Regarding an assault rifle...

[Soviet Heavy]

A lot of AK-47s ended up in the Middle East after Russia attacked Afghanistan. They're still in use in third world countries, but Russia has moved onto the AK-74 and further.

 

[Robert Ewing]

The AK-47 will go out of use when a better gun comes along that's cheaper to use.

But even this may not phase them out. Because the AK is actually a cultural icon of warfare. It's widely believed to be the best gun ever created. Simply because it's so, very very simple. It's like the swiss army knife of guns. It's cheap, easy to clean, easy to customize, easy to shoot, easy to convert, and it's influence has spread worldwide, and doesn't show any sign of letting up.

So yeah, a new gun that can get all of this down, and do it better than the AK-47, will bring it down. But it doesn't seem likely that will happen.

 

[Autolykos]

Digging it out of the dirt after five years and still being able to fire one is a myth. They need regular maintenance just like any other rifle out there (or you're bound to have very unpleasant accidents). That said, they are designed with pretty high tolerances, which makes them robust and easy to maintain and build (in fact, you can build one in the average bicycle shop, and people do) - but makes their accuracy somewhat sub-par.
Plus, like others said, there are precious few actual Soviet-built AK-47 around - but lots of knock-offs of wildly varying quality, as well as more advanced versions, knock-offs of these, and rifles whose design is based on a Kalashnikov.
They are probably one of the easiest automatic weapons to build in a garage (besides the Sten submachine gun), which is probably the main reason so many Kalashnikovs and "Kalashnikovs" are in use by Irregulars (or poorly equipped armies) today.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Doubt it, century old SMLEs and Mosins are still turning up in warzones all round the world. A weapon as common as the AK (plus clones) will probably still be going long after any knowledge of it's designer has passed from memory.

Now the various .223 rifles, they'll disappear more quickly since the governments that have bought them are far more keen to control the flow and sales than the Soviet Union ever was.

When the Russians and Chinese stop making them cheaply.

You forgot the Americans, AK pattern rifles are made by several companies in the US and they end up all over the place.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

 

[imnot]

When energy weapons start being used, or when something cheaper and better comes along.

Actually, a projectile is more effective at incapacitating a target than energy weapons ever will be, and it also keeps the target out of the fight for longer, because it won't also cauterise the wound at the same time. The only way I see Energy Weapons being used on a large scale is if they aren't really energy weapons, and utilise Hydrofluoric Acid fired. Either that or a sort of "Sun Gun" which is a concentrated UV Ray which will boil people from the inside out.

On Topic: Basically, because they're cheap to manufacture and maintain is the sole reason they're still being used. As others have said, they are extremely cheap to build (Which is evident as there are little shops in places like India which sell parts for them).

What about the type of energy weapons the covenant use to turn planets into glass eh! WHAT ABOUT THE GODDAM GLASSING RAYS!!!!!1111one

Sorry about that
OT: never because they look fuckign awesome.

 

[vrbtny]

When the ACR is ready, all other guns are done. Straight up done.

Which ACR? There are dozens of "Advanced" or "Adaptive" combat rifles knocking around, so which one are you referring too?

I'm guessing the Remington, but I don't want to jump on anything.

 

[The Cap]

the sheer number of already produced and the mulitude of eastern european/asian/sub-continetal countries either producing their own improved versions or purchasing the above will, coupled with the overall cheapness and rock solid reliability and ease of cleaning/use (albeit only single shot as fully automatic is about as good as throwing the bullets yourself) means that the ak47 and its deriviants will be around for time immorial. or until global warming kills us all, because after all, there is only so much damage a 7.62 round can do to a tidal wave

 

[Kiefer13]

As has been said, there are probably very few original AK-47s are still in use. The vast majority are actually AKMs/Type 56s or other domestically produced clones. Regardless, I'd imagine AK pattern rifles will continue to see use with insurgents, militias and other irregular forces for at least a few decades yet, due to their low cost and reliability.

 

[Use_Imagination_here]

I assume somewhere around the time when light and bullet proof textiles are invented. Though well probably just invent better bullets.

Or when we invent a disintegration ray. Or something like that. Even them someone will be using them for several decades afterward.

