Kalashnikov: Machine Pistols, Assault Rifles and Machine-Guns, 1945 to the Present

by John A. Walter

This volume examines one of the outstanding successes in small-arms history. From the first gun designed by a convalescing Red Army sergeant in 1941, to mass production and use by a vast number of armed forces throughout the world, this is the complete story of Kalashnikov. The prototype was developed into the AK-47 by 1949, and by the 1950s the Kalashnikov had achieved runaway success based on simplicity and reliability. This superbly illustrated gun-by-gun directory identifies individual Kalashnikov variants and types, and includes details of sights, bayonets and ammunition.

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 4, 1999