These Popular Colt Guns Are Almost 2 Centuries Old

Samuel Colt was a 19th century inventor who designed America’s first mass-produced revolver. Soon after Colt placed a patent on this well-crafted gun in 1836, men all over the nation sought to own one of these new firearms. The Colt Paterson revolver was sold to gold miners, law enforcement agencies, and the U.S. military. To put it lightly, Colt’s invention was extraordinarily popular.

The Colt Firearms Manufacturing Company has been in existence since the release of this very first revolving-cylinder gun. It continues to play a large part in America’s gun manufacturing industry, consistently providing the military with weapons. Today, one of the most popular Colt guns is the Colt .45 Peacemaker. This gun, which became synonymous with the American West, was created in 1873 and is almost as old as the original itself.

To identify the most iconic military firearms built by Colt Firearms, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of Colt Firearms from Military Factory, an online database of military vehicles, aircraft, arms, and more. We ordered these firearms chronologically and included supplemental data from the Military Factory regarding the year entered service, type, firing action, caliber, and feed. We excluded firearms that were experimental or prototypes.

Why Are We Writing About This?

Army identification medallions and dollar bills on United states flag. Military pension, salary in the army or military insurance

To keep its arsenal well established, the United States spent $142 billion in 2023 to buy weapons and weapons systems, while another $122 billion was spent on research and development. Colt guns continue to play a role in the US military. Recently, Colt’s Manufacturing Co. won a $57 million contract to make assault rifles for the US military.

Here is a look at the iconic guns produced by Colt Firearms over the years:

Canada C20

Year introduced: 2020
Type: Designated marksman rifle
Firing action: Semi-automatic
Caliber & Feed: 7.62x51mm NATO, 20-round detachable box magazine

LE901

Year introduced: 2013
Type: Carbine
Firing action: Gas-operated; locking bolt; semi-automatic
Caliber & Feed: .308 Winchester, 30-round detachable box magazine

Navy Mark 12 Special Purpose Rifle (Mk 12 SPR)

Year introduced: 2002
Type: Sniper rifle / designated marksman rifle
Firing action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine

M4

Year introduced: 1994
Type: Assault carbine
Firing action: Gas-operated; locking bolt; semi-/full-automatic
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine

M4A1 SOPMOD

Year introduced: 1993
Type: Carbine
Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 30-round detachable box magazine

Anaconda

Year introduced: 1990
Type: Six-shot revolver
Firing action: Double-action; repeating
Caliber & Feed: .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, 6-shot rotating cylinder

M16A4

Year introduced: 1990
Type: Assault rifle
Firing action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic; select fire
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 30-round detachable box magazine

Diemaco C8

Year introduced: 1988
Type: Assault carbine
Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 30-round detachable box magazine

Diemaco C7

Year introduced: 1984
Type: Designated marksman rifle
Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 30-round detachable box magazine

M16A2

Year introduced: 1983
Type: Assault rifle
Firing action: Gas-operated; semi-automatic; select fire
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 30-round detachable box magazine

Model 635

Year introduced: 1982
Type: Submachine gun
Firing action: Blowback; closed-bolt
Caliber & Feed: 9x19mm Parabellum, 20- or 32-round detachable box magazine

AAI M203

Year introduced: 1969
Type: Breech-loading under-barrel grenade launcher
Firing action: Single-shot
Caliber & Feed: 40x46mm, Single-shot

CAR-15 Commando (XM177)

Year introduced: 1966
Type: Assault carbine
Firing action: Gas-operated; locking bolt; semi-/full-automatic
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine

M16

Year introduced: 1963
Type: Assault carbine
Firing action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Caliber & Feed: 5.56x45mm NATO, 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine

ArmaLite AR-15

European Union army shooting drills in Germany

Year introduced: 1958
Type: Select-fire automatic rifle
Firing action: Rotating bolt, direct impingement system
Caliber & Feed: .223 Remington, 5.56x45mm NATO, .45 ACP, 20-, 30-, 40-, 90- or 100-round magazines

ArmaLite AR-10

Year introduced: 1958
Type: Battle rifle
Firing action: Gas-operated; rotating bolt
Caliber & Feed: .308 Winchester, 7.62x51mm NATO, 20-round detachable box magazine

Python

Year introduced: 1955
Type: Six-shot revolver
Firing action: Double-action; repeating
Caliber & Feed: .357 Magnum, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Browning .303

