AK74 and description of its modifications. Welcome to the M.T Memorial Internet Museum

The symbols of the twentieth century have become many inanimate material objects, one way or another demonstrating a clear technological progress that has acquired the character of a real revolution in just a century. This is a spaceship, and an intercontinental strategic missile, and a nuclear submarine, and a computer, and a nuclear bomb, and other achievements of applied science. Among all these attributes of the modern world, the Kalashnikov assault rifle, the most replicated sample of 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, the heroes of the movies courageously squeezed the forearm in their hands, and the trunks spewed out merciless flames that crushed enemies. Without this weapon, it is impossible to imagine the history of the 20th century. Of course, it’s bad that the whole second half of this century passed under the roar of shooting, but perhaps the fact that the most outstanding machine gun in the world was created in Russia can serve as some consolation.

Automatic weapons of two world wars

Already at the end of the 19th century, rapid-fire weapons appeared in mankind. Machine guns of various systems were accepted into the arsenals of the armies of the states of Europe, Asia, and America; the ability to mow down the chains of the advancing enemy troops became familiar. After the outbreak of World War II, the production of automatic carbines and submachine guns reached unprecedented levels. The soldiers of the Red Army fired from the PPSh, the soldiers of the Wehrmacht scribbled from the MP-38, the Thompsons were very popular with the American GIs. There were other examples 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 designed for the 9 mm round-headed straight pistol cartridge. Unlike them, the MP-43 (aka Stg 44, aka Schmeiser) 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. It was not easy to carry such a weapon, 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 the Stalinist USSR, the distance between words and deeds was minimal. In the summer of 1943, the People's Commissariat of Defense announced a competition, 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 lead-filled brass jacket, mounted in a bottle-shaped sleeve. The total length of the cartridge is 41 mm, the powder charge enclosed in the primer case provided the initial speed and energy impulse sufficient to effectively defeat enemy manpower at distances over a kilometer. Now it was necessary to create a rapid-fire tool that realizes this potential.

Contender for victory - Sudayev

The proposal of the NPO competition, chaired by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin, assumed the unconditional participation of all defense enterprises involved in the design of small arms. But it was no longer necessary to push the Soviet engineers, they already worked at full strength in three directions at once. Engineers created an automatic rifle (the so-called automatic carbine for a rifle cartridge in the USSR), a hand-loading rapid-fire carbine and a self-loading carbine. As of the summer of 1944, among other designs, the Sudayev assault rifle (AS-44) was in the lead. They did not manage to launch it into a series before the end of the war, but it passed practical tests in East Germany immediately after the Victory, and, in general, they were crowned with success. The claims of the military personnel of the Western Group of Soviet Forces, who held it in their hands and fired from it, were mainly reduced to heaviness. The competition was extended until 1946, there was nowhere to rush, and only the optimal model should be adopted.

Dream Kalashnikov

The great designer himself told a story about how he had an irresistible desire to give his native country the best small arms in the world. In 1942, he, a sergeant, was wounded and, hiding behind some kind of hillock, watched with pain and horror as German infantrymen shot our soldiers point-blank from their submachine guns. Then he decided that never, in any other armed conflicts, Soviet soldiers should be defenseless. They will receive the most reliable, most powerful and trouble-free small arms, a real combat machine. Kalashnikov was prompted to engage in designing by his personal military experience, which can only be bitter.

Undergoing treatment in the hospital, the sergeant did not waste time. He managed to sketch out the general layout of the new sample and offered it for consideration. Specialists from the Moscow Region Shchurovsky NIPSMVO (Scientific Testing Range for Small Arms and Mortar Weapons) became interested in this project and sent Sergeant Kalashnikov to Kovrov Plant No. 2, where he was to expand the circle of special knowledge and participate in the manufacture 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 (M-1) rifle and other designs known to him (in particular, Garandovsky's rotary bolt was used), united by a common innovative idea. It was a carbine with a seven-shot magazine, with the ability to shoot in short bursts. The receiver is made detachable, the fire modes were switched by a lever located on the left.

The new model did not embody the whole 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 be noted the high level of competition that the newcomer had to endure from experienced gunsmiths - the Tula "bison" Dementiev and Bulkin. After two rounds of comparative tests, the Kalashnikov assault rifle was excluded from the competition, the characteristics of which did not suit the commission. It was a heavy blow, but the young designer did not give up, especially since the officers of the Shchurovsky NIPSMVO, having already managed to believe in his offspring, supported their comrade. Friendly team achieved his 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 he did not have the main thing that Kalashnikov wanted to achieve (simplicity and reliability). The young engineer, who recently wore sergeant's shoulder straps, also lacked technical and practical experience. But he had the main thing - a frantic desire to make the best automatic machine in the world for his native country.

1947, second round

The 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 assault rifle AK-47 outwardly had little in common with its prototype of 1946, it looked more like an AB. This does not indicate plagiarism, the internal scheme remained the author's, but some borrowing still took place. In the Stalinist USSR, copyright in general had a slightly different meaning than in today's Russian Federation: national interests were put at the forefront, and not personal ambitions. Inventions and achievements of engineers were considered the property of the entire people and state, and not of the person who made them. In addition, in those years, many designs and diagrams of a wide variety of equipment (from radios to aircraft) were simply copied from foreign models. And one more thing: without talent it is impossible to create something outstanding, even if you collect all the talented solutions into one mediocrely arranged 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 samples of Bulkin and Dementiev. The commission faced a difficult task: out of 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, pollution and shock led to failures.

