| Name | A country | Cartridge | Length, mm with/without stock | Barrel length, mm | Weight, kg (without cartridges) | Rate of fire, rounds per minute | Sighting range, m | Initial bullet speed, m/s |
| AK | USSR | 7.62x39 | 870 | 415 | 4,3 | 600 | 800 | 710 |
| USSR | 7.62x39 | 880 | 415 | 3,1 | 600 | 1000 | 715 | |
| USSR | 5.45x39 | 940 | 415 | 3,3 | 600 | 1000 | 900 | |
| Russia | 5.45x39 | 943/705 | 415 | 3,6 | 650 | 1000 | 900 | |
| USSR | 5.45x39 | 730/490 | 206,5 | 2,7 | 700 | 500 | 735 | |
| Russia | 5.56x45 | 943/700 | 415 | 3,6 | 600 | 1000 | 910 | |
| Russia | 5.56x45 | 824/586 | 314 | 3,2 | 600 | 500 | 850 | |
| Russia | 7.62x39 | 943/705 | 415 | 3,6 | 600 | 1000 | 715 | |
| AK-104 | Russia | 7.62x39 | 824/586 | 314 | 3,1 | 600 | 500 | 670 |
| Russia | 5.45x39 | 824/586 | 314 | 3,2 | 600 | 500 | 840 | |
| Russia | 5.45x39 | 943/700 | 415 | 3,8 | 850 | 1000 | 900 | |
| Russia | 5.56x45 | 943/700 | 415 | 3,8 | 900 | 1000 | 910 | |
| Russia | 7.62x39 | 943/700 | 415 | 3,8 | 900 | 1000 | 750 | |
| Russia | 9x39 | 705/465 | 200 | 3,1 | 600 | 400 | ||
| Russia | 5.45x39 | 940/730 | 415 | 3,2 | 650/1000 | 1100 | 900 |
An AK model with a metal butt folding down under the forearm, intended for the Airborne Forces.
Adopted into service in 1959.
Starting with this model, all AK family assault rifles have the butt raised to bring the resting point closer to the firing line.
Model AKM with a metal butt folding down. Designed for paratroopers.
A shortened AKM model with a folding stock, intended for special forces and airborne forces. airborne troops. It was produced in very limited quantities and was not widely used among the troops. It did not officially enter service.
-AKMN (6P1N)
AKM variant equipped with a night sight
-AKMSN (6P4N)
AKMN variant with a metal butt folding down.
Further modernization of the machine. Uses 5.45 mm ammunition and was put into service in 1974 along with a weapon complex based on it.
Modification for airborne forces and Marine Corps with a metal frame stock folding to the left.
-AK74N and AKS74N
“Night” versions of the AK74 and AKS74, respectively, were equipped with a rail for installing an infrared night sight
Option AK74, replaced AK74, AKS74 and night variants. Left-folding polymer stock.
A shortened version with a frame stock folding to the left.
"Episode 100"
In the mid-90s, a new series of assault rifles appeared, designated “Series 100”. Models of this series are exported and are also in service with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The series was based on the AK-74M, specific models differ in calibers (5.45x39 mm for AK-105 and AK-107; 5.56x45 mm NATO for AK-101, AK-102, AK-108; 7.62x39 mm for AK-103, AK-104, AK-109), shortened barrel (AK-102, AK-104, AK-105), balanced automation system (AK-107 AK-108 and AK-109). A characteristic feature of all 100 series assault rifles are plastic fore-ends and black buttstocks.
"Episode Two Hundred"
In 2009 CEO Rosoboronexport company Anatoly Isaikin announced the creation of a new model of Kalashnikovs, which should replace the “hundredth series”. At the same time, according to Vladimir Grodetsky, weapons of the 200 series will differ from the previous generation of machine guns by 40-50% in terms of efficiency.
On November 25, 2009, at a meeting with representatives of republican and Russian media General Director of Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant OJSC Vladimir Pavlovich Grodetsky said:
“We are now working on the further development of the AK - this will be the “200th” series. It will differ in particular by a different barrel and the cartridge used. Now the task is to exceed all the characteristics that the NATO 5.56x45 cartridge has. According to NATO classification, an assault rifle is equivalent to carbines, but despite this, our assault rifle is not inferior to a NATO assault rifle. Now the task is to surpass it. In the “200th” series we will try to realize this task.”
On May 25, 2010, Grodetsky made a statement to Interfax that state tests of the newest Kalashnikov assault rifle of the 200 series will start in 2011. Based on their results, a decision will be made on supplying the machine gun to the troops. He also said that the new model will be based on the AK-74M, and the new machine has a mounting bracket additional equipment- sights, laser designators and a flashlight, which significantly increased the weight of the new machine gun: 3.8 kg versus 3.3 kg for its predecessor. Moreover, the AK 200 series magazine will be more spacious - 30, 50 or 60 rounds versus 30 for the AK-74M. A little later on the same day (May 25, 2010), Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov announced that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB of Russia began to purchase a new Kalashnikov assault rifle of the 200 series, and added that the Ministry of Defense had decided to purchase new small arms not accepted yet.
Kalashnikov assault rifles of the “200th series” do not exist at all. Maxim Kuzyuk, general director of Izhmash, a subsidiary of the state corporation Rostekhnologii, spoke about this in an interview with Lenta.ru. “It never existed, it was created precisely as a project. It wasn’t even a shooting sample that was made, but just a certain appearance. Unfortunately, in reality there wasn’t even a firing example of the “200 series” machine gun itself,” he said.
When Vladimir Zlobin (chief designer of Izhmash - note from Lenta.ru) and I began to figure out what developments Izhmash had, and what the “200th series” was, I asked to show it to me: “Let’s see, What is the “200th series”? We started to look into it - it turned out that nothing had been done except for one dummy. There were ideas, of course, but there was no “200th series” as such,” explained Kuzyuk.
In May 2010, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, who oversaw the military-industrial complex, said that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB had already begun purchasing a Kalashnikov assault rifle of the “200th series.” At the same time it was reported that the new machine gun was made on the basis of the AK-74M and differed from it in increased weight, larger capacity magazine and the presence of rails for installing sights, a flashlight and a laser designator.
The former director of the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant, Vladimir Grodetsky, in turn, stated that the “200th series” of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was planned to be sent for state testing in 2011 for further transfer to the troops. As Maxim Kuzyuk said in an interview with Lenta.ru, law enforcement agencies are currently ordering “100th series” AKs from Izhmash. The head of the enterprise did not name specific models.
According to Kuzyuk, Izhmash is focusing on developing a new assault rifle, designated AK-12. “This is already a real model from which we shoot, including representatives of law enforcement agencies. They come to our plant, and shootings have already taken place at our testing station with the participation of representatives of various special forces. We also received constructive feedback, what can be improved, and very positive feedback,” explained Kuzyuk.
Izhmash completed the assembly of the first AK-12 prototype in January 2012. As reported, based on the new platform it is planned to create a wide range of small arms, including a sniper rifle to replace the SVD.
A silent version, created on the basis of the “hundredth series”.
The newest AK-12 assault rifle (Kalashnikov assault rifle model 2012), the chief designer of which is Vladimir Zlobin.
Civil options
In addition to military weapons, NPO Izhmash produces a family of hunting smoothbore (12, 20 and .410 calibers) based on the AK, and rifled weapons chambered for 7.62x39 mm, 7.62x51 mm, 5.45x39 mm, and also (for export sales) for the NATO cartridge 5.56x45 mm: bearing the general name “Saiga”.
