Gun Digest Guide to the Modern AK: Gear, Accessories & Upgrades for the AK-47 and Its Variants

Chapter 1

HISTORY of the AK-47

Iraqi soldier training with a Chinese-made AK. Photo: DoD

Saharan Troops with AKs. Photo by Eneas De Troya

Izhmash: Russia’s Arsenal

To understand the AK rifle, one must first grasp the nation that created it, the conditions under which it evolved, and the arms industry that produced it. For more than 200 years, the Russian arms factory of Izhmash has served as that nation’s arsenal, manufacturing everything from muskets to rifles, including anti-tank weapons, machine guns, even pistols and revolvers. It has been and remains one of the largest arms makers in Russia, and its history is a storied one.

Izhmash was founded by Alexander I of Russia, who ruled between 1801 and 1825, during one of the most chaotic periods in European history. This time period neatly sandwiches that of another Emperor, Napoleon I of France, one of the most ambitious conquerors the continent had ever seen. Despite Alexander’s attempts at establishing an amicable relationship, war between the two powers was inevitable.

In 1807, French forces defeated a Russian army at Friedland, which resulted in the Treaty of Tilsit. It is likely no great coincidence that this is the year in which Alexander, no longer trusting the good will of the French, ordered the construction of a weapons factory in Izhevsk, near the banks of the Izh River and deep within the Western Urals, almost 500 miles east of Moscow.

Arms production at the Izhevsk Iron Works started in 1760, originally as a private enterprise until poor tax preparation and botched estate planning resulted in it being turned over to government ownership. The factory soon became known by the name it carries today, Izhmash, the old clock tower that dominates the skyline their symbol. This location proved to be ideal, since history quickly repeated itself as Napoleon launched a full scale invasion of Russia in 1812, defeating Russian troops at the Battle of Borodino and conquering Moscow, which the retreating Russians burned rather than allow the French to have. It was shortly afterward that Napoleon led his troops back to France in a disastrous winter withdrawal, a retreat in which virtually no troops or horses survived.

Modern AK production in Russia. Photo: Izhmash

Famed Izhmash factory tower in Izhevsk. Photo: Izhmash

Russian troops in Afghanistan (reenactors).

In 1870, Izhmash began producing Russia’s first cartridge-firing bolt-action rifle, the Berdan, which used a 10.75x58Rmm round, co-invented by American Hiram Berdan and Colonel Alexander Gorloff of Russia. This rifle was carried by Russian troops through the Russo-Turkish War and served even into the Bolshevik Revolution, although it had been formally replaced in 1891 by the famed Mosin-Nagant rifle. During the Russian Revolution, the factory changed hands a number of times, usually resulting in the indiscriminate termination of the previous management.

Izhmash was a leading producer of Mosin-Nagant rifles and manufactured 1.5 million during the First World War. During the Great Patriotic War (known to us as World War II), in which another western army invaded Russia almost to the gates of Moscow despite a non-aggression treaty, an additional 11.3 million Mosin-Nagant rifles were produced. This was all out of a single factory. To put this in perspective, during World War II, the entire U.S. production of M1 Garands and M1 Carbines combined — which occurred in several facilities and by a combination of manufacturers and suppliers — did not match those numbers. Plus, it is not like Izhmash was only making Mosin-Nagants during WWII — they were tasked with producing significant amounts of other weaponry and equipment, from munitions to handguns.

There is another arms factory in Russia that is even older that Izhmash and that is the Tula Arms Factory located south of Moscow. Tula was founded by Peter the Great in 1712 to produce small arms and other weaponry. The Mosin-Nagant rifle was actually developed here by Sergei Ivanovich Mosin and adopted in 1891. During WWII, the factory’s proximity to Moscow was a liability and it was nearly taken by German forces. As a result, production during the war was extremely limited. Even today the Tula factory manufactures arms, including AKs.

Original milled receiver AK-47. Photo: DoD Cpl. D.A. Haynes

Mongolian soldiers with AK-based RPK machine guns. Photo: Wikipedia Commons

World War II produced one of the greatest firearms designers the world has ever known, at least in terms of the success of his premier design, Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov. He was conscripted in 1939 and trained as a tank mechanic and driver. Wounded in combat against the Nazis, Kalashnikov, mechanically inclined and with a passion for arms and tinkering, found himself with lots of time on his hands. Several months spent recuperating in a Soviet hospital resulted in his first gun design, a submachine gun that never gained popularity but earned him recognition as a designer. He was reassigned to an engineering unit developing small arms.

It is important to note that no army during World War II had a standard issue semi-automatic rifle for its troops other than the United States. Bolt-action rifles, mostly derivative or exact copies of World War I and earlier designs, were the standard on the battlefields. Some elite troops received a few semi-automatic rifles as military leaders began to see the advantage in having them. However, by this point in the war, it was too late to start mass producing and training soldiers in a completely new rifle. Frontline troops needing extra firepower were more likely to receive simple submachine guns.

