Kalashnikov assault rifle interesting facts. The most curious facts about Mikhail Kalashnikov. At the last line

Mikhail Kalashnikov is a famous person in Russian history. He lived a long and productive life. He died in the 95th year of his life. The most famous invention of the professor-designer is the Ak-47 model of the assault rifle, which they call it - “Kalashnikov assault rifle”. Its development dates back to 1945.

AK and all its modifications are the most common types of small arms in the world. To this type (including licensed and unlicensed copies, as well as third-party developments based on AK), up to 1/5 of all small arms available in the world belong.

Over 60 years, more than 70 million Kalashnikov assault rifles of various modifications have been produced. They are in service with 50 foreign armies. The main competitor of the Kalashnikov assault rifles - the American M16 assault rifle - was produced in an amount of approximately 8 million pieces.

The total number of all varieties of the Kalashnikov assault rifle in storage and armament of the RF Armed Forces in 2013 amounted to 17,000,000 units.
  The machine consists of the following main parts and mechanisms:
  barrel with a receiver, sights and butt;
  detachable receiver cover;
  bolt frame with gas piston;
  gate;
  return mechanism;
  gas pipe with a receiver pad;
  trigger mechanism;
  forend;
  score;
  bayonet.
  Total AK about 95 parts.

One can distinguish an AK that was released before 1959 by lowering the back of the stock relative to the firing line (according to some “humpiness” of the weapon), which was typical only for the earliest automatic rifles, since this arrangement reduces the stability of the weapon when firing in bursts.

This weapon is considered the best weapon of the 20th century. Some interesting facts from the history of the machine:
  1. In 1947, the designer was recognized for the invention of the automaton - he became the laureate of the Stalin Prize and the Order of the Red Star. The premium at that time is 150 thousand rubles.
  2. The machine has been adopted since 1949. Officially, it is called the "7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle of the 1947 model." Often it is simply called "Kalash". The main qualities of the machine are simplicity and reliability.
3. In Soviet times and at this time, the ability to assemble and disassemble a Kalashnikov assault rifle was part of the minimum knowledge gained in the lessons of initial military training.
  4. The machine is affordable, as it is easy to manufacture. In some countries, its price is significantly lower than food.
  5. According to the magazine, one machine in the "black market" can cost from 10 to 3.8 million dollars. It all depends on the country: In Afghanistan, it is minimal, in India - the maximum. In the United States, such weapons will not exceed $ 350.
  6. "Kalash" is included in the Guinness Book of Records, as the most popular and common weapon in the world. Today in the world there are about 100 million machine guns.

7. For quite a long time, weapons like AK-47 are in service with many countries of the world. Today it is used by 106 states. For example, the machine has been in the arsenal of the Russian army and special forces for more than 60 years.
  8. They decided to depict the machine gun on the arms of some countries. At the moment, Kalash is present on the coat of arms of Zimbabwe (since 1980), on the coat of arms and flag of Mozambique (since 1975). There is a machine gun on the arms of the Asian state of East Timor. For a long time (including 1997), AK was present on the arms of the African state of Burkina Faso. They wanted to include a machine in the coat of arms of the Congo for a certain period of time. Even a draft of this inclusion was created, but at the last moment everything changed.
  9. In some countries of Africa, a fairly common and popular name is Kalash. Kids are named after the Kalashnikov assault rifle and its creator.
  10. Automatic machines are still produced by Izhevsk craftsmen. Russian basketball player Andrei Kirilenko is called the AK-47. The fact is that the guy is a native of Izhevsk, and on the ledge for Utah Jazz he had number 47.

The machine has even a monument. It is located in Egypt, on the shores of the Sinai Peninsula. Iraq has a mosque, the minarets of which are specially built in the form of AK stores.

There are special gilded models of the machine with a slightly modified design. One of them has long been in the possession of the former Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein.

The machine is often present on the set. For example, many video messages of the main terrorist of the world Osama bin Laden were performed against the backdrop of AK-47;
  The Central Bank of Russia congratulated the creators of the machine on the 450th anniversary of the incorporation of Udmurtia into Russia. In 2008, a limited composition of coins with the image of the machine was released.