The first Saiga hunting carbines were created in the 1970s (by order of the then Secretary General Central Committee of the CPSU L.I. Brezhnev as commercial carbines for shooting saigas in the steppes of Kazakhstan in order to protect crops), and were produced under the domestic hunting cartridge 5.6x39. It was this sample that formed the basis of the entire family.
In the early 90s, a hunting rifle was produced based on the design of the AKM assault rifle. self-loading carbine"Saiga" chambered for 7.62x39 mm, and then the development and production of "Saiga" smoothbore shotguns began. The Saiga carbine chambered for 7.62x39 mm differs from military weapons primarily in that it cannot fire automatically, for which some details have been changed. In addition, the attachment point for the magazine to the weapon has been changed so that it is impossible to insert a magazine from combat machine gun. The butt and fore-end of the carbine can be made like classic hunting rifles or be interchangeable with machine guns; the parts are made of both plastic and wood. Since the carbine, made according to the classical design, does not have a pistol grip for fire control, and the trigger and its safety guard are shifted closer to the neck of the hunting-type butt, it was necessary to introduce a special trigger rod in the trigger mechanism. There are two types of magazines - with a capacity of five and ten rounds.
Nowadays, NPO Izhmash produces a whole range of self-loading rifles and Saiga carbines for various purposes, for a wide range of domestic and imported ammunition. From purely hunting options to “tactical” shotguns, quite suitable for use by units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and private security companies.
"Vepr" carbines - a product of the "Molot" plant, OJSC "Vyatsko-Polyansky Machine-Building Plant" (including Vepr-K (VPO-133) - AKM without the ability to fire automatically);
-AKMS-MF and AKM-MFA - products of the Vinnitsa arms factory "FORT";
-Vulcan - hunting rifles Kharkov LLC "SOBR".
Prototypes
AK-46
AK-46 is to a certain extent a conditional (it is not known for certain whether he ever carried it) designation of an assault rifle created by Kalashnikov on the basis of a self-loading carbine he had previously developed in 1944, and presented in 1946 to participate in the competition. The design had a certain similarity with the design of the American M1 Garand rifle (automatic with a short stroke of a gas piston located above the barrel and a rotary bolt similar to that of the Garand system).
Recognized by the commission as unsuitable for further development after the second round of testing. After a radical redesign to participate in the next round of testing, the new machine gun (AK prototype) received minimal structural similarity to its predecessor.
In 1959, Mikhail Kalashnikov designed the “7.62 mm self-loading sniper rifle of the M. T. Kalashnikov system (SVK)”, which is similar to the AK. The automation worked on the principle of removing powder gases from the barrel bore with a short piston stroke. The flag-type fuse was located on the right side of the receiver. On the left side of the receiver there is a bracket for mounting an optical sight. Food was supplied from box magazines with 10 rounds of 7.62x54 mm R cartridges. The locking scheme is the same as in the AK. The weight without cartridges was 4.23 kg. It was not accepted for service, losing out to the Dragunov rifle.
Production and use of AKs outside Russia
In the 1950s, licenses for the production of AKs were transferred by the USSR to 18 countries (mostly Warsaw Pact allies). At the same time, twelve more states began producing AKs without a license. The number of countries in which AKs were produced without a license in small batches, much less handicraft, cannot be counted at all. To date, according to Rosoboronexport, the licenses of all states that previously received them have already expired, however, the issuance continues. The Polish company Bumar and the Bulgarian company Arsenal, which has now opened a branch in the United States and established production of assault rifles there, are especially active in producing copies of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The production of AK clones has been launched in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. According to fairly rough estimates, there are from 70 to 105 million copies of various modifications of Kalashnikov assault rifles in the world. They have been adopted by the armies of 55 countries.
In 2004, Rosoboronexport and Mikhail Kalashnikov personally accused the United States of supporting the distribution of counterfeit copies of the AK. This commented on the fact that the United States supplies the ruling regimes of Afghanistan and Iraq with Kalashnikov assault rifles produced in China and other countries of Eastern Europe. Regarding this statement, gun proliferation expert Professor Aaron Karp noted: “It is as if the Chinese demanded payments for every firearm produced on the basis that they were the ones who invented gunpowder 700 years ago.” Despite these accusations, there is no information about lawsuits or other official steps to stop the production of AK-like weapons.
In some of the states that previously received licenses for the production of AKs, it was produced in a slightly modified form. Thus, in the modification of the AK, produced in Yugoslavia, Romania and some other countries, there was an additional pistol-type handle under the forend to hold the weapon. Other minor changes were also made - the bayonet mounts, the materials of the forend and butt, and the finishing were changed. There were cases when two machine guns were connected on a special homemade mount, and the result was a setup similar to double-barreled air defense machine guns. In the GDR, a training modification of the AK was produced under the 22LR cartridge. In addition, many types of military weapons have been created on the basis of the AK - from carbines to sniper rifles. Some of these designs are factory conversions of original AKs.
Many of the AK copies are in turn also copied (with the purchase of a license or not) with some modifications by other manufacturers, resulting in the appearance of quite different machines from the original model, for example, the Vektor CR-21 - a South African machine gun with a bullpup layout, designed on the basis of the Vektor R4 , which is a copy of the Israeli Galil assault rifle - a licensed copy Finnish machine gun Valmet Rk 62, which in turn is a licensed version of the AK.
Kalashnikov assault rifle on the civilian weapons market
In countries with liberal weapons legislation (primarily in the United States), various versions of the Kalashnikov system are popular as civilian weapons.
In the United States, all AK-like weapons are known collectively as the AK-47 (“hey-kay-foti-sevn”). The first copies of the AK came to the United States along with soldiers returning from Vietnam. Since in those years the ownership of automatic (burst-firing) weapons in the United States was allowed to civilians, many of them were subsequently officially registered in compliance with all necessary formalities.
The Gun Control Act, adopted in 1968, banned the import of civilian automatic weapons, but due to a number of loopholes in the law, the sale of automatic weapons assembled in the United States remained possible. In addition, the import of self-loading AK-based variants was not limited in any way.
In 1986, an amendment to the same resolution (the so-called Firearm Owners Protection Act) prohibited not only the import, but also the sale of automatic weapons to civilians, as well as their release for the purpose of such sale; This regulation, however, does not apply to weapons registered before 1986, which can be purchased at legally if you have the appropriate license, and if you have a dealer license of the appropriate level (Class III Dealer) - and sold. Thus, in the United States, in the hands of civilians, there is currently a certain number of military-style Kalashnikov assault rifles capable of firing in bursts.
Subsequently it was also adopted whole line regulations (1989 Semi-Automatic Rifle Import Ban, 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban), which specifically prohibited the import of any AK-like weapons, with the exception of specifically modified versions, such as the Russian Saiga of some modifications, with a rifle stock instead of a pistol grip and other changes in designs. These additional restrictions have now been lifted due to the end of these regulations.
In other countries, in the vast majority of cases, civil ownership automatic weapons if allowed by law, it is only as an exception with special permission, or for the purpose of collecting.
Who knows the history of the Kalashnikov assault rifle? But this is a legendary machine gun, used by most countries around the world. It is not only one of the most popular small arms, but also one of the most significant inventions of the twentieth century. During the existence of the AK-47, more than fifty million modifications of this machine gun have already been produced. A legendary weapon that has received recognition from most countries of the world. The history of the creation of the Kalashnikov assault rifle will be told to the reader in the article.
