Kalashnikov rifle

Kalashnikov rifles (Russian: Автоматы Калашникова), also known as the AK platform, AK rifles, or simply the AK, are a family of assault rifles based on Mikhail Kalashnikov's original design. They are officially known in Russian as avtomat Kalashnikova (Russian: автомат Калашникова, lit. 'Kalashnikov's automatic [rifle]'), and informally as kalash in Russian. They were originally manufactured in the Soviet Union by Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash). Rifles similar to the Kalashnikov and its Soviet variants were later produced in many countries friendly to the Soviet Bloc, with rifles based on its design such as the Galil ACE and the INSAS also being produced. The Kalashnikov is one of the most widely used firearms in the world, with an estimated 72 million rifles in global circulation.

The original Kalashnikov rifles and their derivatives, as produced in the Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation.

The rifle's simple design makes it easy to produce, and the Soviet Union readily leased plans of the firearm to friendly countries, where it could be produced locally at a low cost. As a result, the Kalashnikov rifles and their variants have been manufactured in many countries, with and without licenses. Manufacturing countries in alphabetical order include:

The following rifles were either based on the Kalashnikov design, or have a different design but are superficially similar in appearance:

The Kalashnikov weapon design has become increasingly more popular in the American firearms industry. There are specific competitive shooting matches that require the use of its weapon variants like the Red Oktober match held just outside of St. George, Utah. It is a match designed for the use of ComBloc style weapons, but the Kalashnikov design is extremely heavy within the participants' arsenals.

Due to sanctions to Russia preventing the import of arms, a number of companies started producing clones of the Kalashnikov family of weapons. In particular, the company Kalashnikov USA was created specifically for this purpose. Companies such as Palmetto State Armory and Century Arms also produce Kalashnikov clones.