AK-47
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.30 kg
- Introduced
- 1947
About
What it is, and why it matters
The AK-47 is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 7.62x39mm, produced by Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash) since 1947. This Russian-manufactured firearm reflects the engineering traditions and quality standards of its country of origin, designed to meet the demands of both civilian and professional users in a competitive global marketplace. Featuring a 30-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 16.3-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 4300g (151.7 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The steel frame provides a solid, premium feel with the durability to withstand decades of regular use and thousands of rounds. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform.
The AK-47 is so iconic it appears on the national flag of Mozambique and the coat of arms of East Timor, Zimbabwe, and Burkina Faso. Mikhail Kalashnikov reportedly said he wished he had invented a lawnmower instead, given the death toll attributed to his creation.
Production of the original AK-47 with milled receiver ended in 1975, replaced by the modernized AKM variant with stamped receiver. The AK-47 designation is often colloquially used to refer to all AK-pattern rifles. The weapon's extreme durability stems from generous tolerances between moving parts, though this reduces accuracy compared to Western designs. Over 100 million AK-pattern rifles of all variants have been produced globally.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Kalashnikov Concern
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Soviet Union
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1947 to 1975
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 415 mm
- Overall length
- 869 mm
- Height
- 190 mm
- Width
- 45 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.30 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.78 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated long stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 710 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2010 J
- Effective range
- 300 m
- Maximum range
- 800 m
- Rate of fire
- 600 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Chrome lined barrel
Chrome lined chamber
Curved magazine
Rotating bolt
Select fire
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 59 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 4.30 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 90% |
| Overall lengthAmong 58 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 869 mm | 880 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 57 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 415 mm | 415 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 59 7.62x39mm assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the AK-47
How much does the AK-47 weigh?
The AK-47 weighs 4.30 kg (9.48 lb) empty and 4.78 kg (10.54 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the AK-47?
The AK-47 is chambered in 7.62x39mm.
How many rounds does the AK-47 hold?
The AK-47 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the AK-47?
The AK-47 is 869 mm (34.2 in) long overall, with a 415 mm (16.3 in) barrel.
Who makes the AK-47?
The AK-47 is made by Kalashnikov Concern (Russia). It was designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov.
When was the AK-47 introduced?
The AK-47 was introduced in 1947 and discontinued in 1975.
How does the AK-47 operate?
The AK-47 uses a gas operated long stroke action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Soviet Armed Forces
- 1949
- Russian Armed Forces
- 1991
- Chinese People's Liberation Army
- 1956
- North Korean People's Army
- 1958
- Egyptian Armed Forces
- 1960
- Iraqi Armed Forces
- 1960
- Vietnam People's Army
- 1956
- Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces
- 1959
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/ak-47' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "ak-47", "name": "AK-47", "manufacturer": { "id": "kalashnikov-concern", "name": "Kalashnikov Concern", "countryCode": "RU", "foundedYear": 1807, "website": "https://kalashnikovgroup.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": "active", "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": true, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:38", "version": "3593fe6aaed7a4f74f79c1f4f9b92bb1f45e039a826875e780967c2ed2b49d04" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "SU", "year_introduced": 1947, "barrel_length_mm": 415, "weight_empty_g": 4300, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}