New Zealand, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the presence of the machine in the state, issued coins with the image of AK in denominations of 2 New Zealand dollars.
  The weapon model is considered the invention of the century. This was first discussed after the publication of such a conclusion in the journal "Libration". The weapon managed to bypass the atomic bomb and the latest technology in space. The publication is dated to the end of the 20th century.

Playboy magazine conducted a survey in 2004 about products that changed the world. The machine was named the main of 50 products. The weapon was able to bypass the Apple Macintosh computer, birth control pills, and the Sony Betamax VCR.

Kalashnikov assault rifle is popular everywhere. In addition to real life, this weapon is most often used in computer games. According to the polls of the players, this particular model is the most convenient, accurate and stable in management. It is easiest to purchase or find, but you do not need to change it if possible.

The machine gun is rightfully considered the most "bloody" weapon. More people were killed from this model than after artillery fire, aerial bombardments or rocket attacks. Every year, a Kalashnikov assault rifle kills about a quarter of a million people around the world.

According to the legendary gunsmith and designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, he did not create it for murder. The only goal that the designer pursued was to protect the planet’s population. As Kalashnikov himself said more than once: “I sleep peacefully, because I have always created weapons for defense. These politicians cannot agree and use it to kill. ”

The Soviet designer of small arms M.T. Kalashnikov invented his legendary 7.62-mm machine gun in 1947. In 1949, the AK-47 was already at all military bases of the USSR. At the end of the twentieth century, a Kalashnikov assault rifle was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most common weapon in the world. Today, 60 adult inhabitants of the planet each have one Kalashnikov assault rifle. According to opinion polls, the first thing foreigners remember when they are asked about Russia is a Kalashnikov assault rifle. For half a century of its history, the AK-47 has become a true legend. How are weapons made? How did the machine become a symbol of Russia? All these questions are answered by E. Bout’s book “Kalashnikov assault rifle. Symbol of Russia. ”

"I never created weapons for killing, I created weapons for defense."

M. Kalashnikov.

30 interesting facts about the Kalashnikov assault rifle

1. For the invention of the machine in 1947, Mikhail Kalashnikov received the Stalin Prize of the first degree and the Order of the Red Star. The premium was 150 thousand rubles. With this money you could buy almost ten “Victories” (then this car was worth 16 thousand rubles.).

2. The machine was adopted in 1949. Its official name is “The 7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle of the 1947 model” (AK-47). Also, it is often called simply “Kalash”.

3. In Soviet times, the ability to assemble and disassemble a Kalashnikov assault rifle was part of the minimum knowledge gained in the lessons of initial military training.

4. In the warehouses of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, about 16 million various small arms have accumulated, most of which are Kalashnikovs. Moreover, almost 6.5 million of them have already exhausted their resources. Such stockpiles of small arms hinder the receipt of new orders, despite the fact that in Russia for the past 10 years a program has been implemented to utilize obsolete weapons. An option to solve the problem could be the proposal of the Russian Technologies State Corporation, which intends to provide the Russian Ministry of Defense with 1 new AK-12 assault rifle in exchange for 3 old-generation assault rifles that will be removed from military depots.

5. "Double standard" machine. The main advantage of the Russian assault rifle is that it can be fired with both 5.56 mm NATO rounds of ammunition and Soviet-style rounds of 7.62 mm. It is the “double standard”, experts say, that made Kalashnikov so popular on the world market.

6. Machine clones exist around the world. In many countries, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is being illegally manufactured. Officially, it is produced in 12 countries, and it is impossible to count illegal producers. Most foreign fakes are much worse in quality, and discredit the work of Russian gunsmiths. At almost any exhibition, Russian representatives have to make claims to foreign manufacturers about the fake of Soviet weapons. In fact, the patent for Kalashnikov obtained in 1997 (world patent WO9905467 dated February 4, 1999) actually protects only certain design solutions embodied in the AK-74M series, but not the earlier AK and AKM.

