ABSTRACT
Personal weapons fired at short ranges are the primary weapons of the guerrilla and terrorist and of the police offier and soldier fighting them, and the first impression gained from comparing personal weapons is that they have changed a lot less since the 1940s than other weapons (such as missiles, artillery and aircraft). They have been little affected by the great technological revolutions in nuclear, electronic and aerodynamic guidance and control systems. The weapons are smaller and lighter with more advanced sights but the ranges and rates of fire have changed little. The Maxim gun (1884) fired thirteen rounds per second. So do the Armalite and AK74 (see Table 1).
