As Christmas quickly approaches, our loved ones hit us with the same question each year: “What is on your wish list?” We then dutifully assemble said list and populate it with reasonable items that we need or would like to have. For a vast majority of us, cost is usually a factor that determines whether or not a particular gun makes our list (Example: The related story below).
- RELATED STORY: 9 AR Rifles Under $1,000 For Your Holiday Wish List
There is another wish list, however. A list of what we really want. Our dream list. On this dream list are guns upon guns. And not just your everyday guns; these are epic guns that, in one way or another, make any serious shooter do a double take when they see one.
- RELATED STORY: 10 Must-Have Airguns For the Holiday Season
While any shooter’s dream wish list is most likely never-ending, we’ve rounded up 10 epic guns that should absolutely make the cut.
So let’s ditch the budget and any other restricting requirements and look at what we really want for Christmas!
XM556 Microgun
Described as the world’s first hand held “Microgun,” the XM556 is at the top of our ultimate wish list this year! It looks like the iconic 7.62 painfully cool minigun that is recognized by so many, but it is simply a shrunken version of it.
Developed by the company Empty Shell Defense, the XM556 is significantly smaller and lighter than even an M249 SAW, and even more than a 7.62mm GE minigun. The entire design is unique and goes far beyond just scaling.
While cost has not been set yet, the logistics around securing this gun are set, so they will not be available for the general public unfortunately. The standard parade of license and credentials will be required to own one. But this is a wish list, so we will overlook that little issue.
Anzio Iron Works Mag-Fed 20MM Rifle (RELATED VIDEO: 3 Shots From the Mag-Fed Anzio 20mm)
Coming in at No. 2 is a rifle — not just any rifle, however, but the Anzio Iron Works Mag-Fed 20MM Rifle.
Chambered for a round that is as long as most handguns, the 20mm rifle is not for the faint of heart. It was developed as the first American anti-materiel rifle designed and mass produced for public sale with a bore diameter in excess of .50 caliber in more than 80 years. It generates more than 38,000 foot-pounds of kinetic energy, which is three times that of a .50 BMG round.
With a maximum range of 5,000 yards, it is safe to say that almost nothing is out of range. Price tag on this 6-foot-8 gun is a mere $11,800.
MK-19 Automatic Grenade Launcher
No. 3 on our list is a belt-fed weapon. When we say, “belt-fed,” we mean belt-fed on steroids. The MK-19 Automatic Grenade Launcher is a weapon sure to bring a grin to the most stoic of shooters’ faces.
The MK-19 was designed as a support weapon for our war fighters. It is capable of destroying most light-armored vehicles, protecting supply convoys and even defending against hovering rotary aircraft. The MK19 rapidly fires explosive 40mm grenades, making it an ideal weapon against armored, mechanized and enemy infantry forces.
This weapon pops off 60 — yeah, 60 — 40mm grenades per minute that are capable of punching through 2 inches of armor. Coming in at around $20,000, it’s honestly a bargain.
Cabot Gun’s Big Bang Pistol Set
The fourth spot on our list is out of this world. No, it is literally from out of this world. What is nicer than a Cabot Guns 1911? How about one that is made from a meteorite? Cabot Guns have built a set of pistols called the “Big Bang” pistol set. They are hand crafted from a meteorite that is estimated to be more than 1 billion years old.
The Big Bang pistols are the first mechanical devices made from a meteorite in the history of man. The process of making a set of pistols from a meteorite is arduous and filled with unknowns, yet Cabot pulled it off. The unique guns were the end result of endless 3-D modeling, X-rays, electron bean welding and endless hours of patient hard work.
Many guns are classified as one of a kind, yet few have as unique a pedigree as the Big Band pistols. Estimated price on these gems is $4.5 million dollars, which would make them the most expensive guns ever sold.
Type 1 AK-47
Coming in at No. 5 is the Loch Ness monster of guns — many have heard about it, but few have ever seen one in person. This elusive creature is the Type 1 AK-47. To the hardcore AK crowd, this is the crown jewel of any collection.
The brain child of Mikhail Kalashnikov (and others), the AK design began in 1945 and hit the official Soviet military trials in 1946. By 1948, the Type 1 AK-47 was introduced into select units of the Soviet Army. The rest is history.
While many versions and evolutions of the AK have been built, the original is by far the most desirable for collectors. It is estimated by professionals that only two to four of these period correct guns exist in the U.S. Recently one of these gems came up at auction and went for approximately $15,000. According to many experts, it was the deal of a lifetime.