7. According to various sources, over 50 to 70 million Kalashnikov assault rifles (all modifications) were produced in 50 years. It is impossible to count the exact number of copies due to the huge number of fakes of the Kalashnikov assault rifle

8. The Golden Machine of Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein had several gilded Kalashnikovs. The dictator awarded them to his closest associates for special merits. When in April 2003, American troops entered Baghdad, the soldiers found about two dozen gilded firearms. In the abandoned palace of the eldest son of Hussein Uday, a gilded AK was found with the inscription: "A gift from President Saddam Hussein."

9. AK-47 is the favorite weapon of Somali pirates and the prize for the best knowledge of the Koran. In Somalia, for many, the Kalashnikov rifle became the same as the net for the fisherman - the only production tool. In this country, where the radical Islamist group Al-Shabab operates, children are even awarded with these weapons for good knowledge of the Koran.

10. A Kalashnikov assault rifle is not very expensive because of the simplicity of production. In some countries, it is cheaper than chicken.

11. According to the estimates of Foreign Policy magazine, the cost of one machine in the "black market" ranges from $ 10 in Afghanistan to $ 4 thousand in India. In the United States, a Kalashnikov assault rifle can be purchased for $ 70-350.

12. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most common weapon in the world. Currently, there are about 100 million AKs in the world.

13. For 60 adult inhabitants of our planet, there is 1 Kalashnikov assault rifle.

14. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is in service with the armies and special forces of 106 countries of the world. In the arsenal of the Russian army, Kalashnikov’s weapons are 60 years old.

15. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is depicted on the arms of some states. Currently, it is present in the coat of arms of the African country of Zimbabwe (since 1980), on the coat of arms and flag of Mozambique (since 1975), the coat of arms of the Asian state of East Timor. From 1984 to 1997, the AK was depicted on the arms of the African state of Burkina Faso.

16. There was a project to include a machine in the coat of arms of the Congo.

17. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is depicted on the emblem of the Lebanese Hezbollah group.

18. In some African countries, newborns are given the name Kalash - in honor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

19. Russian basketball player Andrei Kirilenko, a native of Izhevsk, where the famous Kalashnikov rifles are made, earned the nickname AK-47 in the United States, speaking in the NBA for Utah Jazz at number 47.

20. In Egypt, on the shores of the Sinai Peninsula, a monument has been erected to a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

21. There is a mosque in Iraq whose minarets are built in the form of AK.23 shops. Many video messages of Osama bin Laden’s “terrorist number one” were made “in the background” of AK.

22. The Kalashnikov assault rifle can be found in almost all the most popular computer games: Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Warface.

23. Recently, a monument to the legendary machine gun was installed in Kamchatka.

24. In 2008, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation issued coins depicting a Kalashnikov assault rifle in honor of the 450th anniversary of the incorporation of Udmurtia into Russia.

25. For the 60th anniversary of arms in New Zealand, coins engraved with AK engraving in denominations of two New Zealand dollars were minted.

26. In Afghanistan, the image of the machine is embroidered on rugs.

27. At the end of the 20th century, the French magazine Libration recognized the Kalashnikov assault rifle as the invention of the century. The famous weapons managed to get around the atomic bomb and space technology.

28. In 2004, Playboy magazine named the Kalashnikov assault rifle one of the “50 Products That Changed the World”, spotting it after the Apple Macintosh computer, birth control pills and Sony Betamax VCR.

29. The Kalashnikov assault rifle of one or another model is the most popular weapon in computer games - it is in almost all computer games.

30. It is believed that more people were killed from the Kalashnikov assault rifle than as a result of artillery fire, aerial bombardments and rocket attacks. A quarter of a million people die from AK bullets annually.

I did not invent weapons to kill people, but to protect my Fatherland. People often ask me: “How do you sleep, because so many people were killed from your machine gun?” And I say this: “I have a great dream. Let the politicians who start the war sleep badly. ” (M.T. Kalashnikov).