The decision of the commission members was unexpected for experienced designers from Tula. They considered reliability to be more important than performance data, which, however, were recommended to be improved in the course of finishing 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 recall that in the late forties, soldiers, passing through settlements during exercises, carried new Kalashnikov assault rifles behind their backs exclusively in canvas covers. Even appearance of this small arms was a secret. Its production began at the Izhevsk plant, by the middle of 1948 the first batches began to arrive in military units. The official adoption took place in December 1949. Two modifications were then made: AK (usual combined arms) and AKS (for the Airborne Forces, equipped with a folding metal butt). The caliber of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was still the same 7.62 mm.

In the very first years of operation, serious changes were made to the design regarding receiver. For the first samples, it was performed by stamping, which was dictated by greater manufacturability and the desire to reduce costs. Inside it was a milled liner, fastened with rivets. When the riveting hammer was struck, the box was bent, almost imperceptible in appearance, but entailing a malfunction of the mechanism. Savings turned into costs, the percentage of defects increased, from military units complaints and returns to the manufacturer. In 1951, it was decided to manufacture the receiver from a solid forging by milling.

There were other design changes (in order to increase reliability, reduce weight and improve shooting accuracy).

"Kalashnikov" walks around the planet

In the 60s, the secrecy stamp was removed from the main small arms of the Soviet army. This was facilitated by many factors, in particular, the widespread distribution of AK around 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 the new Kalashnikov assault rifles. As is always the case, in the course of hostilities, weapons fell into the hands of the enemy, and the Americans were shocked by 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 formations of different countries. Sometimes military aid was free of charge and provided in return for a promise to pursue a Marxist policy in regions extremely remote from Soviet borders. As a result, our weapons were not always disposed of by regimes friendly to the Soviet Union.

Disassembly and assembly of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was included in school curriculum for basic military training (NVP). For this purpose, in the seventies, units decommissioned from military service served, in which the barrel was sawn with a cutter, and the striker was ground. The caliber has changed, since 1974, a new Kalashnikov-74 assault rifle began to enter service. He 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 complex, including, in addition to the machine gun, also the RPK-74 machine gun, which is distinguished mainly by a reinforced receiver and an elongated barrel. Research has also been carried out in the field of metallurgy, aiming to reduce weight. To improve ergonomics and reduce costs, the butt, handle and forearm 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. The recoil decreased, the bullets received steel cores and a shifted center of gravity. Five types of ammunition have been developed for the AK-74, including those for silent firing, increased penetration, and others. In the future, an underbarrel grenade launcher and mounts for sighting systems, optical and night vision were added to all this arsenal.

The plastic magazine of the Kalashnikov assault rifle became lighter, it became possible to place not 30, but 45 rounds of ammunition in it with the same weight. In the standard version, its capacity remained unchanged.

Accuracy has improved, but when using cartridges with a displaced center of gravity, problems arise when overcoming easily penetrated obstacles.

New shortened Kalashnikov assault rifles were also received by special forces of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. They differ in barrel length, lighter weight and compactness due to the folding stock.

About authorship

Disassembly and assembly of the Kalashnikov assault rifle is very simple, with partial implementation, no tools are required. 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 about the supposedly unclean history of the creation of an outstanding weapon in terms of patent, as a rule, is a certain external similarity of the Soviet machine gun (and especially its magazine-horn) with the same "Schmeiser" and the poor awareness of lovers of "fried" facts in the field of arranging various weapon systems. It would be useful for such connoisseurs to first try to disassemble the German assault rifle, clean and lubricate it, and after that already discuss whether M.T. Kalashnikov stole his offspring or nevertheless created it himself.

Where is it for sale?

Nowadays, it is much easier to acquire weapons than in the past. There are quite official ways of selling, in which almost any sample can be registered as a sports or hunting “trunk”. But there is another way.

Over the past two decades, many armed conflicts and wars have thundered on the territory of the former Soviet Union, during which it was almost impossible to control the safety of property in army warehouses. Shooting from a Kalashnikov assault rifle has become a familiar sound background for residents of many previously calm and peaceful regions, and its presence in the house has acquired the character of having an ordinary household item needed in the household. So it was in Nagorno-Karabakh, Chechnya, Transnistria, Ossetia, Abkhazia and other regions of the formerly united country. Depending on the availability and number of unregistered "trunks", the price for which you can buy a Kalashnikov assault rifle on the black market is formed. It, as a rule, is in the range 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 a unit. Soviet-style weapons were produced in different countries, sometimes under an official license, and sometimes counterfeit. The technology is simple, its organization does not require much sophisticated equipment, but in terms of the use of special alloys and high-quality steels, real Russian machine gun Kalashnikov. Its price is usually higher than Chinese, sometimes twice or more. They also ask dearly for shortened modifications - they are in honor of criminal groups, while in real combat conditions the AK-47 or AK-74 behaves more reliably. Regular versions have fewer failures, 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 much less interest in shooting toys than in constructors or, for example, cars. Those who happened to grow up in the sixties and eighties did not even dream of the variety offered by the current retail chains specializing in goods for babies and teenagers. It was difficult to imagine that it would be so easy to buy an almost exact copy of the German MP-38, parabellum, PPSh or a Kalashnikov pneumatic machine gun, made in full size in all details, twenty-five or thirty years ago. And what is characteristic, there is no queue for these "treasures", despite affordable price. Perhaps this is due to the fact that modern children watch much less films about the war, or, on the contrary, there are too many documentary shots on TV that capture the suffering of people who have fallen into 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 for trouble.

