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 (Rọ́síà: Автомат Калашникова). It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.

AK-47

AK-47[1]

Standard AK-47
Type Assault rifle
Place of origin  Soviet Union
Service history
In service 1949–present
Used by See Users
Production history
Designer Mikhail Kalashnikov
Designed 1944–1947
Manufacturer Izhmash
Number built approximately 75 million AK-47
100 million AK-type rifles[2][3]
Variants See Variants
Specifications
Weight 5.21 kg (11.5 lb) with loaded magazine[4]
Length 870 mm (34 in) fixed wooden stock
875 mm (34.4 in) folding stock extended
645 mm (25.4 in) stock folded
Barrel length 415 mm (16.3 in)

Cartridge 7.62×39mm M43/M67
Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire 600 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 715 m/s (2,350 ft/s)[5]
Effective range 400 metres (440 yd) semi-automatic[6]

300 metres (330 yd) full automatic[6]

Feed system 10, 20 , 30 , 40, 75, or 100-round detachable box and drum style magazine
Sights Adjustable iron sights, 100–800 metre adjustments, 378 mm (14.9 in) sight radius
Ibon Ak-47



  1. Table data are for AK-47 with Type 2/3 receiver
  2. Àṣìṣe ìtọ́kasí: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Worldbank.org
  3. "AK-47 Inventor Doesn't Lose Sleep Over Havoc Wrought With His Invention". Fox News. 6 July 2007. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288456,00.html. Retrieved 3 April 2010. 
  4. Dockery, Kevin (2007). Future Weapons. p. 102.
  5. Àṣìṣe ìtọ́kasí: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named crusader80.co.uk
  6. 6.0 6.1 Bidwell, Shelford. The Encyclopedia of land warfare in the 20th century, p. 199. Spring Books, 1977.