Thanks to Jip for pointing out the goof in the AK Types graphic. I sent the team a link to our online collection and didn't make clear it was a photo of two rifles - a Type 2 AK on top, and an AKM on the bottom - the wrong one got included in the video.

Jonathan Ferguson, a man who can look infinitely cooler than most of the tacticool gun-tubers out there while dressed in his traditional curator's garb. No pretence at military nonsense, just a brit dressed for after-work pints and armed with an AK.

It's only called an AK-47 if it's made autumn 1948 to summer 1949, otherwise it's just sparkling Kalashnikov

Hi, your friendly Russian here!) For those who are still confused in all those markings - here is a bit more AK variant names and what they actually mean: Basically we take the base model and add various "attachments" onto it. AK - the OG guy. (АКС) AKS - "Skladnoy" or "Foldable" - same thing but with foldable stock. AKM - "Modernized". (АКМС) AKMS - same as AKS but for M-variant. (АКМН) AKMN - "Nochnoy" or "Night-variant" - AKM with a "Lastochkin Khvost" mount for 1PN34 NSPU scope. Can also be used with any other soviet scopes such as PSO-1. (АКМСН) AKMSN - "Skladnoy & Nochnoy" - the ultimate AKM combining previous two variants in one. AK-74 - same story, but 5.45 (АКС-74) AKS-74 - you get the idea. (АКС-74у) AKS-74u - "ukorochenniy" or "shortened" or "the smol boi" - very short variant of AKS-74 made for police and vehicle crews. Also has few variants: AKS-74UN - same as other "N"-variants. Now obsolete because later scope mount became standart for base AKS-74u. (6S1 "Canary") AKS-74UB - "besshumniy" or "silent" - standart muzzle device replaced with a thread-mount for PBS-4 silencer. Also has mounts for BS-1M silent grenade launcher. (АК-74Н) AK-74N - same as AKMN. (АКС-74Н) AKS-74N - same as AKMSN. AK-74M - more modern variant of AKS-74N with black polymer furniture. AK-100 series - made mostly for export. AK-101 - AK chambered in 5.56 NATO. AK-102 - short-barrel variant of AK-101. AK-103 - 7.62 variant. AK-104 - short AK 103. AK-105 - short-barrel AK-74M (5.45) made also for MVD (police) and anti-terrorist units. Still bigger than AKS-74u. AK-107 - AK-74M with "balanced recoil system" somewhat similar to AEK-971 (5.45). AK-108 - same but for AK-101 (5.56). AK-109 - same but for AK-103 (7.62).

I love how he REALLY follow proper safety protocols at around 1:00. He removes (what is at this point thought to be) the empty magazine, he then shows an empty chamber, looks for confirmation from what I surmise is a renge safety person, and STILL points the weapon down range for a last "click" to be sure it's safe. If only everyone could keep it that safe on the range...

Kinda weird that we do not see people calling an SKS a "SKS-45" or "RPD-44" or whatever, truly an intriguing fact that it only stuck with the AK for some reason

Being born in Leeds, I'm proud of how much the RA has grown in the recent decades and how much work people (Such as Jonathan) have placed into such a brilliant museum. Keep it up!.

I'm afraid the graphic at 11:16 is messed up, with an AKM image in place of the type 2 AK.

I can not watch this right now so take this fun fact: the Russian Wikipedia page for Kalashnikov Rifles (there are not individual pages for the variants in Russian) accurately calls the AK-47 a prototype. The English Wikipedia page however calls the AK-47 the gun that is used.

One of the best lines in film: "This is the AK-47 assault rifle, the preferred weapon of your enemy; and it makes a distinctive sound when fired at you, so remember it."

Always a good day when we see Jonathan get to shoot.

Ak47s were hard to find by late 1960s. They stopped production shortly after the AKM was introduced. Neither media not the general public have realized this as of yet. Another giveaway for spotting early model AKs is the magazine. Later magazines had three to four grooves along the sides to improve grip while wearing gloves. The AKM is far more ubiquitous than all previous AK variants combined.

Johnathan Ferguson is one of very few people who can use modern lingo effectively and without any cringe despite not growing up with it.

one more note of the difference between the AK-55 and the Type III AK-47 is that the Russian guns use a laminated wood furniture with a shellac finish while the Ak-55 used a hardwood furniture with an oil finish.