Kalashnikov rifle - one of the best rifle guns in the world. Despite the fact that it was created over 60 years ago, it still has no equal in its field. This weapon was created by an ordinary man from Altai province, and became famous throughout the world. Now, few people do not know about his creation, and today we have prepared for you 10 interesting facts about the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

10th place: Statistics

There are reliable facts that more people die from a Kalashnikov assault rifle in the world than from bombs or various shells. Every year, 250 thousand people die from firearms. However, according to the creator, he is not guilty of this, since he created an automatic machine for protection, and the fact that people die from him is the fault of politicians who are not able to ensure security in their countries. And indeed it is.

9th place: Video games

Many spend their free time at the computer, playing a variety of types of "shooters", and even here it could not do without AK-47 (abbreviated name of the machine). It is used here in a wide variety of modifications.

8th place: Significance

Here is another interesting fact about the Kalashnikov assault rifle; the Libration (France) publication puts the Kalashnikov assault rifle higher on the list than nuclear bombs or spacecraft inventions or the Playboy magazine in an article about things that changed the world, puts it on a par with the invention birth control pills or the invention of video recorders. The comparison is of course strange, but nevertheless he is in the lead in this list.

7th place: Children named Kalash

In our country, it is difficult to imagine that parents would want to name their child like that, and it will not be easy for him at school, but in Africa this is usually the case, so they loved Mikhail Kalashnikov’s invention.

6th place: Special execution of the Kalashnikov assault rifle

For the President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, the machine was made special, it was gilded, and he had a special design, well, the President cannot walk with the same weapons as an ordinary soldier. And also at the performances of Osama bin Laden, AK-47 was often present on the set.

5th place: Architecture associated with the AK-47

There are many monuments where this machine is captured. So in Egypt they showed their attention and gratitude to these weapons. And in Iraq, buildings in the form of a horn are rebuilt from a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Many people mistakenly think that these are monuments to weapons, but on the most, these are monuments dedicated to victories, liberation, etc., and the Kalashnikov assault rifle as a symbol.

4th place: Guinness Book of Records

Yes, it’s the Kalashnikov assault rifle that is listed in it as the most common weapon in the world. Its owners are more than 100 million people around the planet, so you can imagine how many people near you are the owners of this indispensable remedy. And also in 1947 (the date of the invention of the machine gun), Mikhail Kalashnikov received the Order of the Red Star and the Stalin Prize (150 thousand rubles), so the Great Leader did not offend him either.

3rd place: Simplicity and cheapness

In a number of countries where the production of the assault rifle is perfectly arranged, its price is equal to the cost of chicken, so if your wife sent you to the store for chicken, and you brought a Kalashnikov assault rifle from there, your budget will not suffer, but no one will be affected by the state of health not responding. Although in India they are asking for about $ 4,000. Because of its simplicity, children in schools in military training classes can easily assemble and disassemble a machine gun in less than a minute. What to speak of soldiers who constantly deal with weapons, it is simply irreplaceable for them. And here is a record AK build and disassemble time of 11 seconds!

2nd place: Common use

A reliable fact about the Kalashnikov assault rifle is that it is used by armies of 160 countries of the world, and for its army it has been serving for more than 70 years and has never proved to be disadvantageous.

1st place: Image of AK on state symbols

The silhouette of the AK-47 is depicted on state symbols, such as Mozambique, East Timor, Congo and Burkina Faso from 1984-1997. And in his native country, it is minted on commemorative coins of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in honor of the fact that Udmurtia became part of Russia 450 years ago.

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Kalashnikov assault rifles are in service with the regular armies of more than fifty countries. Their creator - - went down in history not only as the designer of the most popular machine gun in the world, but also as the developer of a unified model of automatic small arms. The machine is reliable and easy enough to maintain, even with careless care, in the most difficult conditions. In addition, a full training course in using a machine is only 10 hours. AiF.ru collected some interesting information about the famous invention of the designer.