Who knows the history of the Kalashnikov assault rifle? But this is a legendary machine used by most of the world's countries. 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 have already been released. 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

Who invented the Kalashnikov assault rifle? This was done by a well-known weapons designer-developer - M. T. Kalashnikov. As a lieutenant general, he was also a doctor of technical sciences, in Soviet time- a member of the CPSU, a participant in hostilities, the owner of many medals, awards and orders, public figure, a deputy who received the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov - a native of the Altai Territory, was born into a large, large family on November 10, 1919. From an early age, he was fond of studying the action of various mechanisms. Once, after graduating from school, the young man independently dismantled a Browning pistol in order to familiarize and study in detail the weapon device.

Upon reaching the age of 19, he was called up for military 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, counting the number of shots fired from a tank gun. Then, for several months, he was fascinated by the development of a tank engine life meter. The result exceeded all expectations - the invention worked clearly, accurately recording the operation of the engine.

During the Great Patriotic War was a tank commander, but in the autumn of 1941 he was seriously wounded. It was during the 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 special literature, and listened to the opinion of his colleagues. This occupation captivated the talented young man so much that in a few months he developed his first model of firearms. Although the sample submachine gun was not recommended for mass production for a number of technical reasons, however, 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.

The development of the Kalashnikov assault rifle began in 1945. After several years of design, refinement, and combat testing, Kalashnikov automatic systems were adequately evaluated and recommended for army weapons. For the greatest development of national importance, the one who invented the Kalashnikov assault rifle received the 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, under the rifle cartridge received for armament, the caliber of which was 7.62 mm, small arms were needed. On a competitive basis, the development of weapons specifically for a cartridge of this caliber started. The main task was to surpass analogues, to create a worthy replacement

Among the competition entries were other successful projects of well-known developers, however, the automatic system of Mikhail Kalashnikov (also known as the AK-47) surpassed competitors in terms of design and production cost according to the results of the competition.

In 1948, Mikhail Kalashnikov went to the motorcycle plant in the city of Izhevsk to produce a trial batch of automatic systems in order to test them with the help of military tests. A year later, mass 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

The main parts of the AK, their purpose:

1. The rifled barrel of the machine, including the bullet entry, as well as the chamber. Directs the flight of the bullet.
2. The receiver is designed to connect the mechanisms into a single structure.
3. The butt contains a specially created nest, where a canister with tools for cleaning the gun is placed.
4. 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 aim a firearm at a target while a shot is being fired. The position of the front sight is easy to change to adjust the location of the midpoint.
5. The cover (removable) of the receiver prevents damage to the internal mechanisms.
6. The bolt carrier, connected to the gas piston, is one of the main elements of a firearm, which actuates the bolt element and also triggers the trigger.
7. The shutter closes the barrel channel before firing. Advances a cartridge from the magazine directly into the chamber. Also on the shutter is special mechanism, with which a spent cartridge case is removed from the chamber or a cartridge (in the event of a misfire).
8. The return mechanism, thanks to a special spring, returns the bolt carrier to its extreme forward position.
9. A gas tube with a handguard regulates the direction of movement of the gas piston with the help of directional ribs.
10. The trigger mechanism includes a trigger, a spring trigger retarder, a trigger, a spring automatic trigger, a sear, and a translator. Provides trigger release from cocking, switching from single to continuous fire. Using this mechanism, you can stop shooting, as well as fix the fuse.
11. The handguard is necessary for comfortable holding of the weapon during combat shooting, it performs the function of protecting hands from contact with hot metal, thereby preventing burns.
12. The magazine has a box type, holds three dozen rounds. Thanks to the spring, the cartridges move directly into the receiver.
13. The bayonet-knife is attached for use at the time of close combat.
14. The muzzle brake is a special compensator designed to increase the stability of the weapon during the shot. Partially removes powder gases during firing, due to this, it significantly reduces the recoil of the barrel. Contributes to an increase in accuracy during burst firing (appeared in the AKM version).

Most young men can easily list the main parts of the AK-47, since assembling an assault rifle in a certain time is a mandatory part of the basic military training course in school.

The total number of AK elements is about a hundred parts.

Specifications

The first version of the release of the AK-47 was distinguished by the following main characteristics:

• The weight of the Kalashnikov assault rifle is 4.8 kg (excluding the bayonet-knife).
• 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 contains thirty rounds.

Rate of fire:

• when firing bursts - 100 shots in one minute;
• when firing single cartridges - 40 shots per minute;
• the technical rate of fire is approximately 600 rounds per minute.

