The AK-47 was invented by Mikhail Kalashnikov, a Soviet soldier and tank mechanic. He designed the rifle in the late 1940s, and it was first issued to the Soviet Army in 1949. The AK-47 is a gas-operated, assault rifle that fires 7.62x39mm ammunition. It is known for its reliability, simplicity, and low cost. The AK-47 is the most widely used firearm in the world, with an estimated 100 million rifles in circulation. It has been used in numerous wars and conflicts, including the Vietnam War, the Soviet-Afghan War, and the Syrian Civil War. The AK-47 has also been used in a number of mass shootings, including the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the Las Vegas shooting. The AK-47 is manufactured by a number of companies around the world, including Izhmash in Russia, Norinco in China, and Arsenal in Bulgaria. The rifle is also produced by a number of smaller companies in developing countries. The AK-47 has been blamed for a number of mass shootings, including:
- Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut (20 children and 6 adults killed)
- Las Vegas shooting (58 people killed and 851 injured)
- Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida (17 people killed and 17 injured)
- Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida (17 people killed and 17 injured)
- Sutherland Springs church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas (26 people killed and 20 injured)
- Route 91 Harvest music festival shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada (58 people killed and 851 injured)
- Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida (49 people killed and 53 injured)
AK-47's are also manufactured in the United States. Kalashnikov USA (KUSA), a privately-owned American company, designs, manufactures and markets Kalashnikov-styled firearms for law enforcement, military and commercial markets. They are located in Pompano Beach, Florida. Russian-made Kalashnikov rifles and other weapons cannot be imported to the US due to sanctions. KUSA was formed to create these weapons locally after the United States imposed sanctions on the Russian defense sector in 2014 in response to Russia's intervention in Ukraine. On June 30, 2015, Thomas McCrossin, CEO of Kalashnikov USA, announced that Kalashnikov USA would begin selling United States manufactured weapons. In May 2017, Kalashnikov USA started selling its KS-12 semi-automatic shotgun. The Kalashnikov USA plant in Pompano Beach cannot sell directly to the customer, only to Federal Firearms Licensed retailers. There have been efforts to ban the AK-47 in the United States. In the wake of several mass shootings, many people have called for a ban on the sale and possession of assault weapons, including the AK-47. In 1994, the United States passed a federal assault weapons ban, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transfer of certain semi-automatic firearms, including the AK-47. The ban expired in 2004, and it has not been renewed. Since the expiration of the federal assault weapons ban, there have been several attempts to pass new legislation that would ban the sale and possession of assault weapons. However, these efforts have been unsuccessful. There are a number of reasons why efforts to ban the AK-47 in the United States have been unsuccessful. One reason is that the gun rights lobby is very powerful in the United States. The gun rights lobby opposes any restrictions on gun ownership, and it has successfully lobbied against efforts to ban the AK-47. Another reason why efforts to ban the AK-47 have been unsuccessful is that there is a lot of public support for gun ownership in the United States. According to a 2022 Gallup poll, 44% of Americans believe that gun laws should be stricter, while 29% believe that gun laws should be kept as they are and 22% believe that gun laws should be less strict. Despite the challenges, there are still people who are working to ban the AK-47 in the United States. They believe that the AK-47 is a dangerous weapon that should not be in the hands of civilians. They are hopeful that one day they will be successful in their efforts to ban the AK-47 and other assault weapons. In addition to efforts to ban the AK-47, there are also efforts to regulate the sale and possession of assault weapons. For example, some states have passed laws that require background checks for all gun sales, including sales of assault weapons. Other states have passed laws that ban the sale of high-capacity magazines, which are often used in mass shootings. It is important to note that there is no consensus on whether or not banning the AK-47 would reduce gun violence in the United States. Some people believe that banning the AK-47 would make it more difficult for criminals to obtain these weapons, and that this would lead to a reduction in gun violence. Others believe that banning the AK-47 would have little or no impact on gun violence, as criminals would simply find other ways to obtain these weapons. The debate over whether or not to ban the AK-47 is likely to continue. It is a sad reality in the United States, future generations will hopefully be stunned that this is the reality that we currently live in. Thanks for listening to Quiet Please. Remember to like and share wherever you get your podcasts.
