How China sold [a lot of] AK47’s to America as💰 ”startup capital” [Podcast Ep. 5]

So you're China in the 1980's trying to dig yourself out of poverty. Your industry isn't diverse, are largely agricultural and you just took a hit fighting the Vietnamese. How do you get out of poverty?

 

The answer: Guns. Sell them to the American market.

 

In the 1980's China made a lot of AK47 style rifles (Type 56 Assault) and sold them to the U.S. market. These gave the Type 56 a reputation of the best rifles, while they were considered the worst in other places of the world.

 

So what is the truth? Where are they from? Which factory made them? How were they made?

 

We speak with arms dealer Dave P. who's family distributed Chinese small arms in the 1980's for an answer to all these questions!