The AK-47 is CS2's most recognizable rifle, but genuinely red finishes for it are rare: most skins share the color with something else, and a solid, saturated red almost never shows up. Out of more than fifty AK-47 finishes, this roundup only includes the ones actually built around red as the dominant color, not just a red accent here and there. Prices span the full range: from about $10 for the AK-47 | Nouveau Rouge to a few thousand dollars for a clean AK-47 | X-Ray in Factory New. The best balance of looks and cost is the AK-47 | Bloodsport, a recognizable finish that holds steady between $120 and $160 almost regardless of wear. Below, every red AK-47 in 2026: how it looks, where it comes from, and what it costs right now.
AK-47 | X-Ray (premium grail)
AK-47 | X-Ray is the priciest red AK-47 on this list and one of the most recognizable finishes for the model: a dense red-and-gold pattern over dark metal, with almost no empty space. There's no case for it: the finish belongs to The Havoc Collection, which Valve released alongside Operation Broken Fang in December 2020. Players got it by spending operation stars on rewards in the operation's shop, the same route as AWP | Silk Tiger from the same collection.
Rarity is Covert, there's no StatTrak version, and all five wears exist. There's no direct drop source for X-Ray anymore, but the regular version can still be crafted through a trade-up contract: ten Classified-rarity skins from The Havoc Collection — AWP | Silk Tiger or MAC-10 | Hot Snakes, for example — guarantee an X-Ray, since it's the only Covert skin in the collection. That narrow inflow is part of why the price runs among the highest on this list: from $360 for Battle-Scarred to $2,470 for Factory New, putting it in range of the priciest skins in CS2.
AK-47 | Bloodsport (best overall)
AK-47 | Bloodsport is a dense red-and-black hydrographic finish covered in scattered white logo decals; red is the base color here, not an accent. It drops from the Spectrum Case (2017).
Rarity is Covert, and a StatTrak version exists. Bloodsport only comes in four wears: Factory New, Minimal Wear, Field-Tested, and Well-Worn. Battle-Scarred doesn't exist for this finish. Pricing stays unusually flat for CS2: about $120 for Well-Worn and Field-Tested up to about $160 for Factory New, a tighter spread than almost anything else on this list, which makes Bloodsport a predictable pick.
AK-47 | The Empress (the fancy option)
AK-47 | The Empress pairs a deep maroon base with a gold geometric pattern and heraldic shields, the most ornate finish on this list. It drops from the Spectrum 2 Case, released in September 2017.
Rarity is Covert, a StatTrak version exists, and all five wears are available. Pricing clusters tightly: Well-Worn, Minimal Wear, and Battle-Scarred all run about $100, Field-Tested is about $110, and Factory New reaches about $210. Three of the five wears cost roughly the same, so paying a premium only makes sense for the cleanest copy.
AK-47 | Red Laminate (affordable entry, pricey Factory New)
AK-47 | Red Laminate is a dense red woodgrain pattern across the stock and handguard, simple and uniform with no extra detailing. It's from the eSports 2013 Case, one of the oldest cases in the game.
Rarity is Classified, a StatTrak version exists, and all five wears are available. The wear-to-wear spread here is the sharpest on this list: Field-Tested, Well-Worn, and Battle-Scarred all sit around $50, Minimal Wear runs about $110, and Factory New, thanks to a thin supply of just a handful of listings, sells for around $520.
AK-47 | Orbit Mk01 (best value for money)
AK-47 | Orbit Mk01 is a futuristic red-and-gray pattern that mimics metal paneling; scratches already show at Factory New, and by Battle-Scarred the whole surface darkens under a layer of patina. It drops from the Operation Hydra Case (2017).
Rarity is Restricted, a StatTrak version exists, and all five wears are available. Supply is some of the widest on this list, and pricing runs from about $20 for Field-Tested to about $100 for Factory New, making Orbit Mk01 the best price-to-look ratio among the affordable picks.
AK-47 | Nouveau Rouge (cheapest entry)
AK-47 | Nouveau Rouge is the newest skin on this list: a red-and-cream Art Nouveau pattern with gold linework, released in spring 2025. There's no case for it: the finish belongs to The Radiant Collection, which was never tied to a case at all, so the only ways to get one are the market or a trade-up craft (more on that below).
