▁designer . ▁He ▁is ▁most ▁famous ▁for ▁developing ▁the ▁A K - 4 7 ▁assault ▁rif le ▁and ▁its ▁improvements , ▁the ▁A K M ▁and ▁A K - 7 4 , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁PK ▁machine ▁gun ▁and ▁R PK ▁light ▁machine ▁gun . ▁ ▁Kal ash nik ov ▁was , ▁according ▁to ▁himself , ▁a ▁self - t aught ▁t ink erer ▁who ▁combined ▁inn ate ▁mechanical ▁skills ▁with ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁weapon ry ▁to ▁design ▁arms ▁that ▁achieved ▁battle field ▁u bi qu ity . ▁Even ▁though ▁Kal ash nik ov ▁felt ▁sorrow ▁at ▁the ▁weapons ' ▁un control led ▁distribution , ▁he ▁took ▁pride ▁in ▁his ▁invent ions ▁and ▁in ▁their ▁reputation ▁for ▁reli ability , ▁emphas izing ▁that ▁his ▁rif le ▁is ▁" a ▁weapon ▁of ▁defense " ▁and ▁" not ▁a ▁weapon ▁for ▁off ense ". ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Kal ash nik ov ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁K ury a , ▁Al ta i ▁Governor ate , ▁Russian ▁S FS R , ▁now ▁Al ta i ▁K rai , ▁Russia , ▁as ▁the ▁sevent e enth ▁child ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 ▁children ▁of ▁Aleks andra ▁Fro lov na ▁Kal ash nik ova ▁( née ▁K aver ina ) ▁and ▁Tim of ey ▁Aleks and rov ich ▁Kal ash nik ov , ▁who ▁were ▁pe as ants . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁his ▁father ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁family ▁were ▁dep riv ed ▁of ▁imp ot ency ▁and ▁deport ed ▁to ▁the ▁village ▁of