AK-47report
by Recon Snake
Designed by Mikhail T. Kalashnikov,
a Soviet Engineer, few other assault
rifles are as universally recognized as the
AK-47. It has armed soldiers,
law enforcement officers, weapons enthusiasts,
and terrorists world-wide for
almost five decades. The overall design is
one of simplicity, yet the weapon
performs quiet well.
Mr.
Kalashnikov began design of the weapon in
the late 1940's with the help
of a machinest friend, Zhenya Kravchenko. It
was adopted by the Soviet Army
in 1949 as the officially designated "7.62mm
Automat Kalashnikova, obraztsa
1947 goda" (7.62mm Kalashnikov automatic
rifle, model of 1947). This was
contracted to the familiar "AK-47".
The weapon was available
in two
versions: the AK with a fixed wooden stock,
and the AKS which had a folding
stock and was issued primarily to armor and
airborne troops. Neither of the
original rifles were issued with bayonets,
though this was corrected shortly
thereafter. Later versions improved the overall
robustness of the weapon,
and changed production procedures on the rear
sight, receiver, trigger
assembly, butt stock and pistol grip. A removeable
muzzle compensator was
added as well.
The
new version was designated "Automat
Kalashnikova
Modernizirovannyj" (Kalashnikov Automatic
rifle, Modified) or AKM. Both the
early versions and subsequent models are reknowned
for their ease of
operation and maintenance. The AK-47 fires 7.62 x 39-mm
M1943 round, a heavy caliber small arms round
capable of defeating most body armor. The AK-47
has a cyclic rate of fire of
600 rounds per minute (RPM), and a practical
sustained ROF of 90-100 RPM.
The weapon is usually equipped with 30 round
magazines.
There
are some drawbacks to the AK-47's design.
The weapon's round has
a
slow trajectory that makes it unreliable past
300 meters. The layout of the
weapon is such that the gas tube is not protected,
and damage to that piece
can render the weapon useless. The barrel is
prone to overeat during
prolonged automatic fire and has been known
to "cook off" rounds in the
chamber.
Taking all things into consideration,
Mikhail Kalashnikov's design must be
viewed as a success. He created an assault
rifle that is production licensed
in dozens of countries. Worldwide production
numbers are estimated at
90,000,000+. There is no doubt the AK-47 remains
a relevant assault rifle
fifty years after its conception.
You can download a short
ak47
movie here, and view the Operator's Manual
here. |