Shooting stats:

• 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 weapons was invented in 1946, but after a detailed study and a series of combat tests, this model was recognized as unsuitable.

However, the creation of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, the next year, 1947, was the year of the development of the famous AK-47.

Together with the AK, by 1949 they adopted the folding version of the AK - AKS, created for the special forces, into service with the Soviet army.

Then, since 1959, the history of the Kalashnikov assault rifle moves to a 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 indicators, the shape of the buttstock has been changed, a muzzle brake-compensator has been added, and the weight has also been reduced, a bayonet-knife has been added. Together with this model, a modification of the AKMN was released, which has a night, optical sight.

Together with AKM, the armament was replenished with a similar model, but the butt of which is folding - AKMS. In addition to this version, there was also an 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 caliber cartridge was actively underway. By 1974, a new modification came into service - the AK-74 and AK-74N (a model that includes a night and optical sight). A special development for the special forces was a new version of the AKS-74, that is, a model with a folding butt, another model was called the AKS-74N - a night modification with an optical sight.

By 1979, a shortened version of the AKS-74 - AKS-74U and AKS-74UN - appeared specifically for arming the landing troops, containing fasteners for night and optical sights.

In 1991, a modernized AK-74 called AK-74M was received for arming the army. The unique automatic machine put into mass production managed to replace several models at the same time.

It was the AK-74M version that became the basic version for the development of the entire hundredth series.

The 100th series of AKs are various versions of the AK-74M designed for export. For delivery to other countries, only automatic systems of the hundredth series are now used, since this series surpasses the previous ones in terms of material quality, modern technological process, and improved shooting characteristics.

The latest modern model of the fifth generation 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 environment. For its reliability, he won the well-deserved unconditional recognition of most countries of the world. Together with all its modifications, it occupies more than 15% of small arms in the world, which is why it is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most common weapon.

AK outside Russia

A few years after the adoption of the AK-47 into service, a production license was given to about 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 AK without a license.

Around the world, there are about 100 million different variations of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

Application 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 the soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army.

However, the rapid spread of the Kalashnikov assault rifle around the world occurred during the war in Afghanistan, when the CIA actively supplied them to the armed formations.

And then, thanks to the reliability and ease of operation, the soldiers of Iraq during the hostilities on the territory of their country preferred the AK-47 instead of the M16.

AK as a civilian weapon

Various variants of the Kalashnikov automatic system are very popular among civilian weapons, especially among those countries where gun 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 guns officially registered before 1986. Therefore, some still own combat samples of AK.

As for most of the world's countries, the storage of such automatic systems is prohibited by law. Those who own AKs illegally buy them for how much does a Kalashnikov assault rifle cost? The price of AK varies depending on the modification. So how much does a Kalashnikov assault rifle cost approximately? According to unofficial data, the price of AK on the black market is in the range of $1,000 (about 55,000 rubles).

AK at present

Over time, the Kalashnikov assault rifle (weight, dimensions and other specifications were presented to your attention in the article) was subjected to many critical reviews of leading experts, its shortcomings are increasingly discussed, many call the model frankly outdated. During its existence (and this is already more than 60 years), the requirements for weapons systems as a whole have changed, the modern world, of course, dictates new rules, requiring improvement and modernization.

However, despite the shortcomings discovered over time, the history of the Kalashnikov assault rifle continues. It is rightfully considered a legendary weapon. Having gained a reputation for being simply a reliable machine, it will undoubtedly be in deserved demand for a long time to come. It does not cease to copy, improve, refine 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 took place all over the world, and, undoubtedly, AK left an indelible mark on the history of weapons not only in Russia, but also in most foreign countries.

Barrel and receiver

bolt group

trigger mechanism

sighting device

Belonging to the machine

Operating principle

Assembly and disassembly

AK family

"Hundredth Series"

"Two hundredth series"

Civil variants

Experimental samples

Patent Status

Application in the world

First combat use

Vietnam War

Afghanistan

War in Iraq

After the collapse of the USSR

Venezuela

Estimates and prospects

7.62 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK, GAU index - 56-A-212, often misnamed AK-47) is an assault rifle developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947 and adopted by the Soviet Army in 1949.

Served as the basis for the creation of a whole family of military and civilian small arms of various calibers, including AKM and AK74 assault rifles (and their modifications), the RPK machine gun, carbines and Saiga smoothbore guns and others.

AK and its modifications are the most common small arms in the world. Over 60 years, more than 70 million Kalashnikov assault rifles of various modifications have been produced. They are in service with 50 foreign armies. According to available estimates, up to 1/5 of all small arms on Earth belong to this type (including licensed and unlicensed copies, as well as third-party developments based on AK). Main competitor Kalashnikov assault rifles- american automatic rifle M-16- was produced in the amount of approximately 10 million pieces, and is in service with 27 armies of the world.

According to many experts, AK is the standard of reliability and ease of maintenance.