Creator of the AK-47 small arms gun
Who invented the Kalashnikov assault rifle? This was done by the famous weapons designer and developer - M. T. Kalashnikov. Being a lieutenant general, he was also a Doctor of Technical Sciences, in Soviet time- member of the CPSU, participant in military operations, winner of many medals, awards and orders, public figure, deputy who received the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.
Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov is a native of the Altai Territory, born into a large, large family on November 10, 1919. WITH early years was interested in studying the action of various mechanisms. One day, after graduating from school, the young man independently disassembled a Browning pistol in order to familiarize himself and study the weapon in detail.
Upon reaching the age of 19 he was called up to army service, where he received the specialty of a tank driver.
Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov began to show his inventive talent during his service. One of his first developments was an inertial recorder that counted the number of shots fired from a tank's cannon. Then for several months he was fascinated by the development of a tank engine life meter. The result exceeded all expectations - the invention worked accurately, accurately recording the operation of the engine.
During the Great Patriotic War he was a tank commander, but in the fall of 1941 he was seriously wounded. It was during treatment that he began to make the first sketches of automatic weapons. He developed his idea, taking into account his own impressions received during the battles, studied specialized literature, and listened to the opinions of his colleagues. This activity captivated the talented young man so much that within a few months he developed his first model of firearms. Although the submachine gun sample was not recommended for mass production for a number of technical reasons, the great Soviet scientist in the field of mechanics A. A. Blagonravov noted the originality of the idea, as well as the design of the sample itself.
Kalashnikov began developing the assault rifle in 1945. After several years of design, modifications, and combat testing, Kalashnikov automatic systems were adequately assessed and recommended for army weapons. For the greatest development of national importance, the one who invented the Kalashnikov assault rifle received first degree, and was also awarded the honorary Order of the Red Star.
Development history
In what year was the Kalashnikov assault rifle created? In 1943, a rifle cartridge, the caliber of which was 7.62 mm, received for armament, required small arms. The development of weapons specifically for a cartridge of this caliber began on a competitive basis. The main task was to surpass analogues and create a worthy replacement
Among the competition entries were other successful projects by well-known developers, but Mikhail Kalashnikov's automatic system (also known as the AK-47) outperformed its competitors in design as well as production cost.
In 1948, Mikhail Kalashnikov went to the Izhevsk motorcycle plant to produce a test batch. automatic systems in order to test them through military tests. A year later, serial production of the AK-47 started at the machine-building plant in the city of Izhevsk. By the following year, the AK entered service with the army of the Soviet Union.
Design
Main parts of the AK, their purpose:
- A rifled barrel of an assault rifle, including a bullet entrance, as well as a chamber. Directs the flight of the bullet.
- The receiver is designed to connect the mechanisms into a single structure.
- The butt contains a specially created socket where a pencil case with tools for cleaning the weapon is placed.
- Sights, consisting of a sector sight and a front sight, are necessary for direct control of the location of the barrel channel relative to the aiming point. They are used to point the firearm at the target while firing. The position of the front sight is easy to change to adjust the location of the midpoint.
- The cover (removable) of the receiver prevents damage to the internal mechanisms.
- The bolt carrier, connected to a gas piston, is one of the main elements of a firearm, actuating the bolt element and also triggering the trigger mechanism.
- The bolt closes the barrel channel before firing. Advances the cartridge from the magazine directly into the chamber. There is also a special mechanism on the bolt, with the help of which the spent cartridge case or cartridge is removed from the chamber (if a misfire occurs).
- The return mechanism, thanks to a special spring, returns the bolt frame to its extreme forward position.
- A gas tube with a barrel lining regulates the direction of movement of the gas piston using directional ribs.
- The trigger mechanism includes a trigger, a spring trigger retarder, a trigger, an automatic spring release, a sear, and a translator. Provides de-cocking and switching from single to continuous fire. Using this mechanism, you can stop shooting and also fix the safety.
- The handguard is necessary for comfortable holding of the weapon during combat shooting; it serves the function of protecting hands from contact with hot metal, thereby preventing burns.
- The magazine is box-type and holds three dozen rounds. Thanks to the spring, the cartridges move directly into the receiver.
- The bayonet-knife is attached for use during close combat.
- The muzzle brake is a special compensating device designed to increase the stability of the weapon during a shot. Partially removes powder gases when firing, thereby significantly reducing barrel recoil. Helps increase accuracy when firing in bursts (appeared in the AKM version).
Most young men can easily list the main parts of an AK-47, since assembling the machine gun in a certain time is a mandatory part school course military basic training.
The total number of AK elements is about a hundred parts.
Specifications
The first version of the AK-47 was distinguished by the following main characteristics:
- The weight of the Kalashnikov assault rifle is 4.8 kg (not including the bayonet).
- The length of the automatic system was 870 mm (including the knife - 1070 mm).
- (initial) - 715 meters per second.
- Barrel caliber - 7.62 mm.
- Cartridge - 7.62 x 39 mm.
- The Kalashnikov assault rifle magazine consists of thirty rounds.
Rate of fire:
- when firing in bursts - 100 rounds in one minute;
- when firing single cartridges - 40 rounds in one minute;
- technical rate of fire is approximately 600 rounds per minute.
Shooting performance:
- maximum bullet flight - 3 km;
- lethal shot range - 1500 meters;
- direct shot range - 350 meters.
Modifications
The history of the Kalashnikov assault rifle contains information that the very first version designed by Mikhail Timofeevich during the competition was the AK-46. This version of the weapon was invented in 1946, but after detailed study and a series of combat tests, this model was found unsuitable.
However, the creation of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, the next year, 1947, was the year of development of the famous AK-47.
Together with the AK, by 1949, the Soviet Army adopted a folding version of the AK - AKS, created for special forces.
Then, from 1959, the history of the Kalashnikov assault rifle moves to new stage. The AK-47 is being replaced by the modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle (AKM). From the same year, it was the AKM that became the most common version of the Kalashnikov. Compared to previous models, the AKM has improved firing range, the shape of the butt has been changed, a muzzle brake-compensator has been added, the weight has also been reduced, and a bayonet has been added. Along with this model, a modification of the AKMN was released, which has a night optical sight.
Together with the AKM, the armament was replenished with a similar model, but the stock of which is folding - AKMS. In addition to this version, there was also AKMSN, that is, a night version with a special optical sight.
Over the next few years, the development of an automatic system for use with a 5.45 x 39 mm cartridge was actively underway. By 1974, a new modification entered service - the AK-74 and AK-74N (a model that includes night and optical sight). A special development for special forces was a new version AKS-74, that is, a model with a folding butt, another model was called AKS-74N - a night modification with an optical sight.
By 1979, a shortened version of the AKS-74 - AKS-74U and AKS-74UN, containing fasteners for a night and optical sight, appeared specifically for arming airborne troops.
In 1991, a modernized AK-74 called AK-74M entered service with the army. The unique machine, released into mass production, managed to replace several models at the same time.
It was the AK-74M version that became the base version for the development of the entire 100th series.
The 100th AK series represents various versions of the AK-74M, designed for export. For deliveries to other countries, only automatic systems of the 100th series are now used, since this series is superior to the previous ones in terms of material quality and modernity technological process, improved shooting characteristics.
The newest modern fifth-generation model is the AK-12 model. This sample appeared in 2012.
