What Made the AK-47 So Widely Known?

For more than six decades, the AK-47 has risen to become the iconic rifle of choice, used by everyone from the Soviet military to terrorists and drug cartels. Let’s delve into the story behind the world’s most popular assault rifle.

© Ed Darack/Science Faction/Corbis

Why are AK-47s often called Kalashnikovs?

The name is a tribute to the rifle’s creator. Mikhail Kalashnikov, born in 1919 into a farming family in southern Russia, initially aspired to be a poet. However, like many young Russian men of his time, he joined the army. Kalashnikov eventually rose to the rank of tank commander before being injured while fighting Nazis at the Battle of Bryansk in 1941.

During his recovery, Kalashnikov began experimenting with small arms design.

A fellow soldier once asked Kalashnikov why the Russians were not as well-armed as the Nazis, each soldier equipped with his own automatic rifle. This question prompted Kalashnikov to begin crafting a design for an automatic rifle to help defend his homeland, a design he perfected in 1947. The rifle is officially named Avtomat Kalashnikova (Automatic Kalashnikov), with the “47” referring to the year of its completion.

Why did the AK-47 become so widely used?

One might assume that the AK-47’s widespread use is due to its exceptional accuracy. However, that’s not the case. The standard AK-47 is not particularly known for pinpoint accuracy; it excels in close-range combat rather than long-distance engagements.

The AK-47's primary appeal lies in its straightforward design and its durability. This rifle was engineered to be user-friendly, easy to repair, and dependable. Its toughness makes it ideal for harsh, sandy environments or for soldiers who may not be meticulous about firearm maintenance. The simple firing mechanism results in very few malfunctions. Depending on how it's used, an AK-47 can last anywhere from 20 to 40 years.

We frequently see terrorists and insurgents armed with Kalashnikovs. But how many of these rifles exist?

The AK’s widespread presence is not only due to its reliability. It’s also a result of the staggering number of Kalashnikovs that have been manufactured. In his 2006 paper “Weaponomics: The Economics of Small Arms,” Oxford economist Phillip Killicoat shares an astonishing statistic.

It’s estimated that there are around 500 million firearms worldwide, with approximately 100 million being some form of Kalashnikov. The AK-47 leads the pack, with roughly 75 million units in circulation.

The massive production figures and long lifespan of the AK have contributed to its global presence. Killicoat’s paper highlights another key factor in the AK-47’s worldwide dominance: while the Soviet government may have been frugal with its own citizens, it was notably generous when it came to supplying Kalashnikovs to the regimes and rebel factions it supported.

Despite strong demand, the massive supply of AK-47s has kept the rifle affordable for criminals, terrorists, and gangs worldwide. In fact, in some regions, an AK-47 is cheaper today than it was 25 years ago. Moises Naim, editor of Foreign Policy, shared a story from a 2005 interview about a Kenyan village where an AK-47 cost 15 cows in 1986. By 2005, the price had dropped to just four cows. In his paper “Weaponomics,” Killicoat also highlights that while most AKs typically cost a few hundred dollars, some transactions were recorded for as low as $40 or $50.

So, Mikhail Kalashnikov must have made a fortune from his invention, right?

Not exactly. The Soviet government didn’t exactly share royalties for his rifle. Kalashnikov confirmed that he never received any royalty payments for his design, as the government simply took the plans and mass-produced the rifle. He has lived modestly off his government pension, although he has licensed his name to other products, including Kalashnikov Vodka, which was introduced in 2004.

Kalashnikov appears to be a deeply conflicted inventor in interviews and public appearances. He is undoubtedly proud of having created a reliable rifle that served the Russian military for decades, but he’s also troubled by its role in terrorism. At the same time, he recognizes that he’s not responsible for the AK-47 falling into the wrong hands. At his 90th birthday celebration, he remarked, ''I created a weapon to defend the borders of my motherland. It's not my fault that it's being used where it shouldn't be.”

During a visit to Germany in 2002, Kalashnikov voiced similar mixed feelings, saying, “I'm proud of my invention, but I'm sad that it is used by terrorists. I would prefer to have invented a machine that people could use and that would help farmers with their work—for example a lawnmower."

Is It Legal to Own an AK-47 in the United States?

In short, owning a fully automatic AK-47 is only possible in rare instances. Since it’s no longer legal for domestic companies to manufacture or import machine guns for civilian use, private citizens can still legally possess machine guns that were registered before May 1986. These pre-1986 firearms (including some AK-47s) can be transferred to new owners, but the process is strictly regulated by the ATF. It’s also an expensive process; the transfer includes a $200 excise tax in addition to the background checks and regulatory oversight.

Semi-automatic replicas (rifles where you must pull the trigger each time you fire) are legal in many regions. Some resourceful companies have capitalized on this loophole. In 2009, Max Motors of Butler, MO, offered a promotion where buyers received a “Free AK-47 with Any New Truck.” To watch a controversial CNN interview with the dealer, click here.