Magnum Photos

Archive - November 13th 2022, 75 Years of the AK-47 

Magnum Photographers 

The Soviet Union completed the development of assault rifle 'AK-47' on November 13, 1947.

AK-47, also called Kalashnikov Model 1947, named after Russian designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, is possibly the most widely used shoulder weapon in the world.

Its combination of accuracy, reliability and firepower meant that it became the standard Red Army weapon by 1949. At the same time, its simple design meant that it was easy for even less developed countries to make in bulk. This meant that it became the weapon of choice for revolutionary movements globally. 

Bruno Barbey 1967

EGYPT. Suez. 1967. 

Raymond Depardon 1968

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. Abu Dhabi. Conference of the 9 Emirates.... 

Hiroji Kubota 1970

Lebanon. 1970. 

Bruno Barbey 1970

JORDAN. Near Amman. Palestinian children carrying guns, young... 

Peter Marlow 1978

ZAMBIA. Fleeing the War of Independence in Rhodesia many refugees... 

Raymond Depardon 1978

LEBANON. East Beirut. 1978. Christian sector of Achrafieh. Civil... 

Raymond Depardon 1978

LEBANON. Beirut. 1978. 

Ara Guler 1978

ERITREA. 1978. 
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Raymond Depardon 1978

LEBANON. East Beirut. 1978. Swinging their Soviet made weapons,... 

Steve McCurry 1980

AFGHANISTAN. 1980. A Mujahid boy leans on a rifle.

(AFGHN-13587NF)... 

Steve McCurry 1980

AFGHANISTAN. 1980.

Larry Towell 1984

NICARAGUA. Solentiname Islands. 1984. A woman and child train... 

Larry Towell 1984

NICARAGUA. Nueva Segovia. Santa Cruz Potato Cooperative. 1984.... 

Chris Steele-Perkins 1985

LEBANON. Beirut. Shi'ite militia fight in the streets.1985. 

Abbas 1986

AFGHANISTAN. Khajir Village. A Communist government militia guard... 

Abbas 1986

AFGHANISTAN. Kabul. May 27, 1986. A Muslim woman in traditional... 

Abbas 1986

AFGHANISTAN. Kabul. A Muslim woman in traditional clothes and... 

Abbas 1986

AFGHANISTAN. Kabul. May 27, 1986. Armed women in traditional... 

Raymond Depardon 1990

MALI. The Touareg freedom fighters. 1990. 

Alex Webb 1999

Union Cerro. 1999. Panamanian policeman with Wounan Indians.... 

Nikos Economopoulos 1991

LEBANON: Bekaa Valley 1991 

Abbas 1992

AFGHANISTAN. Near Kabul. A Mujahid of the Hezbi-Islami (Islamic... 

Abbas 1992

AFGHANISTAN. Kabul region. City of Kabul. 1992. A Kalashnikov... 

Philip Jones Griffiths 1992

1992. Eastern Afghanistan, between Kabul and Jalalabad. Afghan... 

Abbas 1993

SUDAN. Khartoum. Women volunteers in the PDF (Peoples Defence... 

Larry Towell 1994

GAZA. 1994. Arrival of new Palestinian policemen who had lived... 

Thomas Dworzak 1994

AZERBAIJAN/Disputed Armenian controlled Republic of Nagorno Karabakh... 

Thomas Dworzak 1996

09/1996. Vedeno. Chechens celebrating a victory over the Russian... 

Chris Steele-Perkins 1996

AFGHANISTAN. Anti-Taliban forces clean new Ak-47 rifles. 1996.... 

Nikos Economopoulos 2001

North Albania, Velai village. The males of the family live hidden... 

Ferdinando Scianna 1990

Republic of Yemen San'a: bodyguard with Kalashnikov.

Alex Majoli 2000

PALESTINE. West Bank. Hebron demonstrations. 2000. 

Christopher Anderson 2000

GAZA STRIP. 2000. A young boy brandishes his grandfather's AK-47... 

Chris Steele-Perkins 2000

SUDAN. Chuckadum. SPLA fighters trainign in Southern Sudan. 2000.... 

Thomas Dworzak 2000

03/2000. Grozny. 

Thomas Dworzak 2001

REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA. Town of Slupcane. May 2001. Girl fighter... 

Paolo Pellegrin 2001

October 2001. 

Thomas Dworzak 2001

AFGHANISTAN 2001/11
Takhar Province, village of Bangi Springs... 

Thomas Dworzak 2002

IRAQ. Baghdad. 10/2002. 

Abbas 2003

IRAQ. Baghdad. Armed militants of the Assyrian Democratic Mouvement... 

Thomas Dworzak 2004

HAITI. Port-au-Prince. 03/2004. Guy Philippe and supporters parading... 
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Thomas Dworzak 2001

AFGHANISTAN. Kunduz. November, 2001. The Northern Alliance takes... 
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Thomas Dworzak 2001

AFGHANISTAN. Taloqan province. Town of Taloqan. November 14th,... 
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Paolo Pellegrin 2002

GAZA. Al Aqsa Martyr Brigades.
Militants secretly training near... 

Thomas Dworzak 2003

IRAQ. Iraqi Kurdistan, Near the town of Kifri. PUK (Patriotic... 

Thomas Dworzak 2003

IRAQ. Autonomous Region in Northern Iraq controlled by Kurdish... 

Abbas 2004

PALESTINE. Gaza city. 2004. A militant of the Islamist party... 

Abbas 2005

AFGHANISTAN. Herat. A soldier of the Afghan National Army prays... 

Jerome Sessini 2006

SOMALIA. Balad. June 9, 2006. 
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Moises Saman 2009

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO.Uvira, Democratic Republic of Congo.... 

Jerome Sessini 2009

MEXICO. Culiacan. November 28, 2008. 
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Paolo Pellegrin 2011

Guns. Tucson, Arizona. USA 2011 

Jerome Sessini 2011

LIBYA. Ras Lanuf. March 9, 2011. 
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Jerome Sessini 2012

SYRIA. Salma. October 15, 2012. 
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Larry Towell 2013

CANADA. Attawapiskat. 2013 

Carl De Keyzer 2015

DPR Korea. Kaesong. 2015.
Roadside monument of an AK-47, near... 

Peter van Agtmael 2017

IRAQ. 2017. Parts of the AK-47. 
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