20 Guns That Should Still Be in Production

Photo credit: Walnut and Steel/Youtube

Every gun company loves to tell us what we “need” next. New coatings, new cuts, new marketing names for old ideas. Meanwhile, some of the most useful, honest firearms ever built quietly slide out of catalogs and turn into “good luck finding one” guns at the local shop.

I’m not talking about museum pieces. I’m talking about the kind of rifles, shotguns, and handguns that actually got carried, got scratched, got used in the rain, and still ran when it mattered. Here are 20 that never should’ve left regular production in the first place.

1. Remington 870 Wingmaster

The Wingmaster wasn’t fancy, but it had that slick, worn-in pump feel even when it was brand new. The bluing held up, the walnut didn’t feel like pallet wood, and the action bars didn’t sound like a shopping cart. You could hand one to a kid for their first squirrel hunt and still be using it when that kid has kids.

Yes, there are plenty of 870s out there, and yes, you can still find “870” on shelves in one form or another. But the classic Wingmaster fit and finish is what folks miss. A real Wingmaster is the kind of shotgun you buy once, then stop thinking about shotguns.

2. Winchester Model 70 Classic (controlled-round feed)

There’s a reason old-timers talk about controlled-round feed like it’s a religion. When you’re working a bolt fast in the cold, at a weird angle in a stand, you appreciate a rifle that just grabs the cartridge and commits. The Classic-style Model 70s had that feel.

Modern versions come and go, but the “Classic” era rifles hit a sweet spot of value and build quality. They pointed right, fed right, and didn’t need a bunch of add-ons to feel complete. If you’ve ever watched a buddy fight a finicky feed on a hunt, you get why this matters.

3. Ruger M77 Mark II

This is one of those “boring until it isn’t” rifles. The M77 Mark II was a working man’s bolt gun with controlled-round feed, a real extractor, and the kind of reliability you stop noticing. It carried well, balanced well, and didn’t feel like it was built to meet a spreadsheet.

The Hawkeye line has good rifles, but a lot of folks still prefer the Mark II feel, especially on the older wood-and-blue guns. They’re not lightweight mountain wands, but they handle field abuse like they were meant to.

4. Browning A-Bolt (original series)

The A-Bolt had a smooth, quick bolt throw and a “quiet competence” to it. It’s the rifle you see in a scuffed soft case behind a truck seat because it’s the one that always seems to shoot right. The detachable magazine setup worked better than a lot of detachable mags from that era, too.

It wasn’t everybody’s favorite ergonomically, and the triggers varied, but the good ones were really good. A lot of deer camps had one A-Bolt that somehow became the loaner rifle because it never embarrassed anyone.

5. Marlin 336 (North Haven-style quality)

A .30-30 lever gun isn’t supposed to be complicated. It’s supposed to carry easy, come to the shoulder fast, and put a bullet where you’re looking inside woods distance. The old 336s did that with a kind of simple confidence.

There are new Marlins now, and that’s good news, but what folks really want is consistent availability and that older level of fit. A 336 is still one of the best “one rifle for the farm” answers ever made.

6. Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum

Ask anyone who has hunted thick stuff with a .44 lever gun if it’s “enough.” It is. The Marlin 1894 in .44 carried like a .22, hit like a hammer up close, and made sense as a truck gun, a brush gun, and even a low-drama deer rifle for recoil-sensitive shooters.

The problem now is they’re either expensive, rough, or both depending on the year. When they were common, they were the kind of rifle you’d actually take out and use without babying it. That’s the whole point of a handy lever gun.

7. Ruger 77/44

This one doesn’t get enough love because it doesn’t look tactical and it doesn’t have a cult following like some lever guns. But a little bolt-action .44 that takes standard Ruger rings and carries like a walking stick? That’s useful.

In a tree stand, it’s short and clean. On a trapline or on the back of an ATV, it doesn’t snag on everything. It’s not a long-range tool and it doesn’t pretend to be, and that honesty is refreshing.

8. Ruger Deerstalker (original .44 carbine)

The old Ruger .44 carbine has a certain “thump and done” charm to it. Light, fast, and built for the kind of hunting where shots happen quick and close. The action is simple, the recoil is friendly, and it rides in the hands well.

Bring it back with modern manufacturing and a few sensible tweaks and it would sell. Not as a collector piece—just as a practical woods rifle for folks who hunt where you can’t see 200 yards anyway.

9. Savage Model 99

This is one of the coolest “real hunting rifle” designs America ever produced. The rotary magazine, the balance, the way it carries—there’s nothing else quite like it. In .300 Savage or .308, it’s still a legitimate deer rifle, not a nostalgia toy.

It’s also a rifle that makes you slow down and shoot well. The 99 feels alive in the hands. Modern manufacturing could bring it back in a way that keeps the soul without making it a safe queen.

10. Ruger No. 1

Single-shots are not for everyone, and I get that. But the Ruger No. 1 is one of those rifles that makes you a better hunter if you let it. One round in the chamber tends to cure sloppy shot selection in a hurry.

