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The '''AK-47''' (Russian '''А'''втомат '''К'''алашникова образца 19'''47''' года, ''Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947'') is a gas-operated, selective-fire [[assault rifle]] designed by [[Mikhail Kalashnikov]]. Over 100 million have been manufactured, making the AK-47 the most widely used firearm in the world. During the design, Kalashnikov built upon many elements introduced by the [[Nazi]] [[Sturmgewehr44]] and the [[M1 Garand]] of the [[United States]]. The modernized version of the AK-47 is the [[AK-74]] assault rifle, the standard-issue infantry rifle of the [[Russian Federation]].<ref>[http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/ Manufacturer official site]</ref>

The '''AK-47''' (Russian '''А'''втомат '''К'''алашникова образца 19'''47''' года, ''Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947'') is a gas-operated, selective-fire [[assault rifle]] designed by [[Mikhail Kalashnikov]]. Over 100 million have been manufactured, making the AK-47 the most widely used firearm in the world. During the design, Kalashnikov built upon many elements introduced by the [[Nazi]] [[Sturmgewehr44]] and the [[M1 Garand]] of the [[United States]]. The modernized version of the AK-47 is the [[AK-74]] assault rifle, the standard-issue infantry rifle of the [[Russian Federation]].<ref>[http://www.izhmash.ru/eng/ Manufacturer official site]</ref>

Kalashnikov based the design of the AK-47 on the [[Nazi]] [[Sturmgewehr44]] of late [[WWII]]. This earlier weapon was a cross between a [[rifle]] and a [[submachinegun]]. Experience in combat had shown the [[Nazis]] that most combat happened at ranges in between what was optimum for the usual mix of fullbore rifles and submachineguns equipping most infantrymen of the time. They designed a rifle with a shortened cartridge that was capable of effective automatic fire at short ranges while still being powerful enough to be accurate out to several hundred yards. Kalashnikov designed a simplified and lightened version of this rifle as the AK-47.

After being wounded in combat against Nazi forces during [[World War II]], Kalashnikov realized that most firefights in modern combat occurred within approximately 100 meters. Noting this, he began to design an assault rifle with a smaller cartridge than a standard rifle, a higher rate of fire, and more power than a submachine gun.<ref>[http://kalashnikov.guns.ru/ Kalashnikov official site]</ref><ref>[http://www.ak-47.net/ AK-47.net]</ref>

The AK-47 has a reputation for durability, having been fully submerged in water and filled with sand without significant affects on the gun's performance.<ref>[http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/20030423.asp AK Durability Assessment]</ref> This is due to the distance between major moving parts, allowing a greater tolerance. However, this comes at a cost of accuracy; the distance between parts means that the gun cannot be as precise and, therefore, not as accurate. The AK-47 has seen widespread use, being involved in virtually every armed conflict since it's design.

The AK-47 has a reputation for durability, having been fully submerged in water and filled with sand without significant affects on the gun's performance.<ref>[http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/20030423.asp AK Durability Assessment]</ref> This is due to the distance between major moving parts, allowing a greater tolerance. However, this comes at a cost of accuracy; the distance between parts means that the gun cannot be as precise and, therefore, not as accurate. The AK-47 has seen widespread use, being involved in virtually every armed conflict since it's design.