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- Mikhail Kalashnikov (a Russian soldier) developed the AK-47 in 1947.
- AK-47 stands for Avtomat Kalashnikova (Automatic Kalashnikov) and 47, the year of development.
- It was first used by Soviet forces in 1949; now, it is used by armed forces, terrorists, and rebels in over 80 countries.
- In the world of firearms, it is nothing special and is considered fit only for close-range combat because of lack of accuracy.
- The main reason for its success is the simplicity of the mechanism; it is very easy to use and repair.
- Compared to other assault rifles, the clearance between moving parts in AK-47 is very high.
- High clearance is bad for accuracy but very good for reliability; AK-47 rarely jams.
- This makes AK-47 an obvious choice for combats in sand and mud areas.
- The average service life for AK-47 is 20 to 40 years.
- The Soviet Union wanted to standardise military equipment among the regimes and rebel groups it supported, so AK-47 was produced in large numbers.
- Large numbers meant easy availability.
- Also, no efforts have been made to control the production of counterfeits; this further boosts ‘brand awareness’.
- It is a very cheap weapon to buy and costs lesser today than it used to in the 1980s.
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Image courtesy of Picture by PxFuel
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