NOTE: Please keep in mind that while "AK-47" is often a catch-all term for 7.62x39mm Kalashnikov rifles, most so-called "AK-47s" in movies - particularly American movies - are actually either Egyptian Maadi ARM copies of the highly improved AKM, or variants of the Chinese Norinco Type 56. Please check carefully to make sure that the rifle in question is a true AK-47 and not an AKM or a Chinese Type 56. When in doubt, it is probably safer to assume AKM or Type 56.
The AK-47 is used by the following actors in the following movies:
It is noteworthy that the U.S. government had a ban on all weapons imported from Warsaw Pact nations during the Cold War years (1947-1989). Communist nations which were not part of the Warsaw pact, such as Yugoslavia and Mainland China, were allowed to negotiate trade agreements with the U.S., thus the influx of Chinese AK type rifles and Yugo AKs (Zastava). The Maadi ARMs (the US version of the MISR) were allowed because Egypt was never a Communist country nor a member of the Warsaw Pact. But, as a result of this, virtually no U.S. movie has a real original AK-47 prior to a certain date. The exceptions are, custom build ups after the mid 1990s when original AK-47 rifle kits were available (as was done on "We Were Soldiers", using original blueprints and US made milled receivers), and movies filmed overseas where foreign movie armorers had no such restrictions. This is particularly true for films made in Israel and some parts of Europe. This is not the case now, with the current crop of films made outside the U.S., mostly in the newly democratic Eastern European nations (Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, etc.) However, Russia has firmly blocked the export of their old AK-47 surplus guns outside of the country, having distributed most of them to client nations and guerillas throughout the world in the previous five decades. So the AK-47 one 'thinks' one sees may very well be a Poly Technologies Legend series AK (from China) or another AK Variant.
Specifications
Place of origin Russia Production 1947 - present ManufacturerIzhevsk Machinebuilding Plant Caliber 7.62mm Cartridge 7.62×39mm Weight 5.21 kg (11.5 lb) Length 870 mm (34 in) fixed wooden stock/ 875 mm (34.4 in) folding stock extended/ 645 mm (25.4 in) stock folded Barrel length 415 mm (16.3 in) Rate of fire 600 rounds/min Effective range 400 metres (440 yd) Feed system 10, 20 , 30 , 40, 75, or 100-round detachable box and drum style magazine
Error creating thumbnail: File missingAKM, Stamped Steel Receiver w/ slant muzzle brake - 7.62x39mmError creating thumbnail: File missingMaadi ARM - most of the AKMs seen in movies during the 1980s were imported ARMs that were legally converted to full auto fire. This image is of an actual movie gun. The laminated buttstock was replaced with a hardwood one when the original stock was broken during a stunt. This example is also loaded with a 30-round bakelite plastic magazine - 7.62x39mm
The improved version of the AK-47, featuring a number of refinements such as a stamped receiver (as opposed to the milled receiver of the original AK-47), a slant compensator on the tip of the barrel (to reduce recoil), an improved gas tube (without vents), and use of lighter materials to reduce weight and simplify construction.
Most of the AKMs seen in Hollywood movies are actually Egyptian Maadi MISR copies, which were sold in the U.S. as the ARM in the 1980s - such weapons were first procured by Stembridge Gun Rentals for Red Dawn and subsequently re-used in numerous other motion pictures. The Maadi is almost identical to the original Soviet-built AKM, save for the markings, and is nearly impossible to tell apart.
Basically the same as the AKM, but the rear-trunion is altered with a swiveling mechanism to allow for the under-folding stock. The AKMS nomenclature also indicates that the rifle is not a milled receiver variant and has the AKM style of gas block, top cover, barrel assembly, front sight, and appropriate forearm furniture.
Chopped and shortened version of the AKM, made to resemble the AKS-74U except that it is still a 7.62x39mm gun. The AKMSU was never manufactured by the Soviet Union; however, many other countries, including Yugoslavia, built their own versions.
Most of the so-called "AKMSU" carbines seen in Hollywood movies, such as Three Kings, Tropic Thunder, Bad Boys II, etc. are actually full-size AK variants that have been converted with Krinkov parts kits; many feature side-folding AKS-74U-style stocks. The picture to the right is an actual movie gun that is almost identical to those that have appeared in many films and TV shows.
The Chinese Type 56 assault rifle (manufactured by China North Industries Corporation, or Norinco) is by far the most commonly-seen AK derivative in Hollywood productions, both film and television. They are frequently seen impersonating Russian weapons in many films, since the Russians never sold a civilian AK model in the U.S. (or Europe) during the latter half of the 20th century. Most of the movie prop rental houses in Hollywood had dozens if not hundreds of Chinese AKs - mostly the Type 56s (7.62x39mm version) or the similar Type 84s (5.56x45mm version). These were usually semi-automatic civilian versions (commonly designated "AK47S" or "AKS47" by the importers), in many cases converted to full-auto by Class III manufacturers.
