Avtomat Kalashnikova

Avtomat Kalashnikova
Standard AK-47
Type: Assault rifle
Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service1949–present
Designer: Mikhail Kalashnikov
Designed1944–1947
Manufacturer: Izhmash
Number built: approximately 75
million AK-47 and 100 million AKtype rifles
Specifications
Weight: 5.21 kg (11.5 lb) with loaded
magazine
Length 870 mm (34 in) fixed
wooden stock
875 mm (34.4 in) folding stock ex-
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm
assault rifle, first developed in the USSR by Mikhail
Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova (Автомат Калашникова). It is also known as a
Kalashnikov, an “AK”, or in Russian slang, Kalash.
Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year of
World War II (1945). After the war in 1946, the AK46 was presented for official military trials. In 1947
the fixed-stock version was introduced into service
with select units of the Soviet Army. An early development of the design was the AKS (S—Skladnoy or
“folding”), which was equipped with an underfolding
metal shoulder stock. In 1949, the AK-47 was officially
significant wounding effects if the projectile
tumbles and fragments in tissue;[9] but it produces relatively minor wounds when the projectile exits the body before beginning to yaw
or does not yaw or fragment.
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History
Design background
During World War II, the Germans first pioneered the assault rifle concept, based upon
research that showed that most firefights happen at close range, within approximately 300
meters.[citation needed] The power and range
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated
7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in
the USSR by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially
known as Avtomat Kalashnikova (Автомат
Калашникова). It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an “AK”, or in Russian slang, Kalash.
Design work on the AK-47 began in the last
year of World War II (1945). After the war in
1946, the AK-46 was presented for official
military trials. In 1947 the fixed-stock version
was introduced into service with select units
of the Soviet Army. An early development of
the design was the AKS (S—Skladnoy or “folding”), which was equipped with an underfolding metal shoulder stock. In 1949, the AK-47
was officially accepted by the Soviet Armed
Forces and used by the majority of the member states of the Warsaw Pact.
Cultural influence
“Basically, it’s the anti-Western cache of it ...
And you know, one man’s terrorist is another
man’s freedom fighter, so we all sort of think,
oh boy, we’ve got a little bit of Che Guevara in
The original AK-47 was one of the first true
us. And this accounts for the popularity of the
“assault rifles” to be manufactured, after the
(AK 47) weapon. Plus I think that in the Unitoriginal Sturmgewehr 44.[7][8] Even after six
ed States it’s considered counterculture, which
decades the model and its variants remain the is always something that citizens in this counmost widely used and popular assault rifles
try kind of like ... It’s kind of sticking a finger in
in the world because of their durability, low
the eye of the man, if you will.”
production cost, and ease of use. It has been
— Larry Kahaner, author of AK-47: The Weapmanufactured in many countries and has seen on That Changed the Face of War [51]
service with armed forces as well as irregular
Russia/Soviet Union and the People’s Republic
forces worldwide. The AK-47 was the basis
of China, as well as Western countries (espefor developing many other types of individual
cially the United States) supplied arms and
and crew-served firearms. More AK-type rifles
technical knowledge to numerous countries
have been produced than all other assault
and rebel forces in a global struggle between
rifles combined.[2]
the Warsaw Pact nations and their allies Type
Firing the 7.62×39mm cartridge, the AK-47
56, and Swiss SIG SG 550. As a result, the Cold
produces significant wounding effects if the
War saw the mass export of AK-47s
projectile tumbles and fragments in tissue;[9]
but it produces relatively minor wounds when
the projectile exits the body before beginning
to yaw or does not yaw or fragment.[10][11]
History
Design background