| AK-47 | |
|---|---|
 AK-47 Type 2A | |
| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1949–1974 (Soviet Union) 1949–present (other countries) |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | See Conflicts |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Mikhail Kalashnikov |
| Designed | 1947[1][2] |
| Manufacturer | Kalashnikov Concern and various others including Norinco |
| Produced | 1948–present[3][4] |
| No. built | ~75 million AK-47s, 100 million Kalashnikov-family weapons[5][6] |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications (AK-47 with Type 3 receiver) | |
| Mass | Without magazine: 3.47 kg (7.7 lb) Magazine, empty: 0.43 kg (0.95 lb) (early issue)[7] 0.33 kg (0.73 lb) (steel)[8] 0.25 kg (0.55 lb) (plastic)[9] 0.17 kg (0.37 lb) (light alloy)[8] |
| Length | Fixed wooden stock: 880 mm (35 in)[9] 875 mm (34.4 in) (folding stock extended) 645 mm (25.4 in) (stock folded)[7] |
| Barrel length | Overall length: 415 mm (16.3 in)[9] Rifled bore length: 369 mm (14.5 in)[9] |
| Cartridge | 7.62×39mm |
| Action | Gas-operated, long-stroke piston, closed rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | Cyclic rate: 600 rounds/min[9] Practical rate: Semi-automatic: 40 rounds/min[9] Bursts/ Fully automatic: 100 rounds/min[9] |
| Muzzle velocity | 715 m/s (2,350 ft/s)[9] |
| Effective firing range | 350 m (380 yd)[9] |
| Feed system | 20-round, 30-round, 50-round detachable box magazine,[9] 40-round, 75-round drum magazines also available |
| Sights | 100–800 m adjustable iron sights Sight radius: 378 mm (14.9 in)[9] |
The AK-47, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova (Russian: Автомат Калашникова, lit. 'Kalashnikov's automatic [rifle]'; also known as the Kalashnikov or just AK), is an assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, it is the originating firearm of the Kalashnikov (or "AK") family of rifles. After more than seven decades since its creation, the AK-47 model and its variants remain one of the most popular and widely used firearms in the world.
Design work on the AK-47 began in 1945. It was presented for official military trials in 1947, and, in 1948, the fixed-stock version was introduced into active service for selected units of the Soviet Army. In early 1949, the AK was officially accepted by the Soviet Armed Forces[10] and used by the majority of the member states of the Warsaw Pact.
The model and its variants owe their global popularity to their reliability under harsh conditions, low production cost (compared to contemporary weapons), availability in virtually every geographic region, and ease of use. The AK has been manufactured in many countries and has seen service with armed forces as well as irregular forces and insurgencies throughout the world. As of 2004[update], "of the estimated 500 million firearms worldwide, approximately 100 million belong to the Kalashnikov family, three-quarters of which are AK-47s".[5] The model is the basis for the development of many other types of individual, crew-served, and specialized firearms.
- ^ "AK47 assault rifle designer Kalashnikov dies at 94". BBC News. 23 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ^ "Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of AK-47, dies at 94". CNN. 23 December 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ^ Ezell, Edward Clinton (1986). The AK47 Story, Evolution of the Kalashnikov Weapons. Stackpole Books. p. 112. ISBN 978-0-811-70916-3.
- ^ Joe, Poyer (2004). The AK-47 and AK-74 Kalashnikov Rifles and Their Variations. North Cape Publications Inc. p. 8. ISBN 1-882391-33-0.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
k3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
foxnewswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b НСД. 7,62-мм автомат АК 1967, pp. 161–162.
- ^ a b НСД. 7,62-мм автомат АКМ (АКМС) 1983, pp. 149–150.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Cite error: The named reference
izhmashwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Monetchikov 2005, p. 67; Bolotin 1995, p. 129.