I'm bored, so here's a small thread with basic trivia on the evolution of the Kalashnikov.

A lot of people think Mikhail Kalashnikov just invented a single gun, but, he invented a framework for lots and lots of guns. Here's some examples.

First AK ever was not the AK-47, but rather this, the AK-46. It was a prototype version that was never mass-produced.

THIS is the AK-47. A lot of historians overpraise it but it was very innovative for its time. The fascist equivalent, the STG-44, often relied on really high effort engineering that made it hopelessly expensive. Most arms manufacturers had not considered the economic factor.

So the secret ingredient to the Kalashnikov was Marxism. It was engineered not just with performance in mind, but also production. Moving on...

So why do I say it's overpraised? Well, the Soviets certainly thought so. That's why they came up with the AK-74. A more modern version that fired a smaller round, since they figured out that bullets will kill you even if they're small, and it makes them travel further and faster

The USSR also developed the AK74u, which was a compact version of it, thereby qualifying it as a carbine if I am not mistaken. Mainly intended for vehicle crews in tanks, helicopters, APCs etc, where a long barrel was a bit inconvenient.

Then you have the Norinco Type 56, which is the Chinese patent Kalashnikov. It has a few alterations but I believe most of these were to accommodate local production modes/factory machinery.

Then you have the AKS variety, with a foldable wire stock. Very popular among the Viet Minh and I believe it was intended for urban/indoor warfare where, sometimes contrary to Hollywood, a stockless alternative can be useful.

Then you have the Zastava M76, which is not a Soviet gun, but rather a Yugoslav marksman rifle.

The Soviet variety is called a Dragunov SVD, and it looks like this.

Not to be confused with its commando alternative, the VSS Vintorez, which is a very tactical marksman rifle/assault rifle hybrid with a built-in suppressor. Useful for hunting Chechen insurgents.

There's also the non-marksman alternative, the AS-Val which was developed around the same time because the USSR had a bit of an insurgent problem in the 80s.

Then there's the machine gun variations, starting with the RPK which is a light machine gun. It had a larger magazine and a longer barrel than the AK so that it could be used for suppressive fire.

Then you have the RPK's older brother, the RPD, that replaced the WW2-era DP-28 machine gun. The DP had a dish-like drum magazine fitted to the top of the gun like a Lewis, the RPD had a more modern design.

Also here's some evil liberal varieties of the gun that goes against everything Mikhail Kalashnikov stood for.

These guns were adapted mostly because the Marxist alternatives were too militarised, and they needed guns that could target refugees and journalists.

Point is, Mikhail Kalashnikov was kind of a big deal.

Also, fun bonus trivia:

The West did actually realise the value of production later on when they developed the Armalite guns. Including the IRA favorite, AR-18.

Pictured is the Irish variety, and the Japanese Howa variety. Both designed to be built with steel presses.