I was on the hunt to find out which early model assault rifle was considered the best rifle during the mid-century wars and conflicts. I was curious about what the average soldier thought about their Government-Issued rifles. Modern-day reviews trend toward the AK-47
for a post-war rifle to purchase. My personal opinion is that they are all a piece of living history, and every gun collector should have at least one, if not all three. As far as performance goes, I think it is one's personal opinion as to which of the three rifles are the most comfortable fit for them.

The Cold History of the AK-47, AKM, and SKS

WWII marked the evolution of the modern assault rifle, with the German Sturmgewehr 44. Developed and engineered in 1944, the STG44 gave German soldiers the firepower of a machine gun. In addition to the capabilities of a machine gun, the STG44 provided better range and accuracy. When Soviet soldiers began encountering the STG44, they were both terrified and intrigued. The Red Army began to look for an answer to the STG44. A Russian engineer developed the AS-44 Assault Rifle, which used the 7.62x39 (M1943 cartridge). Testing of the AS-44 proved it to be too heavy for Soviet soldiers to carry, and the heavy weight of the rifle affected accuracy. The development of the AS-44 began and ended in 1944. The idea of a Soviet equivalent to the STG44 was abandoned until 1946, when the Red Army opened a design competition. A Soviet soldier who was wounded in battle in 1941 entered the contest. The soldier, Mikhail Kalashnikov, entered with a new design. Not discouraged by a loss of a previous design competition, Kalashnikov pressed forward. The design he had previously submitted.for a semi-automatic carbine, had lost to Sergei Simonov's SKS
. Drawing inspiration from the American M1 Garande, Kalashnikov knew that he needed to develop a rugged and reliable assault rifle. In 1947, the alterations that he made to his design, won the competition and resumed testing for two more years. Finally, after acknowledging the ruggedness and reliability of his design, the Red Army commissioned the name designation of the AK-47
, and the rifle went into production.  

THE AK-47

AK-47 Specifications: Number Built: Approx. 75 million Weight: 9.5 pounds Length: 34.3 inches Barrel Length: 16.3 inches Action: Gas Operated, Rotating Bolt Sights: Adjustable Iron Sights Muzzle Velocity: 2,346 ft./sec. Effective Range: 330-440 yards Cartridge: 7.62x39mm Capacity: 10-75 rounds, depending on magazine

Century Arms Romanian RH-10 AK-47

  The AK-47
is a gas-operated rifle that uses a breech-block system. This rifle was designed for use in the extreme climates of the Soviet Union. To be able to function in that extreme climate, the AK-47 has pretty loose tolerances. The rifle and its components have the ability to function even if the rifle is gummed up, or covered in debris. Unfortunately the looser tolerances resulted in decreased accuracy. It had a fire selector for both semiautomatic and fully automatic modes. The Red Army was the first to use the AK-47
, and it became widely popular among Soviet soldiers. It was known for reliability, compactness, and with its simple design, it was easy to operate, clear, and reload. With its 30 round capacity, soldiers and armies across the world wanted this rifle. The Soviets began to export the rifles and its design became the derivative for many rifles on the market today. The AK-47
has proven to be a reliable assault rifle over the years. The AK-47's of the Cold War are still operational today, albeit with a 73 year old design. The AK-47's
were built to last, with chromium-plated gas pistons, the interior of the gas cylinder, the chamber, and the bore.  

THE AKM

AKM Specifications: Number Built: Over 10 million Weight: 7.28 Pounds Length: 34.6 inches Barrel Length: 16.3 inches Action: Gas Operated, Rotating Bolt Sights: Adjustable Iron Sights Muzzle Velocity: 2,346 ft./sec. Effective Range: 383 yards Cartridge: 7.62x39mm Capacity: 10-75 rounds, depending on magazine

