Kalashnikov rifle
A Kalashnikov rifle is any one of a series of automatic rifles based on the original design of Mikhail Kalashnikov. They are officially known in Russian as "Avtomat Kalashnikova", but are widely known as Kalashnikovs, AK47s, or in Russian slang, as a "Kalash". They were originally manufactured in the Soviet Union, primarily by Kalashnikov Concern, formerly Izhmash, but these rifles and their variants are now manufactured in many other countries.
The Kalashnikov is one of the most widely-used guns in the world, with an estimated 72 million rifles in circulation around the world and present in almost 100 countries.
Types
The primary types of Kalashnikov rifles., the first model variation that features a milled receiver
| Model | Cartridge | Year | Manufacturer |
| AK-47 | 7.62×39mm M43 | 1949 | Izhmash and others |
| AKM | 7.62×39mm M43 | 1959 | Izhmash, Tula Arms Plant and others |
| AK-74 | 5.45×39mm M74 | 1974 | Izhmash |
| AK-200, AK-205 | 5.45×39mm M74 | 2018 | Kalashnikov Concern |
| AK-101, AK-102 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 1995 | Izhmash |
| AK-201, AK-202 | 5.56×45mm NATO | 2018 | Kalashnikov Concern |
| AK-103, AK-104 | 7.62×39mm M43 | 2001 | Izhmash |
| AK-203, AK-204 | 7.62×39mm M43 | 2018 | Kalashnikov Concern |
| AK-105 | 5.45×39mm M74 | 2001 | Izhmash |
| AK-12, AK-12K | 5.45×39mm M74 | 2011 | Kalashnikov Concern, formerly Izhmash |
| AK-15, AK-15K | 7.62×39mm M43 | 2018 | Kalashnikov Concern |
| Name | Country | Cartridge | Length extended/folded | Barrel length | Weight | Cyclic rate of fire | Maximum sighting range | Muzzle velocity |
| AK | Soviet Union | 7.62×39mm M43 | 870 | 415 | 3.47 | 600 | 800 | 715 |
| AKM | Soviet Union | 7.62×39mm M43 | 880 | 415 | 3.1 | 600 | 1,000 | 715 |
| RPK | Soviet Union | 7.62×39mm M43 | 1040/820 | 590 | 4.80/5.6 | 600 | 1,000 | 745 |
| PK | Soviet Union | 7.62×54mmR | 1173 | 605 | 9.0/7.5 | 650 | 1,500 | 825 |
| AK-74 | Soviet Union | 5.45×39mm M74 | 943 | 415 | 3.07 | 600 | 1,000 | 900 |
| AKS-74 | Soviet Union | 5.45×39mm M74 | 933/690 | 415 | 2.97 | 600 | 1,000 | 900 |
| AK-74M | Soviet Union | 5.45×39mm M74 | 943/705 | 415 | 3.4 | 650 | 1,000 | 900 |
| RPK-74 | Soviet Union | 5.45×39 | 1060 | 590 | 4.7 | 600 | 1,000 | 960 |
| AKS-74U | Soviet Union | 5.45×39mm M74 | 730/490 | 206,5 | 2.7 | 700 | 500 | 735 |
| AK-101 | Russia | 5.56×45mm NATO | 943/700 | 415 | 3.6 | 600 | 1,000 | 910 |
| AK-102 | Russia | 5.56×45mm NATO | 824/586 | 314 | 3.0 | 600 | 500 | 850 |
| AK-103 | Russia | 7.62×39mm M43 | 943/705 | 415 | 3.4 | 600 | 1,000 | 715 |
| AK-104 | Russia | 7.62×39mm M43 | 824/586 | 314 | 3.0 | 600 | 500 | 670 |
| AK-105 | Russia | 5.45×39mm M74 | 824/586 | 314 | 3.2 | 600 | 500 | 840 |
| AK-107 | Russia | 5.45×39mm M74 | 943/700 | 415 | 3.8 | 850 | 1,000 | 900 |
| AK-108 | Russia | 5.56×45mm NATO | 943/700 | 415 | 3.8 | 900 | 1,000 | 910 |
| AK-109 | Russia | 7.62×39mm M43 | 943/700 | 415 | 3.8 | 900 | 1,000 | 750 |
| AK-9 | Russia | 9×39mm | 705/465 | 200 | 3.1/3.8 | 600 | 400 | 290 / 305 |
| AK-12 | Russia | 5.45×39mm M74 | 940/730 | 415 | 3.3 | 700 | 1,000 | 900 |
| AK-15 | Russia | 7.62×39mm M43 | 922/862 | 415 | 3.5 | 700 | 1,000 | 715 |
Variants
Original AK variants- Issue of 1948/49 – The very earliest models, with the Type 1 stamped sheet metal receiver, are now very rare.
