There are a lot of reasons that the AK47 is such an infamous rifle platform, and even more why it is so popular, not the least of which are real or perceived reliability.
It’s also famous for the fact that it’s been used so widely in the Soviet sphere of influence, as well as for the close-range performance of the 7.62 Soviet cartridge, which it shares with the SKS rifle.
That being said, the AK47 definitely is a remarkably reliable rifle, thanks to its simplicity, gas piston operation, among other things. This short post will take a closer look into why the rifle platform is so reliable, which really comes down to the design of several important AK47 parts.
Behind the Reliability of the AK47 Platform
With no further ado, let’s put the reliability of the AK47 under the microscope.
- The AK47 sports a sort of “anti pre-engagement” mechanism, which locks the bolt in the open position with the carrier when it is cycling, which keeps it out of contact with the receiver when the bolt is cycling, minimizing friction and thereby wear and heat.
- An extremely reliable magazine and feed ramp design. The secret here is the robustness of the magazine design that has been characterized by many observers as “overbuilt”. With heavy metal slabs on the magazine body and a similarly overbuilt feed tower with long feed lips that support the cartridge as well as a robust design that locks the magazine in position when it’s in the gun. The longer feed lips help keep the cartridges oriented properly until the nose of the bullet enters the chamber, and on top of that, the feedway design of the AK47 has basically nothing between the nose of the round and the chamber, and moreover, the round doesn’t need to climb or get angled upwards toward the chamber, since the magazine puts the nose of the bullet right there. It’s a simple, robust, and ridiculously reliable design.
- The cartridge itself. Part of the reliability of the AK47 is really the reliability of the 7.62 Soviet cartridge, not the rifle platform itself. This is a wide cartridge with a strong taper, which generally results in smooth feeding when all else goes well. The aggressive case taper facilitates feeding and the short overall length reduces friction when feeding and extracting. If that weren’t enough, it is also the case that the thick cartridge rim is reinforced and has a wide extractor groove, and thereby is less likely to experience rim shear than a lighter design would. All of these and other features contribute to the legendary reliability of the rifle insomuch as it relates to feeding and extraction.
- The springs themselves, or rather, the design of the springs, is also a remarkable innovation in the AK47 that helps achieve its level of reliability. Specifically, the design of some of the rifle’s springs prevents them from ever being fully compressed or fully extended regardless of the spring’s cycle, which preserves spring lifespan and reliability. Consider the action spring; even when the bolt has fully cycled to the rear, the action spring is not fully compressed because the bolt hits the rear of the receiver first. This creates more recoil, but it also preserves the operation of the spring. Further, the action spring is not even fully extended when the bolt is all the way forward in battery. This means that there is still a considerable amount of force holding it in place. Even the mag springs of the AK47 are longer than needed, and on top of that, much more powerful than is reasonably necessary.
- Piston stroke length. The gas piston system of the AK47 is over-gassed, meaning that more than enough pressure is siphoned off to the piston to drive the action; it also has a piston stroke that is longer than needed, resulting in a gas piston that can easily power through fouling and debris. Even a very dirty AK47 rifle is remarkably reliable and they are renowned for their ability to cycle even when poorly kept.
What AK47 Parts Give Up First?
Not many AK47 parts are prone to failure. Even the firing pin, made from a heavy piece of steel, is pretty tough. Only the springs on the AK47, like the springs on any firearm, will eventually fatigue and need to be replaced. That being said, as has been observed in this post, the springs of AK47 rifles are robust, overengineered, and very unlikely to fatigue prematurely. It just helps to have a provider of AK47 parts on hand so if and when you do need to make replacements, you will know where to go.
Shop AK47 Parts Here
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