The AK-47 Rifle: An Intro to the Timeless Russian Weapon

When most gun enthusiasts hear the word “rifle”, their minds usually drift to one of the many AR variants on the market.

However, there is another, perhaps even better rifle available to the masses that can do all that you need it to, and more.

Design and Features

The AK-47 is chambered in a much harder-hitting projectile and tends to be more reliable.

Though the AK is arguably much less accurate (at further distances) than many of the other types of rifles out there, it makes up for it in other areas, like the ability to fire even when tied behind a truck and ran through a mud-bog.

AK-47s can take care of themselves with minimal human supervision, even in the harshest environments.
You can push it, pull it, or drag it through mud or water, and an AK will still fire just like it did the day it rolled out of the factory where it was made. Why? Glad you asked…

The Birth of the AK-47

These rifles remain largely unchanged since 1947 when they were first built by Kalashnikov. In fact, there have only been slight variances with things that don't really matter, like grip and butt-stock materials.
And, because it was built to the standards of 1947, and not like a modern-day war-fighting tool, the parts fit together loosely, to the point where they will seemingly come apart. But, they never actually do come apart. And, if they do, it happens so rarely that nobody actually hears about it.

AK-47 in Warfare

This looseness is actually what makes these weapons have superior reliability than a lot of the other rifles available. The reason why, is because the gun will still fire even with sand and grit in the firing mechanism. In other words, there is still room for the bolt and all of the other components to move.

When it comes to accuracy, the AK-47 struggles to keep up with the competition. However, while you may not be able to shoot 1” groups at 100 yards, you'd still be able to land “kill shots” at that distance with the 120gr+ projectiles, just by applying basic marksmanship fundamentals.
In fact, I've taken an AK styled rifle out to 150 yards and was able to consistently hit a 12” steel plate, just by applying what I learned in the military.

Oh, and I was shooting off-hand (standing), with a set of irons and a 5$ box of TulAmmo. Obviously, the accuracy goes up for those AKs with scope mounts and a decent optic.
In the coming months, we'll be diving into the wonderful world of Kalashnikov, as we take an in-depth look at several of the available AK variants for civilian purchase.

I just recently got my grubby hands on an AK rifle and Mini Draco pistol that I'll be doing a review on. And, I've got some feelers out for a Micro Draco, and a few other goodies as well, so stay tuned.

Have you ever taken an AK-47 to the range? What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments below.

Also, make sure you sign up for the Gun Carrier newsletter so you don't miss me taking the above-pictured AK out to 200 and 300 yards to see if I can still hit anything.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Disclaimer: All content on this site is for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer here.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 17, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.