"Even from Blomkvist's relatively distant observation post he could tell that it was the good old AK4, the rifle that had been his constant companion for the year of his military service."- pg. 13
- Swedish AK4
- Caliber: 7.62mm NATO (.308 win)
- Action: Roller-delayed blowback
- Weight: 4.5 kg
- Overall length: 1023 mm
- Barrel length: 450 mm (315 mm on G3KA4 model)
- Magazine capacity: 20 rounds
In 1963, Sweden decided to upgrade their military's main battle rifle from WWII era bolt actions. They tested the M-14, the SIG, the G3, the FAL, and their in house rifle the Gram. They narrowed it down to the G3 or the FAL. They decided upon the G3 because it used plastics and certain production methods which allowed it be produced for cheaper. It also had a more reliable design. Sweden bought the license and after a few modifications, produced the AK4 rifle from 1965-1980. The AK5 rifle replaced the AK4 in the early 1980s. This is what Mikael Blomkvist used in his military service, and also what he noticed about the Bear Gang that tipped Mikael off.