Gentlemen meet the AK-47 Assault Rifle

“Guns will make us powerful; butter will only make us fat.” (Hermann Goering broadcast in 1936)

11.31 pounds of the most iconic terrorist weapon ever, invented by a Siberian peasant *Michail Kalashnikov, the original Russian made AK 47 assault rifle weighs 9.5 pound unloaded, later models weighed in at 6.6 pounds. Overall length is 34.2 inches but with a folded butt the length comes down to 27.5 inches. This rifle is capable of delivering it’s magazine of thirty 7.62 steel core bullets in around twenty seconds.

In my experience, not the most accurate of rifles due to the shortness of the barrel but it doesn’t really matter as in the majority of cases these days it is used in relatively close battles or from a remote firing position to deliver a terrorist hail of bullets without exposing the firer, the ‘fire over the head without looking’ a favoured position. Nevertheless, it still accounts for a significant loss of life around the world.

The standard weapon of the former ‘iron curtain’ countries it was also the preferred choice through the seventies for the Arab and Black African Armies, Cuba and of course terrorist organisations like the Palestine Liberation Army and the Irish Republican Army who lost two hundred and fifty AK 47’s when the British Army Intelligence stopped and searched the Claudia, a ship entering British waters bound for the Northern Irish Coast. There are stories that the American soldiers fighting in Vietnam had difficulties with their M16’s jamming and so would use the captured AK 47’s because of the weapon’s reliability. Reliable it certainly is. Rarely does it malfunction even when treated badly or when firing poor quality ordnance, this rifle still maintains it’s firing capability.

There are two main variations of the rifle, the AK 47 with a wooden stock and the AKS 47 with a folding metal stock intended for use by airborne forces. The rifle has an open sector site with a range up to 800m calibrated every 100m. It works on a simple gas system whereby the gas pressure is used to ‘re-cock’ the firing mechanism. The initial cocking handle sits on the right of the rifle, once cocked the firer can select either single shot or automatic fire by moving the safety lever from safe to the selection required. Keeping the butt firmly in the shoulder the weapon is easily fired and controlled by a squeeze of the trigger (always squeeze a trigger, no-one who knows anything about weapon handling would jerk the trigger), however, with the butt folded the rifle is much more difficult to control as it veers with the power of the bullet/gases leaving the muzzle. If fired from the hip using the carrying strap across the body is recommended.

With over 70 million made in more than 20 countries it shouldn’t be too difficult to get up close and personal with one. Quickest way to get on the firing line is to join one of the hundreds of terrorist organisations around the world or, for the gentleman you could get in touch with the Red Blooded Male Club who can give you a selection of legitimate and safe firing ranges with expert tuition.



*Michail Kalashnikov was conscripted into the Red Army in 1938. He was wounded in a tank battle in 1941 during the defence of Bryansk and whilst in rehabilitation he designed the now legendry assault rifle. He continues to live in the Russian city of Izhevsk working in the local weapons factory until retirement. In 1998 he was awarded the order of Saint Andrew the Protoclete (orden Svyatogo Andreya Pervozvannogo). On his 90th birthday – 10 November 2009 he was named as a ‘Hero of the Russian Federation’. A published poet Kalashnikov wrote “My work is my life, and my life is my work. I invented this assault rifle to defend my Country. Today, I am proud that it has become for many synonymous with liberty”

Of Bin Laden with his AK 47 he said:

“When I saw Bin Laden with his AK 47, I got nervous. But what can I do, terrorists aren’t fools: they too chose the most reliable guns. 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 lawn mower.”