Top 7 Gun Brands In The World

A wide choice is a new religion. Today, companies compete for customer attention and try to advertise themselves in the best way possible. But as all of us know, words are not to be trusted – deeds are. In the firearm industry, reliability and precision are the features that define worthy brands and distinguish them from dubious ones. We’ve made a list of 7 top gun brands that have been earning their reputation for decades.

Springfield Armory

The oldest company on the list, or one of the youngest ones, depending on how you look. Springfield was the venue for the first federal armory, established by none other than Jorge Washington. This facility turned a once-a-small town into the country’s gun-making center. It didn’t happen overnight, of course, but Springfield had enough time to witness several historical events and served its country well during each of them. Constructed in times of the American War of Independence, the Springfield Armory carried the Confederacy through the Civil War and supplied American troops during both World Wars. It was also a significant contributor to the development of two Industrial Revolutions. To sum it up, the Springfield Armory made an unavailable contribution to the firearm development, industry, and the history of America. The last chapter of Armory’s tale is illustrated on page 1968. That was the year the Springfield Armory was closed for good. Or at least that was what people thought.

With the original armory closed, entrepreneurs gained an opportunity to capitalize on name recognition. Six years later, in 1974, a Texan firearm maker Elmer C. Ballance began utilizing the armory’s name through his own company, LH Manufacturing. The same year, Ballance sold his company to the Reese brothers, who had a more extensive experience base. They acquired a license to use the Springfield Armory name for the production of M1A and M1911. The endeavor was a huge success, so the company continued to expand to include more types of firearms. Their signature products include the Saint rifle series and XD and Hellcat pistols series.

Springfield Armory Inc. has big shoes to fill, but the heritage and expectations left behind by the original armory stimulate the company to go above and beyond.

Smith & Wesson

Since the middle of the 19th century, Smith & Wesson has been an innovator in the field of handgun design and manufacturing. It now holds first place in the volume of pistols produced and rightfully enjoys its seat in the industry leaders’ lodge.

The story began in 1852 when Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson founded a company to develop the Volcanic rifle. SMith patented an original design of Volcanic cartridge in 1854, and the following year the company changed its name from “The Smith & Wesson Company” to “Volcanic Repeating Arms”. The same year Oliver Winchester acquired the company that would later become famous as Winchester Repeating Arms Company.

At the same time, Smith and Wesson reunited in Springfield to come up with a new design for a cartridge revolver, whose patent almost expired. The prototype was ready by the time the Civil War broke out. Smith and Wesson’s revolver was in high demand among soldiers of both armies, primarily for self-defense purposes. After the war ended, the company’s focus shifted to the American frontier. They switched to heavy calibers and introduced Smith & Wesson Model 3 with a .44 caliber, which was adopted as the first cartridge revolver in the US Army service in 1870. Almost thirty years later, the company released the .38 Military & Police revolver, which remained American police officers’ standard sidearm for nearly the entire 20th century. In 1946, the first person outside the Wesson family became the company president. Three years later, the construction of the larger factory in Springfield was accomplished. Among the new models to roll off the assembly lines were the first U.S.-made 9mm double-action pistol Model 39, and the legendary Model 29, which would later become known as .44 Magnum Dirty Harry.

In 1965, Bangor Punta Alegre Sugar Corp. acquired the company and expanded the product line to other law enforcement equipment like riot control equipment, handcuffs, sirens, and the like. To establish itself on the sporting market, Smith & Wesson began selling ammunition, holsters, and long guns. By the late 70s, firearms contributed 75 percent of the sales.

Throughout its history, Smith & Wesson changed several hands but always stayed true to the ideals, determined long ago by its founders. It now deals in both firearms and law enforcement equipment. The most popular handguns produced by the company include Smith & Wesson Model 10, Model 29, M&P 2.0, and 1911A1.

CZ

A visitor from overseas, Česká zbrojovka a.s. Uherský Brod came to the American market in 1997 and gained a firm foothold in the world firearm industry. The company has been involved in firearm production for more than 85 years and managed to carve out a place for itself among the leading gun brands.

The company’s history began in Czechoslovakia in 1936 when all strategically important facilities were transferred from the western borders of the country to prepare for the potential German attack. A new plant was founded in the town of Uherský Brod. It was one of the most modern-equipped factories at the time and was initially involved in the production of aircraft machine guns. 

After World War II, the company was taken over by the government. However, the branch factory in Uherský Brod acquired independence in 1950. With time it became Czechoslovakia’s primary manufacturer of small firearms. The company introduced several innovative designs to existing firearms and developed several new ones from scratch. For example, the innovative Sa vz. 61 Škorpion machine pistol combined features of both submachine guns and semi-automatic pistols. The CZ 75 pistol, another of the company’s creations, has co-defined the category of Wonder Nines – semi-automatic pistols that chambered 9x19mm Parabellum, had staggered column magazines, and combined single-action and double-action features.

In 1992 Česká zbrojovka transformed into a joint-stock company, which concentrated primarily on the development of high-quality firearms and gun parts. 1997 was the year when a subsidiary distribution and service company in the USA was established. This move has strengthened the company’s position on the international market. Through CZ-USA the company acquired Dan Wesson Firearms, founded by the grandson of the already mentioned founder of Smith & Wesson. 

Since 2018, Česká zbrojovka has been a part of the international holding that gradually incorporates other companies with related products. An example of this is a 2021 purchase of Colt’s Manufacturing Company. 

CZ remains among the top ten small firearms producers worldwide, as well as the top five automatic firearms manufacturers. It seems that the company’s ambitions keep growing, and it aims for the first positions in the firearm producers chart. Their products are nothing short of exemplary, so Česká zbrojovka has all the chances to achieve the set goal. 

