The original AK was also known as the AK-47. It was a gas-operated, selective-fire weapon. Like all 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles, it fired the Soviet 7.62 x 39-mm M1943 round and used a standard 30-round curved box magazine. The AK came in two versions: one with a fixed wooden stock, and another, the AKS, with a folding metal stock issued primarily to parachutist and armor troops. Except for the differences in the stock and the lack of a tool kit with the AKS, the two version were identical. The early AKS had no bayonet, but the version with the fixed wooden stock later mounted a detachable knife bayonet.
All 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles fire in either semiautomatic or automatic mode and have an effective range of about 300 meters. At full cyclic rate, they can fire about 600 rounds per minute (upto 640 rounds per minute for the AKM), with a practical rate of about 100 rounds per minute fully automatic or 40 rounds per minute semiautomatic. Both the AK and AKM can mount a grenade launcher. Both can have passive image intensifier night sights. Both can function normally after total immersion in mud and water. The fully chromed barrel ensures effective operation even at very low temperatures. The muzzle of either weapon fits into the swiveling firing points of the BMP. Thus, the infantryman can fire the weapon while the vechicle is moving.
The most serious drawback to the AK and AKM is the low muzzle velocity (710 meters per second) of the relatively heavy 7.62-mm round. This results in a looping trajectory that requires a clumsy adjustment for accuracy at ranges beyond 300 meters. The barrel overheats quickly when the weapon fires for extended periods, making the weapon hard to handle and occasionally causing a round to explode prematurely in the chamber. The exposed gas cylinder is easily dented, sometimes causing the weapon to malfunction.
Although they designed it in 1947 and thus referred to it as the AK-47, the Soviets actually adopted the AK in 1949. The AK entered service in 1951. It was the basic individual infantry weapon of the Soviet Army until the introduction of the AKM. The Soviets developed the AKM in 1959. It entered service in 1961. All 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assualt rifles are very dependable weapons. They produce a high volume of fire and are simple to maintain. However, the new 5.45-mm assault rife AK-74 is replacing the 7.62-mm weapons.
Locking: rotating bolt Feed: 30-round detachable box magazine
Weight: 4.3 kg Length: 869 mm butt extended, 699 mm butt folded
Barrel: 414 mm Rifling: 4 grooves, rh, 1 turn in 235 mm
Sights: fore, post, adjustable; rear, U-notch, tangent Muzzle velocity: 710 m/s
Rate of fire: cyclic, 600 rds/min Effective range: 300 m.
Technically, AK is select-fire, gas-powered, magazine fed assault rifle. Gas system of the AK uses long stroke gas piston, attached to bolt carrier. AK features rotating bolt with two massive lugs that locks securely into slots, cut in the inner walls of the receiver. The receiver itself was machined from the solid steel bar, receiver cover was stamped from sheet metal. Barrel is attached into receiver permanently, and bore and the chamber are crome lined.
AK is hammer-fired, select-fire weapon. The fire selector/safety switch is located at the right side of the receiver, and has three positions: "Safe" (upper position), "Auto" (middle), "Single shots" (lower position). The safety switch is somewhat uncomfortable to operate.
AK features open iron sights, with front sight ajustable for windage and rear sight ajustable for elevation and marked in 100s of meters, from 100 to 800 meters. Sight radius is too short, when compared to other assault rifles, such as M16.
The stock and grip are made of wood. Shortened variant of original AK, called AKS, was intended for paratroopers and featured folding down metal buttstock.
Original AK was improved in 1959. Original milled receiver was replaced by stamped one, new receiver cover with stamped grooves for greater strenght replaced the old plain one, barrel was equipped with screwed-on muzzle flip compensator, that could be replaced by silencer. Special subsonic ammunition with heavier (12 gramms) bullet was developed to be used with the silencer. This modified gun was adopted as AKM, and served as a general issue smal arm for the Soviet Army until 1974, when small-bore variant of the AKM, AK-74, was adopted. But until now, many AKMs are still in limited service in Russian Army.
Legendary reliability of the AK comes from simple design and overpowered gas drive. When operating in normal condition, the bolt carrier/bolt group moves at high speed and strikes hard against the rear wall of the receiver and against the front wall of the receiver on the way back to close the breech. This somewhat decreases the full-auto fire accuracy, but gives to the system the power needed to operate with seriously fouled and dirty receiver.
Thus, usually, AK require less cleaning under the battle conditions, and less sensitive to powder quality, than other assault rifles, especially ones such as M16, designed with relatively light bolt carrier/bolt groups and direct gas actions without gas pistons.
In general, AKs are extremely rugged and reliable guns, simple to operate and fieldstrip, without any small parts that may be lost in field conditions. They are of average accuracy and not too comfaortable to carry and fire, but they do the job they designed to, and do it exellent.
AK is most copied assault rifle in the world. Leaving aside many ex-East-block countries, officially licensed clone of the AK is still manufactured in Finnland, as Sako/Valmet. An improved copy of the Valmet is built in Israel as Galil, and the copy of Galil is built in the South Africa as R-4 and R-5. Many other assault rifles, such as FN FNC, bear the marks of the AK design.
AK47, named after its designer Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, was developed during the WWII, and in 1947 the production started on the Izhmash plant in the city of Izhevsk, one of the most important Soviet military production centers (this plant, in order to hide its military nature, was also producing motorcycles "Izh", used by Soviet teams in international competitions, and world-famous sporting and hunting rifles). M.T. Kalashnikov still lives in Izhevsk and is among the most honored citizens of the city.
The first AK47s had a receiver that was part machined steel and part stampings with rivets holding everything together. This design proved to be less than robust in the field and was modified several times to gradually create a much tougher firearm.
In 1959 a tough, well-thought-out model of the gun was introduced which again used steel stampings which were riveted together. This proved to be a superior design and is the key variant seen in all modern versions of this rifle manufactured in Russia, as well as China, Finland, and most of the former Eastern Block countries. This model was designated the AKM (Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovannyi) though many times it, too, is referred to as an "AK47" (as are the semiauto versions of the gun exported into the US).
The AK47 and AKM are usually chambered for the M43 7.62x39mm cartridge which originally developed for the SKS carbine.
If kept clean, the AK47 and its variants are very reliable and many of the variants are blessed with a chromed bore (since most communist or formerly communist countries until recently used corrosive ammunition) which aids in cleaning and extends barrel life. Most AK47s with quality ammunition are quite accurate - if the sights on these guns can be overcome.
On the down side, the AKs are heavy and the basic AK design is flawed from a "human engineering" standpoint in several ways:
the rear sight has been placed forward so that the rifle has a very short sighting radius (with the rear sight being a rather crude open "V" tangent sight);
there is no bolt hold-open device;
the safety/selector is located rather inconveniently on the right side of the rifle and makes a distinctive "clack" when moved (which has lead to the death of many a would-be ambusher from Vietnam to South Africa).
During the so-called "drug war" of the 1980s, even semiauto versions of the AK47 were banned from import into the US since the guns were often used by criminals - though only in fictional TV shows for the most part.
Often heavier semiauto "RPK" and/or sniper versions of these rifles are also seen. These have the longer barrels designed for military use on SAW (Squad automatic weapons - light machine guns) or sniper rifles. Generally these guns do offer a little extra velocity to bullets leaving their barrels along with less report and muzzle flash. But the weight of these guns (over 9 pounds when the guns are empty) makes them unsuitable for most shooter's needs.
The AK-style rifles aren't pretty nor is their safety easy to operate. But the guns are robust and magazines, parts, and accessories inexpensive making them a good choice for those wanting a hunting rifle that can also serve as a fighting weapon.