Special Forces Rifles and Pistols You Can Buy

FN SCAR - The world's best machine gun

 

Special Forces Assault Weapons For Sale – 2024

Most of the world’s special forces reach for some kind of SBR as their first port of call these days, but even with selective fire they’re surprisingly close to the pistols and rifles you can buy yourself.

Really, you might not have the training, or the skills, of the world’s elite fighting forces. But you can have a gun that’s even better, minus the full auto. You can have the combat rifle of the special forces from around the world.

Most of Us Can’t Buy Assault Rifles

Well, a slightly watered down version of the best assault rifles in the world, without the burst fire and selective fire. Get those thrills at a shooting range machine gun experience. It will save you a fortune in the long run…

So, if you want to ignore our selection of the best home defense guns in the world and just go with the numbers, the weapons that elite fighting teams all over the world have chosen as their personal favorites, then the answers are in here too.

The guns that make the standard equipment list for too many special forces outfits around the world to be an accident, well the civilian SMG versions you can buy, include:

  • Colt M4 Carbine
  • HK SP5K
  • HK 416
  • Steyr Arms AUG A3
  • FN SCAR
  • IWI Uzi

Special Forces, SWAT, Anti-Terror Teams All Use Them

These are the guns that form the core of the standard equipment list in some form or another, all round the world.

From the SAS through to counter-terrorist outfits and SWAT, these are the best of the best, in terms of the guns and the people. These are the best machine guns in the world, as voted for by the people that trust them with their lives each and every day.

If you have these guns, then give yourself a pat on the back. The very best soldiers, cops and secret service specialists agree with your choices in life.

Here are the best guns for sale that the very best fighting men in the world take to war each and every day and the civilian equivalent that you can have at home.

Colt M4 Navy SEAL edition

1. Colt M4 A1

  • Navy SEALs, Just about everybody else.
  • Caliber: 5.56 NATO
  • Civilian Version: Colt M4 Carbine MPS
  • Price: $1,099.99

Colt provides carbine rifles for just about every fighting force in the world and the Navy SEALs are perhaps the best of the best. The Colt M4A1 is their default firearm and they only put that trusty weapon to one side when conditions demand something different.

It’s built for the kind of skirmishes that the SEALs face every single day. It’s light, it’s easy to manoeuvre and it’s a shortened version of a classic, reliable weapon. It’s a great close range gun, with a scope it’s effective to 600 meters and it’s one of the best assault weapons for sale in 2018.

The assault rifle offers 700-950 rounds a minute, too. But if you’re going to start testing that you probably want the military footing the budget for your assault weapon fun.

Cheap Assault Rifles are Important to Uncle Sam

It really isn’t that expensive either, which is one reason why it’s so popular with the military. Uncle Sam doesn’t just order one rifle. He orders tens of thousands. So the unit cost matters and that’s why the Colt M4 is a solid, dependable rifle that you can service without breaking the bank.

Pound for pound, it’s absolutely one of the best machine guns in the world. There are better, though, technically, but they probably will cost more money. On a budget, this is as good as it gets in terms of assault rifles.

That also means this probably isn’t the best assault rifle out there, or even in the local store. It is good, don’t get me wrong. But I am sure there are custom parts on the Navy SEALs’ guns and they’re not quite the classic M4 that you will get delivered to your FFL dealer. So, this isn’t the best assault rifle you can buy at any price. 

The Colt M4 Carbine MPS has the Navy SEAL operator feel about it, with a pistol grip and enhanced and contrasting polymer furniture. You get a collapsible stock, iron sights and a rail on top if you want to mount a better AR-15 scope on your rifle.

It’s a classic AR-15 and worth every brass cent.

Colt M4 carbine MPS for sale

What Rifle Do The Navy SEALs use?

The Navy SEAL rifle of choice comes in a variety of different flavors and there are thousands of aftermarket parts you can buy for the basic Colt M4, which you can buy for around $900-$950.

That’s the classic American military rifle that has been carried by the rank and file troops for decades. It looks a little something like this.

Colt M4 basic version

So, you can dress up your Colt so it’s even better looking than the military spec Navy SEAL rifle. It still won’t be fully automatic, but it probably will be the best AR-15 you own.

HK MP5 - Special forces love this 9mm

2 HK MP5/ HK SP5

  • SAS – Britain
  • Civilian Version: HK SP5
  • Price: $2,500

The British special forces are generally considered the finest fighting outfit in the world, and they generally carry a Canadian gun: the C8 Carbine. But sometimes they like to go with a lightweight German..