I hate it when people call every AK variant an AK 47 despite that it is not. I know that the average person does not know the differences between these variants but still grinds my gears.

I remember reading that true AK-47 are very rare as only a small number of them were made and run though their service life before they were replaced with later models.

One thing I definitely have to laud Johnathan and his crew for is how he'd mentioned having contacted Mr. Onokoy for some information on the AK. Mr. Onokoy has worked with Kalashnikov Group for quite a while now, and has also handled a considerable amount of AK variants around the world. As such, he's very familiar with them. Yeah, if there's one expert who I'd really recommend consulting, with regards to the AK and it's derivatives, it'd be him.

I love the videos where we get to see him firing some of these iconic weapons! There is also something funny about them being used in a location that, from the angles provided, looks like the basement of an office instead of at a traditional shooting range.

I don’t see the problem with calling AKs made between 1947 and 1959 AK-47s, because even the other variants made later were based on the same design that was presented to the Russian military in the year 1947. They then made various rifles based on that design and the few tweaks they made didn’t make it a different firearm fundamentally, until the AKM, as Jonathon says.

11:16 Isn't that "Type 2" an AKM? The absence of lightening cut on the receiver, the angled muzzle device, the straight buttstock, the bakelite grip, and the ribbed top cover

Been to the militaire museum in Delft years ago after Mikhail Kalashnikov opended in 2010, incredible collection that they had, learned so much that day. There so many variants from so many countries.

Very nuanced summary as always, great job Jonathan! 2:53 Type 3 was sometimes distinguished in the nomenclature as 'lightened' (облегчённый). 3:53 Namely, АВ (AV - automatic) & ОД (OD - single, i.e. semi-auto). I believe the markings would be somewhat different with Bulgarian AKs. 11:08 More importantly, firing mechanism was modified to reduce the rate of fire, and bolt carrier was slightly improved, probably for better accuracy. 15:15 I was just about to mention it! Apparently no less than 14 thousand exemplars were printed with such cover. 16:09 It seems that some either still are or until very recently were in service in Mongolia.

@17:20 - "Just call it an AK" - And here comes the Chinese Type 56, Yugoslavian M70, Hungarian AMD-65, and Iraqi Tabuk

I assumed the nomenclature of AK-47 was used by much of the world as a continuation of the nomenclature used for many other Soviet WW2 era small arms incorporating the weapon designer and year of adoption ie PPSh-41, SVT40, PPS43 etc. From an opponent’s point of view the only significant change is the change of calibre to 5.45X39 as the differences in external and terminal ballistics are significantly different. Of course as a subject expert (or a nerdish amateur) the nuances of nomenclature are important. This channel is biased toward the gun knowledgeable so I’ll likely get push back but I do think that if one is communicating to the general population the term AK47 is sufficiently precise to allow people to create the mental image of the ubiquitous Soviet designed select fire rifle that much of the world uses.

At 11:17 the "type 2" is actually an AKM

Isn't the "type 2" at 11:15 a AKM?

I really loved the immediate cuts to the next model of weapon. Let us look at it before you tell us everything. Very well edited and one of my favorite videos on the Kalashnikov I've seen in a long while.

Well explained/described! It always bothered me how many People seem to be uneducatable about the Kalashnikov Family, even if you tell them, they still refuse to stop calling every Firearm that has wood on it "AK 47"...

Had to turn my headset right up to hear Jonathan this time

It looks like the three rifles shown together at 11:23 hase a typo. The one that is shown to be the type 2 is actually the AKM.

I’m into AK topic for over 7 years and I learn something new every day. Neverending story.

Jonathan absolutely has the best job in the world.

Good video. Thank you. I have been aware of the ‘AK47’ naming controversy for some time. Nice to hear/see the extra information, courtesy of Mr Onokoy.

Love this series and channel in general. WIll say it is one of the quietest channels I subscribe to, always need to crank the volume to hear your guys

I’ve noticed from talking with people from around the world, most people from countries other than the US just refer to any AK style rifle as a “Kalashnikov”

You do so many great videos that are very informative and I love how enthusiastic about firearms you are

I used the RK-95 in the Finnish defence forces. Similar, but also different. Made in Finland. It had a plastic folding stock. Really enjoyed target practise with it, it felt quite accurate though I have no other comparison.

Volume is quite low on this one, other than that good video!

