Written by: Girwan Paudyal - 21107, Grade XII
Posted on: 02 September, 2020
The AK-47 (Automatic Kalashnikov-47) has been a dominant automatic rifle ever since its development in 1945. During World War II (WW-II), automatic rifles were not properly developed; soldiers mainly used SMGs (sub-machine guns) for close range and bolt-action semi-auto rifles for long-range. However, Germans broke through this obstacle with their Sturmgewehr 44 rifle, which combined the firing rate of an SMG and the accuracy of a bolt rifle. Thus, it could shoot accurately and could fire more rounds even at long range. Fascinated and threatened, the Soviets got around developing their own automatic rifle and thus, AK-47 came into being.
After WW-II, the economy around the world dipped, and also, the cold war began. The AK-47 came into wide success during this time. An automatic rifle made up of metal and wood, and able to support 30 round magazines, that could be produced cheaply and was sturdy on the battlefield was then being wielded by every soldier. It heavily influenced the proxy wars between Communism and Capitalism. It is still in widespread use- many armed forces of countries and armies still relying on the AK.
While the AK-47 left an iconic mark on the world, however, it would soon meet its new competitor, the M16, or the better developed M4 carbine. Although AK-47 was fairly reliable, it would often need constant cleaning and taking care of. AK-47 would often be jammed if any kind of dirt or mud got into it and thus, couldn’t be relied on in extreme weather. The M4 carbine, however, was an even sturdier rifle, not jamming too often, standing harsh conditions, and was also fully customizable with scopes and grenade launchers.
Even though the M4 surpasses the AK in raw firepower and accuracy, still the AK paved the way for more automatic rifles and still remains in wide use today. Thus, it could certainly be hailed as the most iconic rifle in the world.
