Eighty years of the Kalashnikov.From a wounded tank sergeant to the most made rifle in history.
1Birth of the Rifle
1919
Mikhail Kalashnikov Is BornBorn November 10, 1919 in Kurya, in the Altai region of Russia.
1941
Wounded at BryanskTank sergeant Kalashnikov is wounded in October 1941 and starts designing weapons while he recovers.
1943
The 7.62×39 RoundThe Soviet Union develops the M43 intermediate cartridge the AK would be built around.
1947
The AK-47 DesignKalashnikov’s design wins the Soviet trials, and the rifle takes the name Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947.
1949
Adopted by the Soviet ArmyThe AK-47 is adopted and production ramps up at Izhevsk.
2The AK Spreads
1956
China’s Type 56China begins making its own AK as the Type 56, one of the most produced versions.
1959
The AKMThe lighter stamped receiver AKM replaces the milled AK-47 and becomes the most common version.
1960s
Warsaw Pact ArsenalsPoland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, East Germany and Yugoslavia all build their own versions.
1974
The AK-74The Soviet Army adopts the AK-74 in the smaller 5.45×39 cartridge.
3The AK in the United States
1986
Machine Gun Registry ClosedThe Hughes Amendment closes the registry to new civilian machine guns, so new US AKs are semi-auto.
1989
Import BanA 1989 import ban on certain semi-auto rifles leads to thumbhole sporter AKs like the MAK-90.
1990
922(r) RulesThe parts count rule for rifles built from imported parts takes shape.
1994
Chinese Imports EndChinese rifle imports stop in 1994, and the federal ban on certain rifles begins.
2002
AK-47.us Goes OnlineGun Websites starts AK-47.us in December 2002, the first version of this site.
2004
Federal Ban SunsetsThe 1994 federal ban expires in September 2004, opening the market back up.
4Modern Era
2013
Kalashnikov ConcernIzhmash becomes Kalashnikov Concern. Mikhail Kalashnikov dies on December 23, 2013.
2014
Russian Imports StopUS sanctions on Kalashnikov Concern halt new imports of Russian rifles.
2016
Kalashnikov Buyers GuideThe site becomes a collector community with forums, events and the AK47 Guru Podcast.
2023
AK47 Buyers GuideThe site takes its current name and focus on collecting.