Why The AK-47 Is The Most Iconic Gun In Pop Culture - 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 footprint.

You can check out more episodes of Loadout right here. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzSrmGkpWKk&list=PLpg6WLs8kxGMzIemU1gyyLmg5VlKI2UvC

You can check out our Firearms Expert Reacts series here. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FVzcoRjoN4&list=PLpg6WLs8kxGMgYb13XjPgOKbm5O-CDq7R

If you're interested in seeing more of Jonathan's work, you can check out more from the Royal Armouries right here. - https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalArmouries

If you would like to support the Royal Armouries, you can make a charitable donation to the museum here. - https://royalarmouries.org/support-us/donations/