Favorite Firearm Era

[Prince Yamato]

You guys are all old fogies! The early 1980s is where it's at: Mac-10s, Uzis, Spectres, Steyr Maadis, and cheap Chinese ammo.

 

[Darkbob]

All of The Above

I can't vote because I really like (and own) guns from most of the categories listed. My favorite one is the one I'm shooting! If there was an "All of The Above" option, I'd pick that!

 

[BullRunBear]

BullRunBear. Which Highland regiment?

4V50Gary: My ancestor was the equivalent of a noncom in the 78th Fraser Highlanders. The regiment was raised in Scotland in 1757 and disbanded in 1763. He stayed in Canada after the war. If I recall correctly, they fought against the local Quebec militia, among others, on the Plains of Abraham. He ended up marrying the daughter of the militia captain, my other ancestor, his unit faced in battle. I always liked the irony in that. Bet it made for some fun family get togethers.

BTW, If you follow these things, there was a 78th Regiment of Foot that was formed at the end of the century. Aside from the regiment number, the units were not related.

Jeff

 

[TanklessPro]

Why'd you split WWI & WWII into two different things to vote for? We're one of the few countries that was using a new rifle in WWII.

Being of the lower income type, I prefer what's cheap and available, i.e. mostly combloc surplus (WWI, WWII, and Cold War on your poll).

BTW, contrary to Call of Duty Black Ops, the AK-74 wasn't in Vietnam; it's first combat was the Soviet-Afghan War in the 80s.

WW1 and WW2 were split because of the WW1 was mainly bolt actions and WW2 is when semi-auto's took center stage.
The Eras were broken,IMHO, by technology changes. I did not want to choose years and start the whole "gun came out in ---- year not ----" fiasco. I came up with the names on the fly, maybe should have come up with something else. Maybe the post-post WW2 Era?
The "Vietnam Era" was for the era that moved away from the .30 and to the .20.

Also I do not know anything about Call of Duty, glad you do. Were MP5's used in Vietnam?

 

[Swing]

Dang, I'm going with "Vietnam Era" because, well, it swings.

 

[postalnut25]

Having a problem voting, because I like firearms from all the different eras. I own stuff from most of those eras, too.

I'll throw my vote towards the late modern era, since most of the stuff I own is from then: Glocks, SIG 226, Beretta 92, etc.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The poll is too biased in favor of military firearms IMHO. A dedicated hunter may say an era came to an end in 1964 when Winchester changed their designs-the M-70, e.g., while for hand gunnners a new era started in 1965 when S&W introduced the M-60. Or ended when S&W started making revolvers with locks.

 

[allaroundhunter]

WW1 and WW2 were split because of the WW1 was mainly bolt actions and WW2 is when semi-auto's took center stage.

Semi automatic rifles did not take center stage in WWII. They did not become mainstream until afterwords. While most of the US forces were outfitted with semi-automatic rifles, most other military forces were still primarily issuing bolt-action rifles. Hitler was partial to the 98k and did not want to replace it, and Japan did not have an advanced rifle that they could make in large quantities. The Russians did not arrive at a semi-automatic battle rifle until 2 years after WWII ended (AK-47)

Were MP5's used in Vietnam?

I don't believe so. They were made in '64 I think, so they were not exactly operational by Vietnam...but I could be wrong.

ETA: Forgot about the Russian SVT-40....did see service in WWII
(Thanks, Sergei)

 

[Sergei Mosin]

My preference is for the period roughly 1891-1945 - the weapons that equipped the armed forces in both world wars and sundry other conflicts before and after.

allaroundhunter, you are quite right to say that the US was the country arming its troops primarily with semi-automatic rifles. However, the Soviets had a reasonably successful semi-automatic rifle during WWII, the SVT-40, which was produced in mass quantities beginning in 1940. It was supposed to replace the Mosin-Nagant, but the German invasion changed things: the 91/30 and PPSh-41 were more suitable for an army of conscripted illiterate peasants and an industrial base under immense pressure to turn out weapons as quickly as possible and SVT-40 losses in the early part of the war were very heavy, so SVT-40 production was scaled back and production of other weapons was ramped up.

 

[TanklessPro]

Semi automatic rifles did not take center stage in WWII. They did not become mainstream until afterwords.

Sorry for the confussion, I meant the technology changed and started the move to semi-autos

I don't believe so. They were made in '64 I think, so they were not exactly operational by Vietnam...but I could be wrong.

I'm don't think they were either, just a little sarcasm

 

[Dr.Rob]

While I own several black powder arms (4 I think) They don't have the appeal as cartridge arms. I certainly don't shoot them as much.

 

[Bohemus]

I like them all from early 15. to 21.century, the modern are more usefull, the older more "fun".

 

[ol' scratch]

All eras. I think that every firearm ever created is interesting. I may prefer some more than others, but I am a constant study of all eras.

 

[allaroundhunter]

Sergei, thanks for reminding me of the SVT....I knew I was missing something but I just couldn't put my finger on it

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

Well, Glocks didn't exist till after the 80's and some of the new stuff is pretty darn cool. so I chose modern era.

 

[brnmuenchow]

I have to say that was the best poll in a long while, as much as I love guns I never really thought about which era I liked the most. It was a very tough choice, as much as I like my modern day and WW2 era guns I had to choose "Pre WW1--- Colt SAA, Winchester 1894" type guns. For me there is something too this technology stage of guns that appeals to me. The first time I actually held an early model 1873 Colt SAA I was hooked. It was well out of my price range and was still able to be fired according to it's condition, but I held it for a while and dreamed of a different time and place. Then I woke up and realized I love air conditioning, and driving a GT Mustang instead of jumping on the back of horse that could at any minuite decide he has had enough and throw me or bite me again! (Long story...)

 

[Nushif]

Tough choice! I do like the era that produced the SKS and the AK47 ... but there is something t be said about the era that produced the Webley revolver.

 

[jeepnik]

Couldn't vote. I like the inter-war years. I particularly like Smith revolvers from this time. I think they are without a doubt the best made and finished handguns ever.

 

[Roadkill]

WWI/II for me

But I do tend to stray into other eras

 

[buckeye8]

At the risk of blaspheming, I had to vote for the 'Modern' era. I love history, but guns just get better and better. I'm guessing our forefathers would have thrown their guns in the mud with a smile for the chance to pick up an M4 and a Glock.