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This is an incredibly rare example of an early model of the most influential combat rifle of the mid 20th to early 21st centuries. One of which is undoubtedly the holy grail of all AK-47s: the painfully rare Type I. The ranks of the serious collectors have grown over the years, and each of them has a gun on their “wish list.” While some would settle for period-correct Bakelite furniture or slab-side magazines, others seek the most elusive items. These men and women could look at a news photo taken in sub-Sharan Africa and tell you not only what model the AK was, but where it was from and generally when it was made. Within this group of AK enthusiasts was a hardcore group of AK collectors. For years, ammo for recreational shooters to run their Eastern Bloc blasters was dirt cheap and range excursions were very enjoyable. An interest in the rifle both in a historical sense and as an economical shooter has played a big role. A Truly Rare FindĪs I mentioned earlier, the AK market has seen unprecedented growth over the last decade. Add to that another 100 million units that were directly influenced or copied and you have yourself the most successful platform of all time. It is estimated that between 50 and 75 million AK-47s have been produced since the weapon’s inception. Add to that the blatant hijacking of the Kalashnikov design by other entities and the AK world quickly became a spectrum of versions and types. Over time, the original design spawned multiple offshoots and versions. Additionally, the guns are simple to break down and clean when necessary. There is a reason you find AKs everywhere around the world. The internal tolerances are loose in comparison to other weapons, yet it runs in areas that easily foul up other guns. The gun is designed to function regardless of environment or terrain.
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While not noted for its exceptional accuracy, its durability and reliability became legend. It is easy to run and brought serious firepower to the hands of whoever was running it. The result of this focus and labor resulted in a lightweight rifle with only moderate recoil. The trigger mechanism, safety catch, rotating bolt and gas-driven action borrowed heavily from other firearms, yet it was Kalashnikov who brought it all together. Some will argue that the AK-47 is not a purely original design it is the child of several preexisting design concepts that Kalashnikov and his team used as motivation. Early production AK-47s were broken down into two distinct batch types: the version from 1948 (Type I) and the version succeeding it from 1951 (Type II). The desire to field a lightweight weapon capable of full-auto operation and chambered in the new 7.62x39mm was the driving force behind the gun. It grew from a desire to create a weapon in the line of the German Sturmgewehr (StG) 44 that the Russians saw so much of in the waning days of World War II. The AK-47 is a gas-operated rifle designed to run in both semi- and full-auto. What is it that has brought a new growth to this well-established market? The answer to that is partially in the gun itself. While there has been a long-standing cadre of AK-47 collectors, a renewed interest in this rifle over the past decade has seen those numbers rise. To the hardcore collector, this is a painful thought. An incalculable number of guns have fallen prey to neglect, rust and the ravages of time. This characteristic also led to the demise of many guns because while they are hearty, they are not indestructible. By nature, the AK-47 does not need a great deal of TLC to run. Even in this ocean of guns, there are exceptional examples of very early models that have survived the storm.
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By any method you choose to measure, the AK-47 is the most prolific fighting rifle in the history of man.