Encyclopaedic, ultra-informative, fascinating, and myth-busting. I wasn’t aware that the magazine changed geometry simply to accommodate the combined shape of stacked smaller rounds. For me, there’s also so much more credibility and authenticity to seeing and hearing somebody humbly conveying detailed knowledge about their passion…and not just trying to be a guy with guns, attempting to look cool.

AK-47 is the name of a trial batch that was tested in the military. He was not in service. After testing and improvements, it was adopted in 1949 under the name AK.

That AKS-47 stock looking a lot like the MP-40 stock... Also isn't that "Type 2" at 11:17 actually an AKM? With the straighter mag, different handguard and buttstock?

Absolutely amazing video. Thank you for the continuing education of firearms, For future reference, any chance of moving the mic closer to you or perhaps checking the outbound volume before uploading? My speakers are maxed to hear you a lot of the time. Best Regards and thanks again for your work and for the Museum. Never forget our history regardless of what it might be.

Good to know most of that. Felt like i sort of knew that but i also tend to prefer to differentiate between the 47 type and 74 type until they get further up into the newer ones they've been working on.

Glad this misconception get addressed.

Nice and informative always been alot of confusion ,I went shooting in Prague a few years ago was told I was shooting an ak47 after checking photos years later I realised it was actually a yugoslav rpk (Zastava M72)

Gotta love this shooting range/office/supplies storage

Jonathan's steely visage as he operates the weapon on the range wouldn't be out of place in a gritty 80s action film.

I don't get everything clear, since English isn't my native but I'll try to explain what i know... 7:26 I got the coolest story about AK classification ever If you'll open soviet manual for T-10M Heavy tank of 1960 you'll find out that: - Crew of T-10M got two of AK-47 (!) with 600 rounds for 'em (page 11, "Автоматы", Chapter 1) - Same information is doubled further (page 64, "Вооружение танка", Chapter 3) - In common there are used names: "автомат Калашникова", "AK", "AK-47" or just "автомат" depending on the context BUT Very first time this book references to AK is page 4, where you can see: "Отделение управления (рис. 3) расположено в носовой части корпуса танка. В нём размещены: [down the page, under the pic of T-10M] ...электрофильтры генератора Г-5 и блока питания ТВН-2Т, ящик с запасным прибором наблюдения ТПВ-51, часть боекомплекта, пистолеты-автоматы АК-47..." Look at this "пистолеты-автоматы АК-47". It can be translated as "Automatic pistols" or "Pistol-automats" or straight up "SUBMACHINE GUNS" AK-47. Each variant is close enough to what is written in russian. It's like interwar Kharkov Locomotive Factory was numbered 183 (ХПЗ or just Machine-building Factory № 183); in 1941 it was evacuated into Ural and united with the Ural Wagon-building Factory / Uralvagonzavod. This is how we got Ural Tank Factory of Comintern № 183. And that is modern Ural Wagon-building Factory (УВЗ / Uralvagonzavod) - producer of T-72B3, T-90M and T-14/15/16 tanks, trains, wagons, trolleys and other specialized machines. And that's why technically in law the UWZ (УВЗ) is accurate heir of original Kharkov Steam train Building Factory of 1895, not the Kharkov Plant of Transport Machinery (rus. ХЗТМ им. Малышева), which is founded in 1943 at place of original Kharkov's facility № 183. And what's why the UWZ holds old interwar medals and rewards of Kharkov's Factory. (I mean the law and the level of mess and contradiction inside and between rus./soviet industry and army + the huge difference between modern and old classifications. No politics, pls) That's that... T-10M manual I speak about... (I'll drop the link later) djvu.online/file/GFgGvD6vJZszC About Ural's and Kharkov's facilities numbering... Here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jqdgorFknNzYoJs.html

I am a huge fan of the "nerd specs" type of videos. Thank you for the videos and please keep them coming.

Another variation is the “under-barrel” bayonet. The bayonet, when fitted, varied by date, region and particular factory, from bladed to triangular to stainless steel to nickel plated.

Thank you. Very informative and well structured video

All of those EM-2 in the background 😲

Thanks! Very informative video!!! In 1979, at the training station, I had an AK type 1 of 1949. I shot it well and only with a burst of two rounds, no one ever had any delays when shooting. We were given 20 rounds, several of them tracers. Two targets moving at a distance of 250 meters, and then one target machine gun 350 meters. The shooting was carried out from a prone position and the targets appeared for about 10 - 15 seconds. Then I didn't think that I was holding a military rarity in my hands. Border troops of the KGB of the USSR.