Record holder of the Guinness Book of Records
The Kalashnikov assault rifle, the dimensions of which you already know, occupies one of the leading roles in the weapons industry. For its reliability, it has won well-deserved unconditional recognition from most countries of the world. Together with all its modifications, it occupies more than 15% of small arms around the world, which is why it is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most common weapon.
AK outside Russia
Within a few years of the AK-47's adoption, production licenses were granted to approximately two dozen countries. The license was transferred mainly to states that were allies under the famous Warsaw Pact. Also, by that time, more than a dozen countries began to produce AKs without the appropriate license.
There are about 100 million different variations of the Kalashnikov assault rifle around the world.
Use in battles
The first combat use of the AK occurred during the suppression of protests in the fall of 1956 in Hungary. Then it was a symbol of the Vietnam War and was actively used by soldiers of the Vietnamese People's Army.
However, the rapid spread of the Kalashnikov assault rifle system around the world occurred during the war in Afghanistan, when the CIA actively supplied armed forces with it.
And then, thanks to its reliability and ease of operation, Iraqi soldiers chose the AK-47 instead of the M16 during military operations in their country.
AK as a civilian weapon
Various variants of the Kalashnikov automatic system are very popular among civilian weapons, especially among those countries where weapons laws are quite liberal.
At the time of the appearance of the very first AK models in the United States of America, it was allowed to own automatic weapons. Later, a law was passed prohibiting the sale of such weapons to civilians, but this did not apply to weapons officially registered before 1986. That's why some people still own combat AK models.
As for most countries around the world, the storage of such automatic systems is prohibited by law. Those who own AKs illegally purchase them for How much does a Kalashnikov assault rifle cost? The price of an AK varies depending on the modification. So how much does a Kalashnikov assault rifle cost approximately? According to unofficial data, the price of an AK on the black market is around $1,000 (about 55,000 rubles).
AK at the present time
Over time, the Kalashnikov assault rifle (weight, dimensions and other specifications were presented to your attention in the article) has been subject to many critical reviews from leading experts, its shortcomings are increasingly being discussed, many call the model frankly outdated. During its existence (and this is already more than 60 years), the requirements for weapon systems in general have changed; the modern world, of course, dictates new rules, demanding improvement and modernization.
However, despite the shortcomings discovered over time, the history of the Kalashnikov assault rifle continues. He is rightfully considered legendary weapons. Having gained a reputation as a simply reliable machine, it will undoubtedly be in deserved demand for a long time. They continue to copy it, improve it, and refine its characteristics. Monuments are erected to the Kalashnikov assault rifle, depicted on coats of arms, considered a symbol of good luck and even depicted on coins. Its recognition occurred all over the world, and, undoubtedly, the AK left an indelible mark on the weapons history of not only Russia, but also most of the world's countries.
This article will discuss weapons with a worldwide reputation, the development of which marked the beginning of an entire era in the field of domestic weapons design. TTX machine gun Kalashnikovs were improved from one model to another, but the principle of operation remained unchanged. The traditions laid down by the creator himself in his model also remained unbreakable: quality, reliability, simplicity and long term services.
History of creation...
The prerequisites for the development of a new weapon model were the results of a meeting of the technical council at the People's Commissariat of the USSR in July 1943, where the captured prototype of the German StG-44 and the American M1 Carbine were disassembled.
About a month later, a new experimental cartridge of 7.62 x 41 mm caliber was created, subsequently the cartridge was adjusted, and as a result the caliber was converted to 7.62 x 39 mm.
Later, a number of design competitions were announced, as a result of which the famous machine gun was developed.
In 1947, it was decided to start production of the machine gun in Izhevsk. And just two years later, two models were put into service: a standard AK with a caliber of 7.62 mm and a model with a folding stock - AKS - of the same caliber.
1959 was marked by the release of a modernized version of the machine. The flaws identified during operation were corrected, new performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle were compiled based on the already used TKB-517 assault rifle, and the first machine gun based on the AKM was released.
Machine
The Kalashnikov assault rifle, performance characteristics and main parts were refined from one version of the product to another to increase efficiency, reliability and improve quality. However, the design features remained unchanged.
From the moment it entered service, the performance characteristics established at that time became the starting point for the non-stop development of design ideas. The types and shapes of butts, the shape of the handle, and the length of the barrel changed. Models of the hundredth series (in addition to the protrusions for fastening the bayonet-knife) have a socket for mounting. The fifth generation assault rifle (for example, AK-12) has provisions for mounting various types equipment, such as optical or collimator sights, laser designators or a flashlight. The quality, purpose, and performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are constantly improving.
Purpose of the main parts of the product
Now you should dwell directly on each component in order to understand which part serves what.
Trunk— intended to set the direction of flight of the bullet directly when fired.
Receiver- acts as a connector of all parts and mechanisms of the machine gun, ensures the closure of the barrel with the bolt and locking of the latter.
Receiver cover— helps protect the internal parts of the product (placed in the receiver) from contamination and penetration of foreign objects.
Sighting device— consists of a front sight and a sight. Designed to point the barrel of a machine gun at the target for the most effective shooting.
Butt- provides comfortable shooting along with the handle.
Bolt carrier - operates the bolt and firing mechanism. The bolt, in turn, sends the cartridge into the chamber, locks the barrel, breaks the capsule shell, and removes the cartridge case.
Return mechanism— brings the bolt frame and bolt to their original (front) position.
Gas tube and barrel lining— protect the shooter’s hands from burns, and also set the direction of movement of the gas piston.
Trigger mechanism— pulls the trigger, which is in the cocked (combat) position. Strikes the firing pin, thereby providing automatic fire in bursts or single shooting. Serves to stop firing, set the fuse to safety mode, and also prevents shots when the bolt is locked.
Handguard— serves for a comfortable grip on the machine gun body when shooting. Together with the gas tube, it protects the shooter’s palm from burns.
Shop- serves for storing and transporting machine gun cartridges, as well as feeding them into the chamber for firing in different positions.
Bayonet knife— in the position attached to the machine, used in bayonet attack or any other form of close contact combat. Can be used as a knife, saw and wire cutter.
Performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov AK-74 and more
The modern model of the Kalashnikov AK-74M assault rifle has the following characteristics: the weight of the product is 3.6 kg without cartridges, 3.9 kg - loaded, 5.8 kg - without cartridges, but with the NSPUM model installed, while the NSPU-3 type sight is slightly lighter - only 0.1 kg.
An empty magazine weighs 0.23 kg, and the bayonet outside the sheath weighs only 0.32 kg.
The length of the machine gun is 940 millimeters, and with an attached bayonet - 1089 mm. With the stock unfolded, this figure already has a value of 943, and with the stock folded - 704 millimeters. With the advent of new models, the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are undergoing changes.
The barrel length is 415 millimeters with the installed muzzle brake compensator and only 372 mm without it.
Width is also essential part of the technical characteristics Kalashnikov assault rifle. It is 70 millimeters for a standard product. Height - 195 mm.
The principle of operation for all models is the same - a gas exhaust system for burnt gunpowder and a rotating bolt - despite the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle varying from one model to another.
5.45 - caliber of the modern AK-74M.
Performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov AKS-74U assault rifle and some interesting things
The short folding Kalashnikov assault rifle is the abbreviation for the name of this weapon. It is a shortened version of the standard AK-74, designed to conduct combat missions in a small confined space: to equip military transport crews in peaceful or combat conditions (for example, BTR-80), crews of all kinds of guns, as well as airborne units. It is in service with security structures and has proven itself in them due to its compactness and low weight.
