AK-47: Pop Culture’s "Bad Guy" Gun - Loadout

The AK-47 is easily both the most famous and infamous firearm in all of the world’s history. With over 100 million made, its appearance in over half a century of cinema, and its place within the hands of players in hundreds of video games, the Avtomat Kalashnikova model of 1947 is undeniably the most recognisable weapon ever made. With the help of Jonathan Ferguson, Keeper of Firearms & Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK, we chart the AK-47’s journey, from its post-WW2 creation through to its huge pop culture footprint as the quintessential Hollywood “bad guy gun”. 0:00 - Intro 01:02 - Origins of the AK-47 02:30 - Misnaming the AK 04:02 - Different Variants 06:11 - AK-47 In Pop Culture 09:18 - AK-47 In Gaming 16:04 - Ending In this episode of Loadout, Dave Jewitt visits the Royal Armouries to talk to Keeper of Firearms & Artillery Jonathan Ferguson to chat about the legendary AK-47 rifle, its history and production, and its mammoth pop culture foot