Well I shot quite abit back in the eighties when I owned 3 .44 Mags... a 7.5" Ruger Redhawk w/4X scope (my fav hog gun), 7.5" Ruger Bisley Blackhawk(excellent accuracy), and a 14" TC w/ 22mag and .44 cal bull barrels(super accurate)... I handloaded all my .44 rounds using 240gr lead bullets and Hercules 2400 and Blue Dot powder. At dusk those Blue Dot loads would blast out a blinding muzzle flash bigger than a basketball...man what a load! I had the Red Hawk magna-ported to tame the recoil but with those Blue Dot loads it really didn't matter, it still kicked like a mule!
I also owned a Remington 30'06 w/3-9X scope for deerhunting, 12ga H&R Pardner singleshot shotgun for skeet, a Ruger Single Six .22/.22mag pistol and a Browning Buckmark .22 semiauto for plinking and squirrel hunting.

In the Submarine Service I had to qualify with the .45ACP, M-14, and the Rem 870 when I reported to my boat. As a Topside watch I would pack the .45 with 2-8 round clips. But my Fav was the old M-14 heavy, but nice... The Torpedo men were in charge of the boat's smallarms locker. The best weapon on board was the MK48 torpedo by far. At 21' in length and 21" in diameter, the warhead was packed with 750lbs of PBXN high explosive. This would break the keel of anything afloat and send them to Davy Jones Locker!

In the mid '90s I ws fortunate enough to visit H&K's facilities just outside of DC. I was able to fire numerous clips thru a MP5 and G36. Nice! Out of all the guns mentioned my fav was the Red Hawk...

Dom

i personally love WW2 weapons. i have a mosin nagant, enfield no4 mk1, and a mauser k98.
absolutely love the K98. most fun weapon ive shot is the 81MM mortar

I am sticking with some of the other posters loving the old WWII weapons. I would have to say, the SMLE Mk III made in Lithgow is my favourite.

I have fired most of the older and current Australian Army small arms. M16, M60, SLR, F88 and the Minimi, and some of the support weapons, m79, SRAAW, Carl Gustav and the M203. And they were all quite good, had their good and bad points. M60 could lay down a lot of fire power, but it was heavy. The Minimi weighs about the same as an SLR and you can carry stacks of ammo, but not as much range. The F88 is very easy to teach anyone to shoot relatively accurately and it is very light.

Pistols are ok, but really they are not very powerful - things are bad when you are relying on one of those.

But the old 303 with wooden furniture still does it for me. I have spent many weekends goat shooting up in the Flinders Ranges, and I remember the first time carrying the "three oh", stalking and ambushing mobs of goats when I was about 17. It was a pure buzz, boy's own adventure. All those old Commando comics coming to life!

I used the SAW with short barrel and new stock and rail foreend over in Afghanistan and loved it. In fact I would say that if you disregard carrying it, it's by far my favorite weapon. I have fired all manners of things from M9's upto M198 155mm (calling for fire is more fun than pulling the lanyard) That said, using the short barrel on the SAW I fired the 800 meter qual and got good hits out as far using the BDC on the M145. That said I ditched the M145 at JRTC after my 3rd one broke and used my personal EoTech with 300 and 500 mter dots for deployment.

Overseas my buddy got to roll with SF one night when they were short drivers and gunners and he got use the minigun, I am eternally jealous.

Steve

Oh yeah! AT4 was a blast! Mk-19 was cool firing HEDP for the first time but it got old. I just saw it fail far too many times to ever really trust it, same was true of M2's. I loved the gun, but I just didn't trust it. My SAW and 240 I knew would never fail me. I just couldn't say the same of the .50 cal or Mk-19.

I know it catches a lot of crap, but I really liked my M-16A2. As long as you took care of it, it beat the hell out of any AK for accuracy.

My favorite weapon, though, had to be Ma Deuce. I never fired anything that was more fun to shoot. I particularly loved that you lube it with motor oil!

Type 56. I really liked this.

I loved shooting a Bersa pistol. but I've never owned one. Nice gun.

Got to be the hk MP5

A wee spiel on some weapons I've fired.

Rifles: AK74 didn't really like.... Spray and pray weapon and not very accurate. The Beryl (Polish AK variant) was much better and the red dot sight was accurate up to 300m.

K98 Mauser with 7.92mm ammunition. Was eager to fire this. After 15 rounds or so... Not so eager. Sore shoulder... Was fairly accurate though.