It weighs about 3 kg with cartridges and 2.7 kg without them. The weight of the magazine is 0.21 kg; installation of an NSPUM sight weighing 2.2 kg is provided.
The length of the product is 730 millimeters with the butt unfolded, 490 - respectively, with the butt folded. The length of the barrel itself is 206 mm.
The rate of fire varies from 600 to 700 rounds per second. The target range is 500 meters, but the effective range is only 300.
A bullet fired from the AKS-74U is capable of developing an initial speed of 735 m/s.
Features of AKS-74U
In view of the global trend towards creating shortened versions of existing assault rifles, USSR designers in the 70s also took care of creating a compact model of an existing assault rifle.
Compared with original version, “drying” (sometimes there are versions with the letter “ch” instead of “sh”) has the following features:
- a significantly shortened barrel with a mounted muzzle, which in turn serves as a flame arrester;
- the gas piston rod is shortened by almost half;
- The system for slowing down the rate of fire has been removed;
- The system for stabilizing the flight of a bullet with a shortened barrel has been improved.
Advantages
The main feature is the relatively high range shooting for this type of weapon. But this is far from the only advantage. Should also be mentioned:
- due to its small dimensions, concealed carrying is possible;
- reliable, easy to disassemble, clean and reassemble;
- high penetration ability.
Flaws
Despite the high popularity of the AKS-74U, the product also has a number of disadvantages. Some of them lead to refusal to use this weapon, some require getting used to. It all depends on the desires and capabilities of the owner.
- First of all, significantly lower accuracy is noticeable to the naked eye compared to the original version of the product.
- The sighting range is similarly low when compared with the classic version of the machine gun.
- Low percentage of stopping effect. This term refers to a bullet parameter that determines the enemy’s ability to take further action after being hit by a bullet. In this case, the low indicator of this parameter is associated with the use of 5.45 caliber.
- The model overheats quickly due to its small size.
Kalashnikov assault rifle in popular culture
In a number of African countries, newborn boys are given the name “Kalash”. There are many versions of this naming.
One theory says that it is named after the hero of the film “22 Minutes” - a Somali pirate who helped the main character.
According to another version, it is stated that the name has no semantic connection with the Kalashnikov assault rifle, but means something in local dialects.
There is also a religious interpretation, rooted in totemistic religions based on the cult of patron ancestors. Such views are held by about 16% of the population of all Africa.
According to this interpretation, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is so famous all over the world that it is difficult to name a country that it would not have influenced. In particular, in a number armed conflicts and these weapons were also used in Africa.
In the end, it got to the point that a number of African tribes who used the famous Kalash identified this weapon with the spirit of a great ancestor, capable of both harming and protecting. Therefore, when a boy was born, and, therefore, a warrior, he was called “Kalash”, thereby implying that the future protector, support and hope of the whole family was growing.
But this is just one theory.
On the albums of many musical groups of different genres, images of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are used.
The song "Dragunov" by the Swedish Industrial band Raubtier mentions a Kalashnikov assault rifle in the following context:
«Dragunov and Stolichnaya
Smirnoff and Kalashnikoff."
This is the unusual use the Kalashnikov assault rifle has found. The device, purpose, performance characteristics are not involved in any way.
"Kalashnikov" on the coats of arms of countries around the world
The famous machine gun is or was present at various times on the coats of arms of a number of countries. For example, it is used on the coat of arms and flag of Mozambique (with an attached bayonet), in the heraldry of the state of Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso from 1987 to 1997.
Since 2007, the outlines of the Kalash have been used on the coat of arms of East Timor.
Also used in the emblem of the Vanguard of the Red Youth, a communist Bolshevik organization common in the states of the former USSR.
The coat of arms of the Ukrainian volunteer paramilitary association, formed to eliminate the local conflict in the Donbass, also includes a Kalashnikov assault rifle.
The symbols of the twentieth century have become many inanimate material objects, one way or another demonstrating obvious technological progress, which in just a century has acquired the character of a real revolution. This and spaceship, and intercontinental strategic missile, and a nuclear submarine, and a computer, and nuclear bomb, and other achievements of applied science. Among all these attributes modern world The Kalashnikov assault rifle, the most widely replicated small arms on the planet, takes its place. He was depicted on coats of arms and flags, children were named after him and songs were composed. A unique silhouette was minted on coins, movie heroes courageously clutched the forend in their hands, and the barrels spewed merciless flames, crushing enemies. Without this weapon it is impossible to imagine the history of the 20th century. Of course, it’s bad that the entire second half of this century passed under the roar of gunfire, but perhaps some consolation can be found in the fact that the most outstanding machine gun in the world was created in Russia.
Automatic weapons of two world wars
Already at the end of the 19th century, humanity acquired rapid-fire weapons. Machine guns of various systems were accepted into the arsenals of the armies of European, Asian, and American states; the ability to mow down chains of advancing enemy troops became commonplace. After the outbreak of World War II, the production of automatic carbines and submachine guns reached unprecedented levels. Red Army soldiers fired from PPSh, Wehrmacht soldiers fired from MP-38, and Thompsons were very popular among American GIs. There were other types of rapid-fire weapons, less common and more powerful. The difference between an assault rifle and a submachine gun was the type of ammunition used. Both our PPSh and the German MP-38 were created for the round-head straight pistol cartridge of 9 mm caliber. In contrast, the MP-43 (aka Stg 44, aka “Schmeisser”) fired rifle cartridges of 7.92 caliber (x 33 mm), which achieved greater penetrating power.
This rapid-fire carbine, like the American M1, was used by advancing infantry to suppress weakly fortified pockets of resistance. Carrying such a weapon was not easy, but the effect justified such difficulties. Already in 1942, the leadership of the Red Army had a desire to obtain a similar model, combining high firepower with compactness and relative lightness. But there was another aspect that was important. The new weapon had to be simple and trouble-free, shoot in any conditions and not be capricious.
The idea is good in its execution. IN Stalin's USSR the distance between word and deed was minimal. The People's Commissariat of Defense announced a competition in the summer of 1943, inviting all specialized design organizations to take part in it. The cartridge was already ready - it was developed by engineers Elizarov and Semin. The ammunition was an 8-gram pointed bullet of 7.62 mm caliber in a brass jacket with lead filling, installed in a bottle-shaped sleeve. The total length of the cartridge is 41 mm, the powder charge enclosed in the primer sleeve provided an initial speed and energy impulse sufficient to effectively defeat enemy personnel at distances of over a kilometer. Now it was necessary to create a rapid-fire weapon that would realize this potential.
Contender for victory - Sudaev
The proposal of the NPO competition, whose chairman was also Supreme Commander-in-Chief J.V. Stalin, assumed the unconditional participation of all defense enterprises involved in the design of small arms. But there was no longer any need to urge Soviet engineers, they were already working at full capacity in three directions at once. Engineers created an automatic rifle (that’s what an automatic carbine chambered for a rifle cartridge was called in the USSR), a rapid-fire hand-loading carbine and a self-loading carbine. As of the summer of 1944, among other designs, the Sudaev assault rifle (AS-44) was in the lead. They did not have time to launch it into production until the end of the war, but it underwent practical tests in East Germany immediately after the Victory, and, by and large, they were crowned with success. Claims of the Western Group military personnel Soviet troops who held it in their hands and shot from it, boiled down mainly to its heaviness. The competition was extended until 1946, there was nowhere to rush, and only the optimal model should be accepted into service.
