Kalashnikov rifles (), also known as the AK platform, AK rifles, or simply the AK, are a family of

assault rifle An assault rifle is a select fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge, intermediate-rifle cartridge and a Magazine (firearms), detachable magazine.C. Taylor, ''The Fighting Rifle: A Complete Study of the Rifle in Combat'', F.A. Moyer '' ...

s based on

Mikhail Kalashnikov Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov (10November 191923December 2013) was a Soviet and Russian lieutenant general, inventor, Military engineering, military engineer, writer, and small arms designer. He is most famous for developing the AK-47 assau ...

's original design. They are officially known in Russian as ''avtomat Kalashnikova'' (), and informally as ''kalash'' in Russian. They were originally manufactured in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

by Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash). Rifles similar to the Kalashnikov and its Soviet variants were later produced in many countries friendly to the

Soviet Bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc (Combloc), the Socialist Bloc, the Workers Bloc, and the Soviet Bloc, was an unofficial coalition of communist states of Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America that were a ...

, with rifles based on its design such as the Galil ACE and the INSAS also being produced. The Kalashnikov is one of the most widely used

firearm A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...

s in the world, with an estimated 72 million rifles in global circulation.

List of AK rifles

The original Kalashnikov rifles and their derivatives, as produced in the Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation.

Rifles derived directly from the original AK

The rifle's simple design makes it easy to produce, and the Soviet Union readily leased plans of the firearm to friendly countries, where it could be produced locally at a low cost. As a result, the Kalashnikov rifles and their variants have been manufactured in many countries, with and without licenses. Manufacturing countries in alphabetical order include:

Similar rifles

The following rifles were either based on the Kalashnikov design, or have a different design but are superficially similar in appearance: * FARA 83 (Argentina) *BD-08 (Bangladesh) * AR-M1 (Bulgaria) * Type 56, Type 81 (China) * Vz. 58 (Czechoslovakia) * RK 62 (also called Valmet M76, Rk 62 76 or M62/76), Valmet M78 (light machine gun), RK 95 TP (Finland) * AK-63, AMD-65 (Hungary) * INSAS rifle (India) * IMI Galil, IWI ACE (Israel) * Bernardelli VB-STD/VB-SR (Italy) * FB Beryl, FB Tantal (Poland) * Pistol Mitralieră model 1963/1965 (Romania) * Zastava M70 (Serbia, Yugoslavia) * Zastava M21 (Serbia) * Vektor R4, Truvelo Raptor (South Africa) * MPi-KM (East Germany) * MPi-KMS-72 (East Germany)

Comparative characteristics of AK rifles

In the United States

The Kalashnikov weapon design has become increasingly more popular in the American firearms industry. There are specific competitive shooting matches that require the use of its weapon variants like the Red Oktober match held just outside of St. George, Utah. It is a match designed for the use of ComBloc style weapons, but the Kalashnikov design is extremely heavy within the participants' arsenals.

References

Citations

General and cited references

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External links

* {{Authority control Assault rifles Assault rifles of the Soviet Union Infantry weapons of the Cold War Rifles of the Cold War Soviet inventions