75th Ranger Regiment :: Rangers Lead The Way

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Writer: PFC M.Friedrich

The AK-47 is arguably, the world's most famous weapon of all time. The weapon and its variants can be found on almost every continent, and have been in nearly every war imaginable post-WWII. It is the main weapon of many countries around the world, as well as the weapon of choice for terrorists, gangs, and drug cartels.

The AK-47, who's proper name is the Kalashnikov automatic rifle; model 1947, was the brainchild of Soviet tank driver-mechanic, Mikhail Kalashnikov, who when wounded in battle during WWII began designing various weapons while still in the hospital. Although at first, none of his weapons were accepted into mainline service, his talents were noticed and he was transferred to the Central Scientific-developmental Firing Range. He entered a Soviet weapon trials competition for a "true" assault rifle, although he was beat several times by other weapons, he constantly improved on his design that would eventually become the AK-47. He also developed other weapons for the Soviet Union, including the RPK. Kalashnikov reportedly did not profit from his development of the AK Series, but only received a pension for his work.

The AK-47 and it's variants are chambered for the 7.62x39mm round, compared to the 5.56x45mm NATO round of the M-16 series. The gun was designed by Kalashnikov to be reliable in horrid conditions, especially in the freezing arctic areas of the Soviet Union. There is a large amount of room in the weapon to allow for dirt and other debris that may be trapped within moving parts, while still allowing the weapon to be operational, which is very important when in a firefight in less than ideal conditions. Although this greatly hampers the accuracy of the AK-47, it's exceptional stopping power, unmatched reliability in any terrain, and simplicity of design more than make up for what some would call, it's only flaw.

The AK-47 is still being mass-produced to this day, in dozens countries other than Russia. Including: Israel, China, North Korea, Poland, and various other countries. According to the World Bank, there are 75 Million copies of the AK-47 in the world and every year there are many built legally in factories, as well as estimated 1 million produced illegally every year. In some countries, an AK-47 costs as little as thirty U.S. Dollars, however in area's with more stringent gun laws the price raises dramatically.

The AK-47 was and still is the weapon of choice of the United States' enemies since the Cold War. Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, even Somalia all use the rifle. The new Iraq and Afghanistani Army, even the Taliban, make use this ever famous rifle as their main weapon. This shows how the AK-47 has continued to have an impact on the world, almost seventy years since the first model was drafted. The AK-47 has been on the world stage for decades and there is no foreseeable end to the use of the weapon in years to come until a suitable replacement can be as reliable, cheap, and mass produced as the AK-47.

Posted by SPC E.Manning on 05JUL2010 - 2141Z