Did you know the world's most expensive Kalashnikov has just been sold?

Firearms show up at auctions and their prices can vary from cheap to astronomical. (The most expensive gun ever sold at an auction, for over 6 million dollars, was the Colt Pat Garrett used to kill Billy the Kid.) Just a few days ago, in December 2025, a new record was set at the Rock Island Auction Company for the most expensive Kalashnikov automatic rifle.

Cheap and reliable, the Soviet-designed AK family of rifles are ubiquitous, with around 100 million made of just the original AK-47 design.

The specific gun that set the record was a Type 56, a Chinese version of the Kalashnikov. Many of these rifles, including that one just sold, were supplied by China to the North Vietnamese army and some of the better-equipped Viet Cong units during the Vietnam War. American soldiers had plenty of opportunities to get their hands on these weapons, and many were smuggled home and often legalized during an amnesty period.

This specimen was taken home by Lieutenant Colonel Frank B. Wolcott, an artillery officer whose overseas service included the Battle of Huế during the Tết Offensive, one of the most intense urban battles in the 20th century. The gun is in very good condition, with some battle scars, patches of patina and pitting, and some mild scratches. It fetched a price of 246,750 dollars, over twice what was originally expected.

If you would like to learn more about the weapons used in the Vietnam War, or visit some of the most important sites of the conflict, join us on our new Vietnam War Luxury Tour!