The AK-47 (shortened from Russian: Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947) is a gas-operated assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, and produced by Russian manufacturer Izhevsk Mechanical Works and used in many Eastern bloc nations during the Cold War. It was adopted and standardized in 1947. Compared with the auto-loading rifles used in World War II, the AK-47 was generally more compact, with a shorter range, a smaller 7.62~39 mm cartridge, and was capable of selective fire. It was one of the first true assault rifles and remains the most widely used and known. More AK-47 rifles and variants have been produced than any other assault rifle; production continues to this day. The AK-47 is a non-fireable replica made in Spain by Denix.