Development and production

The starting point for the creation of the AK was the meeting of the Technical Council under the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR on July 15, 1943, at which, based on the results of studying the captured German assault rifle MKb. Kurz caliber 7.92 × 33 mm, as well as the American self-loading carbine M1 Carbine supplied under Lend-Lease, the great importance of the new direction in weapons thought was noted and the question was raised about the need to urgently develop their “reduced” cartridge, similar to the German one, as well as weapons under it.

The first samples of the new cartridge were created by OKB-44 already one month after the meeting, and its pilot production began in March 1944. It is noteworthy that neither domestic nor Western researchers found any real confirmation of the version that had been in circulation at one time, which said, that this cartridge was completely or partially copied from earlier German experimental developments (in particular, they called the Geco cartridge of 7.62 × 38.5 mm caliber). In fact, it is not even known whether the Soviet side was aware of such developments or not.

In November 1943, drawings and specifications for a new 7.62-mm intermediate cartridge designed by N. M. Elizarov and B. V. Semin were sent to all organizations involved in the development of a new weapons complex. At this stage, it had a caliber of 7.62x41 mm, but was subsequently redesigned, and quite significantly, during which the caliber was changed to 7.62x39 mm.

A new set of weapons under a single intermediate cartridge was supposed to include a machine gun, as well as self-loading and magazine non-automatic carbines and a light machine gun.

The developed weapon was supposed to provide the infantry with the possibility of effective firing at a range of about 400 m, which exceeded the corresponding indicator of submachine guns and was not much inferior to weapons for excessively heavy, powerful and expensive rifle and machine gun ammunition. This allowed him to successfully replace the entire arsenal of individual small arms in service with the Red Army, which used pistol and rifle cartridges and included Shpagin and Sudaev submachine guns, a Mosin magazine non-automatic rifle and several models of magazine carbines based on it, a Tokarev self-loading rifle, and also machine guns of various systems.

Subsequently, the development of a magazine carbine was discontinued due to the obvious obsolescence of the concept; however, the SKS self-loading carbine was not produced for long (until the beginning of the 1950s) due to the relatively low manufacturability with lower combat qualities than the machine gun, and the Degtyarev RPD machine gun was subsequently (1961) replaced by a different model, widely unified with a machine gun - RPK.

As for the development of the machine itself, it went through several stages and included a number of competitions in which a large number of systems of various designers participated.

In 1944, according to the test results, the AS-44 assault rifle designed by A. I. Sudayev was selected for further development. It was finalized and released in a small series, military tests of which were carried out in the spring and summer of next year at the GSVG, as well as in a number of units on the territory of the USSR. Despite positive reviews, the army leadership demanded a reduction in the mass of weapons.

The sudden death of Sudaev interrupted the further progress of work on this model, so in 1946 another round of tests was carried out, which, among others, included Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov, who by that time had already created several rather interesting weapon designs, in particular, two pistols - machine gun, one of which had a very original semi-free shutter braking system, a light machine gun and a self-loading carbine powered by cartridge packs, which lost the Simonov carbine in the competition. In November of the same year, his project was approved for the manufacture of a prototype, and a month later, the first version of the experimental Kalashnikov assault rifle, now sometimes conventionally referred to as the AK-46, was manufactured at an arms factory in the city of Kovrov, along with the samples of Bulkin and Dementiev, was submitted for testing.

It is curious that this model, developed in 1946, did not have many of the features of the future AK, which in our time are often criticized. His cocking handle was located on the left, not on the right, instead of the fuse-translator located on the right, there were separate flag fuses and a translator of types of fire, and the body of the firing mechanism was made folding down and forward on a hairpin. However, the military from the selection committee demanded that the cocking handle be located on the right, since it (the cocking handle), located on the left, with some methods of carrying weapons or moving around the battlefield, crawled against the body of the shooter, and also to combine the fuse with the translator of types of fire into a single knot and place it on the right to completely rid the left side of the receiver of any perceptible protrusions.

According to the results of the second round of the competition, the first Kalashnikov assault rifle was declared unsuitable for further development. However, Kalashnikov managed to challenge this decision, obtaining permission to further refine his model, in which he was helped by acquaintance with a number of commission members with whom he had served together since 1943, and received permission to refine the machine gun. For this purpose, he returned to Kovrov, where, probably using his connections to study the weapons of competitors in the competition, together with the designer of the Kovrov Plant No. design elements were widely used (including the arrangement of key nodes), borrowed from other submitted for the competition or simply pre-existing samples. So, the design of the bolt frame with a rigidly attached gas piston, the general layout of the receiver and the placement of the return spring with the guide, the protrusion of which was used to lock the receiver cover, were copied from Bulkin's experimental machine gun that also participated in the competition; USM (with minor improvements), judging by the design, could be “peeped” on the Holek rifle (according to another version, it goes back to the development of John Browning, which was also used in the M1 Garand rifle; these versions, however, are not mutually exclusive), the fuse-mode selector lever fire, which also acts as a dust cover for the shutter window, was very reminiscent of that of the Remington 8 rifle, and a similar “hanging out” of the bolt group inside the receiver with minimal friction areas and large gaps was typical for the Sudaev assault rifle.

