The AK-47 was the result of Soviet combat experience during World War II. Studies of battlefield reports showed most combat occurred within 300 meters, and the winner was usually the side with the most firepower.

The bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles used on the Eastern Front were not optimal choices for this kind of combat, and the late-war submachine guns employed to compensate for these shortcomings lacked range and accuracy, leading to compromise designs such as the SKS, and later AK-47, with the AK-47 considered the ultimate answer to these goals. It gave the average soldier a high rate of fire rendering an AK-equipped squad’s firepower equivalent to submachine guns at close range, while also having a sufficiently powerful cartridge to engage moderately distant targets.

The AK-47 was never meant to be an accurate rifle beyond 600 meters since in mobile warfare, distances were covered rather quickly. It also had the advantage of not needing particularly experienced soldiers to be effective — it required very little maintenance, and accuracy wasn’t very important which was ideal for the large conscript-based Soviet army. Weight wasn’t important either because Soviet doctrine placed an emphasis on the use of armored spearheads in an attack, followed closely by troop transports like the BTR-70.

Description and Specifications

The AK-47 is a gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle which has a semiautomatic ROF of 40 rounds (effective range about 400 meters), increasing to 100 rounds on fully automatic (effective range about 300 meters). It has a 30 round detachable box magazine. Renowned for it’s durability, the AK-47 is shorter and heavier than the M16 but with a lower ROF and muzzle velocity.

The weapon was developed for motorized infantry, adopted for service with the Soviet Army in 1949 and designated the AK-47. It was not provided with a bayonet.

• Caliber: 7.62 mm
• Cartridge: 7.62 x 39 mm
• Weight: 8.4 lb / 3.8 kg empty | 9.5 lb / 4.3 kg loaded
• Effective range: 330 yd / 300 m
• In service: 1949 — present