A former soldier, inspired by the drawbacks of Russian weaponry in the Second World War he decided to invent a new assault rifle. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...535635/Kalashnikov-inventor-dies-aged-94.html This process culminated in 1947 with the design of the AK-47. Over the course of his career he evolved the basic design into a weapons family. Kalashnikov, who was in his 20s when he created the AK-47 just after World War Two, died in his home city of Izhevsk, near the Ural Mountains, where his gun is still made. The 205-year-old Izmash plant remains one of the main producers of Russian weapons and is treasured as a national icon. See also coverage at The Daily Mail.
He invented the gun that would become popular with communists, African guerillas, terrorists and University of Florida football players. It is even displayed on the flag of Mozambique: