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    AK-47

    Object » linked to 234 games

    As prolific in video games as it is in real life, this iconic Russian workhorse is a mainstay of virtual firepower.

    Short summary describing this thing.

    AK-47 last edited by solidejake on 07/02/21 07:15PM View full history

    Overview

    A Russian assault rifle with incredible reliability and ruggedness. It is also incredibly cheap. Virtually everyone can afford such a weapon.

    "AK-47. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfucker in the room, accept no substitutes." - Ordell Robbie, Jackie Brown

    History

    The AK-47 was created by the Russian weapon designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947. It uses the heavy-hitting 7.62x39mm round and can put down a man of any size with one shot, provided it strikes a major organ. The weapon is not extremely accurate, but using its sights it can hit targets out to 400 meters. But, the weapon makes up for the accuracy or lack thereof with its extreme reliability during combat. The weapon is built with large clearance between parts to increase its reliability from getting gummed up with dirt, mud, or sand.

    The internal gas cylinders and the weapon's chamber were also coated with chromium to protect against rust. It also uses a long stroke gas piston system, that unlike direct impingement systems, the energy from the shot fired is redirected to the piston and the piston moves the bolt, which is a lot more reliable since hot gases do not "impinge" on the bolt and cause it to become less reliable as the bolt heats up and lubricants start to dry up. The average life span of an AK-47 will outlast most of its users; If maintained it can operate for around 20 years of use on the battlefield. Its design has proven so reliable and successful that it has produced thousands of derivatives and even informed the design of heavy machine guns, submachine guns, and even combat shotguns.

    The reason the weapon is so famous is due to its ease of manufacture, as well as the sheer ubiquity of its adoption around the world. The Soviet Union mass produced this weapon during the Cold War as a bargaining chip to countries that would support communism and defy Western ideals, supplying the rifle to governments and rebel forces around the world. Massive amounts of these weapons were exported to hundreds of countries, and now the AK-47 and its many variants can be found in the hands of fighters throughout Asia, Africa and South America. The weapon is so popular that it has even been incorporated into the national flag of Mozambique.

    There are several factors as to why the AK-47 has somewhat notorious accuracy and handling problems. The first of which is the bullet itself. The sheer size and weight of the bullet coming in at 7.62x39mm, and the weight of it at 8.0 grams, it takes a lot more energy to propel the round forward. More energy=more explosive=more recoil. Due to the AK-47's short barrel of about 16.3 inches, the bullet travels much slower than other counterparts using longer barrels and also lighter rounds like the M16. In comparison the M16 (not clear which model of M16; likely all models) with the 5.56 leaves the barrel going at 3100 feet per second.

    The AK-47, chambered in 7.62, leaves the barrel at a speed of 2300 feet per second. This speed deficiency is bogged down even more with the large diameter of the bullet, creating more drag and causing the bullet to move less rapidly. What this means is that the AK-47's bullet has to take more time to travel to it's target, time that allows other outside variables such as wind and gravity to affect the bullets trajectory, which then in turn limits the AK-47's effective range to about 300 meters.

    One of the most well-known issues of the Kalashnikov design is the iron sight design. The rifle uses open sights instead of closed sights, also known as aperture rings. Most western weapons use these iron sights. For example, the M16 and MP5 both have a closed sight instead of the open design of the AK-47. Some variants of the AK-47 have closed iron sights, though these are generally Chinese-made versions of the rifle, like the Norinco Type 56. The distance between the front and rear sight post is also shorter than on most weapons due to its design. This magnifies the problem.

    Another issue with AK-47 accuracy comes from its reliability. Internally the rifle has a large metal rod, which is pushed back towards a user as a round leaves the rifle. The rod then springs back to its original position because of the recoil spring inside the weapon. When this happens rapidly, such as during automatic fire, then the energy of the recoil is redirected. It does not remain recoiling into the stock, whereby it would be controlled. Instead it forces the weapon into an upward, circular recoil pattern. The design of the stock can cause this as well, due to the fact it is not a straight design.

    Derivatives and successors to the AK-47 have changed and refined the original design, in order to reduce the problem it poses to a shooter. Even so, the AK-47 remains the dominant weapon on a world market. It is the most widely used weapon in the world, and likely will not die out for quite some time. The AK-47 has since been replaced in Russia with newer rifles such as the AK-74 and the AK-100 series, but the original is still the most widely used weapon on the planet. It is still bought and traded on black markets all around the world, and is still manufactured in numerous countries under license.