Hey, I really appreciate your work! I did already know this things because of my Kalashnikov autism😂 but hopefully, a few people know will learn the differences. Only oopsi I saw was the picture with the type 1-3 rifles, on the type 2 there isn't a type 2 its an AKM! Greetings from Germany!

Finally, someone reputable made a video about it. I had way too many arguments with people thinking that the AK-47 designation was used for the adopted weapon.

The power stance in the beginning, I love it!!! Amazing video btw.

Thanks for making this explanation video possible, Jonathan. Games, movies, and non AK people will always point them as "AK-47", regardless of what design it is. It always tick me off when I hear someone call them that.

Thank you for this presentation. Would you ever consider covering the AK-100 family of rifles?

well there is an AK-47 that even was called AK-47 by the soviets. Its the prototype where Michael Kalaschnikow changed the gas system from a short stroke to the long stroke system to make sure the weapon will not fail in the tests. Its also the last prototype of the AK that was made for the 7.62×41 mm M43 cardridge. That however became the 7.62×39 mm cardridge later on because of problems with its ballistics and so on the Prototype AK-48 as well as an AK-47 became rechambered. Parts of both last prototypes became then the AK (Type 1) that was addoped. And also with the name of what most call an AK-47: here is a list of how the actual soviet names of those guns are: Western - Eastern Type 1 AK-47 - 7.62 AK Type 2 AK-47 - AK-49 Type 3 AK-47 - AK-53

I remember years ago someone said that no one ever patented (not sure if that’s the right word) the AK, so you were free to knock out copies without fear of lawsuits

6:50 the grip isn't made of plastic. Plastic wasn't a commonly used material at the time, it's actually made of "bakelite", which is vulcanized tree resin Edit: forgot to add, the reason why such a good material was abandoned was soldier comfort (yes, in USSR, imagine). The grip heated up in the sun to incredible temperatures, making the rifle borderline unusable

Nice shooting and very nice weapon handling!

Beautiful examples, especially the 74 with its immaculate wood condition. 😲

the sound quality in the start of this video is fantastic

I swear this man has the best job in the world... Especially when based in the UK!

I learn so much from these videos, and I love it when common misconceptions are called out. Top video!

Your expert is wrong. The type 1 was manufactured along side with the type 2 And 3..They never stopped manufacturing the type 1 to produce the milled receiver AK's..The type 1 rifle itself was not a failure "per se" as the rifle worked fine. The reject rate of the sheet metal receiver had too high of a failure rate to be successful, do to poor heat treatment of the time. Not until the stamped receiver AKM was perfected, was the type 1 dropped completely..They changed the piston tube on the AKM from drilled exhaust ports to crimped exhaust ports..The Chinese used both at the same time with their newer AK's..The AKM also added a 5 piece anti bolt bounce devise, most wrongly mislabel as a rate reducer..The AK-74 went with a 90 degree gas port instead of the 45 degree to prevent bullet shear with the higher velocity 5.45X39 round..

Thank you for this rather informative video.

He mentioned the AK 74. My brothers, we have not been neglected!

I’d love to see Jonathan, Ian from forgotten weapons and Brandon Herrera talk about and shoot AKs

Very interesting and simple

That last under folder is a GEM. WOW.

Quite a specialist subject that i still don't understand Thanks for the info on these rifles. I must admit though, my eye was drawn with enormously toward the "Bullpups" behind you. "Not every rear magazine weapon is a Bullpup, sounds like the AK47 story above. However, i know you wrote the book on British Bullpups so you are the man as they would say. I defer to your vast knowledge on this subject.

A weapon anyone can use but no one can remember the model number of. 🤣

Very informative lesson. Impressive. Thank You.

Very informative, thank you.

Love my AKM-S

I think all of them are AR14s, you know the ones that shoot the 50 caliber magazine clips....😂

Wow, that was really good video - I would like to see similar style of video with versions of m16s

47 at that point (1949) stood fer the stamped variant. Good video, much appreciated.

You cannot but look cool when shooting AK. GJ Royal Armouries, but mostly Jonathan.

