Several months ago, after viewing the History Channel show, a friend asked me for my own choices. My thoughts:
10. Heckler & Koch G91. Excellent and reliable design. Lack of last-round bolt hold open a major flaw.
9. The M1 Carbine. Issued to rear echelon troops and officers, this rifle ably proved to be far superior to handguns as an issue sidearm for those troops to which it was issued. The effectiveness of the select-fire M2 carbine was not lost upon Nazi SS troops, who actively sought to capture examples of the M2 to carry for their own use.
Cons: the pistol powered cartridge was often ineffective. Early examples had push button safties and magazine releases. In the heat of battle, it was embarrasing and dangerous to inadvertently drop the rifle's magazine. Later rifles sported a rotating lever safety.
8. SMLE, the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield. Britain and the Commonwealth fought two World Wars with this excellent rifle. Its 10rd. magazine held twice the capacity of similar bolt action rifles fielded by other combatants. Rugged and reliable, the .303 cartridge was powerful and effective. This rifle soldiered on through the middle Fifties, and is commonly encountered today.
7. The MP44 Sturmgewehr. Leave it to the Germans to recognize the need for a battle rifle capable of automatic fire with an intermediate cartridge! Modern rifle battles are rarely fought at long range. Ordnance from mortars to artillery to airstrikes are called upon beyond the range of the intermediate rifle cartridge. But when actions are fought with rifles, intense automatic fire is required to win those battles. The Nazis designed the 8mm "Kurtz" (short) cartridge for just such a recognition. Rather than burden soldiers with needlessly powerful rifle ammunition, they instead sent their Wehrmacht into battle with the rifle and ammunition that would set the stage for generations to come, indeed until even today. The Russians learned much from their enormous number of casualties, and Mikhail Kalashnikov copied and improved upon the MP44. See my number one choice.
6. The K98 Mauser. The classic bolt action rifle of all time. Germany fought two World Wars with this amazing 19th century creation. The majority of bolt action rifles since 1898 have been variations on the design of the K98. America learned valuable, hard fought lessons in the Spanish-American War, encountering Spanish troops armed with 1898 Mauser rifles firing smokeless powder loaded 7 X 57 cartridges. The US 1903 Springfield is a case in point, and the US government paid the Mauser brothers a patents infringement settlement for the blatant copying of the Mauser design. Power and reliability personified.
5. The M1 Garand. Far and away the finest battle rifle fielded by any combatant of WWII. This rifle's reliability was proven across the many far flung conditions it fought during the Big One. From the volcanic sand-strewn beaches of Pacific islands, to the frigid conditions of the Aleutians and Bastogne. No less an authority then General George Patton proclaimed this rifle "the finest battle implement ever designed by man." Tell you what: you choose any more modern rifle you desire, and leave me with a Garand. I'll hold my own with you within 500 yards. Beyond that, I'll own you.
4. The M14. While there's more to it than simply an M1 Garand updated to accept detachable magazines, then again perhaps one need say no more than that. The M14 served the shortest service life as the US military's issue rifle. Yet it soldiers on even today. It's 7.62 X 51 (.308Win) cartridge has proven extremely valuable in the long range shooting common in Afghanistan, when the M16s have long since become ineffective. The M14 has long proven to be reliable and effective.
3. The M16. While this rifle encountered painful birthing problems in the jungles of Viet Nam, those have been long since solved. This rifle has served the US military since 1964, and will for another generation. Probably the most accurate rifle of this list. If your M16/AR15 shoots less than 2 MOA, get another. That one will. The myriad variations upon the M16 system are staggering. The short, compact M4 is seeing daily combat in urban, close-in conditions in Falluja and Baghdad. The full sized M2 is still light and well balanced. The 5.56/.223Rem ammunition is light and compact, allowing soldiers to carry far more rounds than any .30 caliber 7.62 ammo. The recoil buffering system makes shooting the M16 a pleasant experience.
Cons: The lightweight ammunition is .22 caliber. In many conditions, it lacks the shock power of larger calibers. The M16 needs daily cleaning, if not hourly. The same close tolerances that produce its amazing accuracy contribute to its succeptibility to mechanical malfunctions. The aluminum magazines are somewhat fragile.
2. The Belgian FAL. It nearly pains me to rate this rifle short of number one. I love this rifle. The ultimate achievement in battle rifles. The gas regulating system allows the rifle to selectively function with only the proper amount of "oomph" to cycle the action, saving wear on the action and recoil on the shooter's shoulder. The takedown, for maintenance and cleaning, is the best ever produced. It's a full power 7.62 X 51 battle rifle cartridge, .308Win to us civillian shooters. The pistol gripped stock helps mollify the significant recoil. Has seen service with more than 90 armies around the world. "The Free World's right arm."
1. The AK-47. Ubiquitous around the globe. As an old friend of mine was fond of saying, "You can't throw a dead cat without hitting one of those!" Rugged and reliable to say the least. Unparalleled reliability. An extremely effective caliber, the 7.62 X 39 has the energy to reach beyond 300 yards. In Viet Nam, it proved a much better cartridge in the jungle conditions than the M16's 5.56. The AK's steel magazine is much more robust than the aluminum M16 magazine. This rifle has been used by generations of users ignorant of its proper maintenance, yet the rifle simply doesn't fail. My own prized Caca Hits The Fan bugout weapon is a Bulgarian rifle with a milled steel receiver, rather than the stamped receivers of most AKs. Do NOT take me on within 350 yards!
Cons: The lack of a bolt hold-open on an empty magazine is a major flaw. The magazine release and magazine insertion are much more awkward than the M16, FAL, or M14.
when it has to freakin die. Accuracy is a big plus for this rifle as well. It missed the number one spot due to limited mag capacity (20 rounds compared to 30 in most other modernish rifles), size, and weight (both the rifle, and ammo).
are you kidding? The Garand is a good weapon but I want more than 8 rounds, and detachable mags. Bolt guns 
im only gunna do top 3. cause no ones interested in what i have to say 
