How the rifle was reinvented

The AK-47 changed the face of armed conflict, and placed world-class firepower into the hands of soldiers and civilians alike. Many of the reasons behind its enduring appeal were based in solid engineering and design practices. The Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK) assault rifle has a well-documented reputation as an influencer of world conflicts since Mikhail Kalashnikov´s brainchild entered service with the Soviet army in 1949. However, while the original AK-47 is often cited as a triumph of form following function, the influence of its development and design ethos on engineering in general has been less well recognised.