Notes on the AK-47

The AK-47

The AK-47 or Kalashnikov as it is often called was the principle assault rife of the Soviet Bloc countries. The 7.62 caliber automatic rifle was first introduced in 1949 and was the principle rifle until it was phased out in the late 70s and early 1980s. It used a 30 shot "banana" clip and was a favorite of revolutionaries all over the world because it was a well built reliable gun that functions in the worst possible conditions.

AK-74M Kalashnikov Assault Rifle

The AK-74

In 1974 the Soviet Army began replacing the AK-47 with a newer lighter model that used a smaller faster bullet (5.45 MM Cartridge: 5.45mm x 39mm at 900 m/sec). By the Afghan invasion most Soviet troops had the AK-74 but her allies especially the Afghan army still used the older AK-47

Differences include the larger muzzle break that was necessary because of the faster bullet and the bayonet. The AK-47 did not have a bayonet. Not obvious in this picture is the orange color of the magazine. The magazine is also less curved.

Mikhail Timofeevitch Kalashnikov

Kalashnikov was born in the small village Kurya in Altaii Territory a rugged province of Siberia on the Upper Ob River. There is little of note in the territory except the TurkSib and South Siberian railroads. Kalashnikov went to work for the TurkSib or as it was then called the Turkistan-Siberian railway in the Matai depot. Starting as an apprentice he worked his way up in the technical department

Kalashnikov got his big break in 1938 when he was called up for Red Army. As a senior Sargent commanding a tank Kalashnikov was shell shocked in combat and while in the hospital recovering he conceived the idea of what we now know as the AK-47.

The AK-47 became a Soviet army standard in 1950. From enlisted man he made his way to becoming a much decorated Major-General.

Paratrooper model AK-47 Rug

AK-47 assault rifle

Weapons are very important in the culture of the people of Afghanistan. To the weavers the AK-47 was a way to voice support for the Mujeheddin.

There is status to the weapons in the rugs. AK-74s were a very high status weapon because the only way to get one was from a Soviet soldier (living or dead). Next in line were the AK-47s. The rebels gained the first AK-47s from the revolt in Herat and in the raid on the Afghan Army armory in the Kunar valley. Shortly afterwards President Reagan ordered the CIA to airlift in every AK-47 that we could get our hands on to the rebellion. Obviously if we supplied the rifles that we had, the M16s would have been too obvious. So we turned to the stores in Pakistan and the huge stockpiles of AK-47s in Israel. Once the arms from Israel began to peter out we bought the Chinese versions. Before the influx of AK-47s the Lee Enfield 303 was the long arm of choice in Afghanistan. I had a British 303 as we called them and it shot well but due to the two part stock they never sold for the money that an US Enfield or a German Mauser so many of them ended up in Afghanistan where firepower is more important than esthetics.

Rugs and carpets: