The most powerful rifles in the world

Not all military weapons are built equal - some are simply one step ahead of the others, while others are legends.

Rifles have a long history. Their initial development is somewhat hazy, but they have come to dominate the battlefield.

But first, what is a gun?
That's probably a good point for some housekeeping. This list will be based on the basic definition of a rifle as follows:

"A rifle, especially a rifle fired at shoulder height, having a long spiral grooved barrel intended to spin the bullet and therefore have greater accuracy over a long distance." - Larousse dictionary.

Wikipedia further defines a rifle as follows:

"A shotgun is a portable, long-barreled firearm designed for long-range precision shooting, which must be held with both hands and pressed against the shoulder to provide stability while firing, and whose barrel has a pattern of helical grooves ("rifling") cut into the walls of the bore."

For the purposes of this article, the following firearms will be those that meet these definitions. In this sense, we will include any type of rifle, including but not limited to assault rifles and carbines.

Please note that this list is not a definitive list of the 9 best assault rifles ever produced, but simply a collection of some of the most notable. Nor is it presented in any particular order.

Read also:

Russian Spetsnaz: Why they are the best Special Forces soldiers in the world

War in Ukraine: Russian forces attack from 3 sides

Why is Russia invading Ukraine? What does Putin want?

Ranking of the best long guns

Accuracy AS50

Design company and country of origin: Accuracy International - United Kingdom

When was it first used? : 2007

What makes this rifle one of the best? The AS50 is considered one of the best sniper rifles in the world.

The AS50 is a very powerful 50 caliber anti-materiel rifle and sniper. It allows snipers to engage targets at very long range (1.5 km effective range) and can fire an impressive 5 shots every 1.6 seconds. It can deliver explosive and incendiary ammunition with pinpoint accuracy if needed.

The sniper rifle was specifically designed for use by the British Armed Forces and US Navy Seals . It is not only deadly accurate, but is notable for its relatively low weight, and can be assembled in less than 3 minutes.

This firearm is very effective against enemy combatants and military equipment.

To know the 10 most powerful armies in the world, click here

SA80 A2

Design company and country of origin: Royal Small Arms Factory - United Kingdom

When was it first used? : 1985

What makes this rifle one of the best? The modern SA80 is universally loved by any regular user and is one of the most reliable rifles in the world.

The SA80 is the standard rifle of the British Army, Navy and Air Force. It was first used in the 1980s and replaced the L1A1 battle rifle.

It is an example of a bullpup configuration weapon with its action and magazine placed behind the trigger. This configuration allows the weapon to be relatively compact, making it easier to handle and use in combat areas such as urban environments.

It fires a 5.56mm bullet and can use the same magazine as the American M4. While early models suffered from a few problems, modern variants (improved by Heckler and Koch) have made them some of the most reliable firearms ever built.

It is widely appreciated by all who use it regularly.

AK-74

Design company and country of origin: Kalashnikov - Soviet Union

When was it first used? : 1974

What makes this rifle one of the best? The AK-74 replaced the venerable AK-47

The AK-74 is the standard rifle of the Russian ground forces. It was developed in the late 1970s by Kalashnikov who also developed the iconic AK-47 assault rifle.

The AK-74 differs from its venerable predecessor in that it uses smaller and lighter 5.45mm cartridges. It enjoyed great popularity during the unfortunate Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

This rifle has a side-folding stock, a 16.3 inch barrel and an overall length of 37 inches. It has recently undergone some western style modifications to include a skeletonized stock and an accessory rail mounting system, to name but a few.

Tracking Point

Design company and country of origin: TrackingPoint - United States

When was it first used? : 2011

What makes this rifle one of the best? They could forever change the world of guns by making them "smart".

Although not specifically a simple rifle, TrackingPoint is an American company that made the world's first Precision Guided Firearms (PGF). The PGF is a long-range rifle system that effectively turns rifles into "smart rifles".

This system calculates the range, tracks a target and provides a shooting solution to the user. It includes a HUD that also provides the user with information on things like wind direction as well as an auto-adjusting aiming reticle.

