From what I know, it seems that some of the older weapon designs seem to be the most popular. Pre-Vietnam war arms tended to be heavier caliber (M1 Garand .30, M14 7.62 NATO) than current weapons, which seem to favor the lighter 5.56 NATO round. For example, the Browning M2 .50 caliber machine gun, designed in 1921, has been an all-time favorite of the armed services to this day. Also, the 1911 Colt .45 pistol seems to be more popular than the Berretta M9 9mm pistol because of its stopping power. The M14 rifle still appears as a popular weapon among special forces snipers because of its stopping power and reliability (see Black Hawk Down).
Anyways, the general theme of this thread is some older weapons remain useful and popular today because of their simplicity of design (less malfunctions) and larger caliber (better stopping power). Miliarty people, please feel free to correct me if I am mistaken in my conclusions.
Anyways, the general theme of this thread is some older weapons remain useful and popular today because of their simplicity of design (less malfunctions) and larger caliber (better stopping power). Miliarty people, please feel free to correct me if I am mistaken in my conclusions.