SA80 A1 and A2. As much as the A1 got slated, the Hechler and Koch upgrades to the A2 have made this rifle's reliability far superior to it's predecessor. With the susat, this weapon in good hands is very accurate indeed. I've not had a chance to use the new ACOG site, so can't really comment on it. The LSW version is just a pain in the rear...

Sniper rifles:
Dragunov: surprisingly light! Took a bit to get used to the sight.

Machine Guns:
Minimi short barrel 5.56mm rapid and was fairly accurate
L7A1 GPMG..... Enough said...

I would have to say the MK-19

SLR...mine had a walnut butt and stock, zeroed to perfection and lovingly attended to when it wasn't in the armoury.

SMG...once took a 2 inch hole out of the centre of a figure 11 at 50 yds, 20 rounds. I was at the extreme right of the butts, tree-line to the right, no distraction, I think that helped. My Skipper looked at the hole, looked at me, said 'Nothing wrong with that' It only happened that one time.....

LMG and GPMG of course.

Carried an LMG with a dodgy barrel lock once..we'd stopped for a smoke, then got a stand to...I'd run 50 yards before I realised I was only carrying the barrel..the rest of the gun was sitting on it's lonesome back in the woods...

That cost me a few beers and Mars bars....

I loved the Claymore MIne...its amazing.. 2nd would be the bangalore torpedo. I think i m the last few batches to be given a chance to breech with bangalores. Nowadays kids get those automated flying lines that rocket across the obstacles.

I preferred the M16 series of weapons. I left before the M16A2 variant made it's debut, so I missed those easily adjustable sights.

I was a machine gunner and spent a lot of time with an M60. I felt really confident with that one.

The M2 .50cal was a favorite also. Nothing like big orange balls heading down range.

I now have 32 years in police work, and have carried a variety of handguns all issued by the agency.

One personal favorite was my S&W Model 681 .357 Magnum.

I carried a Beretta M92 for years, it was ok. 9mm isn't my fave cartridge, but it did work, ....................a couple of times.

We now have Glock 19's. This is nice and small but doesn't fit my hand. I'd prefer my Colt Officer's ACP for the work I do now, but we cannot carry a .45.

G

I have had a FAL L1A1 and an HK 91 i love those weapons but thats what i could afford at the time. i would love to own an M4 carbine with all the goodies. i had a WWI 8mm mauser. that thing nealy ripped my shoulder off! 3 weapons i would give my left nut to shoot would be an MG42 a BAR and a browning 50cal. that would be AWSOME!!!

Gary

Ma Duce is mine hands down

I loved the M-60, I was the gunner for our platoon.

I served for 4 years in the CDN military (Infantry). Earned proficiency with the .50cal, M72 LAW, but the most used were the C6 (M240), C7 (M16) and the C9 (M29 SAW). Since I was a SAW gunner, I guess I have to lean towards it as my favorite (maybe I'm a bit biased ) Had a chance to get behind the old FN FAL as they were being phased out of service....man, that thing would blow the door off its' hinges! Good to see so many former and current service personnel on the site!

If it can't fire a grenade, it's useless to my research...

My favorite...

My M-24 or a M-2.

Yeah, two extremes but I love 'em both. They served me well.

ICBM: guaranteed kill

In my army days, we normally used a FAL. Belgian weapon, built by FN Herstal. Cal 7.62, reliable and precise up to 400 - 800 meters, even without a scope (we did not get that luxury). When we were in training, it was so cold my fingers froze to it, but I always liked it. http://www.wall321.com/Militar/Gun/guns_dual_screen_duel_weapons_rifles_fn_fal_3360x1050_wallpaper_51432/download_

As an ex Brit paratrooper of a certain age I loved the old 7.62 SLR as it was a real `elephant gun' and much better than the SA-80 which replaced it! I must admit that I loved the GPMG `Gimpy' and the `Sterling' SMG too!
Cheers
Tony O

All three of those weapons were in service during my time in the Army. See as we would often serve alongside you 'Brits' we learned to use them.
The Sterling is nice weapon. It's had a good long run.

Wow.
The old M3 grease gun was fun but not to serious.
If Under stress I would take the M240, great weapon and reliable. Would work all day long.

Most hated was the old M219 coaxial MG. More reliable as a club than a machine gun.

Had a chance to fire todays version of the MG42. It was fun but ate too much ammo