Why is the AK-47 so famous?

Question

..to the degree where even a layman who has no idea about guns will still find the name familiar? Please explain.

Answer 1

The AK-47 is a masterpiece of a firearm. Reliable, tough, accurate, easy to perform maintenance on and relatively cheap to produce so it could be distributed widely around the world.

Answer 2

The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova. It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or, in Russian slang, Kalash.



Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year of World War II (1945). After the war in 1946, the AK-46 was presented for official military trials. In 1947 the fixed-stock version was introduced into service with select units of the Soviet Army. An early development of the design was the AKS-47 (S—Skladnoy or "folding"), which was equipped with an underfolding metal shoulder stock. In 1949, the AK-47 was officially accepted by the Soviet Armed Forces and used by the majority of the member states of the Warsaw Pact.



The original AK-47 was one of the first true "assault rifles" to be manufactured, after the original Sturmgewehr 44.[5][6] Even after six decades the model and its variants remain the most widely used and popular assault rifles in the world because of its durability, low production cost, and ease of use. It has been manufactured in many countries and has seen service with armed forces as well as revolutionary and terrorist organizations worldwide. The AK-47 was the basis for developing many other types of individual and crew-served firearms. More AK-type rifles have been produced than all other assault rifles combined.[2]

Answer 3

It has the image of the Ultimate bad guys gun and for good reason its the Most reliable weapons system ever made to date I own both an AR-15 and AK-47.



For the range and for fun i used the AR more its lighter and more comfortable but if western society was collapsing and i knew i was going to be on the move a lot in the woods,mud desert etc Id be going to war with my AK Its cheap durable and reliable and the ammo is cheap and everywhere

Answer 4

It has been one of the most reliable weapons of all time, if not the most reliable. I have heard stories of Viet Cong pulling AK-47's out of the mud after days of being hidden in there and working perfectly. It is also very accurate, cheap to manufacture, easy to maintain and easy to obtain. It has also influenced the design of many other weapons, such as the Galil and has been converted into other weapons, such as shotguns (saiga), sniper rifles (dragunov) and light machine guns (RPK)

Answer 5

It's the "gangsta" weapon in movies. Also the cheapest to make and get ahold of in 3rd world countries. The gun is a POS but it's a reliable POS. I saw someone said accurate, he was joking hopefully. It is the worse gun ever constructed in relation to accuracy. The entire gun moves while it is firing and the caliber 7.62x39 is only good for close range combat.



Also, anyone who says that weapon is accurate knows nothing of the weapon or ballistics of any caliber or operating style.

Answer 6

The AK-47 is a very popular gun portrayed in movies and used a lot by terrorists. The reason that it is so popular and favored is that it is very durable and reliable and is also the easiest and cheapest automatic gun for terrorists to get.

Answer 7

like the uzi, the AK47 (otherwise known as Kalashnikov) is a popular weapon for criminal and terrorist organizations



Just like the Thompson and mobster movies, it's popular culture

Answer 8

ak-47 is so famous because of the low cost of its manufacturing,reliability,higher fire rate.Moreover it is very famous among the military men.

Answer 9

It was invented in 1947 and is still the most widely manufactured and used assault rifle in the world.

Answer 10

Durability, there's a video on youtube of some guy shooting off clips until the gun catches fire.... it just burns and shoots, nothing stops it from working.

Answer 11

Because it is hands down the best assault rifle ever built.

Answer 12

Haven't heard the enemy complain so why change it up?

Answer 13

its simple durable effective and simple to use even a child can fire it

Answer 14

As the cheap, easy to get your hands on weapon made in many countries they are like dog poop....everywhere



Many countries!



Production outside of the Soviet Union/RussiaMilitary variants only. Includes new designs substantially derived from the Kalashnikov.



Country Variant(s)

Albania

Automatiku Shqiptar model 56 (ASH-78 Tip-1) Albanian Automatic Assault Rifle Model 56 Type-1 [Made in Poliçan Arsenal] (Straight forward copy of Type 56, which in turn is a clone of the Soviet AKM rifle)[31]

Automatiku Shqiptar Tipi 1982 (ASH-82) Albanian Automatic Assault Rifle Type 1982 [Made in Poliçan Arsenal] (Straight forward copy of AKMS)[31]

Automatiku Shqiptar model 56 (ASH-78 Tip-2) Albanian Light Machine Gun [Made in Poliçan Arsenal] (Straight forward copy of RPK)[31]

Automatiku Shqiptar model 56 (ASH-78 Tip-3) Albanian Automatic Hybrid Rifle Model 56 Type-3 [Made in Poliçan Arsenal] (Hybrid rifle for multi-purpose roles mainly Marksman rifle with secondary assault rifle and grenade launcher capability)[31]

Other unknown variants.

several other unnamed & unidentified versions of the AKMS have been produce mainly with short barrels similar to the Soviet AKs-74u mainly for special forces, Tank & Armoured crew also for Helicopter pilots and police.

