counter of a store or on a hunt.

Among the weapons available to citizens, shotguns have the greatest stopping power. The undisputed leader among such weapons is the Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun. As noted on the manufacturer’s website, since the launch of the model in 1950, the company has sold over 10 million of these shotguns. In 2009, the model was recognized as the most successful shotgun in history. The Model 870 is available in several different calibers. Shotgun magazine holds three to eight rounds.
For hunters, stopping power is not enough – they still need high lethality at a sufficient distance. One of the most popular shotguns in the category, according to How Stuff Works, is the Thompson/Center Arms Encore 209x.50 Magnum line of breech-loading shotguns. With a barrel length of 66 centimeters, the muzzle velocity reaches 671 meters per second. Such guns can be equipped with optical sights and have a lethal range of over 180 meters.

Curiously, according to Bud’s Gun Shop, the world’s largest chain of online gun shops, the leader in sales of weapons in the United States in 2012 was Mosin 1891/30 rifles of 7.62 mm caliber. These rifles have a range of two kilometers and were used by Soviet snipers during World War II. In the online store, “mosquitoes” were sold for $ 129, while in the USSR they were no longer produced in 1965.