For his machine gun, Mikhail Kalashnikov received the Stalin Prize

Mikhail Kalashnikov never patented his inventions, and therefore did not become a rich man. For the invention of the machine in 1947, Mikhail Kalashnikov received the Stalin Prize of the first degree and the Order of the Red Star. The premium was 150 thousand rubles. With this money you could buy almost ten “Victories” (then this car was worth 16 thousand rubles).

Mikhail Kalashnikov. Photo: RIA Novosti / Ruslan Krivobok

Warehouses of the Ministry of Defense are full of Kalashnikovs

In the warehouses of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, about 16 million various small arms have accumulated, most of which are Kalashnikovs. Moreover, almost 6.5 million of them have already exhausted their resources. Such stockpiles of small arms hinder the receipt of new orders, despite the fact that in Russia for the past 10 years a program has been implemented to utilize obsolete weapons. An option to solve the problem could be the proposal of the Russian Technologies State Corporation, which intends to provide the Russian Ministry of Defense with 1 new AK-12 assault rifle in exchange for 3 old-generation assault rifles that will be removed from military depots.

Automatic-grenade launcher system "Silence" based on AKM. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Vitaly V. Kuzmin

"Double standard" machine

The main advantage of the Russian assault rifle is that it can be fired with both 5.56 mm NATO rounds of ammunition and Soviet-style rounds of 7.62 mm. It is the “double standard”, experts say, that made the “Kalashnikov” so popular in the world market.

The machine can be bought on the black market for $ 10

According to the estimates of Foreign Policy magazine, the price of a machine in the "black market" ranges from $ 10 in Afghanistan to $ 3,800 in India. In the United States, a Kalashnikov assault rifle can be purchased for $ 70-350. Military experts argue that for the price of one Izhevsk AK-74 (export price is about $ 100), it is entirely possible to purchase two, or even three, Asian-made assault rifles.

Sight AK (or one of the foreign copies). Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / 00009

Clone machines exist around the world

In many countries, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is being illegally manufactured. Officially, it is produced in 12 countries, and it is impossible to count illegal producers. Most foreign fakes are much worse in quality, and discredit the work of Russian gunsmiths. At almost any exhibition, Russian representatives have to make claims to foreign manufacturers about the fake of Soviet weapons. In fact, the patent for Kalashnikov obtained in 1997 (world patent WO9905467 dated February 4, 1999) actually protects only certain design solutions embodied in the AK-74M series, but not the earlier AK and AKM.

Assembling the machine was mandatory at the lessons of the NVP

In Soviet times, every student knew how to assemble and disassemble the AK-47 assault rifle, this was taught in the lessons of initial military training. To get the five, the machine had to be assembled and disassembled in 18-30 seconds. Today, in schools, at the lessons of life safety, Russian students are again taught to assemble and disassemble Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Incomplete disassembly of the AK74. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / www.defenseimagery.mil

Saddam Hussein's Golden Assault Rifle

Saddam Hussein had several gilded Kalashnikovs. The dictator awarded them to his closest associates for special merits. When in April 2003, American troops entered Baghdad, the soldiers found about two dozen gilded firearms. In the abandoned palace of the eldest son of Hussein Uday, a gilded AK was found with the inscription: "A gift from President Saddam Hussein."

A stand in the museum of the Abdin Palace. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Gérard Ducher

AK-47 - favorite weapon of Somali pirates and prize for the best knowledge of the Koran

In Somalia, for many, the Kalashnikov rifle became the same as the net for the fisherman - the only production tool. In this country, where the radical Islamist group Al-Shabab operates, children are even awarded with these weapons for good knowledge of the Koran.

Kalashnikov assault rifle adorns the state symbols of some countries

Currently, the image of the machine is present on the coat of arms of several African countries - Zimbabwe, Mozambique, East Timor, Burkina Faso, Congo, as well as on the emblem of the Lebanese Hezbollah group.

Flag of Mozambique. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Open Clip Art

The machine is depicted on banknotes and coins

Mozambique currency note contains an image of a Kalashnikov assault rifle. And in New Zealand, on the 60th anniversary of the legendary weapon, the mint minted coins in denominations of two New Zealand dollars with engraving AK-47.