CheyTac M200 Intervention Rifle
No. 6 is another rifle that we would love to at least get some trigger time on. The name alone is epic, but the gun itself is worthy of the desire it engenders. In many circles, the M200 is claimed to be the best sniper rifle ever created. A pretty lofty claim considering the company it is up against, yet this gun is indeed special.
It is a bolt rifle chambered for a specifically designed .408 CheyTac round. This cartridge has a streamlined bullet with advanced patented design. A standard bullet retains its supersonic velocity at ranges beyond 2,000 meters. It has a claimed effective range of more than 2,200 meters (1.36 miles) and comes with a portable advanced ballistic computer, laser rangefinder and weather tracker. All of these components, together with the rifle, are part of the CheyTac LRRS or Long Range Sniper System and are linked to the ballistic computer. It provides all necessary data and calculations for accurate long range firing. Cost on this must have rifle? $11,700.
MP5 SD
Our No. 7 slot is filled with a gun that is simply iconic: The Heckler & Koch MP5 SD. This is the integrally suppressed MP5 developed by our German friends after receiving requests from Special Operations teams around the world.
Despite its integrated silencer element, it has the same length and shape as an unsilenced MP5. Unlike most conventional silenced submachine guns, it fires standard ammunition types with the same effect. The use of special subsonic ammunition is not necessary. The integrated silencer element suppresses the muzzle flash extremely effectively, as a result of which the weapon is also excellent for night operations using low-light amplifiers. No wonder the MP5SD is one of the most accurate silenced submachine guns of its type.
While it is classified as an NFA weapon, there are still a few out there that are transferable to those willing to do the paperwork. A transferable MP5 SD will set you back about $32,000.
Wilson Combat Pinnacle 1911
Holding the eighth spot on our list is a gun I consider to be as much a work of art as a defensive firearm. From the gun Jedi at Wilson Combat comes the Pinnacle 1911.
The Pinnacle is expertly hand fitted and finished by a Wilson Combat supergrade pistolsmith prior to an application of spectacular hand engraving in a traditional classic scroll pattern. After hand engraving, a master pistolsmith will then further hand detail and finally apply a rich, deluxe blue finish. The immaculate hand engraving of the Pinnacle is expertly applied over the complete pistol by renowned firearm engraver Wayne D’Angelo. D’Angelo is one of the world’s foremost engraving artists and his attention to detail is legendary.
The Pinnacle is truly a “pinnacle” of craftsmanship and in the world of bespoke, custom pistols, it truly stands alone. This beautiful gun will see only a very limited production and will set you back just short of $8,000.
FN M249S Belt Fed Rifle
No. 9 is a gun that is truly a product of customer demand. The FN M249S, a semi-automatic version of the M249 SAW light machinegun, was originally developed by FN Herstal as the FN MINIMI and adopted by the U.S. Military in 1988.
The rifle features the signature 18.5-inch FN cold hammer-forged, chrome-lined barrel and operates from a closed bolt position. Chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, the rifle will accept both magazine and linked ammunition belts and offers a 4.0-6.5 pound trigger pull out-of-the-box.
This gun gives us the same feel and function as its full auto twin, yet it is limited to semi-auto, which makes owning one dramatically easier. Suggested retail on this must-have is $8,000, which is only a quarter of what a full-auto transferable version runs.
MG42 Machine Gun
Rounding out our top 10 list of epic guns is a World War II classic. Known as “Hilter’s buzz saw” — because it was able to cut down troops in swaths — the MG42 is a must-shoot weapon if you ever get the opportunity.
There are many military historians that argue the Maschinengewehr 42 was the best general-purpose machine gun … ever. With the ability to fire up to 1,800 rounds per minute, it was nearly twice as fast as any automatic weapon fielded by any army in the world at the time.
While the gun has a definite dark history in war, its function and design make it worthy of an objective look. These, as with many WWII guns, are becoming more and more rare. It is estimated that a solid MG42 at auction could run as much as $60,000.
It has to be said that to make this list only 10 items long was drastically harder than most would imagine. The world of unique and interesting firearms is vast and to try to narrow it down to such a small number is difficult. I am sure your list would differ slightly, but the 10 epic guns listed here are sure to make anyone smile, should Santa be kind enough to slip one down the chimney.