The largest number of handguns produced...

[Rival]

What make and model of handgun was produced in most numbers?

[sgt127]

I think I have heard that honor attributed to the S&W hand ejector MP...and later as the Mod. 10. I wonder if some of the Soviet stuff would surpass it...perhaps the Mak in all its variations from different countries?

[R.H. Lee]

The Browning Hi Power is prolific. Would it be among the top?

[El Tejon]

TT33? Russian and Chinese numbers must be off the scale. Add in smaller nations, must be tens of millions.

[Rembrandt]

Not sure I can find the source....but I remember hearing the Browning High Power (in production for nearly 70 years) was the main military & police issue firearm for more countries than any other handgun.

[BluesBear]

Are you sure it's not the Raven .25?

It seems like EVERY pawn shop in the US has at least two for sale. :neener:

[keeperofthehills]

im not sure, but everyone in know has a ruger single six or two

[Mal H]

I wonder where the single shot Liberator fits in. Millions were produced during WW II. It has the distinction of being the only firearm that was produced in a shorter time than it took to load it.

[cratz2]

I'd think the model 10 would be way high on the list...

BHPs and clones would be pretty high on the list.

I didn't think that many liberators were made... I know many of them didn't survive many shots... :p

For modern guns, the Glock 17 and 22 should be up there...

[Mal H]

"I didn't think that many liberators were made... "

Over 3 million. That's a lot of pistols in my book.

[cratz2]

True that... just due to the distribution methods, they aren't seen nearly as often as the other guns made in similar numbers...

Maybe that explains it...

:p

[jeff-10]

How about the Luger? Main German sidearm for two world wars also used by all the police forces in Germany for decades, I would imagine they had produced quite a few.

[Nick96]

No idea worldwide. I would guess the various productions of the Browning Hi-Power amongst "civilized" nations would be the most prolific over the past 70 years or so. The Soviet block produced millions of small arms - and handed them out in large numbers to whatever "socialist thugs" wanted them (i.e. AK-47's) - so likely whatever models they produced durning the "Cold War" were in wide circulation amongst the various third world "Dung Holes". Not that these are inferior weapons - just that a lot of them seemed to fall into the hands of the "lower forms".

In the U.S. though - my best guess would be the S&W Military & Police (Model 10) .38 Spl. To this day, I doubt you would have to hunt for more than an hour to find one in a gun shop that you couldn't take home for under $300.

[BluesBear]

I didn't think that many liberators were made

Millions were made but most were destroyed (dumped at sea) without ever being distributed.

[Limey-]

BHP....................Only Pistol issued by both sides During WW2 issued currently by many nations.

[JNewell]

I'm betting on the S&W M&P/Model 10...five years ago they were over 5.5 million copies of that revolver.

[BluesBear]

BHP....................Only Pistol issued by both sides During WW2
No.

The Colt .45 Automatic was issued by both sides.

In America they were built by Colt, and a slew of others,for the Allies and known as the Pistol US Model 1911A1.

In Norway, Kongsberg Vaabenfabrik built about 7,500 of them during the war (on genuine Colt machinery no less) for the Axis. This new production, in addition to several thousand (of the 22,000 previously produced by the Norwegians) that had been captured were issued by the Germans and were known as the Pistole Modele 657(n).

[MrMurphy]

Very few Nazi 1911s (or in their case, 1914s) were issued except in the Norway area and to the German Navy.


However a whole LOT of Hi Powers saw German service, as well as the Canadian made Inglis models (many went to China, as well as the Brits).

[BluesBear]

Even though I don't consider 7,500+ to be "very few" the fact that ANY Pistole Modele 657(n were manufactured and issued means that the P-65/BHP was not the "Only Pistol issued by both sides During WW2".

[Ala Dan]

Probably RAVENS and LORCINS in .25 caliber autos?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member