AKS
Izhmash · Assault Rifle · Discontinued · 1950
Also known as: AKS-47, Avtomat Kalashnikova Skladnoy, AK-47 Folding Stock
Overview
The AKS (Avtomat Kalashnikova Skladnoy, meaning 'Kalashnikov Automatic Folding') is the folding-stock variant of the original AK-47 assault rifle, introduced in 1950 for Soviet airborne troops and armored vehicle crews who required a more compact weapon for use in confined spaces. The AKS replaces the fixed wooden buttstock of the standard AK-47 with a downward-folding metal stock inspired by the German MP 40 submachine gun's stock design. The under-folding stock is constructed from stamped and formed steel, featuring twin struts that pivot at the rear trunnion and fold underneath the receiver when not in use. When folded, the overall length is reduced from 875mm to approximately 645mm, allowing the rifle to be carried inside vehicles, dropped with paratroopers, or slung compactly across the body. In all other respects, the AKS is mechanically identical to the standard AK-47, sharing the same gas-operated long-stroke piston action, rotating bolt, 7.62x39mm chambering, and 30-round curved magazine.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3980 g (140.4 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4460 g (157.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 875 mm (34.45") |
| Folded Length | 645 mm (25.39") |
| Barrel Length | 415 mm (16.34") |
| Height | 190 mm (7.48") |
| Width | 45 mm (1.77") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 710 m/s (2329 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1991 J (1468 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 800 m (875 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 600 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.62x39mm · primary — also known as 7.62 Soviet, M43
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Selector, Hammer Notch
- Features: Chrome Lined Barrel, Chrome Lined Chamber, Curved Magazine, Rotating Bolt, Select Fire, Under Folding Stock
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Soviet Armed Forces · adopted 1950
- Soviet Airborne Troops (VDV) · adopted 1950
- Soviet Armored Vehicle Crews · adopted 1950
- Warsaw Pact Forces · adopted 1955
Conflicts
- Korean War (1950-1953)
- Hungarian Revolution (1956-1956)
- Vietnam War (1955-1975)
- Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)
Production
Production years: 1950-1975
Produced alongside the standard AK-47 at Izhmash. Exact production numbers for the folding-stock variant alone are not documented separately from overall AK-47 production figures.
Origin
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Designer: Mikhail Kalashnikov
Discontinued: 1975
Notes
The AKS designation applies to the folding-stock version across all three AK-47 receiver types: the original Type 1 milled receiver (1949-1951), the Type 2 milled receiver (1951-1954), and the Type 3 final milled receiver (1955-1959). The under-folding stock design was carried forward into the AKM era as the AKMS. While the folding stock provided compactness, it was generally considered less comfortable for sustained firing than the fixed wooden stock due to the thin metal shoulder plate and reduced cheek weld. The rifle weighs slightly less than the fixed-stock AK-47 (3.98kg vs 4.3kg) due to the lighter metal stock. Production ended alongside the standard AK-47 when the modernized AKM/AKMS replaced both variants.
Background
The AKS's under-folding stock design was directly inspired by the German MP 40 submachine gun captured during World War II. Soviet paratroopers favored the AKS because it could be compactly stowed during parachute jumps, then quickly deployed by flipping the stock into the locked position upon landing.