Kalashnikov's dream
The great designer himself told the story of how he had an irresistible desire to give his native country the best rapid-fire small arms in the world. In 1942, he, a sergeant, was wounded and, hiding behind some hillock, watched with pain and horror as German infantrymen shot our soldiers point-blank with their submachine guns. Then he decided that never, in any other armed conflicts soviet soldiers should not be defenseless. They will receive the most reliable, most powerful and trouble-free small arms, a real combat machine gun. Kalashnikov was prompted to start designing by his personal military experience, which can only be bitter.
While undergoing treatment in the hospital, the sergeant wasted no time. He managed to sketch out a general layout diagram of the new model and proposed it for consideration. Specialists from the Shchurovsky NIPSMVO (Scientific Testing Range for Small Arms and Mortars) near Moscow became interested in this project and sent Sergeant Kalashnikov to Kovrov Plant No. 2, where he was to expand his range of specialized knowledge and participate in the production of prototypes.
The first Kalashnikov
The Kalashnikov assault rifle of the first version (AK-46) was a compilation of the most successful solutions used in the American Garand rifle (M-1) and other designs known to it (in particular, the Garandovsky rotating bolt was used), united by a common innovative idea. It was a carbine with a seven-round magazine, capable of firing in short bursts. The receiver is detachable; fire modes are switched by a lever located on the left.
The new model did not embody the entire range of ideas of the novice designer, but even then, in 1946, the main line was outlined, expressed in maximum reliability, simplicity and manufacturability.
It should also be noted high level competition that the newcomer had to withstand from experienced gunsmiths - the Tula “bisons” Dementyev and Bulkin. After two rounds of comparative tests, the Kalashnikov assault rifle was excluded from the competition, the characteristics of which were not satisfactory to the commission. It was a heavy blow, but the young designer did not give up, especially since the officers of the Shchurov NIPSMVO, having already managed to believe in his brainchild, supported their comrade. Friendly team I achieved my goal: the project was not closed, but only sent for revision.
The Bulkin assault rifle (AB) had many advantages; fresh ideas were implemented in its design, but it did not have the main thing that Kalashnikov wanted to achieve (simplicity and reliability). The young engineer, who had recently worn sergeant's shoulder straps, also lacked technical and practical experience. But he had the main thing - a frantic desire to make the best machine gun in the world for his native country.
1947, second round
Engineer Zaitsev, a designer with invaluable experience, undertook to help the talented inventor. Together they completely revised the layout concept of the sample and made many changes to it. The Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle had little in common with its 1946 prototype; it looked more like an AB. This does not indicate plagiarism, internal circuit remained the author's, but some borrowing still took place. In the Stalinist USSR, copyrights generally had a slightly different meaning than in today’s Russian Federation: national interests, rather than personal ambitions, were put at the forefront. The inventions and achievements of engineers were considered the property of the entire people and state, and not of the individual who made them. In addition, in those years, many designs and circuits of a wide variety of equipment (from radios to airplanes) were simply copied from foreign models. And one more thing: without talent it is impossible to create anything outstanding, even if you collect all the talented solutions into one incompetently put together mechanism.
The new Kalashnikov assault rifle - 47 - was ready by December of the same 1946 and took part in the second round of the competition along with modified models of Bulkin and Dementiev. The commission was faced with a difficult task: from three options, each of which had its own advantages (but also disadvantages), to choose a new weapon for the Soviet Army. AD and TKB-415 (Bulkin system) showed very good accuracy of hits, much better than the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Reliability characteristics, however, lagged behind competitors; contamination and impacts led to failures.
The decision of the commission members was unexpected for experienced designers from Tula. They considered reliability more important than tactical and technical data, which, however, were recommended to be improved during development work. Military experts understood that it was still impossible to make an ideal weapon, and it was time to rearm the Soviet Army.
Re-equipment and improvement of production
People of the older generation remember that in the late forties, soldiers, passing through populated areas during exercises, carried new Kalashnikov assault rifles on their backs exclusively in canvas cases. Even the appearance of these small arms was a mystery. Its production began at the Izhevsk plant, and by mid-1948 the first batches began to arrive at military units. Official adoption took place in December 1949. At that time, two modifications were made: AK (regular combined arms) and AKS (for the Airborne Forces, equipped with a folding metal butt). The caliber of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was the same 7.62 mm.
In the very first years of operation, serious changes were made to the design regarding the receiver. For the first samples, it was carried out using the stamping method, which was dictated by greater manufacturability and the desire to reduce costs. Inside there was a milled liner, fastened with rivets. When hit by a riveting hammer, the box was bent, seemingly almost imperceptible, but leading to disruption of the mechanism. Savings turned into costs, the percentage of defects increased, complaints and returns to the manufacturer came from military units. In 1951, it was decided to manufacture the receiver from a solid forging using the milling method.
There were also other design changes (in order to increase reliability, reduce weight and improve shooting accuracy).
"Kalashnikov" walks around the planet
In the 60s, the classification of secrecy was removed from the main small arms of the Soviet army. This was facilitated by many factors, in particular the widespread distribution of AKs across the planet. If in Korea Chinese volunteers and units of the People's Liberation Army were armed mainly with PPSh, then the Vietnamese partisans beat the aggressors using new Kalashnikov assault rifles. As always happens, during combat operations the weapons fell into the hands of the enemy, and the Americans were shocked to see the amazing reliability of the samples made in the USSR.
Along with other products of the Soviet defense industry, the Kalashnikov assault rifle was supplied to the armies and armed forces of different countries. Sometimes military assistance was gratuitous and provided in response to a promise to pursue Marxist policies in regions extremely remote from Soviet borders. As a result, our weapons were not always controlled by regimes friendly to the Soviet Union.
Disassembly and assembly of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was included in school curriculum according to initial military training(NVP). For this purpose, in the seventies, units decommissioned from combat service were used, in which the barrel was sawn through with a milling cutter and the firing pin was ground off. The caliber has changed; since 1974, the new Kalashnikov-74 assault rifle began to enter service. It had a number of design differences from the prototype.
Its performance characteristics are as follows:
New AK 1974
The AK-74 was announced as a new rifle system, including, in addition to the machine gun, also the RPK-74 machine gun, distinguished mainly by a reinforced receiver and an elongated barrel. Research in the field of metallurgy was also carried out with the goal of reducing weight. To improve ergonomics and reduce costs, the stock, handle and forend began to be made from plywood-veneer compositions or polymers. But the main difference was the new caliber of the Kalashnikov assault rifle - 5.45 mm. Recoil has decreased, bullets have been received steel cores and a shifted center of gravity. Five types of ammunition have been developed for the AK-74, including those for silent shooting, increased penetration, and others. Later, an under-barrel grenade launcher and mounts for sighting systems, optical and night vision were added to this entire arsenal.
The plastic magazine of the Kalashnikov assault rifle has become lighter; it has become possible to place not 30, but 45 rounds of ammunition in it at the same weight. In the standard version, its capacity remains unchanged.
Accuracy has improved, but when using cartridges with a shifted center of gravity, problems arise when overcoming easily pierced obstacles.
Special forces of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs also received new shortened Kalashnikov assault rifles. They are distinguished by barrel length, lighter weight and compactness due to the folding butt.
