Documents
Russia Legacy Kalashnikov Concern
AK-47
The original Avtomat Kalashnikova, a gas-operated selective-fire assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov and adopted by the Soviet Army in 1949. It became the most widely produced and used rifle in history, prized for its simplicity and reliability under harsh conditions.
In service since 1949 · 106 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
350
m range
600
rpm
715
m/s
30
rds
💲 ≈ $800 — Approximate current commercial/military resale value; original Soviet unit cost far lower
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 106 operators
In service since 1949. Status: legacy · ~75,000,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
The AK-47 is the most influential firearm ever designed, a gas-operated 7.62x39mm assault rifle whose genius lies in ruthless simplicity. Mikhail Kalashnikov's design tolerates dirt, mud, poor maintenance and crude manufacturing while still functioning, trading fine accuracy for reliability that has made it usable by conscripts and irregular fighters alike. Its long-stroke piston and loose tolerances turned it into a template copied and modified around the world.
With the wider Kalashnikov family produced in the hundreds of millions across dozens of countries, it is by far the most numerous rifle pattern in history. It appears on national flags and remains a shorthand for insurgency, state armies and the global small-arms trade in equal measure.
The AK and its many derivatives remain ubiquitous in contemporary conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, where both sides field Kalashnikov-pattern weapons alongside more modern systems. Its enduring significance is less about cutting-edge performance than about the fact that, more than seventy-five years on, it still defines what a cheap, durable, mass-issue infantry rifle looks like.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 350 m Stronger than 13% of rifles
- Rate of fire
Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.
- 600 rpm Stronger than 12% of rifles
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 715 m/s Stronger than 14% of rifles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 7.62×39 mm
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 7.6 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 30 Stronger than 58% of rifles
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.87 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 3 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 415 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $800 Top 7% of rifles
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 75,000,000 Top 1% of rifles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 106 Top 1% of rifles
Specifications compiled from public Kalashnikov Concern and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
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Brugger & Thomet APC9 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the Kalashnikov Concern AK-47 require? +
The Kalashnikov Concern AK-47 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Kalashnikov Concern AK-47? +
The Kalashnikov Concern AK-47's primary weapon is the 7.62×39 mm.
What is the Kalashnikov Concern AK-47 used for? +
The Kalashnikov Concern AK-47 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Kalashnikov Concern AK-47? +
The Kalashnikov Concern AK-47 is operated by 106 countries.
How much does the Kalashnikov Concern AK-47 cost? +
The Kalashnikov Concern AK-47 has an approximate unit cost of 800 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
