We owe it all to one country...

[45King]

While I agree that Germany has been very influential, the fact remains that the US lead the way in the development of automatic weapons with Maxim and Browning. I'd have to say that the only thing Germany really pioneered was the hand held rocket launcher.

If smokeless powder was invented in Fr*nce, then it at least deserves honorable mention. Auto weapons would not be able to function reliably using black powder.

Basically speaking, there has really been nothing truly new and revolutionary in over 100 years in the firearms field. If someone can ever work out the bugs in caseless ammo, that might be the next big advance. After that......who knows? Rail guns? Energy weapons? Something we've never even imagined?

22x9 wrote:

I voted other because...

Italy - Beretta

Austria - Glock & Steyr

Pistols define the cutting edge in military weapons? Oh brother.... (I know that Steyr makes the AUG, but that's just another auto weapon.)

And remember....Remington was the first to use polymers in mass production guns, predating Glock by almost 20 years.

 

[Monte Harrison]

Ahem. George, whether you like France's politics now or not does not change the fact that they invented smokeless powder, which was (and still is) very signifigant.

By that logic, the answer should be China, since they invented gunpowder. Or whoever it was that invented steel. Or whoever got the notion that a device could be used to throw a rock harder than a human arm. When you look at the big picture of small arms development, all roads lead back to the USA, baby!

 

[RON in PA]

Like it or not , the development of the first successful smokeless powder by the French in the 1880s made possible most modern small arms.

Also: the Germans did not invent the 1st successful antitank rocket launcher, they copied and improved the American "Bazooka" used against them in North Africa.

 

[BigG]

It has to be the USA and Germany. Nobody else even comes close.

 

[mattd]

Red White and blue, is also Frances, Cuba, North Korea, Netherlands, the Uk and a few others.

 

[Topgun]

The fact that no "arms", nor high power explosives were mentioned by the Polos as late as 1299, yet Arabic works exist describing Black Powder prior to their journeys, strongly suggests that Black Powder was of Arabic and not Chinese invention.

 

[Autolite]

I'd vote for Germany ...

but here's a twist for ya! During WWII, the German forces were issued a handgun known as the "Pistole 640b". This 9mm semi-auto SA only gun was made by Fabrique Nationale in Belguim while the Germans were in occupation there. The Pistole 640b was simply the German designation for a gun that the Belgians had been manufacturing for years, prior to the war, under licence. The gun we're talking about is the ole tried and true "Browning Hi-Power". Go figure ...

 

[telewinz]

Another odd one is the Germans loved to use captured M1 carbines. I have alway wondered why the M2 carbine isn't considered the first "assault rifle". Relatively "light" cartridge, selective fire, large magazine capacity, small and handy. What is it missing that prevents it from being considered the first mass issued assault rifle?

 

[444]

The M1 carbine doesn't fit the criteria as an assult rifle because it doesn't fire a rifle cartridge.

Definitely the United States and John Browning no question about it. During WWI, WWII, and Korea, every machine gun used by the US Military was designed by John Browning.

 

[hops]

U.S. and Germany. Other countries had their contributions but the U.S. and Germany made the best of their own and those of other contributors.

 

[Orthonym]

I voted for the Russkis.

Mikhail Kalashnikov is an R&D lab all by himself. There's Simonov, Degtyarev and Makarov, too. And the PPSh,etc etc. The Russians weapons are famous for being just "good enough",crudely finished but generally work just fine.
Edit: Ian Hogg and David Hackworth agree with me.

 

[Selfdfenz]

German small arms often have a sexy contour here and there and elements of space gun styling ahead of their time
Lugers, MP40 etc

American small arms are just plain brutally hansom
1911, HP, Thompsons, 50 cal Browning MG


did I mention the 1911

JMHO

S-

 

[444]

"Mikhail Kalashnikov is an R&D lab all by himself"

He basically developed and perfected one single carbine which was simply a variation of existing technology. That's it.

 

[Dave R]

Yeah, Kalashnikov was a "one-hit wonder". There are some fine derivatives of his work but no other successful original designs.

There were lots of "one hit wonders". Stoner, Garand, Simonov...

Now Mauser had a couple, right? Turnbolt and semi-auto pistol. Or did that pistol only have his name, and not his design?

JMB, on the other hand, worked in almost all firearm genres. He even developed quite a few of the cartridges in use today, including .32acp (aka 32. Browning) and also the .380 auto, I believe. Shotguns, rifles, handguns, machine guns...

 

[HBK]

What about Walther? Love?

 

[firestar]

I voted for the U.S.A. but that was before I read the entire question. I would like to change my vote to Germany. I don't think there is any debate that Germany has contributed more to the MODERN military small arms than any other country.

If the question was: "What counrty has contributed the most to the gun world" I would have voted for the U.S.A. We invented the revolver, pump action shotgun and the Hi-Point.

 

[444]

"I don't think there is any debate

....I don't think there is any debate that Germany has contributed more to the MODERN military small arms than any other country."

How so ?

 

[firestar]

Just look at all the modern weapons that were German designs. The Mauser bolt action rifle is probably the most popular rifle action of all time. Most countries had a bolt action service rifle based on the Mauser at one time and some nations still use Mauser type bolt actions for certain duties, i.e., sniper rifle.

The Walther P-38 and PP/PPK introduced the decocker and the DA/SA trigger system on semi-auto pistols which is still the standard type of action on many military service pistols (Beretta M9 is almost a P-38 clone on the inside).

Also the Luger was the 1st "really" successful semi-auto pistol. The Germans had the first assult rifle.

 

[Flying V]

1: USA
2: Russia
2: Germany (tie)
4: France


USA
-rotating-bolt gas operated autoloading rifles
-the nigh-ubiquitous Browning autopistol operating principle
-the machine gun

Russia
-gas operated tilting bolt autoloading rifles
-the intermediate cartridge "assault rifle"

Germany
-Double-action autopistols
-the general purpose machine gun

France
-The metallic cartridge
-smokeless powder
-the smallbore rifle

 

[RandyB]

Really a tough one between USA and Germany. I think that the Garand and 1911 Colt were way ahead of their time. Our M-1 carbine while not quite a medium powered rifle round, did fill a niche and is also worth of mention.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Just on the basis of JMB designs alone the United States would have to be a serious contender... the fact that we have designers other than JMB puts us over the top in my book.