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Colt M1911

In the early 1900s, John Browning started developing this world-beating semi-auto - and when the US Army announced they wanted something to replace their revolvers, it ended up being one of the most successful pistols of all time, with millions of them made. It saw action in both world wars, plus Korea and Vietnam before finally being superceded by the M9 (Beretta 92) in 1985. That's not to say it's totally out of military use though, as many countries across the world still use it including some US special forces who value the 45's stopping power over the M9's 9mm. You'll see it in plenty of movies too - so check out some of the links and then get yourself a 45 ACP!!

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World Wars

The First World War caused devastation across Europe, and over 70 million soldiers were involved in the fighting. It's near-impossible to summarise such an event, and there was no single cause of this war.

Unsatisfactory peace settlements from World War I were probably the greatest influence on the start of the Second World War. The Wall Street Crash was also a major factor, as it caused severe unemployment in Germany. In 1939, Hitler invaded Poland, expecting Britain and France to let him get away with it as they had before. However, they admirably refused, and by September 3rd the two allies honoured their agreement with Poland by declaring war on Germany. What followed was the deadliest conflict ever, which involved soldiers from around the world.

Despite getting incredibly close to overpowering the Allies on numerous occasions, they resisted with help from the USA, and the war ended in 1945. Hundreds of different weapons were used in both wars, but you can see a small selection below:

Modern Warfare

In recent decades, warfare has changed dramatically to suit the most recent technologies and tactics.

But despite advances in technology and the ongoing arms race one fact remains - guns are still the defacto means of arming soldiers, and that doesn't look set to change any time in the near future. Many firearms and cartridges can trace their lineage back over a hundred years which just goes to show that if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Different countries will always have different views on how to arm their troops - here are just a few that can be seen in a war near you....

Law & Order

All modern police forces need high-quality, effective and reliable firearms to deal with various situations, ranging from arresting a suspect to controlling a terrorist. In the UK police hardly ever carry firearms, whereas in America they are virtually essential. The Glock 22, for example, is often seen as a perfectly-adapted weapon for law enforcment, as is the SIG Sauer P220 - they're lightweight, trusty and easy to conceal. Since 9/11, the threat from terrorists has grown around the world, and more firepower is required to prepare for the possibilities of an attack. Special police forces have also been introduced in recent years, such as bomb disposal squads; these groups can deal with anything from crisis situations to recently-discovered mines from previous wars.

Apocalypse Now

Expert soldier Benjamin Willard is given a mission in the forests of Cambodia: to locate and kill Colonel Kurtz, a traitor. With the rest of his crew, including Kilgore and his helicopter unit, Willard heads off down the Nung River. They are persistently attacked by concealed forces hiding in the forest, resulting in multiple casualties. Struggling in the midst of this disastrous assignment, at the moment when all seems lost, Willard is captured and taken to Kurtz's village. The US soldier is tied up, and the bloody head of one of his colleagues is shown to him, much to his disgust. Will he be killed in the same way? "Everyone gets everything he wants. I wanted a mission, and for my sins, they gave me one.

Pulp Fiction

This film shows the lives of two clumsy hitmen on a mission to recover a stolen suitcase for the mob, one of whom is thinking of retiring after surviving a gun attack thanks to an incredible "miracle". His partner then accidentally shoots their informant in a car, and they hurriedly try to hide the evidence. “Ezekiel 25:17 - The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.” Meanwhile, at their local diner, two lovers have crazily decided to steal the money from the diner. At gunpoint, they demand the cash - but the two hitmen are there to calm the situation. A boxer who has agreed with the criminal Marsellus to fail in his next fight, unintentionally kills his opponent - he has also bet on himself to win. He runs away, but has to return to his flat despite the danger, in order to collect an important gold watch. Starring John Travolta.

Terminator Series

In the future, machines will control the planet, under the power of the immense Skynet. The Terminator has gone back in time, and is under orders to kill Sarah Connor - the mother of the future rebel John Connor, who will lead a strong resistance against Skynet. John orders a soldier to defend him, by saving his mother. In the second film, known as Judgement Day, a highly-advanced Terminator is once more attempting to kill John Connor. This time, it's the newly updated T-1000, which is going to murder John Connor while he's still a child. The T-1000 is specially-adapted to shape-shift into any human shape, due to its liquid metal form. For this reason, it can also 'heal' faster than the other Terminator machines. However, John is now protected by a redesigned Terminator, the 800 series, while Sarah Connor is determined to destroy Skynet before it is created.