These are the longest serving weapons in the US arsenal
Travis Pike | January 24, 2022
It’s fascinating how long a firearm design sticks around with the United States military. In a digital world, it’s easy to forget that firearms technology tends to move a lot slower than the world of electronics, aviation, or even warship construction. As a country, we have the most capable and most advanced military in the world with the R&D budget we need to stay at the forefront of weapons technology. But when we find a design that works, we tend to stick to it. Today we are celebrating the longest-serving service weapons in America’s arsenal.
Longest-serving service weapons and the rules
The rules are easy. First and foremost, the weapon’s lifespan ends when it leaves the general service. So, while the M14 has stuck around with the Navy to this very day for shooting lines from ship to ship, I’m not including it on this list. When I say lifespan, I mean the lifespan of the weapon used by the general military, and not in specialized roles or with special operations troops.
That may ruffle somebody’s feathers out there, but the rules are the rules.