Sometimes the need for a number doesn't exist until there are enough different variants to require some differentiation. I've also noticed a change in stock design over the years. Some early type 1 stocks are really short and angled up like a Thompson whereas all the 74 style stocks seem to be straight.

11:05 The slant muzzle compensator is not a clear identification point, because this was only approved in 1965 and was widespread only in 1970.

I know enough that I just refer to them as AK pattern rifles until I get more info. Same with using AR pattern rifles for the US equivalents.

In Poland it was initially adopted as pmK (submachinegun Kalashnikov), then later redesignated to kbk AK (carbine AK), then kbk AKM / kbk AKMS. Polish grenade launcher version was kbkg wz. 1970 / kbkg wz. 1960/72. So no “AK47” in Poland either.

Great job on the Video… as a AKM owner I found it very interesting and informative

I definitely appreciate a pedantic breakdown of the differences of one of the most recognizable rifles in the world. And who better than Jonathan Ferguson with his soothing British accent? "AK" has always been in my vernacular so I think I feel reasonably justified in continuing to use that term and I think it is recognized enough to continue to use it. As it stands, I would say that the term "AK-47" is a colloquialism used by lay people and I would compare it to "irregardless" when used within the firearms community.

Brilliant video, however the sound is very quiet on this one!

Haven't you got the pictures the wrong way round on the image at 11:18? Isn't the AKM, which is labelled "type 2" in the middle actually the type 3?

That muzzle *DEVICE* on the '74 does not pull the gun forward against recoil, it separates part the exhausted jet blast of the powder combustion from the trajectory of the bullet so that it doesn't go around it unevenly and deflect the round for the purpose of stabilizing the rifle. While this results in stripping a large amount of the thrust coming from the barrel to the side and simply _recovering_ part of the recoil it isn't actually reversing the thrust generated backwards like a brake does. It is a quirk of English that the two words sound the same. It is an important difference in that the device on the '74 is a form of diffuser. A break separates the jet of gasses, if used on tanks it keeps a large plume of muzzle smoke from interfering with the view of the target, on artillery it stops a long jet of flame from announcing the location of the battery. A good example of a _brake_ is on the mountaineer D30 Soviet howitzers that have that multi-fluted tube. Actual brakes are unwelcome on assault weapons. The '74's device is actually a climb and deflection suppression device that uses a non-symmetrical top/bottom large vent combined with several holes further back that work against the drift of the weapon in right-handed shooters, so really it isn't even a break so much as a replaceable muzzle fluting. Demonstrably from the improved accuracy provided by suppressors and silencers we can call those _breaks_ as well, they break up and distribute the muzzle jet that would otherwise be passing the bullet immediately after it has left the barrel and any uneven combustion resulting in deflection of the round. So they're all "breaks" but only some of them "brake" the rifle/gun/cannon. The actual bore diameter of the final opening in the '74's device is close to twice the diameter of the bore of the rifle and the device only strips and deflects enough of the gasses for its purpose of far easier weapon control to be achieved. It is a very elegant device even if it does look like someone had a fever dream.

Nice shout-out for Vladimir Onokoy. I was very sad when YT removed the Kalashnikov Media channel (for obvious reasons). His videos on the worst 5 AK manufacturers had me rolling on the floor 😊

All 47s are AKs, but not all AKs are 47s...

Great stuff Jonathan! This answers my AK questions. Early Egyptian Maadis seem to fit in an odd place. They have wood furniture, but are otherwise AKMs...I think.

jonathan shooting an ak is something i didn't know i needed in my life. Thanks XD

One of the few people in U.K. to have fired an A.K. Type. But in full auto, unique." I haven't bothered to get a AK out to show you". I now hate Jonathan .

Such pedantry. Very wow.

thank you for the video

Ian would've mugged for the camera with a crazy grin for a laugh, Jonathan keeps his cool composure but then shows his group for similar effect. Vive la difference!

It's very common in popular culture to reference entire families of weapons into one generic model name. Take the 1911 for example. The only true "1911" is the original Model of 1911 US Army (or Navy) produced by Colt, Springfield Armory and Remington-UMC for the United States military between 1912 and 1919. Everything we've seen since regardless of appearance or manufacturer is simply a 1911-style pistol.

What I can say is that in Russia no one calls any Kalashnikov as AK47 or anything 47, really. First time I had encountered it was much later in life after I left Russia