About authorship
Disassembling and assembling a Kalashnikov assault rifle is very simple; partial implementation does not require any tools. There are still no analogues in the weapons world, but there are vague hints of borrowing the design and even the whole idea in the press. The main reason for the opinion that the history of the creation of an outstanding model of weapons is allegedly dishonest in terms of patents is, as a rule, a certain external similarity of the Soviet machine gun (and especially its horn magazine) with the same “Schmeisser” and the poor awareness of fans of “fried” facts in the field of the device various systems weapons. It would be useful for such experts to first try to disassemble a German assault rifle, clean and lubricate it, and after that talk about whether M. T. Kalashnikov stole his brainchild or created it himself.
Where is it sold?
Nowadays, it is much easier to purchase weapons than in years past. There are completely official methods of sale, in which almost any sample can be registered as a sporting or hunting “barrel”. But there is another way.
Over the past two decades, many armed conflicts and wars have raged on the territory of the former Union, during which control of the safety of property in army warehouses was almost impossible. Firing from a Kalashnikov assault rifle has become a familiar background sound for residents of many previously calm and peaceful regions, and its presence in the house has acquired the character of possessing an ordinary household item necessary in the household. This was the case in Nagorno-Karabakh, Chechnya, Transnistria, Ossetia, Abkhazia and other areas of the previously unified country. Depending on the availability and number of unregistered “barrels”, the price for which you can buy a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the black market is determined. It usually ranges from 400 to 1500 US dollars, depending on the technical condition, model and country of origin. Caliber also matters. Together with the degree of availability of ammunition, it affects the amount that the owner asks for per unit. Soviet-style weapons were produced in different countries, sometimes under official license, and sometimes counterfeit. The technology is simple, its organization does not require very complex equipment, but in terms of the use of special alloys and high-quality steels, the real Russian Kalashnikov assault rifle behaves best. Its price is usually higher than Chinese, sometimes twice or more. They also charge a lot for shortened modifications - they are favored by criminal groups, while in real combat conditions the AK-47 or AK-74 behaves more reliably. Conventional versions have fewer failures and the barrel overheats to a lesser extent. But, as they say, to each his own.
Pneumatic Kalashnikov assault rifle and other toys
Sociologists note that modern children show significantly less interest in shooting toys than in construction sets or, for example, cars. Those who grew up in the sixties and eighties never dreamed of the diversity offered by today's retail chains, specializing in products for babies and teenagers. Imagine that you could easily buy almost exact copy German MP-38, Parabellum, PPSh or pneumatic Kalashnikov assault rifle, made life-size in all details, twenty-five to thirty years ago it was difficult. And what is typical is that there is no queue for these “treasures”, despite the fairly affordable price. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that modern children watch much more fewer films about the war, or, on the contrary, there are too many documentary footage shown on TV that capture the suffering of people caught in the midst of not at all joyful events. However, computer shooters are still popular among young people, and Kalashnikovs play an important role in them. Maybe this is not bad, but it’s better to remember that the great designer created his machine gun to protect his native country, and not to cause trouble.
For almost 70 years, the USSR and Russia have developed several dozen modifications, prototypes and concepts of the most popular small arms in the world - the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The universal base allows you to design “guns” for almost any taste: folding, shortened, with a bayonet, optics or an under-barrel grenade launcher, for special services or individual branches of the military.
In this material we will tell you how to learn to distinguish between the main AK models and what their unique features are.
AK (AK-47)
The classic, very first AK-47 adopted for service is difficult to confuse with anything else. Made of iron and wood, without any bells and whistles, it has long become a symbol of reliability and ease of use in any conditions. At the same time, it didn’t take long for the machine gun to become like this: it took Mikhail Kalashnikov several years to bring his creation to fruition.
In 1946, the military leadership of the USSR announced a competition to create an assault rifle chambered for an intermediate (in terms of destructive power - between a pistol and a rifle) cartridge. The new weapon had to be maneuverable, quick-firing, and have sufficient lethal action bullets and shooting accuracy. The competition took place in several stages and was extended more than once, since none of the gunsmiths could give the required result. In particular, the commission sent AK-46 models No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 (with a folding metal stock) for revision.
The improved Kalashnikov assault rifle, which was given the index AK-47, as Sergei Monetchikov writes in the book “The History of the Russian Automatic,” was almost completely redesigned. The designs of competitors' weapons were borrowed best ideas, implemented in individual parts and entire units.
The machine gun did not have a classic solid stock. Taking into account the strong receiver, the separate wooden stock and fore-end contributed to holding the weapon during shooting. The design of the receiver was redesigned; it was fundamentally different from the previous ones with a special liner rigidly attached to it, connecting it to the barrel. In particular, a reflector of spent cartridges was attached to the insert.
The reloading handle, made integral with the bolt frame, was moved to right side. This was demanded by test soldiers; they noted: the left-sided position of the handle interferes with shooting while moving on the move without stopping, touching the stomach. In the same position it is inconvenient to reload the weapon.
The transfer of controls to the right side of the receiver made it possible to create a successful fire switch (from single to automatic), which is also a fuse, made in the form of a single rotating part.
The large mass of the bolt frame and a powerful return spring ensured reliable operation of the mechanisms, including unfavorable conditions: when dusty, dirty, or thickened lubricant. The weapon turned out to be adapted for trouble-free operation in the range of air temperature changes up to 100 degrees Celsius.
The wooden parts of the new weapon - the butt, fore-end and receiver grip, as well as the pistol grip, made from birch blanks - were coated with three layers of varnish, which ensured their sufficient resistance to swelling in damp conditions.
AKS (AKS-47)
Simultaneously with the AK-47, a model with the letter “C”, meaning “folding”, was also adopted. This version of the machine gun was intended for special forces and airborne forces; its difference was in the metal rather than wooden butt, which could also be folded under the receiver.
“Such a stock, consisting of two stamped-welded rods, a shoulder rest and a locking mechanism, ensured ease of handling of the weapon - in the stowed position, when moving on skis, parachuting, as well as its use for shooting from tanks, armored personnel carriers, etc. .”, writes Sergei Monetchikov.
The machine gun was supposed to be fired with the butt folded down, but if this was not possible, the weapon could also be fired with the butt folded. True, it was not very comfortable: the butt rods had insufficient rigidity and strength, and the wide shoulder rest did not fit into the hollow of the shoulder and therefore tended to move from there when firing in bursts.
AKM and AKMS
The modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle (AKM) was put into service 10 years after the AK-47 - in 1959. It turned out to be lighter, longer-range and easier to use.
“We, and especially the main customer, were not satisfied with the accuracy when shooting from stable positions, lying down from a rest, standing from a rest. We found a way out by introducing a trigger retarder, which increased the inter-cycle time,” Kalashnikov wrote in the book “Notes of a Gunsmith Designer.” Later, a muzzle compensator was developed, which made it possible to improve the accuracy of combat during automatic shooting from unstable positions, standing, kneeling, lying down from the hand."
The retarder allowed the bolt frame to stabilize in the extreme forward position before the next shot, which affected the accuracy of fire. The muzzle compensator in the form of a petal was installed on the barrel thread, and was one of the obvious distinctive features of the AKM. Due to the compensator, the trunk cut was not vertical, but diagonal. By the way, mufflers could be attached to the same thread.
Improving the accuracy of fire made it possible to increase its sighting range to 1000 meters, as a result, the aiming bar also changed, the range scale consisted of numbers from 1 to 10 (on the AK-47 - up to 8).
