Smith & Wesson

Smith & Wesson has been making revolvers since before smokeless powder, and the J-frame is still the answer for a pocket gun that will be carried far more than it is shot. The K, L and N frames step up in size and calibre from there.

The modern side of the business is the M&P line — striker-fired pistols with interchangeable backstraps and a following in competition — and the M&P15 rifles. Their rimfire guns are quietly some of the best value in the catalogue for teaching someone to shoot.