▁his ▁talent ▁as ▁a ▁designer ▁was ▁noticed . ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁on wards ▁Kal ash nik ov ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Central ▁Scient ific - development al ▁F iring ▁Range ▁for ▁R if le ▁Fire ar ms ▁of ▁the ▁Chief ▁Art illery ▁Director ate ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Army . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁he ▁designed ▁a ▁gas - oper ated ▁car bine ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁ 7 . 6 2 × 3 9 mm ▁cart ridge . ▁This ▁weapon , ▁influenced ▁by ▁the ▁M 1 ▁Gar and ▁rif le , ▁lost ▁out ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁Simon ov ▁car bine ▁which ▁would ▁be ▁eventually ▁adopted ▁as ▁the ▁S KS ; ▁but ▁it ▁became ▁a ▁basis ▁for ▁his ▁entry ▁in ▁an ▁assault ▁rif le ▁competition ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁His ▁winning ▁entry , ▁the ▁" M ik ht im " ▁( so ▁named ▁by ▁taking ▁the ▁first ▁letters ▁of ▁his ▁name ▁and ▁patron ym ic , ▁Mik h ail ▁Tim of ey ev ich ) ▁became ▁the ▁prototype ▁for ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁family ▁of ▁prototype ▁rif les . ▁This ▁process ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁when ▁he ▁designed ▁the ▁A K - 4 7 ▁( standing ▁for ▁Av tom at ▁Kal ash nik ova ▁model ▁ 1 9 4 7 ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁the ▁A K - 4 7 ▁became ▁the ▁standard ▁issue ▁assault ▁rif le ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Army ▁and ▁went ▁on