Monument to the machine gun in Egypt

In Egypt, on the banks of the Sinai Peninsula, a monument was erected to the Kalashnikov assault rifle - the main weapon that stopped Israeli aggression.

In Africa, children are called Kalash.

In some African countries, children are given the name Kalash - in honor of the famous assault rifle.

US Marine with MPi-KMS-72, East German equivalent of AKMS. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Sus scrofa

1. For the invention of the machine in 1947, Mikhail Kalashnikov received the Stalin Prize of the first degree and the Order of the Red Star. The premium was 150 thousand rubles. With this money you could buy almost ten "Victories" (then this car was worth 16 thousand rubles.)

2. The machine was adopted in 1949. Its official name is "The 7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle of the 1947 model" (AK-47). Also, it is often called simply "Kalash". According to the designer himself, the main qualities of his weapon are "simplicity and reliability." “I created the machine gun as a sergeant, and I constantly remembered that the soldier of the academy did not finish,” Kalashnikov himself said.
  3. In Soviet times, the ability to assemble and disassemble a Kalashnikov assault rifle was part of the minimum knowledge gained in the lessons of initial military training.
  4. Kalashnikov assault rifle is not very expensive because of the simplicity of production. In some countries, it is cheaper than chicken.
  5. According to the estimates of Foreign Policy magazine, the cost of one machine in the "black market" ranges from $ 10 in Afghanistan to $ 4 thousand in India. In the United States, a Kalashnikov assault rifle can be purchased for $ 70-350.
  6. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most common weapon in the world. Currently, there are about 100 million AKs in the world. This means that for 60 adult inhabitants of our planet there is 1 machine.
  7. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is in service with the armies and special forces of 106 countries of the world. In the arsenal of the "native" army, Kalashnikov’s weapons are 60 years old.
  8. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is depicted on the arms of some states. Currently, it is present in the coat of arms of the African country of Zimbabwe (since 1980), on the coat of arms and flag of Mozambique (since 1975), the coat of arms of the Asian state of East Timor. From 1984 to 1997, the AK was depicted on the arms of the African state of Burkina Faso. In addition, there was a project to include a machine in the coat of arms of Congo. AK is depicted on the emblem of the Lebanese Hezbollah group.
  9. In some African countries, newborns are given the name Kalash - in honor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.
  10. Russian basketball player Andrei Kirilenko, a native of Izhevsk, where the famous Kalashnikov rifles are made, earned the nickname AK-47 in the United States, speaking in the NBA for Utah Jazz at number 47.
  11. In Egypt, on the banks of the Sinai Peninsula, a monument has been erected to a Kalashnikov assault rifle. There is a mosque in Iraq whose minarets are built in the form of AK stores.
  12. Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had a redesigned gold-plated AK.
  13. Many video messages of Osama bin Laden’s “terrorist number one” are made against AK’s background.
  14. In 2008, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation issued coins with the image of a Kalashnikov assault rifle in honor of the 450th anniversary of the incorporation of Udmurtia into Russia.
15. For the 60th anniversary of arms in New Zealand, coins engraved with AK engraving in denominations of two New Zealand dollars were minted.
  16. At the end of the 20th century, the French magazine Liberation recognized the Kalashnikov assault rifle as the invention of the century. The famous weapons managed to get around the atomic bomb and space technology.
  17. In 2004, Playboy magazine named the Kalashnikov assault rifle one of the “50 products that changed the world,” determining its place after the Apple Macintosh computer, birth control pills, and Sony Betamax VCR.
  18. A Kalashnikov assault rifle of one or another model is the most popular weapon in computer games - it is found in almost all 3D "shooters."
  19. It is believed that more people were killed from a Kalashnikov assault rifle than as a result of artillery fire, aerial bombardments and rocket attacks. A quarter of a million people die from AK bullets annually.
  20. The legendary Russian gunsmith Mikhail Kalashnikov said that he had been inventing weapons for defense all his life, not for killing: “I sleep peacefully because I always created weapons for defense. Politicians cannot agree on this and use it to kill.”