AK-47 Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids AK-47
AK-47 with 6H3 bayonet
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1949–present (worldwide)
Wars	Hungarian Revolution of 1956 Vietnam War See other conflicts and wars
Production history
Designer	Mikhail Kalashnikov
Designed	1946–1948
Manufacturer	Kalashnikov Concern and various others including Norinco
Produced	1949–present
No. built	≈ 75 million AK-47s, 100 million Kalashnikov-family weapons.
Specifications
Mass	Without magazine: 3.47 kg (7.7 lb) Magazine, empty: 0.43 kg (0.95 lb) (early issue) 0.33 kg (0.73 lb) (steel) 0.25 kg (0.55 lb) (plastic) 0.17 kg (0.37 lb) (light alloy)
Length	Fixed wooden stock: 880 mm (35 in) 875 mm (34.4 in) folding stock extended 645 mm (25.4 in) stock folded
Barrel length	Overall length: 415 mm (16.3 in) Rifled bore length: 369 mm (14.5 in)

Cartridge	7.62×39mm
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	Cyclic rate of fire: 600 rds/min Practical rate of fire: Semi-auto 40 rds/min Full-auto 100 rds/min
Muzzle velocity	715 m/s (2,350 ft/s)
Effective firing range	350 m (380 yd)
Feed system	30-round detachable box magazine There are also 5- 10-, 20- and 40-round box and 75- and 100-round drum magazines available
Sights	100–800 m adjustable iron sights Sight radius: 378 mm (14.9 in)

The AK-47 is a famous Russian assault rifle. It was first used in 1949. The Soviet Union's military used it, along with an updated version called the AKM. Later, the AK-74 replaced it.

The AK-47 was designed in 1947 by Mikhail Kalashnikov. This weapon quickly became well-known around the world. It was popular because it was easy to use, clean, and keep working. It was also very reliable, meaning it could fire for a long time without getting stuck.

Today, the AK-47 and its newer versions are still used by many armies worldwide. It is known for being affordable, dependable, and simple to operate. There were also different versions, like the AKS-47 with a folding stock. A shorter version, the AKMSU, was used by vehicle crews. A light machine gun version called the RPK also existed.

The Russian military liked the AK's design so much that they used it to create other weapons. These include the Dragunov sniper rifle and the Saiga-12 semi-automatic shotgun.

The AK-47 uses a system called gas-operated reloading. When a bullet shoots out of the barrel, a small amount of gas from behind the bullet goes into a tube. This gas pushes a part called the bolt back. This means the gun reloads itself after each shot. You don't have to reload it by hand.

When you pull the trigger, the bullet in the chamber fires. If you release the trigger and pull it again for each shot, it's called a semi-automatic firearm. Some AK-47s only work this way. However, most AK-47s can also fire continuously when the trigger is held down, which is called being fully automatic.

Why the AK-47 Became So Widespread

The AK-47 became a symbol of change in many developing countries.

It was used in conflicts like the Cambodian Civil War and the Cambodian–Vietnamese War. In the 1980s, the Soviet Union sold many AK-47s to countries that Western nations would not trade with. This included countries in the Middle East like Iran, Libya, and Syria.

After the Soviet Union ended around 1990, AK-47s became even more common. They were sold widely. Today, they are seen in the hands of various groups around the world.

The AK-47's widespread use is clear in many ways. For example, it is even shown on the flag of Mozambique. This shows how important the weapon was in helping the country gain its independence. It also appears on the coats of arms of East Timor and Burkina Faso from its revolution time.

Images for kids

AKMS with a stamped Type 4B receiver (top) and an AK-47 with a milled Type 2A receiver
Wound Profiles of Russian small-arms ammunition compiled by Dr. Martin Fackler on behalf of the U.S. military
The gas-operated mechanism of a Norinco AK-47
AK-47 barrel and its distinctive gas block with a horizontal row of gas relief ports
Việt Cộng soldier armed with an AK-47 with the fire selector in the safe setting
Rear sight of a Chinese Type 56, featuring 100 to 800 m (109 to 875 yd) settings and omission of a battle zero setting
"Bakelite" rust-colored steel-reinforced 30-round plastic box 7.62×39mm AK magazines. Three magazines have an "arrow in triangle" Izhmash arsenal mark on the bottom right. The other magazine has a "star" Tula arsenal mark on the bottom right
AK-47 6H2 bayonet and scabbard
AK-47 with Kalashnikov grenade launcher mounted on the muzzle
7.62×39mm cartridges from Russia, China and Pakistan
NATO E-type Silhouette Target
Circular error probable 20 hits distribution example
AK-47 copies confiscated from Somali pirates by Finnish mine-layer Pohjanmaa during Operation Atalanta, photographed in Manege Military Museum. The stocks are missing on the top three AKs
Burundi peacekeepers prepare for next rotation to Somalia, 2006
Kurdish YPJ fighters in Syria, 2014
CIA Agent drawing of the alleged first westerner sighting of the AK-47 in 1953
An AK-47 Type 1 (top) and 2 (bottom) on display. The Type 1 features a stamped receiver while the Type 2 receiver is milled.
A U.S. Army M.P inspects a Chinese AK-47 recovered in Vietnam, 1968
A Soviet Spetsnaz (special operations) group prepares for a mission in Afghanistan, 1988
During the Soviet–Afghan War in the 1980s, several sources simultaneously armed both sides of the Afghan conflict, filling the country with AK-47s and their derivatives.

AK-47 facts for kids

Why the AK-47 Became So Widespread

Images for kids

See also