Production of AK-47 Begins

Date: July 6, 1947 • Location: Moscow, Russia

The AK-47 goes into production in the Soviet Union.

The AK-47, full name Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova, is an assault rifle chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian small-arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, it is the originating firearm of the Kalashnikov family of rifles. After more than seven decades since its creation, the AK-47 model and its variants remain one of the most popular and widely used firearms in the world.