At first sight, an AK 47 is a rather unassuming piece of metal, a combination of a bit of wood and some metal, barely two feet long (with butt folded) with none of the flash and bang that come with the other peers that come from Israel, USA or Europe. For over 75 years it has remained the popular choice of revolutionaries, militia and soldiers. Flip any page of media which covers a conflict zone and one will spot an AK-47 at once a symbol of hope and oppression. It is perhaps the only weapon which had the distinction of finding its place on national flags (Mozambique).
It has been a long time since I hung up my boots but when this media house asked me to write an article on the AK-47 or Avtomat Kalashnikova (simply called “Kalashnikov”), I sat back to reminisce my days back in Kashmir and my love with this globally most recognisable and favourite rifle. Having enjoyed the opportunity to serve the Armoured Corps and then the National Security Guard and later the Indian Special Forces, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to handle weapons of all sizes, shapes and origins in peace as well as in combat.
While I was fascinated with the Heckler & Koch MP5 when I was at the National Security Guard which was largely a close-combat weapon suited for urban environments, it was the AK-47 which really caught my fancy and gave me company in the valley for several years. It is just not me though, all my Special Forces colleagues too seem to share a similar love for the weapon, just like militias and armies across the world.
A bit of history
⦁ Invented by a Russian soldier Senior Sergeant (later Lt Gen) Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov, a veteran of WW-2, the Kalashnikov was born out of his personal frustration of fighting with the then Russian weapons which he personally considered inferior to the German rifles of that period.
⦁ Mikhael was a tinkerer and started his life in a mechanic shed for tractors. He later became a tank commander in the Red Army. It was when he lay injured at a hospital and overheard the stories of unreliable Russian rifles that he put his brilliant self-taught mind to inventing a weapon, which would go on to become the most sought-after in combat.
⦁ During those years of WW2, the Russian Army had a program where they invited young inventors to present their designs and plans for better weapons and it was Mikhael Kalashnikov, who came up with the winning design in 1947 and his creation was accepted as the standard issue assault rifle for Russian armed forces by 1949. So, what makes the AK-47 such a popular choice for most soldiers across the world? It is the weapon of choice for 106 countries (officially 55) with an estimated 100 million being used around the world. Three words perhaps can sum up a Kalashnikov. RUGGEDNESS, RELIABILITY and ROBUSTNESS. Let us dive in a bit deeper to see what these words really mean.
Simplicity
⦁ The best tool often is not that which is complex, but one that is simple to use. AK-47 fits this bill perfectly. An AK-47 with no complex tooling and easy to use control makes combat fighting an “ EASY AFFAIR”.
⦁ It goes from 'Safe' to 'Fire' mode or even into 'Auto' mode with the movement of a largeish lever which can be operated in all weather conditions. (Do you know?? A half inch safety lever cannot be operated in cold temperatures with a thumb which actually reduces the combat readiness of a soldier in combat!!)
⦁ The iron sights just do their job to engage an enemy from 100 to 400 meters with no fancy gigs. It is NOT the most accurate weapon, but its lethal 7.62mm bullet combined with the heavy rate of fire takes care of the inaccuracy issue more than well.
Flexibility
⦁ AK-47 has a simple sighting system with which a target can be engaged at either 100 or 400 meters (Compare it to the M4 Carbine which has a folding sight with just two settings for 200 meters and 400 meters).
⦁ It can be used with additional fitments like the UBGL (Under Barrel Grenade Launcher) which does not change the CG (Center of Gravity) of the weapon that increases the fighting potential of an infantry soldier while not compromising on the basic performance of the weapon (A Tavor for example shifts the CG forward with a UBGL which severely affects the capability for aimed fire).
Durability
⦁ Whatever metallurgy has been used to make the AK-47 a standout, makes it nothing short of a miracle. The barrel seems to have an endless shelf life and the robust assembly of the parts which ensures that the rifle will give you company irrespective of environmental abuse and the later use of stamped metal in the AKM series only made it better
⦁ You drop it (it does not break, unlike the INSAS plastic parts).
⦁ You don’t clean it (it still works, unlike an M4, which requires lots and lots of cleaning).
Dependability
⦁ The rifle just never seems to fail. Nothing, I mean nothing can be a show-stopper for this weapon as long as you keep feeding the magazines.
⦁ Even a round stuck in the chamber does not stop the AK from firing the next round, a tall claim for any weapon.
Replaceability
⦁ The AK-47 perhaps is the cheapest weapon in production today. Available in the black market for as less as USD 1,000, this weapon becomes a favourite for many.
⦁ Mikhail Kalashnikov’s brilliant engineering mind gave Russia and the world over 150 small arms, but he will always be remembered for the AK-47, which ended up being the most durable and lethal weapon in the history of mankind, and as long as humans continue to fight in the most remote and rugged places, AK-47 shall continue to hold its place as the world’s favorite small arms.
Also read: India will start making Kalashnikov AK 203 assault rifles
