Longest produced firearm

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  • capt14k

    Active Member
    Jul 27, 2015
    221
    So is Brown Bess the military winner and was it produced for 116 years or used?

    If produced only the Ma Deuce has a chance to eclipse it?

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,673
    So is Brown Bess the military winner and was it produced for 116 years or used?

    If produced only the Ma Deuce has a chance to eclipse it?

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

    Produced. The Brown Bess was used in to the 1860s as a military weapon. So about 160 years.

    1911 is likely the longest used as a military sidearm.

    No idea on centerfire long arm. Might be Mosin Nagant or Lee Enfield. I think much harder to define as a lot have had significant changes over the years.

    For an MG, definitely the Ma Deuce.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Centerfire rifles come down to definitions between the Mosin, and the Enfield . If we include use bby insurgents/ rebels/ misc combative groups , both until current day , so question is decided by introduction.

    The Mosin predates the actual Lee - *Enfield* , but not the short lives predecessor, the Leez *Metford* . Substantially same rifle ? Can be convincingly argued either way .

    Long term prediction . The M2 machine gun isn't going away anytime forseeably, and will in due time pass both rifles in tenure, particularly if the fine print is widespread use by a significant Millitary force .
     

    DHHilliard

    Member
    Jan 20, 2017
    10
    longest produced firearm of any given design
    used continuously by a major military without massive design changes

    12ga pump? 1890's thru today.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Welcome DHHililard !

    Stop on by the Introductions subforum , and we can all say hi , and in short order you will recieve helpful information, and useful links .


    ************************


    But Which shotgun ?

    Yes , we have 120yrs of 12ga pump use and counting . ( Win 97 used in Philippines in 1898 .)

    BUT no specific continuity for any one shotgun .
     

    DHHilliard

    Member
    Jan 20, 2017
    10
    I was thinking K.I.S.S. and "any given design." Almost all of the sidearms, longarms and MG's came from multiple mfg. sources even if they kept the same designation.
     

    planktonadbc

    Active Member
    Jun 20, 2013
    134
    Harpers Ferry
    This is such an interesting topic. We all know firearms have evolved over the centuries. I think the orginal question pertains to the longest produced firearm, "covered by a 03 FFL?

    So let's stick to actually modern firearms covered by a 03 FFL. Rifle, Pistol and shotgun. Only to be fair :-)

    Rifle Lee Enfield , Mosin–Nagant M91(et al variants)
    Pistol: 1911 (et al. variants)
    Shotgun Remington 12 gauge (et al variants)

    The 1911 and Shotgun new production is not covered by a 03FFL. Both the Lee and Mosin are all covered under the 03 FFL.
     

    Chazp89

    Active Member
    Sep 1, 2017
    283
    I’m loving all the discussion here! I’m more familiar with “modern” and completely overlooked antique arms... definitely adds a whole other side to the coin. Maybe break it down into rough eras?
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Hefty gaps in production . Go that far down the rabbit hole, and it's hard to exclude the Winch M1897 .
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,877
    Even if we roll with Planctonadbc's parameters , there is still a huge area of dispute . To wit ; those firearms he is probably thinking of that actual started production pre- Jan 1, 1899 . Think M1898 Mauser, M1894 Winchester, M39 Marlin, arguably Colt SAA,arguably M1892 Winchester , etc Are they excluded because some of them pre-date the FFL 003 parameters, or included because they lasted into the 003 time frame ?

    **************

    Some of us can enjoyably keep this up forever , but there is one major takeaway for the larger Community -

    Nothing smokeless ( or metallic ctg ) can yet come close to the longevity of the Brown Bess . Snicker all you want , but it was state of the art infantry assault weapon for a looooong time , as well has highly versatile all around arm for civilians . Even after the dawn of the ( historically brief) Percussion Era , plenty of flintlocks remained in widespread use . Didn't really become functionally outmoded until the dominence of Minie Balls for mil use ( which didn't totally happen until mid War Between the States ) ( and I can argue that, that wasn't necessarily best idea at the time, but that's a seperate eternal friendly debate ).

    ******************

    Short list of Smokless Era guns on track to someday reach Brown Bess level status :

    Win M94 ( & arguably M92 ) , M98 Mauser , S&W M10 , Browning Auto 5 , Colt & etc M1911 .
     

    planktonadbc

    Active Member
    Jun 20, 2013
    134
    Harpers Ferry
    I agree ,the musket the "original assault weapon"
     

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    TGR

    Active Member
    May 20, 2009
    170
    Harford County
    How about the Browning 22?

    It’s been made continuously by Browning/FN or under consignment by several manufacturers since 1914.
     

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