 

[Whateveralot]

My Mosin Nagant is more versatile than an AK47... it can be a club, spear, boat oar, tent pole, or firewood

And a rifle. Don't forget the rifle.

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

The AK-47... the longest serving assault rifle, with a high-powered 7.62x39mm cartridge, low production cost, simple mechanism and ungodly reliability, the number of units manufactured is into eight figures now, and with all the (albeit very diminished in recent years) clamour among the NATO nations to come up with something to replace the M4/SA80, many designs have come and gone from use (e.g. G3, FN FAL & SG-540) or are used by very few organisations/in low numbers (e.g. Galil, FAMAS & F2000), it leads me to...

Question: When (if ever) will the AK-47 go out of use?

It hasn't been in very widespread use, actually. The AK-47 went into service with the Soviet military in 1949. In the '50's, it had already been replaced by the AKM, which was almost identical, but still not just an AK-47. It still used the same decent firepower 7.62x39mm round, but had some upgrades that pushed it beyond a variant of the AK-47. In the 1970's, the AK-74 was introduced, which was chambered for the 5.45x39mm round. This is still the standard service firearm of the Russian military (AK-74M), with the AKM being used as a heavy rifle by some troops in urban combat because of its ability to penetrate thicker cover than the -74.

However, it is not one gun that has outlasted the others. Yes, the AKM is the most widespread and most manufactured weapon in the world, however its service life was no longer in reality than any other weapon. There are rebels today using older rifles than the Kalashnikov to be sure.

In fact, what will live on is the Kalashnikov family of rifles. This is simply because of the design of its mechanism, and reliability. To say a Kalashnikov is outdated is to say rotating bolt is outdated. The mechanism type is what lives on, but the guns themselves are going through changes all the time, as with any other weapon. Take the AN-94, for instance. It is a development of Kalashnikov's design, but it is not an AK-47. This is in a similar manner to which the FN SCAR-L Mk-16 is to replace the M-16A4 as the service firearm with the US Army Rangers within the next decade, though, of course, the SCAR is not an AR-15 family rifle. It is, however, about as similar to the M-16A4 as the AN-94 is to the venerable AKM or AK-74M.

 

[loc978]

As many have said, the AK-47 is essentially out of service... but what is colloquially known as the "AK-47"... any rifle built with the Kalashnikov action (and by that definition, this [http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n182/loc978/Photos/DSC00007.jpg] is an AK-47)... that will go out of service about the time that explosion-powered firearms as we know them do.

 

[TMAN10112]

I just finished reading The Gun by C.J. Chivers, and I can confidently say that AKM pattern firearms are going to be seen around for a very long time. Not just because of their durability (there are still some milled, original Izhevsk AK-47s in use around the world) but because of the sheer number of them produced by Russia, and all of it's former com-bloc allies (many, especially China are still cranking them out to this day).

 

[TMAN10112]

*whoops double-post*

 

[Grospoliner]

Well production of the AN-94 seems to be geared up to replace the AK-47, as the AN-94 is designed to use the equivalent Bloc round to the NATO standard 5.56. However the AK-47 will probably never fall out of common use simply due to the sheer number of them available, as well as the sheer amount of 7.62x39 rounds that exist.

 

[Kargathia]

The AK will slowly cease to be used as soon as the ammunition isn't produced anymore. There are so many of the rifles stockpiled, and the average life-span is so long that the rifles will certainly last beyond the ammunition to feed it.

You do realise that there are manufacturers who still make ammunition for hundred-year-old rifles - commercially? .303 British, 7.62x54R and 7.92x57mm rounds are still being made today.

Aye. And there were multiple rifles chambered for 7.62x39 introduced this year.

As I said: you shouldn't hold your breath.

 

[Zaik]

When something replaces the 7.62mm round in both availability and power.

It'll be quite a while before anything like that though.

 

[octafish]

I remember reading a work of fiction where one of the main characters questioned why a terrorist group kept using AKs instead of more advanced and reliable weapons. The answer was "When people see the silhouette of a Kalashnikov, they know what it is instantly, they don't have to work out it is weapon, they know it is a weapon". I think they will be in circulation for along time yet.

 

[spectrenihlus]

The kalashnikov has nothing on the M2 Browning when it comes to longevity. Seriously that gun will probably be still used in 100 years.