Both the AK-47 and AK-56 are assault
rifles and widely used in modern warfare. There is a common perception
among people that AK-56 is a newer version of AK-47 but it is not so.
Read on to know the similarities and differences between these two guns.
AK-47 stands for Avtomat (meaning
automatic) Kalashnikov (name of the designer, Mikhail Kalashnikov) and
47 being the year 1947 (the year it was introduced in service). This gun
was designed in the Soviet Union. The type 56 assault rifle (popularly
known as AK-56), on the other hand, is the Chinese copy of AK-47. The
postfix 56 stands for 1956, the year since when it was manufactured.
Both the guns have similar dimensions
but the AK-56 assault rifle is a bit lighter, weighing 3.8 kg compared
to the 4.3 kg weight of the AK-47 rifle. They both use 7.62 mm
cartridges and have a 30 round feed system meaning that one magazine can
hold up to 30 bullets. The AK-47 is also compatible with a 40 round box
or 75 round drum magazine. Here the box and drum refers to the shape of
the magazine. Both of them have a gas-operated, rotating bolt firing
action. Gas-operated loading action uses the pressure of gas inside the
cartridge to eject the spent case and mount a new cartridge. They both
have a maximum effective range of about 400 metres. The AK-47 is very
soldier friendly and can be used in any possible condition, even
underwater and under mud. Its simple design and high reliability makes
it one of the most highly produced weapons in the world.
The only visible difference between the
AK-47 and the AK-56 is that the AK-56 has a fully enclosed, hooded front
sight whereas the AK-47 sports a partially enclosed front sight. Some
versions of the AK-56 also have a folding spike bayonet whereas the
AK-47 has a detachable knife bayonet. Apart from these it is almost
impossible to visually distinguish between the rifles.
The AK-47 rifle is produced in many
countries including Germany, Poland, Israel, and North Korea and even in
the USA. But finding an original and genuine AK-47 is rather difficult
these days. The AK-56 rifles were the standard weapon of the Chinese
military until the 1980s. Many other countries and liberation groups use
the AK-56.
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