The C8 Carbine that the British Special Air Services take in to action is a unique flavor of rifle that the company has distilled over years fighting in the worst conditions. At its core, it’s a Colt M4, though, that was supplied by Diemaco. Now that is simply Colt Canada. But tit’s basically a facsimile of the US service weapon that the Navy SEALs take into action.

HK MP5 is Urban Warfare Legend

In close quarters, such as sweeping a building, the more compact 9mm carbine, the HK MP5, is the SAS’s not so secret weapon. It’s another gun that features on the special forces standard equipment list around the world, too.

Everybody from the Georgian special forces to the Argentinian counter-terrorist units rely on a Heckler & Koch MP5. It’s that good and more. For close quarters, this might be the best assault weapon in the world.

It’s a lightweight SMG, it’s easy to carry and in an enclosed space then it offers more controlled chaos than a rifle.

The semi-auto version is about as good as home defense guns get and owners swear it’s worth the price bump over the likes of the CZ Scorpion Evo 3. The SAS agrees….


HK SP5 is on sale and is one of the best 9mm AR pistols on the market. Buy yours today.

The civilian version has now fallen into line with the military option. So you get a longer barrel and the old-school rounded handguard is gone. It’s a much more modern gun, although it isnt as pretty.

Pretty much every gun nut wants one, or has one. The online user reviews for the 9mm pistol are stellar and it is undoubtedly one of the finest guns for sale.

If you don’t own one yet, then it’s time to listen to the world’s best special forces and get a HK SP5K for yourself. It’s the assault pistol you always wanted.

But if you want to spend a little less money and still have a steallar assault weapon, or you want an AR PIstol with heavier ammunition, then check out our list of the best assault pistols in the world today.

Full automatic Uzi SMG - Not available in shops

3. Uzi

  • Israel -Shayetet 13/Mossad
  • Civilian Version: IWI Uzi Pro
  • Price: $1,149.99
  • Caliber: 9mm

Seriously, there are some mad weapons coming out of Israel right now, courtesy of IWI, and the Israeli military gets first dibs on their hardcore weapons. The military spec Uzi is obviously different to the consumer version, especially the version with the integrated suppressor. 

In actual fact, the consumer version looks like the old Uzi you know and love. The mil-spec fully automatic pistol is a different ballgame these days.

With IWI, the Special Forces get to choose from the Tavor bullpup assault rifle, the Galil Ace or the more compact Uzi. It’s a testament to the old-school gangbanger, the weapon that changed urban warfare, and the Israeli weapon has been with us in some form or another since 1954.

The Israeli special forces, Shayetet 13 if you want to be precise, favor the short frame and folding stock that mean the Uzi can fold away and isn’t as obvious as walking the streets with a full assault rifle. The Uzi Pro is ugly, but the gun is much more functional with the bridges and supports.

Now, it’s an ideal home defense weapon in semi-automatic civilian SMG form. Make no mistake, this is an assault pistol and you can tacti-cool it up with lights and lasers thanks to the rails. This is the ‘home version’ of this military legend that is still in use on every continent as a precision military and law enforcement tool.

It’s another lightweight gun that’s easy to carry and can be slung on a hip while the assault rifle does its thing at long range. When the close-range action kicks off, the Uzi is ready and waiting. It’s basically in everybody’s top 10 best assault weapons in the world.

The armed forces love this gun. It’s light, it’s compact and the much-overlooked grip safety on the consumer version is actually a nice touch. With a tactical brace, this becomes pretty much the most compact SBR you can run. Add a suppressor and you’ve really got something here.

IWI Uzi Pro - Israel's gangbanger grows up

It spits 9mm, so it’s actually kind of outgunned here. Load it up with savage 9mm, though, and this tight little pistol with a fold-out brace could be one of the most exciting weapons you own. It’s fun to shoot, the brace works perfectly and the short barrel means it comes with a kick and a flash.

The gun isn’t that much more than the much-lauded CZ Scorpion Evo 3 and it comes with a brace. So this gun is actually kind of cheap, it’s entertaining and you won’t find much better at this price.

The commercial version isn’t quite the pistol that Israel’s feared special forces take into action. But at this price, it’s close enough!

Along with the M4 assault rifle, this is one of the truly iconic guns in the world. Get one, you know you want to. At worst, it’s actually fun at the range thanks to that short barrel and low recoil 9mm.

HK416, an assault rifle you can buy at home

4 .H&K 416

  • USA – Delta Force, SOCOM
  • Civilian Version: Heckler & Koch MR556A1
  • Price: $3,125
  • Caliber: 5.56 NATO

At the end of the day, the elite special forces don’t need to worry about the price of their guns and Heckler & Koch probably gives the military a discount. The truth is, though, that this is a massively expensive AR-15 in civilian form.