There have also been modifications and fresh production of heavily modified ASh-82 (AKMS) with SOPMOD accessories, mainly for Albania's special forces RENEA & exports.[31]

Bangladesh Chinese Type 56

Bulgaria AKK (Type 3 AK-47), AKKS (Type 3 with side-folding buttstock)

AKKMS (AKMS) AKKN-47 (fittings for NPSU night sights)

AK-47M1 (Type 3 with black polymer furniture)

AK-47MA1/AR-M1 (same as -M1, but in 5.56 mm NATO)

AKS-47M1 (AKMS in 5.56x45mm NATO), AKS-47MA1 (same as AKS-47M1, but semi-automatic only)

AKS-47S (AK-47M1, short version, with East German folding stock, laser aiming device)

AKS-47UF (short version of -M1, Russian folding stock), AR-SF (same as −47UF, but 5.56 mm NATO)

AKS-93SM6 (similar to −47M1, cannot use grenade launcher)

RKKS, AKT-47 (.22 rimfire training rifle)

Cambodia Chinese Type 56, Soviet AK-47, and AKM

People's Republic of China Type 56

German Democratic Republic MPi-K (AK-47), MPi-KS (AKS), MPi-KM (AKM), MPi-KMS-72 (AKMS), KK-MPi Mod.69 (.22-Lr select-fire trainer);

Egypt AK-47, Misr assault rifle (AKM), Maadi.

Ethiopia AK-47, AK-103 (manufactured locally at the State-run Gafat Armament Engineering Complex as the Et-97/1[32])

Hungary AK-63D/E (AMM/AMMSz), AKM-63, AMD-65, AMD-65M, AMP, NGM 5.56

Iraq Tabuk Sniper Rifle, Tabuk Assault Rifle (with fixed or underfolding stock, outright clones of Yugoslavian M70 rifles series), Tabuk Short Assault Rifle

India Assault Rifle 7.62 mm, manufactured by Ordnance Factories Organisation [33]

Iran KLS (AK-47), KLF (AKS), KLT (AKMS)

Israel IMI Galil

Finland RK 62, RK 95 TP

Macedonia M60

Nigeria OBJ-006[34]

North Korea Type 58A (Type 3 AK-47), Type 58B (stamped steel folding stock), Type 68A (AKM-47) Type 68B (AKMS), Type 88 (AKS-74) [35][36]

Pakistan Reverse engineered by hand and machine in Pakistan's highland areas near the border of Afghanistan; more recently the Pakistan Ordnance Factories started the manufacture of an AK47/AKM clone called PK-10[37]

Poland pmK/kbk AK (name has changed from pmK – "pistolet maszynowy Kałasznikowa", Kalashnikov SMG to the kbk AK – "karabinek AK", Kalashnikov Carbine in mid 1960s) (AK-47), kbkg wz. 1960, kbk AKM (AKM), kbk AKMS (AKMS), kbk wz. 1988 Tantal based on the 7.62 mm kbk AKMS wz. 81, kbs wz. 1996 Beryl

Romania PM md. 63 (AKM), PM md. 65 (AKMS), PM md. 90 (AKMS), collectively exported under the umbrella name AIM or AIMS

PA md. 86 (AK-74), exported as the AIMS-74

PM md. 90 short barrel (AK-104), PA md. 86 short barrel (AK-105) exported as the AIMR

Serbia M92, M21

South Africa R4 assault rifle

Sudan MAZ,[38] based on the Type 56

Vietnam Chinese Type 56, Soviet AK-47, and AKM

Venezuela License granted, factory under construction[39]

Yugoslavia M60, M64 (AK-47 with longer barrel), M64A (grenade launcher), M64B (M64 w/ folding stock), M66, M70, M70A, M70B1, M70AB2, M76, M77,