Although formally the conditions of the competition did not allow the authors of the systems to familiarize themselves with the designs of competitors participating in it and make significant changes to the design of the submitted samples (that is, theoretically, the commission could not allow the new Kalashnikov prototype to further participate in the competition), it still cannot be considered something that go beyond the norms - firstly, when creating new weapon systems, “quotes” from other samples are not at all uncommon, and secondly, such borrowings in the USSR at that time were not only generally not forbidden, but even encouraged, which is explained not only by the presence of specific ("socialist") patent legislation, but also - basically - by quite pragmatic considerations of adopting the best model in conditions of constant lack of time with a very real military threat. There is even an opinion that most of the changes and design decisions made were almost directly due to the TTT (tactical and technical requirements) put forward by the commission based on the results of earlier stages of the TTT competition (tactical and technical requirements) for new weapons, that is, in fact, they were imposed as the most acceptable from their point of view by the military , which partly confirms the fact that the systems of Kalashnikov's competitors in their final versions used very similar design solutions.

It is also worth noting that, in itself, borrowing successful solutions cannot guarantee the success of the design as a whole, however, Kalashnikov and Zaitsev managed to create such a design, and in the shortest possible time, which in principle cannot be achieved by any compilation of ready-made units and design solutions. Moreover, there is an opinion that copying successful and well-proven technical solutions is one of the conditions for creating any successful weapon model, in particular, allowing the designer not to “reinvent the wheel”.

According to some sources, the head of the research range for small arms and mortar weapons of the GAU (where the AK-46 was “rejected”) V. F. Lyuty, who later became the head of the 1947 range tests, also actively participated in the development of the machine.

One way or another, in the winter of 1946-1947, for the next round of the competition, along with also quite significantly improved, but not undergoing such radical changes, Dementiev (KBP-520) and Bulkin (TKB-415) assault rifles, Kalashnikov presented an actually new assault rifle (KBP-580 ), which had little in common with the previous version.

As a result of the tests, it was found that not a single sample meets the tactical and technical requirements in full: the Kalashnikov assault rifle turned out to be the most reliable, but at the same time it had unsatisfactory accuracy of fire, and the TKB-415, on the contrary, met the requirements for accuracy, but had problems with reliability. Ultimately, the choice of the commission was made in favor of the Kalashnikov sample, and it was decided to postpone bringing its accuracy to the required values ​​for the future. Given the current situation in the world at that time, such a decision looks quite justified, since it allowed the army to re-equip itself with modern and reliable, although not the most accurate, weapons in real time, which was preferable to a reliable and accurate machine gun, but when is not known.

At the end of 1947, Mikhail Timofeevich was seconded to Izhevsk, where it was decided to begin production of the machine gun.

According to the results of military tests of the first batches of assault rifles produced in mid-1948, at the end of 1949, two versions of the Kalashnikov assault rifle were adopted under the designations "7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle" and "7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding butt" ( abbreviations - AK and AKS, respectively).

It is not entirely clear why abroad - and in our time, as a result of the widespread distribution of translated literature and films, such terminology has become somewhat widespread in Russia - the number "47" appeared in the designation of AK. As can be seen from the above information, 1947 is not the year the model was adopted for service and can only be considered the year of its development with a stretch, and the combination "AK-47" is not found in any Soviet official document.

One of the main problems faced by the developers during the deployment of mass production of AKs was the stamping technology used to manufacture the receiver. The first issues had a receiver from a fairly large number sheet metal stampings and parts milled from forgings.

In 1953, a high rejection rate forced a switch to milling technology. At the same time, a number of measures made it possible not only to prevent an increase in the mass of weapons, but also to reduce it relative to samples with a stamped receiver, so the new sample was designated as "Lightweight 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK)". In addition to the modified design of the receiver, it was also distinguished by the presence of stiffening ribs on the magazines (early magazines had smooth walls), the possibility of adjoining a bayonet (an early version of the weapon was adopted without a bayonet) and a number of other, smaller details.

AT later years AK design has also been continuously improved. The development team noted "low reliability, weapon failures when used in extreme climatic and extreme conditions, low accuracy of fire, insufficiently high operational characteristics "of serial samples of early models.

The appearance in the early 1950s of the TKB-517 assault rifle designed by German Korobov, which had a lower mass, better accuracy, and also cheaper, led to the development of tactical and technical requirements for a new assault rifle and a light machine gun as unified as possible with it. The corresponding competitive tests, for which Mikhail Timofeevich presented a modernized model of his machine gun and a machine gun based on it, took place in 1957-1958. As a result, the commission gave its preference to the Kalashnikov models, as they had greater reliability, and were also sufficiently familiar to the arms industry and the troops, and in 1959 the “7.62-mm Kalashnikov modernized assault rifle” (abbreviated as AKM) was put into service.

In the 1970s, following the NATO countries, the USSR followed the path of transferring small arms to low-pulse cartridges with reduced-caliber bullets to facilitate portable ammunition (for 8 magazines, a 5.45 mm caliber cartridge saves 1.4 kg in weight) and reduce , as it was believed, "excessive" power of the 7.62-mm cartridge. In 1974, a weapon complex chambered for 5.45 × 39 mm was adopted, consisting of an AK74 assault rifle and an RPK74 light machine gun, and later (1979) supplemented by a small-sized AKS74U assault rifle, designed for use in a niche occupied by pistols in Western armies -machine guns, and in recent years - the so-called PDW. The production of AKM in the USSR was curtailed, but this machine gun remains in service to this day.