Really that’s all it is. The MR556A1 is a direct descendant of the brilliant HK 416 that the German special forces keep as a standard issue weapon and the American military is starting to order in substantial numbers. It’s a SOCOM service rifle, alongside the Colt M4 and the SBR version, the Colt M4 CQBR. 

It was designed as a premium commercial rifle, as well as an official military firearm. Reliability is on another level as it uses a proprietary gas piston system that is also found on the HK G36 and combat HK416 rifle.

In the field, it is one of the best assault rifles in the world. In the street, it might be trading on that military reputation with the price point.

It comes with a four quadrant, free-floating rail system and you can mount any kind of light or sight on this gun. The barrel is made from highest quality hammer-forged steel, it’s a great gun and yet there are other AR-15s that will probably do the job just as well.

If you just can’t deal with the price, check out these cheap AR-15s for sale.

If you want the best assault rifle on the open market, this might be the money you need to spend and a little bit more.

The professionals think the HK is worth the extra money, though, so if you agree with them then you know what to do. Right now, this is one of the top 10 best assault rifles in the world and HK is making major inroads with the rest of it. 

The Germans are taking over, slowly, so if you have the civvy version, then you have one of the best assault rifles in the world.

Steyr AUG Machine Gun

5. Steyr Arms AUG

  • Special Service Group – Pakistan
  • Civilian Version: Steyr Arms Aug A3 M1
  • Price: $1,893.99
  • Caliber: .5.56 NATO

This modular bullpup goes into action with one of the world’s finest anti-terrorist agencies. Don’t laugh at the Pakistani special forces, they have been dealing with bloody terrorist insurgencies for decades and they know a thing or two about urban warfare. 

As for the gun, it was designed in the 1960s and it’s still going strong to this day The Austrian army have used the gun since 1978 and it’s in active service with everyone from Bolivian anti-terrorist specialists to the Tunisian army.

This is a special forces gun around the world and along with the Colt M4 Carbine is a universally loved gun. So, these are the guys that depend on their firearms. They test them to the limit, more than we ever could, and a lot of them settle on this odd-looking thing.

Assault rifles don’t have to be pretty, though, and the super reliable Stey AUG comes with another inbuilt advantage. Its physical form pretty much commands proper technique. That makes it a predictable firearn that doesn’t need endless adjustment to suit the user.

It switches between full auto, semi auto and three-round bursts and the barrel is quick to detach and switch out. That means this gun can go from a close quarters skirmish gun to a sniper rifle, of sorts, in a moment. You can also strap a grenade launcher to it, if you’re that way inclined. The rate of fire is solid, you get 680-850 rounds per minute, if you ever find that theoretical bottomless magazine. 

The integrated 1.5x telescopic sight is a Swarowski Optic and it’s a seriously unusual configuration that does limit the gun. A simple rail seems like a better option as you can mount your own sight, but then again there are a lot of special forces and counter terrorist operatives trusting this weapon with their life right now. So what do we know?

The modularity makes this bullpup one of the top assault rifles in the world. Especially for poorer nations that need their weapons to wear many hats, this is an answer that works. It isn’t pretty, it isn’t high-tech, but it does work.

The civilian version is a much more restrained gun, with a simple rail to accommodate a normal optic. It’s still weird to look at, there’s no denying that. But it’s effective….

Steyr Arms AUG Machine Gun
Knights Armament SR-25 Sniper rifle

 

6. Knights Armament SR-25

IDF – Israel, GROM – Poland

Price: $4,900

Caliber: .308

The Knights Armament SR-25 is the new school of assault rifle and it is making a serious impression with military teams around the world. Most of them have one on test and more than one are trying to convince the higher-ups to get over the sticker shock and pay serious money for an assault rifle.

In full military spec, it’s a mid-range sniper rifle that is also useful for defending a perimeter. The 7.62x51mm 308 round isn’t as convincing a sniper round as the 6.5 Creedmoor if we’re honest, but then this is about military and special forces guns.

We have covered the best Creedmoor rifles for sale elsewhere.

GROM is Poland’s elite counter terrorist team and they have to be prepared for sieges and the plain unexpected. A semi-automatic sniper rifle that doesn’t need you to set the bolt every time has a lot of advantages in the field.

For this job, we would still take the Smith & Wesson MP10 6.5 Creedmoor, but that’s just us…

The semi-automatic rifle you can buy is murderously expensive, although you can get a selection of Knights Armament rifles that start from about $2,500 and take the more familiar 5.56 NATO.

