Back for the finish. If Part 1 was solid, Part 2 is where the numbers go off the charts. These are the long-running military rifles and designs that defined whole eras. Starting at #5 and climbing to the king of the hill.

5) Lee-Enfield - Britain's empire rifle

Estimate: 16-17 million

The Lee-Enfield was the rifle of the British Empire for much of the 20th century, and you can see why: fast bolt, comfortable stock, and an action that allowed shooters to work rounds faster than most bolt actions of its day. It wasn't delicate - it was made to be produced in huge numbers and to function across continents, climates, and battlefields. Canadian, British, and Indian factories all stamped these out for decades, which is how you get production figures that high. Today collectors love the smoothness of a good Enfield bolt and the history attached to it; service rifles like this rack up sales when they stay relevant across generations.

4) M16 / AR-15 family - America's modular marvel

Estimate: 15-20 million

The M16 revolutionized small arms for the U.S. military in the 1960s with a lightweight design and high-velocity cartridge. The civilian AR-15 spun off from that military heritage and changed the market: modularity, endless customization, and a light, controllable platform that's equally at home on a hunt, at the range, or in competition. Add in the massive aftermarkets - uppers, lowers, triggers, stocks, optics - and you've got a product people keep buying parts for. The platform's versatility keeps demand steady: service rifles, commercial variants, and a hobbyist culture that treats the AR as a lifelong project.

3) Mauser Gewehr 98 - The bolt-action blueprint

Estimate: 20+ million

The 98 Mauser is less a single rifle and more a template that shaped bolt-action development around the world. Introduced in 1898, its controlled-feed bolt and strong extractor became the gold standard for military and sporting bolt actions. Nations copied, adapted, and licensed Mauser actions for decades, which is why the “Mauser” influence shows up in so many rifles and helps push the production numbers up. These rifles were built tough, and their design found new life in hunting rifles and custom builds long after their military service days were over.

2) Mosin-Nagant - Russia's mass producer

Estimate: 37 million

The Mosin-Nagant is the kind of tool that doesn't complain. Adopted in the 1890s and produced in staggering quantities through World War I, World War II, and beyond, Mosins were built to be made cheap, fixed-bayonet capable, and able to survive anything. Soviet factories and wartime churn pushed production into the tens of millions - wartime needs make silly numbers happen. Today they're a favorite for budget shooters and collectors alike: ugly, heavy, and honest. You can find them in garages, museums, and battlefield relic piles - that's the footprint of a true mass-produced arm.

1) AK-47 and the Kalashnikov family - The world's common denominator

Estimate: 40-150+ million (depending on clones and licensed builds)

If the Mosin is the workhorse, the AK is the universal language. Designed to be produced cheaply, to tolerate abuse, and to keep firing when everything else gives up, the AK became the go-to for armies, insurgents, and anyone needing a no-nonsense rifle. Its simplicity made it easy to copy - and copy they did. Licensed factories, unlicensed factories, local gunsmiths building AK-style rifles - count them all and the total gets enormous. The AK's cultural footprint is matched only by its ubiquity: movies, conflicts, and backyard ranges worldwide have made the Kalashnikov family the single most recognizable firearm design ever made.

Reality check: Exact counts are messy. Licensed vs. unlicensed production, military stockpiles, and century-long runs mean estimates are the best we've got. But the trend is obvious: designs that are cheap, durable, and easy to produce will outperform the flashy, delicate alternatives every time.

Got an idea for a future article? Shoot it my way and you might see it in the next issue.

Until next time, stay locked and loaded.
- Randy, Locked N Loaded