Connection with StG-44 and the role of Hugo Schmeisser in the development of the AK

Sometimes there is an opinion that the German “assault rifle” StG-44 served as a prototype for full or partial copying in the development of the AK.

As grounds, supporters of this cite the similarity between the samples (in fact, all the similarities lie in the similarity of the stores), the work of the StG designer Hugo Schmeisser in the Izhevsk design bureau (despite the fact that the AK was not developed there, but at the Kovrov plant) and the study of the StG-44 by Soviet specialists (in August 1945, at the Haenel plant in the city of Suhl, 50 samples of the StG-44 were assembled and transferred to the USSR for technical evaluation; however, long before that, samples of this weapon, as well as its prototypes - MKb.42 (H) and MP43 - fell into the hands of Soviet gunsmiths, being captured as trophies; in fact, it was the appearance at the end of 1942 of the year among the Germans on the Volkhov front of early samples of the MKb.42 (H) that became one of the factors that led to the start of the development of a domestic intermediate cartridge and weapons for it ; studied StG-44 and in Western countries especially the USA).

The main technical solutions used in both samples - gas engines, methods of locking the shutter, the principles of operation of the USM, and so on - were mainly known since the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century due to the long experience in developing automatic rifles of the previous generation (for rifle- machine gun cartridges); in particular, gas-operated automatics with locking the bolt by turning were already used in the design of the world's first self-loading rifle by the Mexican Manuel Mondragón, developed in the 1880s and entered service in 1908.

The novelty of these systems was in the very concept of weapons for an intermediate between a pistol and rifle-machine-gun cartridge and the successful creation of a technology for its mass production, and in the case of AK, also bringing this model to a level of reliability, and today is considered a reference for automatic weapons.

As for the comparison of these two specific samples, it is worth noting that the similar outlines of the barrel, front sight and gas outlet tube are due to the use of a gas outlet engine on both machines, which in principle could not be directly borrowed by Kalashnikov from Schmeisser, since it was known long before that (moreover, the gas outlet engine with the top location was first used on the Soviet rifle ABC). A gas engine with a gas piston fixed to the bolt frame was also not a novelty and was used long before that, for example, on the 1927 Degtyarev machine gun of the year.

For StG, the trajectory of the bolt group is set by a massive cylindrical base of the gas piston, which moves inside the cylindrical cavity in the upper part of the receiver, leaning against its walls, and for AK, by special grooves in the lower part of the bolt frame, with the help of which the bolt group moves along the guide bends in the upper parts of the receiver as on "rails".

In the end, there remains a similarity between the two samples in concept and, to some extent, in ergonomics.

So, although the fact that the appearance of such a new and rather successful model as the StG-44 among the Germans did not go unnoticed in the USSR, its samples were probably studied in detail, which could greatly affect the choice of the general concept of the new weapon and the course works on domestic counterparts, including AK, the version of Kalashnikov's direct borrowing of the "Sturmgever" design does not stand up to scrutiny.

According to some sources, the merit of Hugo Schmeisser was his participation in the development of cold stamping technology, which he allegedly did in the USSR until 1952, which, according to this version, played a role in the appearance of the stamped AKM receiver (since 1959). Meanwhile, similar technologies were used before, including in the USSR, in the manufacture of PPSh and PPS-43 submachine guns, which had a predominantly stamped design before the advent of the StG-44, that is, the Soviet side by that time already had experience in mass manufacture of small arms parts by stamping. On the other hand, there are really known problems with the quality of stamped receivers for AKs from early releases, which caused the transition to a solid-milled design, which lasted in the series until the advent of AKM; however, similar problems in connection with the one-piece stamped design were noted during the operation of the StG-44. In short, this assumption looks extremely doubtful.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the creation of weapons, in particular - fundamentally in terms of the class and properties of the sample, has always been a long and complex process, in which a large number of specialists of various profiles take part, whose names, as a rule, history does not save, and the system eventually receives the name is only for one or two of them, or even for the manufacturer, at whose enterprise the development of the sample was carried out.

Design and principle of operation

The machine consists of the following main parts and mechanisms:

• barrel with receiver, sights and stock;
• detachable receiver cover;
• bolt carrier with gas piston;
• gate;
• return mechanism;
• gas tube with handguard;
• trigger mechanism;
• handguard;
• score;
• bayonet.

Barrel and receiver

The barrel of the machine- rifled (4 grooves, winding from left-up-right), from weapon steel.

In the wall of the barrel, closer to its muzzle, there is a gas outlet. Near the muzzle, the base of the front sight is fixed on the barrel, and on the side of the breech it has a chamber with smooth walls, designed to accommodate the cartridge when fired. The muzzle of the barrel has a left-hand thread for screwing the sleeve when firing blanks.

The barrel is attached to the receiver motionlessly, without the possibility of a quick change in the field.

Receiver serves to connect the parts and mechanisms of the machine into a single structure, place the bolt group and set the nature of its movement, ensure that the barrel bore is closed by the bolt and the bolt is locked; also inside it is placed the trigger mechanism.

