AK no.47 A discussion into the most significant product

And its contribution to mankind’s development

Country of Origin Soviet UnionManufacturer Izhmash - Soviet UnionInital Year of Service 1949

Overall Length 869mm (34.21in)Barrel Length 415.00mm (16,34in)Weight (Empty) 9.48lbs (4.30kg)

Cartridge 7.62x39mmAction Gas-Operated; Rotating BoltFeed 30-round detachable box magazineMuzzle Velocity 2,330ft/sec (710m/sec)Rate-of-Fire 775 rounds per minuteRange 984ft (300m)Sights Adjustable Iron

Design work began in the final year of WWII, be-coming presented for official military trials soon after. Even after six decades this model and its variants remain the most widely used assault rifle in the world. High levels of durability, low pro-duction costs and ease of use has seen its usage within armed forces and illegitimate military.

: contribution to mankind’s development

The main advantages of the Kalashnikov rifle are its simple design, fairly compact size, and adaptation to mass production. This deadly combination of features contribute hugely to its impact on human development.

We are increasingly seeing illegitimate military and terrorists forces driving their way to pow-er through the use of this weapon. Ill equipped ‘soldiers’ are found scattered all over the globe using these guns, and with ease.

Contribution may seem misleading as the AK’s impact has been far from positive. Devel-opment has occured, naturally, but in a nega

tive sense. Stunting the growth of economies, ruled by greedy dictators.

In some countries, prices for AKs are extreme-ly low; in Somalia, Rwanda, Mozambique, Congo and Tanzania prices are between $30 - $125 per weapon, and prices have fallen in the last few decades due to mass counterfeiting.

Moisés Naím observed that in a small town in Kenya in 1986, an AK-47 cost fifteen cows but that in 2005, the price was down to four cows indicating that supply was “immense”.

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