One notable exception is the German Army. In the midst of the Second World War, the German military’s views on the needs of the infantry soldier were quickly evolving, as plans often will when the tire meets the road. The Gewehr 98, the standard German infantry five-shot bolt-action rifle from the First World War, had remained almost entirely unchanged except for making it shorter and renaming it the K98.

The full-power 8mm Mauser round it fired was extremely effective, especially at long range, but battlefield engagements, particularly on the Eastern Front, were occurring quickly and at more intermediate ranges — 200-300 yards. Submachine guns offered the necessary firepower but lacked the range or the punch. Thus commenced the development of what would become the world’s first assault rifle, the StG44 or Sturmgewehr 44, which literally means assault rifle in German.

The rifle called for a new cartridge to fit its role. The 7.92x33 Kurz round was designed as an intermediary cartridge, a shorter version of the standard 8mm Mauser, which produced less recoil and was still effective out to 600 yards. The StG44 had a short 16.5-inch barrel, was gas operated, had select-fire capabilities, and used a detachable 30-round box magazine. To expedite and simplify construction, the rifle was built from stamped steel sheet, then welded, including the handguard. The only wood on the rifle was the easily removable buttstock and the pistol grip panels.

But the StG44 almost never existed because Hitler himself was dead set against the project, insisting instead that factories focus on building more submachine guns. The rifle was developed in secret until The Fuhrer, seeing it in person and hearing from front line commanders, decided it was worthwhile after all.

Between 1943 and 1945, over 400,000 of these rifles were built. They proved incredibly popular with troops fortunate enough to receive them. The only complaint was that at 11.5 pounds, it was extremely heavy. In the end, though, it was a case of too little too late, and despite the innovation and advancements made to the infantryman’s weapon, the war was lost.

North Korean Guard with chromed AK. Photo by Roman Harak

Production of Mosin Nagant rifles. Photo: Izhmash

Great Patriotic War poster. Photo by James Vaughan

I bring up the StG44 because externally it does resemble the AK-47, which was designed and produced later. Both rifles share a stamped metal construction, short barrel and compact design, 30-round magazine, short intermediate range cartridge, select-fire capabilities, long-stroke gas-piston operation with a rotating bolt, and a protruding pistol grip. Some have suggested that Kalashnikov borrowed design elements from the Germans, but he has always denied this.

It is likely that both the Germans and the Russians had the same good idea at the same time and developed similar rifles. Kalashnikov did not invent the 7.62x39mm intermediate round the Russians were using. This was developed in 1943 and adapted to several other guns before Kalashnikov took it up as the basis for his rifle. What became known as the AK-47 was designed in 1945 and never saw action during the war. The design, however, quickly won converts and, in 1947, Izhevsk became Kalashnikov’s home, Izhmash his employer.

Military trials resulted in the AK being selected as the best design, and it was formally adopted in 1948 and issued to select units. Kalashnikov’s original AK-47 design called for a stamped steel receiver, where a flat piece of metal is stamped, cut, folded, and welded to manufacture the receiver. The advantages of a stamped receiver include cheaper, easier and faster manufacturing. However, due to production problems and the poor quality of the steel being used, the design was altered to use a milled receiver instead. Here, a solid block of steel is machined to form the receiver. This resolved the problems with the strength of the receiver but also increased production time as well as overall weight.

Eventually, production problems with the stamped receiver AKs were resolved, and the AK-47 became the AKM (Modernized). The AKM was first adopted for use in 1959 and largely replaced the AK-47 both in the Soviet Union and its satellite states. The overall dimensions remained the same and the parts interchangeable. The dust cover on the AKM is thinner and lighter than on the old AK-47, so designers added ribs to increase rigidity. Why did it take more than 10 years to resolve the manufacturing problems? I cannot say, but I assume that bureaucratic resistance to change, once a process had been established, is likely the culprit.

Milled receiver AKs are still produced and are easy to identify, mostly by the cuts on either side meant to reduce weight. Some folks view the milled receiver guns as superior because of the heavier and stronger construction, as well as the greater attention to detail involved in the milling process. In practice, however, it makes no difference.

Kalashnikov worked at Izhmash for 60 years until his retirement, developing additional weapons systems including the AKM and its stamped sheet metal receiver, the RPK, a beefed up AK that served as a squad automatic weapon (SAW), and the PK belt-fed machinegun, which uses the 7.62x54R cartridge. Kalashnikov passed away in 2013. Outside the factory stands a statue of him as a young man, in recognition of his long and dedicated service to his nation.

Of course, almost immediately after World War II, the Cold War began with the Soviets controlling Eastern Europe. In response to the expansionist nature of the USSR, the Western allies formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a mutual military aid compact to resist communist expansionism. In response, the Soviets created the Warsaw Pact and cajoled the satellite states into joining.