It’s also a slick way to run a longer barrel in a shorter package. The No. 1 has class without being fragile, and it scratches that “I want something different” itch without turning into a problem child.

11. Browning BPS

Bottom-eject, top-tang safety, solid build. The BPS is one of the most lefty-friendly pumps ever made without being labeled as a lefty gun. It’s also just plain nice in the hands, especially in the field where you’re wearing gloves and moving through brush.

They’re not as common as they should be, and when you find one in good shape, you tend to hang onto it. For turkey woods and duck blinds, it’s a real working shotgun that doesn’t need excuses.

12. Winchester Model 12

If you’ve ever run a well-worn Model 12, you know why people get a little poetic about it. The action feels like it’s on polished rails, and the gun has that “made by craftsmen” vibe that’s hard to fake.

Yes, it would cost real money to build today. Still, there’s a market for a pump that feels like it belongs in your hands and not in a disposable world. If any classic pump deserves a proper modern run, this is it.

13. Browning Auto-5 (Belgian-style long recoil classic)

The humpback isn’t just iconic—it works. The Auto-5 has a recoil impulse that’s different from modern gas guns, and it has a rhythm to it that a lot of bird hunters actually shoot well. The sighting plane and balance are a big part of that.

Modern versions exist in spirit, but the old-school build and parts support as a current-production option would make a lot of bird hunters happy. It’s not the lightest, not the softest shooting, but it’s a shotgun with personality that still kills birds dead.

14. Remington 1100

The 1100 is one of the smoothest-shooting shotguns ever put on a shoulder. For clays, for dove fields, for a kid learning recoil management, it’s hard to beat. A good 1100 makes you feel like you’re better at shotgunning than you really are.

They do need cleaning and they do have wear parts, but that’s normal life with a gas gun. What hurts is watching them become a “used only” option when so many new shooters would benefit from that soft, steady feel.

15. Ruger P-series (P89/P90/P95 style)

These pistols were never pretty. They were chunky, a little clunky, and they didn’t win many beauty contests. But they ran. You could throw one in a tackle bag, bounce it around on a farm, and it would still feed ball ammo like it was born for it.

In a world of finicky micro-compacts and high-dollar pistols, there’s room for a plain, affordable, durable duty-style handgun again. Not everybody wants a razor-thin carry piece. Some folks want a gun that lives in a nightstand and just works.

16. Smith & Wesson Model 3913

The 3913 was a sweet spot carry gun before “micro 9” was the hot category. Thin, reliable, easy to conceal, and it didn’t beat you up. The controls made sense, and the gun pointed naturally.

It’s not the highest capacity option, but capacity isn’t the only thing that matters when the gun has to actually get carried. A modern 3913-style gun with good sights and current support would do well with folks who value shootability over trend.

17. Colt Detective Special

A good snubnose revolver is still relevant, and the Detective Special is one of the best ever made. Six shots in a snub package is nothing to sneeze at, and the trigger on a well-set-up Colt can be downright addictive.

Revolvers take practice, and they aren’t as forgiving as a modern striker-fired pistol. Still, for a simple, reliable carry option that isn’t magazine-dependent, the Detective Special deserves to be more than just a collector’s hunt.

18. Smith & Wesson Model 686 (true no-lock classics)

The 686 is what a .357 should feel like: substantial, controllable, and accurate enough that you start blaming yourself when you miss. With .38s it’s a kitten. With full-house magnums it’s honest but manageable.

A lot of folks chase older examples because they want the classic setup and the classic feel. A steady-production run that leans into the traditional build would make revolver guys relax a little. And yes, it would put more good wheelguns in holsters instead of sitting behind glass.

19. Ruger Redhawk in .41 Magnum

.41 Magnum is one of those calibers that always seems to be on the edge of a comeback, and then it slips back into the weeds. In the Redhawk, it makes a ton of sense: flatter than .44 in some loads, plenty of punch, and often a little easier to shoot well.

Ammo availability is the gripe, and that’s fair. But consistent production of a tough .41 wheelgun would help keep the cartridge alive for hunters and woods walkers who don’t need the full .44 experience every time they touch one off.

20. T/C Contender (classic break-action system)

The Contender is a tinkerer’s dream, but it’s also just plain useful. One frame, multiple barrels, and suddenly you’ve got a squirrel rig, a deer pistol, and a compact rifle option without needing a safe full of separate guns. It’s also a great way to get serious about trigger control.

It’s not the cheapest route and it’s not the simplest for a brand-new shooter, but it’s one of the most “outdoorsman” systems ever made. Bring it back in a steady, supported way and it would sell to hunters who actually like versatile gear.

None of these are perfect, and a few are downright old-fashioned. That’s fine. The woods haven’t changed as much as the catalogs have. Guns that carry well, point naturally, and run when they’re dirty will always have a place, no matter what the newest trend says you should buy next.