There are three main variants of the Type 56 - the standard Type 56, which has a fixed stock, the Type 56-1, which has an under-folding stock, and the Type 56-2, which has a side-folding stock. Most fixed-stock Type 56 rifles have an under-folding spike bayonet, known as the "pig sticker"; this rifle is often seen in movies about the Vietnam War, and is correct for NVA throughout most of the conflict. Quite a few of the Type 56s seen in movies also have AKM-style slant compensators fitted; this was a common feature on semi-auto Type 56s exported to the U.S., but NOT the full-auto military model.
The easiest way to tell when an AK-type rifle seen in a movie or TV show is a Chinese Type 56 is by looking at the front sight; Chinese AKs have a distinctive full-circle ("hooded") front sight that no other AKs (including those made in Russia) have.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingNorinco Type 84S - 5.56x45mmError creating thumbnail: File missingNorinco Type 84S Underfolder Model - 5.56x45mmError creating thumbnail: File missingNorinco Type 84S "Target" Rifle - 5.56x45mm. Basically a standard Norinco Type 84S with a slightly longer barrel. This variant was ready for market just as the 1989 US import ban was implemented, so it is mostly seen in Canada. It has an 18.5" barrel and was very rarely seen in the U.S. Gun market.Error creating thumbnail: File missingNorinco Type 84S Match Rifle - 5.56x45mm. Norinco was stuck sitting on a pile of 21" RPK barrels chambered for 5.56mm when the door slammed shut on U.S. imports in 1989. Norinco saved money by mating their 21" long RPK-style barrels to their stockpile of 84S Folding Stock receiver bodies and thus exported the Type 84S Match to countries such as Canada and Australia. Canada would suffer their own import ban on 'frightening looking guns' in 1995. Australian gun owners would suffer such a fate in 1997.
The Type 84 rifle is nearly identical to the Chinese Type 56 (seen above), but it is chambered in 5.56x45mm /.223 Remington. It is often seen impersonating the AK-74 in movies and TV shows (particularly Stargate: SG1, where it is carried by Russian SG teams).
The Type 84 was imported and sold with an AK birdcage flash hider and had a deep polished factory blue. Several other variants of the 84S Rifle (that are mostly unfamiliar to American Gun Owners) were victims of the 1989 Import Ban that barred most new 'assault rifles' from entering the United States. These rifles were thus mostly exported to Canada and Australia, and as a result, appeared in television shows or movies that were filmed in those countries. Listed here are two of the variants seen in Canadian or Australian television (the Target and the Match versions). If it were not for Canadian or Australian movie armorers, most of us in the U.S. would never have known these variants existed.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingZastava M70B1 fixed stock rifle - 7.62x39mmError creating thumbnail: File missingZastava M70AB2 folding stock rifle - 7.62x39mmError creating thumbnail: File missingZastava M70AB2 folding stock rifle - 7.62x39mm (non-standard pistol grip). The military version of the M70AB2 underfolder rifle has a black plastic pistol grip as seen in the image above. However all of the Zastava M70AB2 rifles imported in the U.S. by Mitchell Arms had the wooden pistol grip seen in this photo. So a wooden pistol grip is indicative of a 'Mitchell Arms' rifle.
The Zastava M70 was the Yugoslavian variant of the Russian AK-47 (later AKM), however, it utilized a strengthened lower receiver, more akin to the RPK than the AK-47/AKM. It also has other design variations which make it immediately recognizable from its Russian cousin. Some of the variants also have finned barrels to aid in heat dispersion. It was made by Zavodi Crvena Zastava (Red Banner Plant), now Zastava Oružje / Zastava Arms in a Yugoslavian (now Serbian) city of Kragujevac.
It was most widely used and seen in the Wars in the 1990s of the former Yugoslavian republics - Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro (Slovenia and Macedonia were not a major combatants in the fighting). Yugoslavia also sold them to many countries such as Iraq (which produced a licensed copy known as the Tabuk, which lacked the grenade-launching sight) and Kuwait.
The Zastava M70 was produced in the following variants:
M70 - milled receiver, fixed stock
M70A – milled receiver, underfolding stock
M70A1 – milled receiver, underfolding stock, mount for night or optical sights
M70B1 – stamped receiver, fixed stock
M70AB2 – stamped receiver, underfolding stock
M70B1N – stamped receiver, fixed stock, mount for night or optical sights
M70AB2N – stamped receiver, underfolding stock, mount for night or optical sights
Variants M70B, M70AB and M70AB1 also exist, but they are rare and their specifications are unclear.
