Guns Made for Sale: From the Derringer of 1825 to the Tikka T3 of 2006

The page records 1825 as the start of the type, with the original Philadelphia Deringer, a small percussion handgun by Henry Deringer, made from 1825 through 1868. The page defines a derringer as a handgun that is neither a revolver nor a semi-automatic pistol, and links its small size and easy concealment to discreet carry.

The page records 1861 for this percussion revolver, made until 1875 in .31, .36 and .44 calibers. More than 230,000 were produced, and the page says it was among the most widely carried sidearms of the American Civil War, used by Union and Confederate forces alike, with many later converted to fire metallic cartridges.

The page records 1886, when the Markham Air Rifle Company built a wooden spring-piston air rifle for youth training. Two years later the Plymouth Air Rifle Company, later renamed Daisy, brought out the first full-metal BB gun, which the page says became widely popular.

The page records 1887 for this lever-action shotgun designed by John Browning. The Model 1887 ran from 1887 to 1899 in 12 and 10 gauge, and the stronger Model 1901, built for smokeless powder, followed from 1901 to 1920.

The page records 1907 for this blowback semi-automatic rifle, made by Winchester until 1957. It fed from a detachable 5, 10 or 15 round box magazine in front of the trigger guard, and the page says it resembles the M1 carbine in size and handling while being heavier and firing a harder-hitting round.

The page records 1937 and describes a pump-action shotgun made in large numbers for civilian, law enforcement and military markets. It rests on a 1915 John Browning patent first sold as the Remington Model 17, with a single port under the receiver for loading and ejection that keeps both sides of the gun closed.

The page records 1948 for this lever-action rifle and carbine from Marlin Firearms. It is most often chambered in .30-30 Winchester or .35 Remington, and the page notes that the Model 336 returned to production on March 27, 2023.

The page records 1949 for the first product of Sturm, Ruger and Company, a rimfire semi-automatic pistol designed by founder William B. Ruger. It was sold as an inexpensive .22 pistol for casual sport, target shooting and plinking, and the page says the line, through the Mark II, III and IV, is the best selling .22 semi-automatic pistol ever made.

The page records 1949 for this six-shot double-action revolver, first sold as the K-38 Combat Masterpiece. It is chambered for .38 Special, usually with a 4-inch barrel, and the page describes it as a target-shooting variant of the Model 10 with adjustable sights; its main run lasted fifty years until 1999.

The page records 1961 for this series of pump-action shotguns from O.F. Mossberg and Sons. The models share one basic receiver and action but vary in bore, barrel, choke and stock, and by 2021 about 11 million had been made, which the page calls the most produced shotgun of all time.

The page records 1964 for the standard carbine, which has been in continuous production since then in .22 Long Rifle. It feeds from a patented 10-round rotary magazine, and the page says its aftermarket is so large that a complete rifle can be built without a single Ruger-made part.

The page records 1977 for this series of .45 ACP pistols built on the M1911 platform by Arcadia Machine and Tool until 2002. It was the first 1911-pattern pistol made entirely of stainless steel, with adjustable rear sights, a lengthened grip safety and a wide target-style trigger.

The page records 2005, when Smith and Wesson introduced this polymer-framed, short-recoil semi-automatic pistol. It was aimed at law enforcement agencies but is also sold widely on the civilian market, and the 5.7x28mm variant uses a rotating barrel with a muzzle booster instead of the usual Browning-type locking system.

The page records 2006, the year this bolt-action rifle from Sako under its Tikka brand entered service for both military and civilian use. It uses a two-lug locking bolt, and the page lists adopters including France's National Police and Gendarmerie, Canada's Rangers under the C-19 designation, and the Indian Navy's special forces.