Despite victory in the Spanish-American War of 1898, it was clear that the Krag rifles in American service were inferior to the Mausers used by their enemies. This prompt would lead to the development of a new universal short rifle that would serve in two world wars and beyond.

In the aftermath of the Second World War Germany found itself divided. As it raised its own army to fight alongside NATO, the new West Germany looked to update the old wartime sidearm of the Wehrmacht.

A Swiss black powder bolt action repeater that represented the start of a new era, as the metallic cartridge, rotating bolt action and tube magazine came together.

An interesting hybrid rifle, the Type I is a fusion of the Italian Carcano action to the fittings of a Japanese Arisaka, and is an interesting example of cooperation between the European Axis and the Japanese Empire.

The standard issue sidearm of Hungary in the Second World War was a simple, robust automatic chambering the 9x17mm cartridge. The last design by the legendary Rudolf Frommer, it would see service with the Hungarian as well as German armies during the conflict.

Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, the British Royal Irish Constabulary adopted a new carbine for its constables, built from older MkI Lee Enfield and Lee Metford Carbines with some modifications. These would serve through the Easter Rising of 1916, as well as the subsequent Irish War of Independence that would see the end of British rule in most of Ireland, and the dissolution of the RIC itself in 1922.

The first smokeless powder rifle would put represent the most significant advance in small arms technology since the advent of gunpowder itself, but the rifle itself would be rapidly rendered obsolete, despite serving on for more than half a century.

With the onset of the Second World War the British found themselves short of handguns, and just as they had in the Great War they looked across the Atlantic for a solution. They found the popular Smith & Wesson Military and Police Model, and promptly placed an order for a large number in their .38/200 cartridge.

The cavalry carbine model of Italy’s Carcano is perhaps the most iconic of the series, having seen use by specialists such as the Arditi in the First World War as well as the Folgore paratroopers in the Second among many others.

The Soviet M38 was intended for issue to specialists and non-combat troops, but its handy nature made it a popular choice in the brutal urban combat that came to characterize the popular image of the Second World War’s Eastern Front.

Arguably the most iconic handgun in history, the M1911 .45 would serve the US Armed Forces for over a century, and is an established American icon.

Faced with a decision between the Mauser and Mannlicher rifles to replace their black powder Kropatscheks, the Portuguese would instead choose a locally designed hybrid rifle for their forces.

As the Second World War loomed, a need to update the venerable Lee Enfield rifle in British service saw the design modernized into the new #4 Rifle, with a series of improvements on the same core principals.

The excellent handgun adopted by Poland on the eve of the Second World War would go on to be one of the most common in German service during the conflict, seeing service on all fronts of the European Theater.

The Japanese Type 44 Arisaka was a specialized variant of the Type 38 rifle intended for use by cavalry and other mounted troops, incorporating a folding bayonet.

The standard issue rifle of the Imperial German Army during the Great War, the Gewehr 98 is the quintessential “German Mauser”; the progenitor of the most successful bolt action rifle of all time.

The standard service pistol of Mussolini’s armies during the Second World War was a simple blowback automatic, and would serve on for decades in Italian service as well as helping to build the global brand of Beretta.

Canada’s first indigenously produced infantry rifle was a straight pull design made with match grade accuracy in mind. When brought to the conditions of the Great War’s Western Front its deficiencies in other areas became alarmingly apparent.

The ubiquitous Soviet Kalashnikov pattern assault rifle, seen in the hands of everyone from Soviet troops on the inter-German border in the 1960s to rebels in Africa today, the AKM is the most produced firearm in human history.

A crude Spanish copy of the Colt Model 1903 became the most common French handgun of the Great War, seeing extensive service in that conflict. Despite its almost disposable nature the pistol would remain in service for decades beyond as well.