The History of the AK-47

Podcast Transcript

In 1946, a former Soviet tank mechanic who had no formal training in engineering or manufacturing submitted a design for a new gun in a competition.

His design was selected, and it became the new rifle for the Soviet military.

However, it didn’t just become a weapon for the Soviet Union; the design spread and within decades was being used all around the world in almost every armed conflict.

Learn more about the AK-47 and how it managed to change warfare in the 20th century on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

If I were to ask you what the deadliest weapon of the 20th century was, your first reaction might be to say the atomic bomb.

Yet, despite how devastating they are, only two bombs were ever dropped, and only (and I’m using only in quotes here) 200,000 people were killed.

There is a weapon that has been far more deadly than the atomic bomb. More lethal, in fact, by over an order of magnitude.

The AK-47.

Trying to get an exact number on the total global deaths that can be attributed to the weapon is difficult, but estimates put the number dead at over ten million.

The AK-47 has been a significant, if not the central, weapon in almost every armed conflict in the world over the last 70 years.

Over the years, there have been many, many models of guns that have been manufactured. What was so special about this weapon, and how did it become so ubiquitous?

The story starts in the days after the end of the Second World War.

A young Soviet tank mechanic named Mikhail Kalashnikov lay wounded in a hospital bed. Born in 1919 in rural Siberia, Kalashnikov had witnessed firsthand the devastating effectiveness of German automatic weapons, particularly the Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle, against Soviet forces. This experience sparked his determination to create a superior automatic weapon for his homeland.

The Sturmgewehr 44, also known as the StG 44, was the world’s first mass-produced assault rifle and a revolutionary development in infantry weapons.

Developed by Nazi Germany during World War II and introduced in 1943, it was chambered for an intermediate-size cartridge, offering a balance between the long-range power of rifles and the close-quarters firepower of submachine guns.

The StG 44 featured a select-fire capability, allowing soldiers to switch between semi- and full-automatic fire, and a 30-round detachable magazine, enabling them to engage targets effectively at both short and medium ranges, up to approximately 300 to 400 meters.

Its effectiveness lay in its versatility, providing German infantry with more firepower and tactical flexibility than either bolt-action rifles or submachine guns alone.

Kalashnikov wasn’t formally trained as a weapons designer; he was essentially a gifted tinkerer who understood machinery. This outsider perspective would prove crucial, as he approached the design problem without being constrained by conventional weapons engineering wisdom.

The Soviet military establishment initially gave this requirement to experienced designers, but Kalashnikov’s prototype stood out for its remarkable simplicity and reliability.

His design philosophy centered on a key insight: a weapon must function flawlessly even under the harshest conditions, operated by soldiers with minimal training. This meant fewer moving parts, looser tolerances that could accommodate dirt and debris, and components that could be field-stripped without tools.

The AK-47’s revolutionary design can be understood through three core principles that Kalashnikov embedded into every component.

First, the gas-operated system was brilliantly simple; gas from the fired cartridge drove a piston that cycled the action, with enough power to function even when fouled with mud or sand. Compare this to more precise weapons that might jam if a single grain of sand entered the wrong place.

Second, the manufacturing approach broke new ground. Rather than machining components to extremely tight tolerances like traditional firearms, Kalashnikov designed parts that could be stamped from sheet metal or roughly machined, then assembled with enough clearance to function reliably.

This wasn’t just about cost, it was about creating a weapon that would work consistently across millions of units produced in different factories.

Third, the ergonomic design reflected deep understanding of how soldiers actually handle weapons in combat. The distinctive curved magazine, the placement of controls, and the balance of the rifle all emerged from practical considerations rather than aesthetic ones.

When his design was selected, it was named the Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947, shortened to AK-47. Avtomat Kalashnikova simply means Kalashnikov’s automatic weapon.

The Soviet Army’s official adoption of the AK-47 in 1949 marked the beginning of one of the largest manufacturing undertakings in military history.

The USSR didn’t just produce these rifles for its own forces; it established a comprehensive technology transfer program that would have profound geopolitical implications.

During the Cold War, Soviet doctrine emphasized supporting allied nations and revolutionary movements worldwide. The AK-47 became a cornerstone of this strategy.

The Soviets licensed production to Warsaw Pact countries, such as Poland, East Germany, and Czechoslovakia, but they went further. They provided complete manufacturing packages, including machinery, technical expertise, and raw materials, to developing nations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

This created a fascinating paradox in the history of manufacturing. While Western nations typically guarded their military technology closely, the Soviets actively promoted the proliferation of AK-47 production.

China, North Korea, Egypt, and later Iraq, Iran, and dozens of other countries established their own AK-47 production lines.

Each nation often modified the basic design to suit its manufacturing capabilities or tactical preferences, creating numerous variants while maintaining the same core functionality.

The AK-47’s reputation was forged through decades of warfare, where its reliability under extreme conditions became legendary. In the jungles of Vietnam, American soldiers often preferred captured AK-47s over their issued M16 rifles because the Kalashnikov design continued functioning in mud and humidity that would disable more precise weapons.

This battlefield success created a feedback loop that accelerated the worldwide adoption. As conflicts demonstrated the weapon’s effectiveness, more nations sought to acquire production capability or purchase completed rifles. The design’s simplicity meant that even relatively unsophisticated manufacturing facilities could produce functional weapons.