- Issue of 1951 – Type 2: Has a milled receiver. Barrel and chamber are chrome plated to resist corrosion.
- Issue of 1954/55 – Type 3: Lightened milled receiver variant. Rifle weight is.
- AKS – Featured a downward-folding metal stock similar to that of the German MP40, for use in the restricted space in the BMP infantry combat vehicle, as well as by paratroops.
- AKN – Night scope rail.
- AKM – A simplified, lighter version of the AK-47; Type 4 receiver is made from stamped and riveted sheet metal. A slanted muzzle device was added to counter climb in automatic fire. Rifle weight is due to the lighter receiver. This is the most ubiquitous variant of the AK-47.
- *AKMS – Under-folding stock version of the AKM intended for airborne troops.
- * AKMN – Night scope rail
- * AKML – Slotted flash suppressor
- RPK – Hand-held machine gun version with longer barrel and bipod. The variants – RPKS, RPKN, RPKL – mirror AKM variants. The "S" variants have a side-folding wooden stock.
- AK-74 – Assault rifle.
- * AKS-74 – Side-folding stock.
- * AK-74N – Night scope rail.
- AKS-74U – Compact carbine.
- * AKS-74UN – Night scope rail.
- RPK-74 – Light machine gun.
- * RPKS-74 – Side-folding stock.
- * RPK-74N – Night scope rail.
5.45×39mm / 5.56×45mm NATO / 7.62×39mm
- AK-74M / AK-101 / AK-103 – Modernized AK-74. Scope rail and side-folding stock.
- AK-105 / AK-102 / AK-104 – Carbine.
- AK-107 / AK-108 / AK-109 – Balanced recoil models.
- RPK-74M / RPK-201 / RPKM – Light machine guns.
- AK-9 – 9×39mm compact assault rifle, usually equipped with a suppressor.
5.45×39mm / 7.62×39mm
- AK-12 / AK-15 – A new AK family derivative based on the AK-400 prototype. Accepted as main service rifle in January 2018.
- AK-12K / AK-15K – Carbine.
- RPK-16 - Squad automatic weapon, based on the AK-12.
- PK – 7.62×54mmR general-purpose machine gun.
- PKP Pecheneg machine gun
- Dragunov sniper rifle and Dragunov SVU designated marksman rifle
- Saiga-12 – 12-gauge shotgun. Built on AK receiver.
- * Saiga-12S – Pistol grip and side-folding stock.
- ** Saiga-12K – Shorter barrel.
- * KSK shotgun – 12-gauge combat shotgun.
- * Saiga-20 – 20-gauge.
- * Saiga-410 –.410 bore.
- Saiga semi-automatic rifle
- Vepr-12 Molot – 12-gauge combat shotgun. Built on RPK receiver.
- Bizon – Submachine gun with helical magazine. Borrows 60% of details from AKS-74U. 9×18mm PM, 9×19mm Luger,.380 ACP; 7.62×25mm TT.
- Vityaz-SN – Submachine gun. 9×19mm Parabellum.
- OTs-14 Groza – Bullpup assault rifle. 9×39mm, 7.62×39mm.
