With an estimated 100 million units produced globally, variants of this firearm are officially used by the militaries of over 100 different countries. Why do you think this specific design managed to become so vastly popular compared to other rifles?
The AK-47 is famous for its reliability, but why? Mikhail Kalashnikov designed it with loose tolerances. This means dust, mud, and sand can get inside the mechanism, but the parts still have enough room to move and function.
Training beats gear every single time. A standard factory pistol in the hands of a highly trained shooter will always outperform a high-end custom firearm in the hands of someone who never practices. Invest in professional instruction.
Think modern semi-autos are a recent invention? The Maxim gun, invented in 1884, used the energy of the recoil to eject the spent cartridge and load the next one. It completely revolutionized mechanical engineering and military tactics.