The AK47 was originally a rifle w/a stamped center receiver fixed to a front & rear milled trunion, this was the TypeI in production app. 1947-1950, problems w/the stamping & riveting led to a full milled receiver TypeII (close in appearance to the TypeIII but many detail differences) app. 1949-1955, the final milled receiver variant the TypeIII (pictured in this album) was mfg app. 1953-1960 & was the main production variant of the original AK47 series. The rifle in the pics is based on a pre-ban Chinese mfg Poly-Tech legend & is believed to have been made on Soviet machinery, the rear sights on these rifles even has the Soviet Crylic battlefield setting mark on the rear sight. It's an exact duplicate of a Soviet TypeIII except for the markings, this rifle is fitted w/an original Soviet laminate TypeIII furniture set.
Album by willyp. Photos by willyp. 1 - 22 of 22 Total. 16837 Visits.
AK47 TypeIII milled receiver The TypeIII used a full milled receiver, note the lightening cuts over the mag well, smooth top covers, blued finishes, bright bolts & laminate stocks, upper/lower handguards & grips.
AK47 w/ 1st type AK bayonet Here's a pic w/the original Type1 AK47 bayonet (Soviet designation 56-X-212 re: Ivie, Kalashnikov bayonets), they're very distinctive from the later AKM bayonets, they have lg ears that go around the barrel & the latch is way forward under the front sight base.
TypeIII w/bayonet mounted I believe this model bayonet will also fit the TypeI & II AK's, it fits on my TypeII kit. The blade appears to be the Tokarev SVT40 style w/a new pommel/hilt, the scabbard is also very similiar to the SVT40 later type.
Buttplate A view of the buttplate (stamped steel) showing the round spring-loaded trapdoor, a cylindrical tool/cleaning kit fit into a hollow under the door.
TypeIII laminate stock TypeI & II's used hardwood furniture mainly (in orig mfg), the I was a different type, the II & III were similiar & could be used on each (w//mods & fitting), the TypeIII has no butt swivel, it was mounted to the left rear of the receiver (TI & II had butt swivels), a few AK47N TIII guns were made w/butt swivels as the scope mounting plate displaced the rear swivel. It's possible some very early TIII's were originally fitted w/hardwood furniture but the majority used a full laminate stock set.
Right action view Here you cans ee the milled receiver (of very high quality), milled lightening cut, the selector/safety is in the "safe" position which covers the carrier slot & keeps dirt out of the action. Also note this rifle is fitted w/an early "slabside" magazine, which is smooth on the sides, later mags had vertical strengthening ribs added. The later mags are believed to have come into service around the time the TIII did but could be found w/any AK variant.
Rear sight A pic of the rear sight which is mounted over the chamber area, this is one of the few "bad" features of the design, it creates a very short side radius. This rifle is based on a Chinese mfg Polytech legend, these guns are very high quality, virtually identical to Soviet mfg, they're believed to have been built on tooling supplied by the Soviets, note the sight leaf is marked w/the crylic п for the "battle" sight marking.
Right forend A view of the upper/lower laminate handguards, retainer, gas tube, rear sight & cleaning rod.
Right side muzzle Detail pic of the muzzle/front sight base, note the cleaning rod head "locks" into a cutout under the F sight base, a feature common to all AK variants, also note the muzzle nut which was actually a thread protector, this is the proper/original muzzle fitting on the TypeI, II, III, & early AKM's, the "slant break" muzzle compensator was part of the improvements of the later AKM design.
Front sight post When reading about the AK everything I've found states one of the differences between Soviet & Chinese AK's is the Chinese guns all use a full hooded front sight vs the open topped sight of the Soviet, this may be true for the later Chinese version of the AKM but every Legend I have seen uses the original Soviet type front sight.
Right muzzle view w/bayonet mounted Here you can see how the rear ears of the bayonet actually mount "around" the barrel, the release latch is at the very bottom of the "crossguard" & is pulled straight down.
Ishevsk Arsenal marking on the bayonet This bayonet is an original Soviet mfg, the tiny arrow in a triangle marking is that of Ishevsk Arsenal. The Poles, Bulgarians, E Germans, Chinese & possibly Hungarians also mfg this type, all are easily to tell from the Soviet except the Bulgarians.
Serial # on Soviet AK bayonet Note the way the numbers are stamped following the curve of the hilt, this is indicative of a Soviet example, along w/the arsenal symbol shown prior. The Bulgarian version usually has the numbers in a straight line perpendicular to the blade length & won't have the Soviet arsenal symbol, all the other versions are easy to distinguish by fittings & mkgs.
Let side w/bayonet mounted Here you can see the gas port, on the TypeIII the forward sling attachment is part of the gas block due to the rear location on the rear of the receiver, on the TI & II the sling attachment in front was part of the handguard retainer.
Left side muzzle
Left forend Here you can see the TypeIII handguard retainer (smooth w/no sling mount) at the front of the bottom handguard. The finish on the TypeIII laminate wood is this "honey brown" type, not the dark red usually associated w/Soviet arms, believe the dark red finish was a later developement (late AKM, AK74). The set here was refinished to duplicate the original finish, & about exactly! by an expert, Z-Recto of the AKForum, thanx Kevin!!
Left receiver markings The markings on this rifle are the original Chinese markings, but the location is the same on the Soviet guns.
TypeIII left action Here is a view of the left side action, you can see the rear swivel location which is attached directly to the receiver, on the AKM series it was moved to the buttstock. Also note the laminate pistol grip which is contoured differently & is wider than the later AKM version.
Left view of buttstock Note the small brass (or copper) reinforcing nails fitted to the laminate stock.
Left w/bayonet attached For many years the Polytech Legend was the only AK that represented the Soviet version available to the US (semi-auto that is), it's a virtual duplicate/clone & other than markings IS a Soviet AK, Arsenal of Bulgaria sold a limited number of SAM7 Classics a few years ago which are as nice (& close to the Soviet), the ones I have seen just seemed to lack the proper finish, also parts kits of real Soviet AK47's can now be assembled legally into SA replicas as there are a couple of companies that have produced legal buildable receivers.
