AK-47 Rifles

Impressed by the StG 44 assault rifle used by German forces during WWII and other prime designs of that time, a Soviet firearm designer, Mikhail Kalashnikov, decided to make a rifle that would combine their best features.

When the USSR entered the war in 1941, Soviet soldiers took a severe hit by the superior power of German weaponry. One soldier who survived the enemy gunfire complained to Kalashnikov about the deficiency of comparable arms. It was the day when Kalashnikov started cherishing the idea of creating his own design.

After a couple of years of engineering submachine guns and carbines, he switched to rifles. In 1947 he presented the AK-47 (AK stands for Avtomat Kalashnikova and means Kalashnikov’s automatic rifle), which won the government competition and was adopted as a Soviet Army standard-issue rifle two years later.

Since the introduction of the AK-47 rifle, it has spread over numerous countries across all continents. So, what made AKs so successful?

AK Build

The main reason why the AK-47 became such a valuable addition to the world of rifles is its caliber. The firearm is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge, which, compared to the standard chambering of the M14, the 7.62×51mm NATO, is shorter and lighter. Though reduced dimensions mean less power and distance, the Soviet 7.62 was ideal for close-quarters applications and urban warfare and allowed soldiers to take more rounds to the battle. The intermediate cartridge also allowed rifles to be lighter and less recoiling.

Other benefits of the AK-47 include ease of use, durability, and reliability. The design allows it to be easily disassembled in a matter of seconds. Due to loose tolerances between moving parts, the rifle operates pretty fine even when it gets dirty or wet. Also, the AK-47 is a long-stroke piston-driven system, implying that the gas from a fired round is directed to the piston and not directly to the bolt carrier as in AR-15 rifles, which means fewer jams.

AKs for Sale

Gritr Sports carries lots of variations of this beautiful rifle made by industry-leading brands, such as Kalashnikov USA, Century Arms, Arsenal, and others. You’ll find traditional designs in wood and metal, tactical AKs with parts made of reinforced polymer, 9mm AK, 5.56 AK, and so on.

What does AK stand for in AK-47?

✅ AK stands for "Avtomat Kalashnikova" which is roughly translated as Kalashnikov's automatic rifle. Named after the man who developed the original AK rifle - Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947. Despite visual similarities, most of the rifles labeled as AK-47 nowadays are modified versions (AKMs) of the original AK-47.

Where are AK-47 rifles manufactured?

✅ You would expect all AK-47s to be made in Russia by Kalashnikov Concern, but it's a bit more complicated than that. Ever since the collapse of the USSR, there have been many manufacturers from ex-Soviet nations: Romanian WASR, Serbian Zastava and Bulgarian Arsenal, as well as some American-made models by Century, PSA and Kalashnikov-USA. Most of the rifles on the market, however, are "sporting" models due to the import laws and 922r "Sporting purpose" restrictions.

Is AK-47 better than AR-15?

✅ Both AR-15 and AK-47 have their strong and weak sides, so it all comes down to the purpose you are pursuing. AR-15 is an amazing "do it all" rifle: higher shooting range, room for modification as well as ease of switching parts to fit your needs. However, it's much less reliable in harsh conditions compared to AK-47 and not as budget-friendly. Since AK-47 uses a higher caliber load, obviously stopping power and bullet penetration capabilities are going to be much higher for the AK.

What is the difference between stamped and milled recievers for AK-47?

✅ Milled receivers are, as the name states, milled from a solid piece of steel. Usually, those are considered sturdier compared to stamped ones. On the other hand, they are also much heavier. Stamped receivers are pressed into a shape from a thin sheet of metal and then riveted with a center spacer with both front and rear trunnions. Both receivers should last for roughly the same amount of rounds and should have little to no effect on accuracy.

What caliber is an AK-47?

✅ The 7.62x39 remains to be the most popular round for AK-47. However, there are a few more options available. AK-74, which was developed in the late 70s, uses a 5.45x39 round, which has many advantages over standard 7.62x39: higher effective range, flatter trajectory and lighter recoil. Even though 5.45x39 possesses less penetrating power, it's much more effective against a living target due to higher velocity. There are also more niche AK models that use 5.56x45 and 9mm rounds: pistol caliber rifles are popular among target shooters due to lighter recoil.