Romanian WASR 10/63 AKM

The AKM, also designed by Kalashnikov, is a descendant of the AK-47. The "M" in the AKM stands for Modernized. The AK-47 had some very nice woodwork, and was of more of a traditional manufactured rifle. Every solid steel receiver was machined to form. The cost of the traditional constructed AK-47 became a concern for the Red Army, and the cost of mass production of them became overwhelming. The result of the concerns was answered when Kalashnikov gave the AK-47's somewhat of an upgrade in the mid 1950s. Thus, the AKM was born. Initially, the predecessor AK-47's receiver was made from stamped sheet metal. Because of this, there was a drawback due to difficulties during assembly. The "modernized" version of the rifle's receiver was made from machined steel. The new model was designated as the AK-47 Type 4, or as it became known, the AKM. The AKM entered military service in 1959, and was the definitive model of the AK family of firearms. Improvements made over the AK-47 were mostly for cost-saving measures, but it resulted in some pretty nice upgrades. The polished steel bolt was now protected by the electromechanical process of phosphate coating, it could now accept a bayonet, and had a revised lower lip extension to combat the effects of the AK-47's uncontrollability and muzzle climb when operating in fully automatic mode. A hollowed-out wooden stock reduced the weight by 2 lbs and allowed for more precise control on behalf of the operator. Although a slightly different style, the bolt and bolt carrier are interchangeable with the original AK-47. China also began to produce the AKM under the designation of theType-56 Assault Rifle.

THE SKS

SKS Specifications: Number Built: Approximately 15 million Weight: 8.5 pounds Length: 40-44 inches Barrel Length: 20-22 inches Action: Short stroke Gas Piston, Tilting Bolt Sights: Adjustable Iron Sights Muzzle Velocity: 2,411 ft./sec. Effective Range: 440 yards Cartridge: 7.62x39mm Capacity: Internal box magazine, 10 round stripper clips

The CHICOM Chinese SKS

So where does the SKS come into play among the beloved Kalashikovs? First off, I want to clarify that the SKS is not a Chinese design. I hear some references every now and then about the "Chinese SKS
". If you are referring to the specific name of the SKS, then that is not a correct reference as the SKS is also a Soviet-born assault rifle. Earlier in this article, I wrote about Kalashnikov's first attempt at an assault rifle design. Kalashnikovs early design submission lost to Sergei Simonov's 1943 semi-automatic carbine. From 1944 to the late 1950's, the Soviets produced over 2.7 million of these carbines. The Chinese did eventually release their copy of the SKS and named it the Type 56 Carbine, not to be confused with the Type 56 Assault Rifle. The Chinese version of the SKS began production in 1956, and differed very little from the Soviet version, except for the production marks. So, yes, the Chinese did produce their version of the SKS, but it was initially a product of the Soviet Union. The Chinese produced almost 18 million copies of the SKS. The SKS is about 4 inches longer than the AK's, and are equipped with a bayonet system. Another cool and practical feature of the SKS is the hidden cleaning kit kept inside of the hollowed-out stock, for easy accessibility and quick cleaning of the carbine in the field. When cleaned, the mid-colored wood is beautiful and somewhat shiny. But what about performance? Many experts say that the SKS has better accuracy than an AK-47. The SKS has a more rigid construction than the AK-47's loose tolerance. Because of the longer barrel, the SKS has a longer sight radius, and because of the less violent action, the SKS has a very slight advantage when it comes to accuracy. Although vast comparisons give the SKS superior accuracy, it is still within a margin of error when compared to the AK-47's. The SKS also gets extra points for ergonomics. Unlike the AK's, the SKS was designed with the prone position in mind. I can tell you from personal experience that the SKS is easy to shoot in this position, but that is mostly due to the short 10 round magazine. The biggest difference in the SKS and the AK-47 is probably reloading. The SKS's 10 round magazine can be refreshed with stripper clips, however, they are still not as easy to reload as an AK-47's magazines. Reloading time on the front line is the difference between life and death, and therefore the 1943 design of the SKS was virtually obsolete before it even went into production due to the 1947 introduction of the AK-47. The SKS was still widely used as a second-line weapon, and is still used today as a ceremonial rifle.  

Summed Up

To compare these three firearms is harder than splitting hairs. It is truly a consumer preference. As for me, I prefer my SKS, but it is probably because of the sentiment. The AK-47, the AKM, and the SKS are all reliable firearms that just keep running. Although now, they are sold as military surplus, these rifles were once in the hands of soldiers fighting for their lives and countries. There are many variants of the three rifles as well. Of course, the fully automatic AK-47 's are illegal to own in the U.S. without a special permit, but there are many semi-automatic models available for the public to purchase. Peruse our military surplus, and select a reliable rifle for you. You will not only be purchasing a reliable firearm that still works, but also a piece of history to hand down for generations to come. Once the surplus of these rifles is depleted, there will be no more. Accessories to upgrade military surplus are abundant and these rifles are relatively easy to fix as well. Shop All AK-47 Style Rifles
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