The SR-25 is the rifle everybody wants, though, and it does offer something a little different. With the 308 ammunition, the Stoner Rifle-25 is a designated marksman rifle, which offers precision at longer distances as well as all the advantages of an AR platform. It’s an AR-10, not an AR-15, if we’re getting picky.

It’s not the top assault rifle in the world, but it is very flexible. That counts for something, because this is a close range weapon, as well as a long range precision tool.

Here it is, in all it’s near 5K glory…

Knights Armament SR-25

Knights Armament get a unique and patented barrel and bolt system, it weighs in at 8.4lb and it kicks like a mule. It’s a different kind of weapon for a different kind of skirmish. It’s also an amazing hunting rifle, naturally.

The US military has a serious number of these highly expensive service rifles on staff. So maybe the Knights Armament SR-25 is worth the money after all….

AKS-74u - Spesnatz killing machine

7. AKS-74u

  • Russia – Spesnatz
  • Civilian Version:  Arsenal SAM7K
  • Caliber: 7.62x39mm
  • Price: $899.99

No joke, the Russians have an underwater assault rifle, made by APS, and we almost went for that. But you can’t buy it, so it’s kinda pointless knowledge we’re sharing here.

Now most of them can handle getting wet, it’s one of the basic tests that the likes of the Navy SEALs are going to do when you think about it. The Russians deal with Siberian snowstorms and the harshest conditions in the world, so they favor reliability over all else. That’s why the basic Kalashnikov design is still going strong.

Spesnatz do not fuck about, and you can rest assured that their guns are every bit as lethal as their operatives. That includes the AK-74 SBR that it is its first choice firearm. It’s a classic snubnose Kalashnikov and, apart from the selective fire, you can have one of those at home.

This is undoubtedly one of the best assault riflles in the world, in SBR or long-barrel form. It has been for decades and can be tailored to long range or close quarters combat. The general feeling is that the AK-47 simply isn’t as accurate as a fine-tuned AR-15 over a long distance. But it isn’t quite as sensitive in Arctic snow.

The Russian a proper AK-74, as in the cartridge is actually 5.56 x 39mm, and getting hold of one here actually isn’t easy at all. You can find them because they have seen active service with Indian commandos, the Serbian army’s special brigade and China’s special forces. Just about everybody really…

The AK-47 is arguably the greatest killing machine man has ever invented and the AK-74 just carries on the good work.

The best AK-47s and AK-74s for sale in the USA, we think, come from Arsenal. You can always find a great selection of guns that fire the more traditional 7.62x39mm that is less of a specialist round and can be found for sane money.

The SLR-107 can be yours for around $1000, but we’re going full special forces AK-74, here and this is the one you really want…

Arsenal SAM7K AK-74 for sale

It’s pretty much a facsimile of the standard Spetsnatz pistol of choice, without the selective fire and snubnose of course. Buy this gun and you basically are a Russian secret service agent…

There are thousands of AK-74 and AK-47 parts and accessories out there too and you can turn this gun into anything you want. An SB Tactical Brace can turn it into an SBR and you can add a drum magazine and just about anything else you want.

No, we know it doesn’t work that way. Don’t worry, we’re not mad.

The APS Underwater rifle is another thing, of course,  but the Russians have a pretty big armory to choose from and there really aren’t any underwater rifles you can buy, so the AK-74 is the best we can do I am afraid…

FN SCAR - The world's best machine gun

8. FN SCAR

  • Navy SEAL/Rangers/FBI/Everybody else.
  • Price: $3,299
  • Civilian Version: FN SCAR 16S
  • Caliber: 5.56 NATO

The FN SCAR is pretty much the default assault rifle for teams that have a little more money to spend. It’s the luxury alternative to the Colt M4 and everybody from the DEA to the Navy SEALs have the FN SCAR at their disposal.

Is it that good? Yes, is the simple answer.

There are plenty of FN converts that simply won’t shoot anything else anymore.

The profile is unique and the Fabrique Nationale Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle lies somewhere between a traditional AR-15 and a bullpup rifle design.

It has space for a grenade launcher, it’s a one-man arsenal and it might just be the best assault rifle in the world.

The civilian version is pretty solid, too. The FN SCAR 16S has won countless awards and it is a stellar rifle that should never let you down.

This might just be the best assault rifle in the world, that you can buy at home at least…

FN SCAR, the ultimate assault rifle?

Author

  • Nick Hall

    Nick is a lifelong gun enthusiast who has a simple mission. He wants to find the best deals for guns online and help you make the best choices with weapons your life may depend on one day.Nick won a minor league shooting competition at the age of 11 and it all went from there. Now he runs one of the biggest firearms websites on the net and his work has featured in Playboy US, Tatler Asia, Forbes and a whole host of national magazines and websites.

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