World Record: AK-47 Sold For $246,750 At Rock Island Auction
Rock Island Auction Company has set a world record for the most expensive AK-47 pattern rifle ever sold at an auction. Of course, it’s not just any AK; it’s a milled receiver Chinese Type 56 fully transferable machine gun, a Vietnam War bringback by USMC Lt. Col. Frank Wolcott. This rifle was sold during the December 2025 Rock Island Premier Firearms Auction for a whopping $246,750, way exceeding the estimated price range of $80,000-$130,000 that the lot was initially expected to be sold for.
Rock Island Auction Company @ TFB:
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- 5 Rare and Unusual Firearms Seen in the Rock Island April 2018 Premiere Firearms Auction Catalog
The Type 56 was used by the North Vietnamese Army and while many have been brought to the USA by veterans as war trophies, not many were registered with the government. This particular Type 56 was registered with the Treasury Department during the November 1968 amnesty as a "Chinese AK-47" by Lieutenant Colonel Frank B. Wolcott of Atlanta, Georgia.
“Born in 1931, Frank Bliss Wolcott III attended the U.S. Naval Academy in the 1950s and served as an artillery officer in Vietnam. His overseas service included participation in the Tet Offensive, in particular the Battle of Hue (January 31 through March 2, 1968), which stands out as one of the most intense urban battles of the 20th century. The exact circumstances aren't recorded, but LTC Wolcott would have had ample opportunities during and before Tet to find a Chinese 56, stash it among his personal affects, rotate back to the States, and register it during the November amnesty.”
You can watch the selling process of this lot in the video below:
Pictures by Rock Island Auction Company, www.rockislandauction.com
Managing Editor Being a lifelong firearms enthusiast, Hrachya always enjoys studying the history and design of guns and ammunition. Should you need to contact him, feel free to shoot him a message at Hrachya@TheFirearmBlog.com
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Bad investment.
Looks like a couple bidders got into a war.