Ruger

The USA’s biggest firearm producer’s official name is Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc, but all of the company’s firearms go under the name Ruger. This Connecticut-based gun manufacturing company owns production facilities in three other states and holds first place in the general volume of guns produced. Even though it cannot boast a century-long history (yet), Sturm, Ruger & Co. managed to achieve heights that other companies only strive to. 

The company was founded in 1949 by two friends, William B. Ruger and Alexander Sturm. Ruger had been previously working on several firearm factories, including the renowned Springfield Armory. Sturm financed the launch of the first production shop and was also responsible for initial advertising and logo design. The Germanic heraldic eagle, now found on every firearm produced by the company, is his work.

Ruger is considered the primary developer of rimfire firearms, with .22 LR rifles and .22 pistol models Ruger MK II and Ruger MK III being their most popular products. All Ruger firearms are supported by a wide variety of after-market accessories.

Within 55 years, from 1949 to 2004, Ruger produced over 20 million guns. It is the only American publicly traded firearm company with no parent company above it. Even despite its relatively young age, Sturm, Ruger & Co. is a force to be reckoned with.

Sig Sauer

SIG Sauer is another foreign company that combines Swiss precision and German quality in every one of its products. Even though it came to the American market some 30 years ago, the history of the company goes back to the middle of the 19th century. Founded by three Swiss engineers, the company began its path with a bright victory in Switzerland’s Federal Ministry of Defense competition. The rifle became known as “Prelaz-Burna 1860 ” and was released in the bulk of 30,000 models. This event was the foundation of the company’s reputation and opened many a door to it. It was the time when the co-founders decided to change the name from the initial Schweizerische Waggon Fabrik to Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG).

Throughout its history, SIG Sauer acquired several companies and formed subsidiaries in other countries. In 1976, the company bought J. P. Sauer and Sohn, the last puzzle piece to its modern name, SIG Sauer. 

1985 was the year the American subsidiary was founded. Though its initial purpose was to import and distribute guns, it became a separate entity in 2000, changing its name to SIG Sauer, Inc. seven years later.

SIG Sauer developed several user acclaimed pistols, some of which were a real breakout. The Sig P320 was designed for the US Army’s competition and was preferred over handguns of 12 other famous competitors, including Beretta and Glock. Other prominent models include P226, P229, 1911, and SIG 716. 

It is not without a reason that SIG Sauer is the third-largest handgun and fourth-largest firearm producer in the USA. “Born in Europe, perfected in America” is not a motto, but rather a fact. This company never settles for anything less than excellence.

Savage

Wild in their spirit but precise in their work, Savage specializes exclusively in rifles and shotguns. It is the third-largest rifle producer in America that ranks in the top 10 biggest firearm producers overall.

Arthur Savage founded the company on the cusp of the 19th century in 1894. He invented the first lever-action rifle that featured a new “hammerless” design, with the entire mechanism encased in a steel receiver. This model was also equipped with a rotary magazine that displayed the number of bullets in the chamber. It was a good start for a company and an innovation in firearm technology. In 1919, Savage was approached by an Indian tribe Chief who was willing to acquire lever-action rifles for the reservation. They made a deal: Savage gave a decent discount in exchange for the tribe’s endorsement. The Chief also presented Savage with a depiction of the Indian man’s profile, which Arthur used as the company’s logo. 

Throughout two World Wars, Savage converted its factories to meet the army’s needs, providing the military millions of firearms. After World War II, the company had surplus gun capacities and transformed some of its production power to manufacture consumer goods. The second half of the century was troublesome – there was a risk of bankruptcy, but new CEO Ronald Coburn saved the company. It was on safe footing again at the beginning of the 90’s. Savage began equipping their firearms with features found in high-echelon guns while keeping the price reasonable.

Savage has set the standard for trigger design by introducing an innovative AccuTrigger technology. A light and crisp trigger, still protected from accidental discharges, was quickly picked up by the rest of the industry. Many brands have even developed similar triggers of their own.

Savage faced several challenges but managed to come out victorious after every one of them. The excellence of their rifles has long been proved, but there is always room for perfection. And Savage has plans to take up it all. 

Glock

Last but not least, Glock is much more than just a brand. It became a household name among everyone even vaguely acquainted with the world of handguns. And the fact that Glock earned this reputation in some forty years cannot but impress.

Even though Glock Ges.m.b.H. was founded as early as 1963, its firearm-making history didn’t begin until 1980. That was the year when Gaston Glock, the founder, bought a machine for molding polymer handles and sheaths. Even though the company initially produced, among other things, knives for the Austrian military, Glock believed the machine could be used for much more than mere knives.

1980 was also when the Austrian Armed forces announced a tender for new pistols to replace their former handguns. Glock had no experience with guns whatsoever, so he assembled a team of experts with military, police, and sport-shooting backgrounds. Having combined knowledge of industry experts and his own experience in advanced synthetic polymers, Glock developed a cost-effective candidate for the tender. Glock 17, named so because it was the 17th patent procured by the company, won the competition in 1982, outperforming products of SIG Sauer, Beretta, and several other industry majors. This event raised a wave of interest towards Glock all over the world. In 1985 it became a NATO-classified sidearm after joint Norwegian and Swedish trials.

Glock became a favorite of law-enforcement officers all over the world. Even though this brand cannot boast a wide variety of other firearms, its pistols have reached the level of recognition, envied even by the most well-established brands. Glock 17, 19, 26 are widely used by both military and civilians.