The AK-47, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, is a Soviet assault rifle that was first made in 1948. The AK-47 is a very cheap and reliable weapon to be able to mass produce for armies in large numbers. Although only moderately accurate, the AK could be very reliable in the harsh jungle conditions in Vietnam. So much so that there are reports of friendly fire casualties because US soldiers ditched their unreliable M16 assault rifles in preference of the cheap, but sturdy AK-47's the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese used. The AK-47 was capable of deep entry wounds and combined with its ability to be fully automatic, made the AK-47 a very feared weapon in close combat.
How it Works
The AK-47 uses a long stroke gas system, as was found in the M1 Garand. To fire, the operator inserts a loaded magazine, pulls back and releases the charging handle, and then pulls the trigger. In semi-automatic, the firearm fires only once, requiring the trigger to be released and depressed again for the next shot. In full-automatic, the rifle continues to fire automatically cycling fresh rounds into the chamber, until the magazine is exhausted or pressure is released from the trigger.