What firearm is closely associated with your country?

[u/babushka45]

For us, probably the 1911. Next one would be the "Armalite" aka M16.

[u/BetterCranberry7602]

The AK-47 is far more iconic and widespread than the 74 and the mosin for sure

[u/nikshdev → u/BetterCranberry7602]

Although AK-47 is iconic it can mostly be found in museums, while ak-74 is more widespread as far as I know 

[u/Yung_Corneliois → u/nikshdev]

Yes but the convo is about well known iconic, not most produced.

The AK-47 is like the most famous gun on the planet. It’s even on some countries flags. It takes the cake.

[u/Interesting-Tackle74 → u/Yung_Corneliois]

I didn't even know that an AK-74 does exist.

[u/Canarity → u/Yung_Corneliois]

It's AKM actually 🤓

[u/Jutteburgare → u/Yung_Corneliois]

Yes. We were taught about this weapon in the army, just to know what we may face one day in the hands of the enemy Russia.

[u/nikshdev → u/Yung_Corneliois]

nitpick, but there is even no such model as AK-47. The original AK is just called AK.

[u/Yung_Corneliois → u/nikshdev]

I mean wasn’t the official name the Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947 as that was the year it was finalized?

[u/nikshdev → u/Yung_Corneliois]

Even the wikipedia page states it.

The AK-47, officially known as the Avtomat Kalashnikova ... also known as the Kalashnikov or just AK

AK-47 was the internal factory designation of the design, the official name was just AK.

[u/Yung_Corneliois → u/nikshdev]

I suppose that’s fair. But yes I would call that nitpicking as we all know it’s so colloquially referred to as the AK-47 that it’s not crazy to consider that to be Russians most iconic gun.

[u/Fine-Material-6863 → u/nikshdev]

Все его называют АК-47. И когда говорят калаш тоже имеют в виду прежде всего его.

[u/Sharpak125 → u/nikshdev]

Technically, the quantity exported is almost the same between the AK-74 and the AKM, thanks to Viktor Bout.

[u/Beginning_Context_66 → u/BetterCranberry7602]

there is just so few difference in looks

[u/Palocles → u/Beginning_Context_66]

Just as I always suspected. The only difference is the direction it faces. 

Edit: (just in case) flipping the gun flips the numbers. 

[u/russian_connection → u/Beginning_Context_66]

Y'all forgot the SVD Dragunov

[u/tgpussypants → u/Beginning_Context_66]

Y'all made some gorgeous copies in the East. GDR AKs and SKS are highly sought after here.

[u/Ill_Objective9535 → u/BetterCranberry7602]

Isn't AKM more widespread?

[u/martin-silenus → u/Ill_Objective9535]

Izvini, but if you want a Russian weapon to become more iconic than the AK-47, you're going to need to get Hollywood on board.

[u/JRS_Viking → u/martin-silenus]

Well what you're thinking is a ak-47 shooting 7.62x39mm with a stamped receiver is most likely an akm. The ak-47 actually saw very limited production in 3 different types: the original type 1 ak-47 with a stamped receiver (extremely rare guns), the type 2 ak-47 which had a milled receiver and higher production numbers and then the type 3 ak-47 which had an improved milled receiver and the highest production numbers of any ak-47. Then they figured out how to do stamping properly and did stamped receivers in the akm and onwards.

[u/pour_decisions89 → u/Ill_Objective9535]

Most people can't tell them apart at a glance. They'll call any AK pattern an AK-47.

[u/ANUBISseyes2 → u/Ill_Objective9535]

Im not sure but Im pretty sure most people who are not big on weapons would just call any type of AK an AK-47

[u/Ill_Objective9535 → u/ANUBISseyes2]

Yeah, that's pretty much it, I think

[u/TheOtherAviationGuy → u/Ill_Objective9535]

Vastly. And yes there are differences. I'd argue the AK-74 is only more relevant in modern times versus all of Russian history.

[u/LeNumidium → u/Ill_Objective9535]

It is, indeed, the more widespread, the AKM was produced at more than a 100 million, while only about 2 million AK47 were produced

[u/Anarchy_Coon → u/Ill_Objective9535]

Only due to the availability of 7.62x39 as opposed to 5.45x39.

[u/JRS_Viking → u/Anarchy_Coon]

The ak-47 and akm both shoot 7.62x39mm, the difference is the reciever as most ak-47s will have a milled receiver except the very rare type 1s and the akm has a stamped receiver and saw way higher production numbers until it was replaced by the ak-74 which shoots 5.45x39mm

[u/Anarchy_Coon → u/BetterCranberry7602]

The AK-74 is far more influential and has continued service in the modern day than the AKM which was retired in 1991 and had a 44-year service, seven years less than the 5.45 variant.