Year introduced: 1936
Type: Medium machine gun
Firing action: Recoil-operated; full-automatic, belt-fed
Caliber & Feed: .303 British, Belt-fed (various lengths)

Browning M1918 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle)

Year introduced: 1918
Type: Light machine gun
Firing action: Gas-operated; open bolt; selective fire
Caliber & Feed: .30-06 Springfield, 20-round detachable box magazine

Browning M1917

Year introduced: 1917
Type: Belt-fed, water-cooled heavy machine gun
Firing action: Recoil-operated; full-automatic, belt-fed
Caliber & Feed: .30-06 Springfield, 250-round fabric belt

Colt Model 1917

Year introduced: 1917
Type: Service revolver
Firing action: Double-action; rotating cylinder
Caliber & Feed: .45 ACP, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Kongsberg M/1914

Police riot used shields and batons to practice outdoors.

Year introduced: 1915
Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
Firing action: Single-action; short recoil-operated
Caliber & Feed: .45 ACP, 7-round detachable box magazine

Colt M1911

Year introduced: 1911
Type: Semi-automatic service pistol
Firing action: Single-action; short recoil-operated
Caliber & Feed: .45 ACP, 7-round detachable box magazine

Hotchkiss Model 1909

Year introduced: 1909
Type: Light machine gun
Firing action: Gas-operated; magazine-/belt-fed
Caliber & Feed: .303 British, .30-06 Springfield, 30-round detachable box magazine

Model 1903 (Pocket Hammerless)

Year introduced: 1903
Type: Semi-automatic pistol
Firing action: Single-action; blowback
Caliber & Feed: .32 ACP, 8-round detachable box magazine

Browning M1895 (Potato Digger)

Year introduced: 1895
Type: Air-cooled, belt-fed machine gun
Firing action: Gas-operated; closed-bolt; lever-actuated
Caliber & Feed: .30-40 Krag; 7x57mm; 6.5x52mm, .30-06 Springfield, 240-round fabric belt

Colt 45 Peacemaker

Year introduced: 1873
Type: Six-shot revolver
Firing action: Single-action; rotating cylinder
Caliber & Feed: .45 Long Colt; .38 Special; .357 Magnum; .44 Special, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1862 Pocket Navy

Year introduced: 1862
Type: Five-shot percussion revolver
Firing action: Single-action
Caliber & Feed: .36 Cap and ball, 5-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1862 Police

Year introduced: 1862
Type: Five-shot percussion revolver
Firing action: Single-action
Caliber & Feed: .36 Cap and ball, 5-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1861 Navy

Year introduced: 1861
Type: Six-shot percussion revolver
Firing action: Single-action
Caliber & Feed: .36 Cap and ball, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1860 New Army

Year introduced: 1860
Type: Six-shot percussion revolver
Firing action: Single-action; repeating; percussion cap
Caliber & Feed: .44 Ball, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1855 (Root Revolver)

Year introduced: 1855
Type: Sing-action six shot revolver
Firing action: Single-action; rotating cylinder; side hammer
Caliber & Feed: .31 Cap and ball, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1855 Revolving Carbine

Year introduced: 1855
Type: Six-shot service rifle
Firing action: Percussion cap; hammer-actuated; revolving cylinder
Caliber & Feed: .56 Cap and Ball, 5- or 6-shot revolving cylinder

Model 1851 Navy

Year introduced: 1851
Type: Percussion revolver
Firing action: Single-action
Caliber & Feed: .36 Cap and ball, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1849 Pocket Revolver

Year introduced: 1849
Type: Percussion revolver
Firing action: Single-action
Caliber & Feed: .31 Cap and ball, 5- or 6-shot revolving cylinder

Model 1848 Baby Dragoon

Year introduced: 1848
Type: Five-shot percussion revolver
Firing action: Percussion cap; repeat fire
Caliber & Feed: .31 Cap and ball, 5-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1848 Dragoon

Year introduced: 1848
Type: Six-shot percussion revolver
Firing action: Single-action; revolving cylinder
Caliber & Feed: .44 Cap and ball, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Colt Walker

Year introduced: 1847
Type: Six-shot revolver
Firing action: Single-action; rotating cylinder
Caliber & Feed: .44 Cap and ball, 6-shot rotating cylinder

Model 1839

Year introduced: 1839
Type: Revolving carbine / shotgun
Firing action: Single-action; rotating cylinder
Caliber & Feed: .525 (Carbine); 16-gauge (Shotgun), 6-shot rotating cylinder

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