Kalashnikov AK-47

The Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947, or AK-47, is arguably the most talked about and best-known firearm on this planet right now. Whether it deserves this status is a matter of opinion, but the fact remains that the AK-47 redefined the concept of mass extermination when it was first introduced by the Russian armament company Izhevsk Mechanical Works in 1947. It was designed and perfected by Mikhail Kalashnikov, who has several other innovative firearm designs to his credit. The AK-47 will be the invention that he will be remembered for, however.

The AK-47 is a gas operated assault rifle, which means that the design provides for a part of the pressurized gas that is produced on firing a round is used to eject spent cartridge casings and insert new ones into the breech. It chambers 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition and the standard version weighs 4.3 kilograms. The overall length is 870 mm, with the length of the barrel being 415 mm. It has a muzzle velocity of 710 meters per second and can discharge rounds at a rate of 600 per minute from a 30-round detachable box magazine. Its effective range is approximately 300 meters, and it is equipped with open, adjustable and unmagnified iron sights with the option of modification for more specialized optical sighting devices. The original standard version apart, it also comes in the AKS, AKM, AKMS, RPK, AK-74, AK-101, AK-102, AK-103, AK-107 and AK-108 variants.

The AK-47 has seen the largest scale of production among the world's many assault rifles. Reportedly, over a 100 million units of the standard AK-47 and its variants have been manufactured so far. Despite the fact that assault rifles are available in many formats and configurations these days, the AK-47 remains the defining icon and the unflagging sales charts prove it. Because of its legendary status, Russian spokespersons have consistently and vehemently denied that the basic design may have been adapted from pre-existing German models that were being manufactured during World War II. There seems to be roughly equal evidence for and against this claim.

It cannot be denied that German gun designers were the first to give impetus to the assault rifle format, but Mihkail Kalashnikov chooses to call his iconic invention a composite of the best concepts in firearm technology, rather than a direct descendant of any one format. While the AK-47 certainly includes some of the prominent features of other firearms being produced during the period - most notably the American M1 Garand and the German Sturmgewehr 44, or StG44, its USP was the fact that the design was simple and straightforward enough to facilitate mass production at a time when it was badly needed by the Russian Army.

There were many teething problems associated with the AK-47's launch. The fact that its stamped sheet metal receiver was not very conducive to the welding of the rifle's guide and ejector rails caused a large number to be rejected. The problem was temporarily resolved by substituting the stamped sheet receivers with heavy machined versions - a process that seriously compromised the cost-effectiveness of mass producing the AK-47 in a country where every government rouble counted. The AKM was an improved version that made its appearance in 1959. It had numerous improvements on the basic model, including a slanted muzzle brake attached to the barrel's end to tackle muzzle rise during recoil. This greatly improved the assault rifle's accuracy. A hammer retarder was also included to give the rifle a more realistic and less error-prone rate of fire. With various other embellishments making the AKM a far better model than its original, it became the version that saw widest distribution around the globe.

The AK-47, no matter which variant, remains a landmark in global firearm technology. It is among the most rugged, effective and easy to maintain assault rifles in active service today. The AK-47 was designed for extended action, not as a showpiece or collector's item, and it has remained true to this legacy. There are strict parameters to ownership of an AK-47 in the United States and many other countries, though this has done little other than encouraging a thriving black market that continues to make this legendary assault rifle available all across the globe.