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Designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1946 and adopted by the Soviet Army in 1947, the AK-47 and its successor the AKM are the most widely produced firearms in human history — with an estimated 100 million manufactured across all variants. Its long-stroke gas piston system, loose tolerances, and chrome-lined barrel give it legendary reliability in mud, sand, and extreme temperatures that would compromise direct impingement systems.
American civilian AKs are typically imported semi-automatic rifles (WASR-10 from Romania, Zastava ZPAP from Serbia) or American-made variants (Arsenal, Ohio Ordnance). The 7.62x39mm cartridge delivers substantially more energy than 5.56mm at short to medium ranges. Sanctions following 2022 have impacted Russian-made AK imports, driving prices upward on remaining inventory.