Mikhail Kalashnikov explains his plan for employee parking. Photo: Izhmash

One aspect of both treaties was a weapons standardization protocol. For Eastern Europe, this meant adopting the 7.62x39mm cartridge and with few exceptions, the AK-47 or AKM rifle. This, combined with a penchant to arm allied armies and rebel groups, eventually resulted in over 30 countries producing AK rifles either under contract or illicitly. Of course, this includes many variants that are rather distinct from the original AK, such as the Israeli Galil, Finnish Valmet, Armenia K3 Bullpup and Czech VZ58, which I’ll cover later on.

The AK and its variants have the distinction of being the most prolific firearm ever produced. Worldwide, it is estimated that more than 100 million have been made. The Soviet Union was not known as a big defender of property rights and, consequently, Kalashnikov never received a single cent in royalties. In later years he did try to make a few bucks by licensing his name to products from knives to vodka.

The AK-47 remains the most popular and well-recognized rifle in world history for good reason. The design is simple and robust. It can be mass produced quickly and at low cost. Its ergonomics may be lacking, but the simplicity of its controls and method of operation make training troops in its use a simple matter. It is compact, lightweight, powerful, and incredibly reliable even in the worst conditions. News photos of combat zones routinely show AKs with broken or missing stocks, missing dust covers, taped-together parts, rusted and filthy, yet still functional.

Countries That Have Produced the AK and Variants

Albania

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Bangladesh

Bulgaria

Cambodia

China

Colombia

Croatia

Cuba

East Germany

Egypt

Ethiopia

Finland

Hungary

India

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Italy

Nigeria

North Korea

Pakistan

Poland

Romania

South Africa

Sudan

Ukraine

United States

Vietnam

Venezuela

Yugoslavia/Serbia

German WWII StG44. Photo: Wikipedia Commons

You can buy an AK made almost anywhere, but if you want a real Kalashnikov, then there is no substitute for one made by Izhmash. Over the ensuing decades, the factory produced their fair share of the million-plus AKs floating around out there, and continue to do so to this day. They continue to be one of the largest arms producers in Russia. However, the end of the Cold War proved to be a challenging period for Izhmash, with a significant decline in demand and increased competition from overseas AK manufacturers.

Further complicating matters was Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. This action led to sanction being imposed by the United States against specific Russian interests, including Izhmash, and a ban on the importation of the civilian Saiga rifles they were making under the new name of Concern Kalashnikov (the name change came about because Kalashnikov is a much more widely recognized name and brand than Izhmash). In response, Concern Kalashnikov has set up shop in Florida under the name Kalashnikov USA to make AK rifles in America.

The AK has never been as popular as it is now. According to a lengthy New York Times article by Andrew E. Kramer, US civilians are now buying about the same number of Kalashnikov-style weapons as the Russian army and police. He goes on to write that About 70 percent of the factory’s output [Izhmash] is now civilian rifles, up from 50 percent two years ago. Of the civilian arms, about 40 percent are exported to the United States (or at least they were before the Crimea fiasco).

Before his retirement, Kalashnikov meets with Russian President Putin. Photo: Izhmash

This civilian production includes sizable numbers of Saiga shotguns, which are based on the AK design and are popularly modified after import into the U.S. to a more tactical configuration (again, these may be harder to get now). These shotguns share the same reliable features as their AK rifle counterpart, and will accept choke tubes for those who need them. They have chrome-lined barrels, which extend service life and resist corrosion. Plus, the very well-sized trigger guard allows for easy gloved use during those cold mornings spent waterfowling.

All of the rifles and shotguns are made today with state of the art production techniques and extensive quality control. Yet there is still a traditional dedication to personalization from the workers at Izhmash. The wooden stocks on target and hunting rifles are hand cut and finished, and every firearm undergoes individual inspection and testing before it leaves the factory. When it comes to firearms, Made in Russia carries a lot of weight and these may become collector pieces.

The factory continues to build military rifles, including all variants of the AK, and is developing the new AK-12 as well as submachine guns, sniper rifles and automatic weapons. Their selection of civilian models is equally extensive and includes specialized Olympic competition models for the Biathlon.

Due to their financial challenges, Izmash was reorganized with state and private investments and combined several Russian arms makers under the banner of Concern Kalashnikov. Judging from past sanctions against foreign weapons makers, specifically Chinese arms companies, it is doubtful that they will be lifted anytime soon. This realization is what led to the significant investment in a U.S.-based manufacturing facility.

The Russian AKs that are currently in the U.S. may be the last ones available. Of course, there are a lot of AKs built elsewhere and not subject to these sanctions, as well as an impressive and growing number of American companies manufacturing AKs domestically. It is doubtful that American consumers will ever find themselves shorthanded when it comes to finding adequate supplies of AKs from which to choose.

Chapter 2

Choosing AKs by Country

Afghan Security Forces with Romanian