Rarity is Classified, there's no StatTrak version, and all five wears are available. It's the most affordable red AK-47 on this list: about $10 for Battle-Scarred and Well-Worn up to about $60 for Factory New.
Getting a Red AK-47
Four of these skins drop from cases: Red Laminate from the eSports 2013 Case, Bloodsport from the Spectrum Case, The Empress from the Spectrum 2 Case, and Orbit Mk01 from the Operation Hydra Case. Opening one needs the case itself plus a key; the odds on any specific finish and wear are low, so for a particular wear it's almost always faster to buy a finished listing than to gamble on cases.
Two skins skip the case system entirely. X-Ray has no direct drop source left; players used to earn it by spending Operation Broken Fang stars, and that operation has long since closed. It can still be crafted, though: a trade-up contract using ten Classified-rarity skins from The Havoc Collection guarantees an X-Ray, since it's the only Covert skin in that collection. Nouveau Rouge, from The Radiant Collection, never had a case either, and it can be crafted the same way X-Ray can — ten Restricted-rarity skins from The Radiant Collection guarantee a Nouveau Rouge, the only Classified item in that collection. That guaranteed outcome is the exception, not the rule: it only works because neither collection has any other skin at the rarity tier one step up. Most trade-ups don't work out that predictably.
What Determines a Red AK-47's Price
A few factors drive the price of a red AK-47:
Rarity. X-Ray, Bloodsport, and The Empress are Covert; Orbit Mk01 is Restricted; Red Laminate and Nouveau Rouge are Classified. A higher tier usually holds its price more confidently.
How saturated the red is. Bloodsport and Red Laminate lean almost solid red, while The Empress and Orbit Mk01 mix it with gold or gunmetal gray; the purer the color, the easier it slots into a red-themed loadout.
Float. Float visibly changes the look: Orbit Mk01 already shows scuffs at Factory New, and by Battle-Scarred the metal darkens under patina. On most of these skins, clean wears cost multiples of the worn ones.
StatTrak. StatTrak exists for Bloodsport, The Empress, Red Laminate, and Orbit Mk01; X-Ray and Nouveau Rouge have no counter version at all.
Source and supply. Case skins keep getting fresh supply as long as the case is opened. X-Ray and Nouveau Rouge never had a case at all — both exist only through copies already in circulation plus trade-up crafting out of their own collection's limited pool (Havoc and Radiant, respectively), so the inflow of new copies is far narrower than for case skins.
Comparing Red AK-47 Skins
Every skin from this roundup in one table, from the premium grail down to the cheapest entry:
| Skin | Shade | Price From | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| X-Ray | Red and gold | $360 | Premium grail |
| Bloodsport | Red and black with white | $120 | Best overall |
| The Empress | Maroon with gold | $100 | The fancy option |
| Red Laminate | Solid red | $50 | Affordable entry, pricey FN |
| Orbit Mk01 | Red and gray | $20 | Best value for money |
| Nouveau Rouge | Red and cream | $10 | Cheapest entry |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which red AK-47 skin is the best?
For most players, Bloodsport (from $120): a recognizable design with a surprisingly flat price across wears. If budget isn't a concern, go with X-Ray (from $360), the priciest and one of the most recognizable red AK-47s around. For the smallest entry, Nouveau Rouge starts at about $10.
Are there cheap red AK-47 skins?
Yes. Nouveau Rouge starts at roughly $10, Orbit Mk01 at about $20, and Red Laminate at about $50, though its Factory New sells for far more due to thin supply.
Does float affect the red color?
Yes, noticeably. Orbit Mk01 already shows scuffs at Factory New, and the metal darkens under patina by Battle-Scarred. On most of these skins, clean wears look brighter and cost multiples of the worn ones.
What goes well with red AK-47 skins?
The obvious pairing is red gloves and the rest of a red-themed inventory. Bloodsport or Red Laminate, for example, pair well with Specialist Gloves | Crimson Web or Driver Gloves | Crimson Weave.
