AKM

The AKM (Russian: Автома́т Кала́шникова модернизи́рованный, romanized: Avtomat Kalashnikova modernizirovannyy, lit. 'Modernized Kalashnikov automatic rifle') is a 7.62×39 mm Soviet assault rifle introduced in 1959 as a lighter, more modern successor to the AK-47. Designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, it became the most widely produced variant of the Kalashnikov series, serving as the standard service rifle of the Soviet Army and Warsaw Pact states. Featuring a gas‑operated rotating bolt, slanted muzzle compensator, and simplified manufacturing for cost‑effective mass production, the AKM enhanced automatic accuracy and reliability while reducing weight by approximately 1 kg. Though replaced in Soviet frontline units by the AK‑74 in the 1970s, variants of the AKM continue to be manufactured and remain in use today.