Mikhail Kalashnikov
Mikhail Kalashnikov
Lieutenant-General Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikovwas a Russian general, inventor, military engineer, writer and small arms designer. He is most famous for developing the AK-47 assault rifle and its improvements, the AKM and AK-74, as well as the PK machine gun...
NationalityRussian
ProfessionInventor
Date of Birth10 November 1919
CountryRussian Federation
designed mill
We had grain but no mills, so I designed a special mill of wood so we could make flour.
believes best bit bitterness compared designer feels impressive less performance test
Any designer believes his gun is the best, and when its test performance is a bit less impressive compared to others, he feels bitterness and envy.
design finals dozen
I tried a dozen different modifications that were rejected. But they all served as a path to the final design.
hands design rifles
I am still ready to shake hands with anyone who designs a better assault rifle than mine.
design born ability
I was probably born with some designing abilities.
composed continued home life sake work
Life is composed of different inventions. I have continued to work at different things and rebuilt my home all by myself. I did it for the sake of satisfaction at doing something.
hard
I shot with it a lot. I still do now. That is why I am hard of hearing.
side
The negative side is that sometimes it is beyond control.
I do not consider the AK to be the best-ever assault rifle.
ask assault clear common created ethnic global people protect rifle spreading weapon
People often ask me how I feel about my invention being used to kill people every day and the AK being a common weapon of ethnic conflicts. I want to make it clear that I created my assault rifle to protect my country. You can blame politicians for its spreading out of control on a global scale.
abroad allowed bulgaria clearance early golden left mention sands secret top travel
For years, I had a top secret clearance and never left Russia. Just once did I go to Bulgaria with my wife for a holiday at the Golden Sands resort, but I could not mention my real name. I was allowed to travel abroad only in the early 1990s.
names weapons doing-good
I've always wanted to improve and expand on the good name of my weapon by doing good things.
different life-is invention
Life is composed of different inventions.
gains technical-education
I had to gain experience as I did not have a technical education.