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How does an AK47 function, and why is it supposed to be the best gun?
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I believe China still manufactures the AK-47. As mentioned, it's a gun that's very reliable and powerful (it fires the 7.62mm round which is large compared to most modern forces these days - US and UK use 5.56mm).
There are several different versions, most notably the wooden stock version and the fold-away metal stock version. The latter makes it a good all round weapon since it can be used in more confined spaces than other rifles.
It uses spring assisted gas recoil (gas from the round just fired) to open the breech and insert the next round. The British SA-80 works in exactly the same manner, even though its a bull-pup design. The AKs are only the best gun if you want a cheap automatic assault rifle that lasts forever. The Russians copied the design from the German Stg-44 at the end of WWII. It was made as cheaply as possible but also to last a long time which makes it very inaccurate. As a weapon for killing people its @rse, they're only good for supression as you can't hit the side of a barn with one.
Another theory is that it was 'invented' by a Russian cook called Kalashnikov (hence the K preceeded by the A for assualt). A very simple design as I understand it only reloaded by a spring rather than recoil or gas assisted, lubricated by lard rather than machine oil. As others have said very cheap, very reliable and very copyable!
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