Top 9 most important military small arms cartridge calibers

I am absolutely positive that this list will be controversial and will be completely different from everyone else’s list. This is not a list of which round is better than the other, these cartridges are listed by historical importance, not combat effectiveness. Although in some cases combat effectiveness is why it was so important. Also, this list is based off of my pool of knowledge, and history as how I was taught it, which is out of an American textbook. I’m quite sure someone off in Switzerland, France or elsewhere has a cartridge or two that they would add to the list.

.223 (5.56 NATO) -- Love it or hate it, this is the standard issue infantry caliber of almost the entire free world. Then half of the rest use its Russian-developed knock off, the 5.45x39. I made this number one because it is in the forefront in the global war for freedom and democracy. This round is highly accurate and faster than my Uncle Jim at the Golden Corral Buffet. That’s fast.

7.62x39 -- A solid round with plenty of knock-down (though the FMJ is prone to over-penetration), this round is the standard issue to #1’s “rest of the world.” If your country is former communist, or a developing nation, you shoot this round. This round was the one used to promote Soviet-style diplomacy and the expansion of the Soviet empire for decades. Lauded by Kalash Fanboys everywhere.

.30-06 -- This is the round that saved the world from itself...twice. First in the bolt action 1903 Springfield during The Great War, then second in everyone’s favorite rifle, the M1 Garand in WWII.

.303 British -- I have to give this cartridge its dues. Even though it has never been popular outside of Britain and its empire...oh what an empire it was. This round furthered the British empire and fought on the side of freedom in two World Wars.

7.62x54R -- This one was a close one with #4. Maybe a tie. Like #3, and #4, has plenty of whoop ass to resolve any issues you might have with the enemy. One of the oldest cartridge still being used today by a standing military, this cartridge played a huge part in defeating the Nazis in WWII.

9mm Luger (9mm NATO) -- Once again, love it or hate it, this is the standard issue infantry sidearm caliber of...once again...almost the entire free world. It is such a popular round throughout the world it was used by both sides of WWII.

.308 Winchester (7.62 NATO) -- Ballistically similar to #3,#4 and #5, this round has been proving itself on battlefields throughout the world since it’s inception in the 1950s in battle rifles, but is especially popular in machine guns and sniper rifles. Only its newness prevents it from being ranked higher.

.45 ACP -- One of the all time best handgun calibers in terms of stopping power. This one made the list only in part due to the 1911 handgun it is most famous for, but mostly for its use in the Thompson Sub-Machine gun used primarily in WWII and Korea.

7.92x57 (8mm Mauser) -- I debated this one, is it so much an important round, as it is the rifle that is important? I decided to add it to the list at #9. It is the cartridge for the standard issue rifle of the Army that conquered almost all of Europe...twice. That makes it important.