    Game Appearances

    Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

    Standard AK-47 in-game
    Standard AK-47 in-game
    The AK-47 appears in Call of Duty 4 as an early weapon, which is unlocked at Rank 4. It is one of the two starting assault rifles, along with the M16A4. The AK is a staple of many players online, due to the high stats in all regards. The AK-47 is the more difficult of the two starters to use, but it is arguably better when adjusted to. The AK47 is used by both the OpFor, and by the Ultranationalists, which is not surprising. When compared to other rifles in-game, the 47 has superior penetration to the majority of weapons. In real life, this would be due to the fact that it fires a 7.62mm round, which packs a considerable punch. Additionally, the AK-47 is the assault rifle that has an unlockable gold camo.

    Golden AK-47 with GP-25
    Golden AK-47 with GP-25
    When the AK is used without attachments, the damage dealt is 40-30 (40 at close range, 30 at long range) per round. However, should the Red Dot Sight or Silencer be attached, the damage changes to 40-20. This makes it less valuable at longer ranges. Many gamers do not notice this when they are using the rifle. It could also be argued due to the fact that some players are more accurate with the Red Dot Sight that a drop in power is not necessarily a drop in power. If the shots continue to hit, then the lower damage is negated.



    DS Version

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    In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, for the Nintendo DS console, the AK-47 is a completely different weapon to the console version. The AK-47 is one of the two assault rifles encountered in the DS version of the game, and has a higher fire rate than in the console version of the game, with lower recoil, and less damage. It is a good medium range weapon due to this, but it is not ideal for longer ranges because the M16A4 is superior from distance in online.

    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

    In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the AK-47 is the final weapon unlocked, at Rank 70 (Commander). However
    No Caption Provided
    , it is incredibly common in single player, and is wielded frequently by the OpFor, Russian Army, and Ultranationalists. The version of the AK-47 in the game is heavily modified, and is vastly different to the more conventional model used in Call of Duty 4. Online, the AK-47 is a very high powered weapon, that is surprisingly uncommon. This is due to the fact it is only unlocked for a short time before players can enter the Prestige Mode.

    The AK-47 is outstanding at close to medium range, but it is arguably outclassed by the TAR-21, which fires at a higher rate. Per second, the AK has the second highest damage output of any weapon in the game, again, it is outclassed by the TAR-21. The TAR-21, SCAR-H, and AK-47 all have the same damage per round; the SCAR-H excels at longer ranges while the TAR-21 is ideal for close range. It leaves the AK in the middle, rather than a notable leader.

    No Caption Provided
    Regardless of the range from which the AK-47 is fired, it is always a one hit kill in Hardcore mode. This factor makes it much more common in Hardcore than it is in Core modes. The AK-47 is something of a compromise between the TAR-21 (high rate of fire, high damage, low accuracy), and the SCAR-H (high damage, high accuracy, low rate of fire), as it combines some of their traits. It fires slightly slower than the TAR-21, but faster than the SCAR-H. It is a good blend between the two weapons, but has one key downfall. Regardless of attachment selected (excluding the ACOG Scope only), the AK will have extra sway added. Many players don't notice this, but even using FMJ or Extended Mags with the AK-47 will give it sway. Should the AK be used with its unique grenade launcher, the GP-25, it will have a faster Grenade Launcher swap time, but a slower reload than the M203 used by other weapons.

    Saints Row

    This section covers both Saints Row games as the AK-47 assault rifle does not vary between them.

    In both Saints Row games, the AK-47 is a reasonably effective assault rifle. However, it is not notable for any reasons as it is outclassed by all the other assault rifles in the game. The AK-47 in Saints Row 1 & 2 is referred to as a 'K6 Krukov'. The name 'Krukov' is translated into Russian as 'Крюков'. In both games, the K6 is a standard assault rifle that works well until you can grab any other assault rifle.

    The K6 has a magazine size of 30 rounds, which means it is outclassed by the AR-40 XTND as well, which has 40 rounds in a magazine. Amusingly, Dex's voice actor slips up during the final Los Carnales mission in the original Saints Row, and rather than referring to the rifle as a Krukov or K6, he calls it an AK, which is a shortened term for the rifle. During the first Saints Row, you can see an all black AK-74 assault rifle with a muzzle break in Johnny Gat's room at the church. However, this model for the weapon is not possible to get in the game.

    Across both Saints Row games, the K6 Krukov is something of a 'poster weapon', as it appears during many cutscenes. Most of the gang bosses wield a Krukov in a cutscene at least once or twice. Tanya Winters has one during her final scene, where Benjamin King forces her to her death. Upon game completion, all homies will carry a Krukov. The third game in the series does not boast the K6 Krukov, going for a much more fictionalized rifle which bears little resemblance to an AK-47.
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