The Zastava M85 is a compact carbine manufactured by the Yugoslavian Zastava company, similar to the AKMSU mentioned above, although with an underfolding stock instead of a side-folder, a three-holed handguard and is chambered for 5.56x45mm.
The Romanian clones of the AKM and AKMS, identifiable by the vertical foregrip integrated into the handguard. The folding-stock version of the AIM, known as the AIMS, originally had a conventional under-folding stock and the grip curving inwards at a convex angle. This was eventually replaced by a version which had a side-folding stock (copied from the East German MPi-KMS), as shown here.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingEast German MPi-KM-72 with fixed stock - 7.62x39mm. This was the transitional MPi-KM-72 that still used the wooden lower hand grip from the MPi-KM. These were common from 1965-1972. The Side folding stock was not widely distributed until 1973.Error creating thumbnail: File missingEast German MPi-KM-72 with plastic stock - 7.62x39mm
The MPi-KM/MPi-KMS-72 are East German license-manufactured versions of the AKM/AKMS. Early versions of the rifles had wooden furniture, but later models have distinctive stippled brown buttstocks and pistol grips. The MPi-KMS also has a side folding single strut "coat hanger" stock, a feature which is shared with the Romanian AIMS rifle. After the German reunification, all variants of the MPi were removed from service, with most rifles being sold as surplus to the militaries of such countries as Finland and Turkey.
Note: The chance of seeing a 100% original East German MPi-K series of rifle in a movie or television show is extremely unlikely. Most of the "East German" AKs that are seen in visual media are regular AKMs using East German Parts kits.
The Hungarian FEG NGM-81 was a domestic rifle based on the indigenous Hungarian AK74, but built for export. For that reason, it was chambered in 5.56x45mm, though some 5.45x39mm variants exist. The Rifle was built between 1981-1990. The original rifles were only offered with a fixed butt and a wooden fore-end, made in the same Hungarian Blonde wood as the SA-85M export rifle. The folding stock version of this rifle was called the NGV-81. Due to Cold War prohibitions against Combloc weapons within the U.S. (except those exempted by treaty), the vast majority of the export NGM-81 rifles went to Europe and Africa. Most versions omit the large PKM style flash hider, opting instead for the standard AK-47 style muzzle nut. The FEG NGM rifle was noteworthy in that it kept the AK-47/Type 56 style of gas block system, with the gas relief holes in the gas tube, not the gas block (as is the case with the AKM and later style rifles). The Gas block itself and the front sight is the AKM style in shape and the rifle takes a Hungarian stamped metal 5.56mm magazine similar but not identical to the Wieger style AK magazine.
A Romanian AK clone modified to accept single stack magazines for American import. Chambered in 7.62x39mm (WASR-10), 5.45x39mm (WASR-2), and 5.56x45mm (WASR-3). Most variants had their magazine wells adapted to take standard high capacity magazines, by the distributors.
The Arsenal AR is the name given to the Bulgarian manufactured AK clone (Built by the Bulgaria gunmaker ARSENAL JSCo.). These modern day copies of the AK-47 have milled receivers and are chambered in 7.62x39mm and 5.56x45mm in various configurations. As time goes on, Arsenal JSCo. builds more variants for export as civilian, military and law enforcement models.
The AKU-94 is a bullpup conversion kit (built and originally sold as a kit by K-VAR) for the AK type rifle, Both the European style AKs (like the Romanian AKs or Egyptian Maadis) and the Chinese style of AK rifle (Type 56) can fit into the kit. In the Mid-2000s, KVAR stopped making and selling the AKU-94 conversion kit. All remaining kits were purchased by Century Arms International, and subsequently used to 'spruce up' AK rifles with a futuristic bullpup look. Currently various imported AK rifles (mostly WASRs) with kit installed, is sold by Century Arms International. This bullpup configuration retains the standard barrel length but the design makes the AK rifle more compact making it more suitable for close quarters battle.
Commonly seen in Bollywood productions due to Indian firearms restrictions, these replica AK-47s are designed to fire blank ammunition and are most likely custom fabricated by Indian armorers. Virtually all "AK-47s" seen in Bollywood movies (excepting films made with the help of the Indian military) will be such blank-firing replicas.
The most common of all movie AK-47s in scenes where a real firearm was not used, is the all metal Japanese "Hudson AK-47". Hudson, a replica gun company like Model Gun Corp. (MGC) made many metal replicas in the 1970s and 1980s.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingHudson AK-47, a Japanese Replica firearm based on the original Type III AK-47, seen here with AKS-style underfolding stock