Consider how this differed from other military technologies of the era. While jet aircraft or tanks required highly specialized manufacturing and maintenance capabilities, the AK-47 could be produced and maintained almost anywhere. This democratization of military firepower had profound implications for global conflicts.

By the 1970s and 1980s, AK-47 production had reached industrial scales previously unimaginable for small arms. The Soviet Union alone produced millions of rifles annually, while licensed and unlicensed production in other countries added millions more. Estimates suggest that by 1990, over 70 million AK-pattern rifles had been manufactured worldwide.

The weapon’s role expanded beyond conventional military use. Revolutionary movements, insurgent groups, and irregular forces found the AK-47 particularly suitable for their needs. Its durability meant weapons could be cached for years and still function when retrieved. Its simplicity meant fighters could learn to use and maintain the rifle with minimal training.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 created another wave of proliferation. Vast stockpiles of AK-47s from disbanded military units entered global arms markets, often at extremely low prices. Some estimates suggest that during the 1990s, AK-47s could be purchased for less than the cost of a live chicken in certain African markets.

In addition to being cheap and easy to manufacture, the spread of the AK-47 was also partially responsible for the rise of child soldiers.

The weapon was easy to operate, requiring minimal training, due to its fewer moving parts and intuitive controls. Its relatively light recoil made it manageable even for children to fire accurately on automatic or semi-automatic settings.

One of the reasons child soldiers proliferated is that they had a weapon that they could use.

If we put aside the primary benefits of the AK-47, such as its price, ease of manufacturing, and ruggedness, is it actually a good weapon?

For example, how does it compare to the primary infantry weapon used by the United States and Western allies in the late 20th century, the M16?

The M16 was developed in the United States in the late 1950s and introduced during the Vietnam War as a high-tech alternative to the older M14 rifle.

It utilizes a smaller, high-velocity cartridge, which enables flatter trajectories and higher accuracy, especially at longer distances.

The M16 is lighter than the AK-47, thanks to its use of aluminum and plastic components. Its tighter manufacturing tolerances also make it a more precise weapon in the hands of a well-trained soldier.

However, those exact tolerances mean it requires regular cleaning and maintenance to function reliably, particularly in adverse environments, a weakness painfully exposed in the early years of its use in Vietnam, where it suffered frequent jamming. Over the years, many of the early problems with the M16 were resolved, but that is for a future episode.

In theory, the M16 could be considered a better weapon, but weapons aren’t used in theory.

Functionally, the AK-47 is easier to maintain, more forgiving of abuse, and favored in irregular warfare where resources are scarce and combat is chaotic.

The M16, by contrast, performs better in organized militaries where logistical support, training, and better discipline are readily available.

The 21st century brought both continuity and change to the AK-47. While the basic design remained largely unchanged, a testament to Kalashnikov’s original design, manufacturers began developing modernized variants to meet contemporary military requirements.

Perhaps the most significant thing about the AK-47 is that it isn’t just a weapon; it is a powerful cultural symbol whose influence extends far beyond the battlefield. Its silhouette, which is instantly recognizable by its curved magazine and angular stock, has come to represent revolution, resistance, and power, especially among non-state actors, insurgent groups, and liberation movements.

Perhaps the most striking example of its cultural impact is its inclusion on national flags and coats of arms. The flag of Mozambique, for instance, features an AK-47 with a bayonet crossed with a hoe.

It is the only modern national flag to depict a firearm so explicitly.

Similarly, the coat of arms of Zimbabwe and that of East Timor’s defense forces incorporate the AK’s shape, reflecting their revolutionary roots and reliance on Soviet- or Chinese-supplied arms. In addition, countries like Burkina Faso and Angola have minted commemorative coins featuring the AK-47.

In popular media, the AK-47 can be seen everywhere, appearing in films, video games, music, and art across genres and continents. In Western action and war films, from “Rambo” to “Black Hawk Down”, the AK is the weapon of the enemy, often wielded by insurgents, terrorists, or foreign soldiers.

In video games like “Call of Duty” and “Counter-Strike,” it is a staple weapon.

In music, particularly in hip-hop and reggae, the AK has been mythologized as a symbol of street power, rebellion, and, at times, nihilism. Musicians have mentioned or referenced the weapon, incorporating it into their lyrics and album artwork.

Beyond entertainment, the AK-47’s image has also been used in propaganda and protest art, embraced by both authoritarian regimes and revolutionary groups.

It has appeared on posters, T-shirts, graffiti, and murals, sometimes glorified, sometimes as a critique. Its global proliferation and association with both freedom fighters and brutal militias have given it a dual legacy, part liberator, part instrument of terror.

The rifle’s very ubiquity ensures that it means different things to different people in various contexts: in some regions, it is a badge of resistance against oppression; in others, it is a symbol of violence, warlordism, and oppression.

Current estimates put the number of AK-47s in the world today at around 100,000,000. It accounts for approximately 20% of all firearms in the world.

Mikhail Kalashnikov passed away in 2013 at the age of 94. Near the end of his life, he struggled with the deaths that his weapons had caused.

In a letter written to the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church, he wrote, “My spiritual pain is unbearable…I keep having the same unsolved question: if my rifle claimed people’s lives, then can it be that I… a Christian and an Orthodox believer, was to blame for their deaths?”

Even though he never could have imagined it, Mikhail Kalashnikov’s invention was one of the fundamental items that shaped the 20th century.