Although they have their own firearms, the system is currently being tested by the US military. It was installed on their XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle for evaluation.

M4

Design company and country of origin: Colt - United States

When was it first used? : 1993

What makes this rifle one of the best? Replacing the venerable M16, this rifle has seen service in many theaters of war since the early 1990s

The M4 carbine is actually a lighter and shorter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle. It was developed between the mid-1980s and early 1990s and was accepted by the US military in 1994.

It is shorter than the M16, hence its carbine name, and fires the same 5.56mm rounds from 30 magazines.

This rifle is capable of receiving M203 and M320 grenade launchers. The rifle has different firing modes, from semi-automatic to three-shot burst.

Its extensive use on the battlefield has led to recent improvements in the M4A1 variant. These include thicker barrels, better triggers and ambidextrous safety controls as well as a fully automatic fire mode.

HK-416

Design company and country of origin: Heckler and Koch - Germany

When was it first used? : 2004

What makes this rifle one of the best? This rifle became famous for the one who killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011

Designed by renowned German gun maker Heckler and Koch, the HK 416 is one of the finest rifles in the world. Although it ostensibly resembles the American M4, it uses a short-stroke gas piston and can fire around 900 rounds per minute.

It fires the standard 5.56mm NATO cartridge.

This weapon is the standard for the Norwegian Armed Forces and was chosen to replace the FAMAS for the French Armed Forces.

FAMAS

Design company and country of origin: Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne (MAS) - France

When was it first used? : 1978

What makes this rifle one of the best? The FAMAS has a very high rate of fire of 1,100 rounds per minute. It is also one of the most distinctive rifles in the world.

The FAMAS, or Fusil d'Assaut de la Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne, is a bullpup-style assault rifle.

It is more commonly referred to as "Le Clairon" by the French military and has been in use since 1978. Like the SA80, it has a distinctive bullpup configuration and also fires standard NATO 5.56mm ammunition.

This rifle is distinguished from other assault rifles by its radioactive tritium sight for night combat. It also has an integrated bipod.

A G2 variant was developed in the mid-1990s, but the French military prefers to use the older F1 as their primary rifle. It is currently replaced by the Heckler and Koch 416 F rifle.

M16

Design company and country of origin: ArmaLite Inc - United States

When was it first used? : 1964

What makes this rifle one of the best? The M16 is the most produced 5.56mm caliber rifle in the world

Otherwise known as the AR-15, this rifle was way ahead of its time when it was developed. So much so that it was nicknamed "Space Rifle" when it was released.

The US Army was looking for a new assault rifle in the 1950s. It had to be lightweight and chambered for an intermediate load.

Armalite quickly answered the call and replaced the traditional steel parts with aluminum and also used fiberglass instead of wood for the other parts of the rifle. It was ergonomically designed and had many new features never before seen in a rifle of the time.

It entered service in 1964 and was almost immediately rage-tested in the jungles of the Vietnam War. A few years later it was superseded by the M16A1 and underwent various upgrades over the decades until its widespread replacement by the M4 in the United States Armed Forces.

Worldwide, it is still widely used today with over 8 million units manufactured over the years. This makes it the most produced firearm for its 5.56mm caliber.

AK-103

Design company and country of origin: Kalashnikov -Russia

When was it first used? : 2001

What makes this rifle one of the best? It is widely known for its stopping power and incredible reliability.

Derived from the AK-74M, the AK 100 series is one of the best rifles in the world. The most important of these is the AK-103 which has superior penetrating and stopping power due to its chambering for 7.62x39mm ammunition.

It earned its name for its high reliability and resistance to many punishments in the field. While not the most accurate weapon, it won't let an agent down in some of the worst environmental conditions.

Like its famous ancestor, the AK-47, it is made from common materials and does not require the kind of precision that the other rifles on this list require.

This rifle was exported all over the world. Including its ancestors, AK series rifles are in service with more than 100 countries around the world.