The butt was raised upward, which brought the resting point closer to the firing line. The external shape of the wooden forend has changed. On the sides it received rests for the fingers. The phosphate-varnish coating, which replaced the oxide coating, increased the anti-corrosion resistance tenfold. Monetchikov notes that the store, made not from steel sheets, but from light alloys, has also undergone radical changes. To increase reliability and protect against deformation, the side walls of its body were reinforced with stiffeners.
The design of the bayonet-knife, attached under the barrel, was also new. A sheath with a rubber tip for electrical insulation allowed the knife to be used for cutting through barbed wire and live wires. The combat power of the AKM increased significantly due to the possibility of installing the GP-25 Koster under-barrel grenade launcher. Like its predecessor, the AKM was also developed in a folding version with the letter “C” in the name.
In the 1960s, the Soviet military leadership decided to develop small arms chambered for the low-impulse 5.45 mm caliber cartridge. The fact is that the AKM failed to achieve high accuracy of fire. The reason was that the cartridge was too powerful, which gave a strong impulse.
In addition, as Monetchikov writes, military trophies from South Vietnam also ended up in the hands of Soviet military specialists - american rifles AR-15, the automatic version of which was later adopted by the US Army under the designation M-16. Even then, the AKM was inferior in many respects to the AR-15, in particular in terms of combat accuracy and hit probability.
“In terms of the difficulty of development, in terms of finding approaches, the design of an assault rifle chambered for the 5.45-mm caliber can probably only be compared with the birth of the AK-47 - the father of the entire family of our system. At first, when we decided to take the AKM automatic circuit as a basis, one one of the factory managers expressed the idea that there was no need to look for something and invent something here, they say, a simple re-barrel would be enough. I marveled in my soul at the naivety of such a judgment, - Mikhail Kalashnikov recalled about that period. - Of course, change the barrel larger caliber for a smaller one it’s a simple matter. Then, by the way, the popular opinion began to circulate that we just changed the number “47” to “74”.
The main feature of the new machine gun was a two-chamber muzzle brake, which, when firing, absorbed approximately half of the recoil energy. A rail for night sights was mounted on the left side of the receiver. The new rubber-metal design of the butt butt with transverse grooves reduced its sliding along the shoulder when conducting aimed shooting.
The handguard and stock were initially made of wood, but switched to black plastic in the 1980s. External feature the butt had grooves on both sides; they were made to lighten the overall weight of the machine gun. Shops were also made from plastic.
AKS-74
For the Airborne Forces, a modification with a folding stock was traditionally made, although this time it was retracted to the left along the receiver. It is believed that this decision was not very successful: when folded, the machine gun was wide and rubbed the skin when worn behind the back. When worn on the chest, it became inconvenient if it was necessary to fold back the butt without removing the weapon.
A leather cheek muff appeared on the upper side of the butt; it protected the shooter’s cheek from freezing to a metal part in winter conditions.
AKS-74U
Following the world fashion of the 1960-70s, the USSR decided to develop a small-sized machine gun that could be used in cramped combat conditions, mainly when shooting at close and medium distances. The next announced competition among designers was won by Mikhail Kalashnikov.
Compared to the AKS-74, the barrel was shortened from 415 to 206.5 millimeters, which is why the gas chamber had to be moved back. This, writes Sergei Monetchikov, entailed a change in the design of the front sight. Its base was made in conjunction with the gas chamber. This design also caused the sight to be moved closer to the shooter’s eye, otherwise the aiming line would be very short. Finishing the topic of the sight, we note that the machine guns of this model were equipped with self-luminous attachments for shooting at night and in conditions of limited visibility.
The greater pressure of the powder gases required the installation of a reinforced flame arrester. It was a cylindrical chamber with a bell (an extension in the form of a funnel) at the front. The flame arrester was mounted on the muzzle of the barrel, on a threaded fit.
The shortened machine gun was equipped with a more massive wooden fore-end and a gas tube receiver; it could use either standard 30-round magazines or shortened 20-round magazines.
To more completely unify the shortened machine gun with the AKS-74, it was decided to use the same butt, which folds onto the left side of the receiver.
AK-74M
This machine gun is a deep modernization of the weapon adopted for service in 1974. Saving everything best qualities, inherent in Kalashnikov assault rifles, the AK-74M acquired a number of new ones, which significantly improved its combat and operational characteristics.
The main feature of the new model was a folding plastic stock, replacing the metal one. It was lighter than its predecessors and similar in design to the permanent plastic stock of the AK-74 produced in the late 1980s. When worn, it clings less to clothing and does not cause discomfort when shooting in low or high temperature conditions.
The handguard and the barrel lining of the gas tube of the machine gun were made of glass-filled polyamide. By heat transfer new material almost indistinguishable from wood, which eliminated hand burns during prolonged shooting. Longitudinal ribs on the fore-end made it easier and more secure to hold the weapon during aimed fire.
"The hundredth series" (AK 101-109)
These modifications of the Kalashnikov, developed in the 1990s on the basis of the AK-74M, are called the first domestic family of commercial weapons, since they were intended more for export than for domestic consumption. In particular, they were designed for the NATO cartridge of 5.56 by 45 millimeters.
From the designs of the "100th" series machines (similar to best model 5.45 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle - AK74M) wooden parts are completely excluded. The butt and forearm of all are made of impact-resistant glass-filled polyamide in black color, for which this weapon, as Monetchikov writes, received the name “Black Kalashnikov” from the Americans. All models have plastic stocks that fold to the left along the receiver and a rail for mounting sights.
The most original in the “hundredth” series were the AK-102, AK-104 and AK-105 assault rifles. In their design, a breakthrough was made in increasing the level of unification between standard assault rifles and their shortened versions. Due to a slight increase in the overall length (by 100 millimeters compared to the AKS-74U), it became possible to leave the gas chamber in the same place as in the AK-74, thus allowing the use of a unified moving system and sighting devices on all machine guns of the series.
The "hundredth" series assault rifles differ from each other mainly in caliber, barrel length (314 - 415 millimeters), and sector sights designed for different ranges (from 500 to 1000 meters).
This machine gun was also developed on the basis of the AK-74M; it also used developments from the “hundredth” series. Same black color, same polymer folding stock. The main difference from the classic Kalashnikovs can be considered a shortened barrel and a gas exhaust mechanism. Experts call the new pistol grip, which has better ergonomics, an important improvement.
The machine gun was created as a silent, flameless rifle system for covert shooting. It uses subsonic 9x39 mm cartridges, which together with a silencer make the shot almost inaudible. Magazine capacity - 20 rounds.
The forend has a special strip for various removable equipment - flashlights, laser pointers.
Most modern machine gun of the Kalashnikov family, the tests of which have not yet been completed. One of the most striking external changes is the use of Picatinny rails for mounting attachments. Unlike the AK-9, they are both on the forend and on top of the receiver. In this case, the lower bar does not interfere with installation underbarrel grenade launchers- this option is saved. The AK-12 also has two short rails on the sides of the handguard and one on top of the gas chamber.
In addition, the butt of the machine gun is easily removed and can be folded in both directions. On top of that, it is telescopic; the cheekpiece and butt plate are adjustable in height. There is also a variant of the machine gun with a stationary, lighter plastic butt.
The fire switch safety flag is duplicated on the left side; the machine gun can fire single, short series of three shots, and in automatic mode. And in general, all the controls of the machine gun are made in such a way that a soldier can use them with one hand, including changing the magazine and pulling the bolt. By the way, a variety of magazines can be used, up to an experimental drum with 95 rounds.
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