[decimon]

Very few AK47s actually were made. The original gun -- the name is an abbreviation of Automatic Kalashnikov 1947 -- was designed that year and went into production in '49. It was soon tweaked and became the AKM. The M stands for modernized.

I thought the "M" stood for "machined" as opposed to cast.

[donozark]

Milled vs. stamped. M=Modern. Interesting read is the Offical Soviet AKM Manual. Translated by Major James Gebhardt. So many versions, models, variations exist. And you should just see what some of these hillbillies do to them! It's a crime!