   the ak-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62Ã39mm assault rifle, first developed in the soviet union by mikhail kalashnikov. it is officially known in the soviet documentation as avtomat kalashnikova (). it is also known as kalashnikov, ak, or in russian slang, kalash. design work on the ak-47 began in the last year of world war ii (1945). after the w
1947_introductions 7.62_mm_rifles Assault_rifles Cold_War_weapons_of_the_Soviet_Union Infantry_weapons_of_the_Cold_War Kalashnikov_derivatives Military_equipment_1945a1949 Rifles_of_the_Cold_War Soviet_inventions Weapons_of_Russia