- Galil ACE – Multi-purpose assault rifle, based on Galil which was based on the Finnish Rk
Production
| Country | Variant |
| Albania | Automatiku Shqiptar 1978 model 56 copy of Type 56 based on AKM rifle; Tipi 1982 model copy of AKMS; model 56 Tip-2, copy of RPK; and model 56 Tip-3. Several other versions of the AKMS have been produced mainly with short barrels similar to Soviet AKS-74U for special forces, tank & armored crew and for helicopter pilots and police. There have also been modified ASh-82 with SOPMOD accessories, mainly for Albania's special forces RENEA & exports. |
| Armenia | K-3 |
| Azerbaijan | Khazri |
| Bangladesh | Chinese Type 56 |
| Bulgaria | AKK/AKKS ; AKKMS, AKKN-47 ; AK-47M1 ; AK-47MA1/AR-M1 ; AKS-47M1 ; AKS-47S ; AKS-47UF, AR-SF ; AKS-93SM6 ; RKKS, AKT-47 |
| Cambodia | Chinese Type 56, Soviet AK, and AKM |
| China | Type 56 |
| Croatia | APS-95 |
| Cuba | AKM |
| East Germany | MPi-K/MPi-KS ; MPi-KM ; MPi-KMS-72 ; MPi-KMS-K ; MPi-AK-74N ; MPi-AKS-74N ; MPi-AKS-74NK ; KK-MPi Mod.69 |
| Egypt | AK, Misr assault rifle, Maadi |
| Ethiopia | AK, AK-103 |
| Finland | RK 62, ---- RK 95 TP, improvements including a fire control selector and a muzzle device that enabled the firing of rifle grenades, the attachment of a silencer, or bayonet |
| Hungary | AK-55 ; AKM-63, AMD-65M, AMP-69 ; AK-63F/D, AK-63MF ; NGM-81 |
| India | Trichy Assault Rifle, AK-7 Indo-Russia Rifles, AK-203 |
| Iran | KLS/KLF, KLT |
| Iraq | Tabuk Sniper Rifle, Tabuk Assault Rifle, Tabuk Short Assault Rifle |
| Nigeria | Produced by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria as OBJ-006 |
| North Korea | Type 58A/B, Type 68A/B, Type 88 |
| Pakistan | Reverse engineered by hand and machine in Pakistan's highland areas near the border of Afghanistan; more recently the Pakistan Ordnance Factories started the manufacture of an AK/AKM clone called PK-10. Pakistanis had also made a new caliber just by a little changing in original ammo, that is known as 44 bore. |
| Poland | pmK / pmKS ; kbkg wz. 1960, kbkg wz. 1960/72 ; kbk AKM / kbk AKMS ; kbk wz. 1988 Tantal, skbk wz. 1989 Onyks ; kbs wz. 1996 Beryl, kbk wz. 1996 Mini-Beryl |
| Romania | PM md. 63/65, PM md. 80, PM md. 90, collectively exported under the umbrella name AIM or AIMS; PA md. 86, exported as the AIMS-74; PM md. 90 short barrel, PA md. 86 short barrel, exported as the AIMR; PSL |
| Sudan | MAZ |
| Ukraine | Vepr, Malyuk |
| United States | US132 rifle, US132Z assault rifle, US109L shotgun & US109T shotgun. Produced by Kalashnikov USA. |
| Vietnam | AKM-1, AKM-VN assault rifle, TUL-1 light machine gun, Galil ACE 31/32 assault rifle |
| Venezuela | AK-103 / License granted to Venezuela |
| Yugoslavia/Serbia | M64, M70, M72, M76, M77, M80, M82, M85, M90, M91, M92, M99, M21 |
Similar rifles
The following rifles were either based on the Kalashnikov design, or have a different design but are superficially similar in appearance:- Bernardelli VB-STD/VB-SR
- FARA 83
- IMI Galil and IWI ACE
- FB Beryl
- INSAS rifle
- RK 62, Valmet M76, Valmet M78, RK 95 TP
- StG 44. Developed before the AK-47
- Type 81 assault rifle and Type 56, BD-08
- Pistol Mitralieră model 1963/1965
- Vektor R4, Truvelo Raptor
- vz. 58
- zastava M70
Citations