The 5.56mm C7A2 automatic rifle has a shortened, ribbed fore grip to balance the 30-round box magazine beneath. Derived from the Colt Commando, the C7A2 is a high-powered specialist’s weapon in use by the Canadian light infantry.

Night-vision equipment adds some weight near the muzzle, reportedly making the soldier’s accuracy of his aim more difficult to acquire, but the overall design is a winner: a combination of the accuracy of an M-16-type full-length rifle with the quick target acquisition capability of an M4 carbine.

Durable and widely available, the AK-47 is a Russian 7.62mm assault rifle. The AK fires 100 rounds per minute even through extreme conditions such as low temperatures, from moving vehicles, and after being dunked in water, mud, or sand.

One drawback is low muzzle velocity, which makes the relatively heavy round arc at long ranges. Other drawbacks are the jams, dents, and overheated barrels that can make the weapon tough to handle. But the downsides pale in comparison to what the AK-47 offers a fighter: an easy-to-maintain gun that can deliver a high volume of fire. This is why the AK-47 has been one of the most used assault rifles in the world since the early 1950s.