AK-47 Case Hardened Patterns

As we wrote in our previous article dedicated to the infamous 661, the rarest Case Hardened pattern in existence, the Case Hardened skin line as a whole is extremely sought after, unique and expensive even if you’re buying a Battle-scarred version. What makes it so unique is the emulation of a process of surface engineering that results in discoloration of a metal’s outer layer. As a result, the skin model is covered in hues of yellow and light blue, with varying degrees of this color combination. This distinct look is impossible to confuse with anything else, but there are different Case Hardened Patterns that will affect the price of a skin. In this article, we will answer the common AK-47 Case Hardened questions and make the list of the best patterns. 

What are Case Hardened AK-47?

Case hardening is the process of strengthening the outer surface of a metal by applying extreme heat and then immediately immersing it in water. As a result of this chemical reaction between carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, the discoloration will be applied on a surface area of a scorching metal. This discoloration consists of mostly blue, gray and yellowish hues, depending on the intensity of case hardening process. In real life, this technique is often used for craftsmanship of 1 of 1 unique weapons, such as collector’s edition revolvers, hunting rifles, winchester rifles and pistols. When it comes to Counter-Strike, the Case Hardened AK-47 was released on August 14, 2023, as part of the Arms Deal Collection, together with a couple of other iconic skins. This skin instantly became a fan favorite, mostly thanks to the unique design and a pattern mechanic that can alter the skin’s appearance based on its tier. 

Tiers of Case Hardened AK-47

You can encounter three tiers of Case Hardened patterns in CS2, with each having a distinct visual look and different coloration. It’s pretty easy to tell them apart – the rarer the pattern is, the more blue will appear on a metal surface of the skin. It’s safe to say that the most valuable and the most expensive skin features a high percentage of blue, especially if it covers the receiver and the receiver cover, the barrel and the magazine. Let’s take a closer look.

Tier-1 AK-47 Case Hardened Patterns

Pattern index: 151, 955, 321, 387, 670, 179

This is what you call the crème de la crème. These Case Hardened skins go for crazy amounts of money and are extremely rare. Visually, these skins have the most amount of blue hue on the surface area of metal and are called the “Blue Gems”. The patterns with the above-mentioned values have a full blue top, also known as the “scar pattern”. 

Tier-2 AK-47 Case Hardened Patterns

Pattern index: 592, 4, 905, 13, 168, 429

The Tier 2 Blue Gems have a slightly less prominent blue top, but still barely noticeable if compared to lower tier Case Hardened AKs. These Tier 2 skins can be bought for a bit less, but still considered extremely valuable and sought after by collectors and traders. 

Tier-3 AK-47 Case Hardened Patterns

Pattern index: 555, 442, 978, 139, 828, 969, 750, 695, 103, 112, 733, 844, 228, 868, 434, 698, 74, 996, 760, 375, 708, 823, 690, 791, 278, 917, 463, 711, 849, 92, 82, 450, 512, 310, 713, 11, 721, 236, 172, 950, 147, 782, 322, 363, 189, 961, 497, 430, 887, 426, 862, 770, 648, 28, 575, 73, 798, 557, 627, 532, 541, 935, 453, 479, 872, 522, 525, 664, 622, 494, 344, 965, 775, 847, 209, 689, 306, 803, 169, 577, 381, 878, 2, 888, 526, 879, 126, 605, 468, 269, 891, 481, 985, 715, 248, 456, 420, 681, 32, 397, 493, 788, 256, 470, 418, 927, 182, 178, 685, 407, 507, 65, 200, 694, 922, 795, 809, 296, 842, 194, 431, 341, 447, 130, 205, 428, 230, 458, 1000, 242, 34, 325, 724

Technically, this category can be split into two sections, but all these patterns are visually discernible to pretty much everyone who played CS:GO. If you look at one of these skins, the blue hue is not as prominent, and it does not cover a large area of the metal surface area, though it still can pop in certain places. Tier 3 Case Hardened skins are usually substantially cheaper and can be a great addition to any gamer’s collection.  

Best AK-47 Case Hardened Patterns

Among many variations of this skin line, there are certain patterns that stand out as extremely rare and astronomically expensive:

• Pattern 661, also known as the Scar Pattern. Getting your hands on this one will set you back hundreds of thousands of dollars, with the recent deal breaking the million mark. What makes it so unique is the full blue top covering the entire receiver cover area, with a distinctive scar-like gold stripe near the rear sight. 

• Pattern 955, also known as the Reverse Scar. This pattern is similar to the Scar pattern, however, its barrel, alongside the magazine and a front part of the receiver is golden, and the “scar” is located at the back of the receiver cover closer to a buttstock. 

• Pattern 151, also known as the Blue Gem. This skin is known for a beautiful full blue coverage of the receiver cover alongside the barrel. 

• Pattern 387. This pattern is very similar to the regular Blue Gem, but the blue hue is less prominent on the front part of the receiver cover. However, the barrel is almost entirely covered in blue hue, which makes this skin more attractive for some collectors. 

• Pattern 321. This is objectively one of the most beautiful Case Hardened patterns thanks to a high blue percentage covering pretty much every part of the metal surface area with some gold inkling here and there. This skin with a good float can be purchased for a cool hundred thousand dollars. 

What Case Is The Case Hardened AK In?

The Case Hardened AK-47 can be unboxed from the Arms Deal Collection case, originally released in 2013. This case is extremely expensive, as it currently lists for a hundred dollars without the key. Considering how many times you might have to open this case for a chance to get the AK, you’re better off buying a Case Hardened AK-47  without testing your luck.

Also, make sure to check out the abundance of AK-47s in the Skin.Land marketplace. We have all sorts of exclusives for the lowest prices, including a couple of Case Hardened knives and AKs. See you soon!