The receiver consists of two parts: the receiver itself and a detachable cover located on top, which protects the mechanism from damage and contamination.

Inside the receiver has four guides ("rails"; rails), which set the movement of the bolt group - two upper and two lower. The lower left guide also carries a reflective protrusion.

In front of the receiver there are cutouts for which the bolt is locked, the rear walls of which are, therefore, lugs. The right combat stop also serves to direct the movement of the cartridge fed from the right row of the magazine. On the left is a part similar in purpose, which is not a combat stop.

The first batches of AKs had, in accordance with the assignment, a stamped receiver with a forged barrel liner. However, the available technology did not allow then to achieve the required rigidity, and the rejection rate was unacceptably high. As a result, in serial production, cold stamping was initially replaced by milling a box from a solid forging, which caused an increase in the cost of production of weapons. Subsequently, during the transition to AKM, technological issues were resolved, and the receiver again acquired a mixed design.

The massive all-steel receiver gives the weapon high (especially in the early milled version) strength and reliability, especially in comparison with the fragile light-alloy receivers of weapons like the American M16 rifle, but at the same time makes it heavier, making it difficult to upgrade.

bolt group

It consists mainly of a bolt carrier with a gas piston, the bolt itself, an ejector and a striker.

The bolt group is located in the receiver "posted", moving along the guides in its upper part as if on rails. Such a “hung” position of moving parts in the receiver with relatively large gaps ensures reliable operation of the system even with heavy contamination.

bolt carrier serves to actuate the shutter and trigger mechanism. It is fixedly connected to the gas piston rod, which is directly affected by the pressure of the powder gases removed from the barrel, which ensures the operation of the weapon's automation. The weapon reload handle is located on the right and is integral with the bolt carrier.

Gate It has a close to cylindrical shape and two massive lugs, which, when the bolt is turned, enter into special cutouts in the receiver, which locks the bore for a shot. In addition, the shutter, with its longitudinal movement, feeds the next cartridge from the magazine before firing, for which there is a protrusion of the rammer in its lower part.

Also, an ejector mechanism is attached to the bolt, designed to remove a spent cartridge case or cartridge from the chamber in the event of a misfire. It consists of an ejector, its axis, a spring and a limiter pin.

To return the bolt group to the extreme forward position, it is used return mechanism, consisting of a return spring (often incorrectly referred to as "return-combat", apparently by analogy with submachine guns, which actually had one; in fact, the AK has a separate mainspring that drives the trigger, and it is located in the trigger of the weapon ) and a guide, which in turn consists of a guide tube, a guide rod included in it and a coupling. The rear stop of the guide rod of the return spring enters the groove of the receiver and serves as a latch for the stamped receiver cover.

The mass of moving parts of the AK is about 520 grams. Thanks to a powerful gas engine, they come to the extreme rear position at a high speed of the order of 3.5-4 m / s, which in many respects ensures the high reliability of the weapon, but reduces the accuracy of the battle due to the strong shaking of the weapon and powerful impacts of moving parts in the extreme provisions.

The moving parts of the AK74 are lighter - the bolt carrier weighs about 370 grams (with a short gas piston AKS74U), the bolt is about 70, and their combined weight is about 440 grams.

trigger mechanism

Hammer type, with a hammer rotating on the axis and a U-shaped mainspring made of triple twisted wire.

The trigger mechanism allows continuous and single fire. A single rotary part performs the functions of a fire mode switch (translator) and a double-acting safety lever: in the safety position, it locks the trigger, the sear of single and continuous fire and prevents the bolt frame from moving backwards, partially blocking the longitudinal groove between the receiver and its cover. In this case, the moving parts can be pulled back to check the chamber, but their movement is not enough to send the next cartridge into the chamber.

All parts of the automation and trigger mechanism are compactly assembled inside the receiver, thus playing the role of both the receiver and the trigger housing.

The "classic" USM AK-shaped weapon has three axes - for the self-timer, for the trigger and for the trigger. Civilian variants that do not fire bursts usually do not have a self-timer axis.

Score

Score- box-shaped, sector type, two-row, for 30 rounds. It consists of a body, a locking plate, a cover, a spring and a feeder.

AK and AKM had magazines with stamped steel cases. Large taper of the 7.62 mm cartridge case mod. 1943 of the year led to their unusually large bend, which became a characteristic feature of the appearance of the weapon. For the AK74 family, a plastic magazine was introduced (originally polycarbonate, then glass-filled polyamide), only the folds ("sponges") in its upper part remained metal.

AK magazines are distinguished by high reliability of feeding cartridges, even when they are filled to the maximum. Thick metal "sponges" at the top of even plastic magazines provide reliable feeding and are very tenacious with rough handling - a design subsequently copied by a number of foreign firms for their products.

It should be noted that the above description applies only to the case of using military cartridges with bullets having a pointed nose and an all-metal jacket, for which the weapon was originally designed; when using soft hunting semi-shell bullets with a rounded toe in civilian versions of the Kalashnikov system, sticking sometimes occurs.

In addition to the regular 30-round magazines for an assault rifle, there are also machine-gun magazines, which, if necessary, can also be used for firing from a machine gun: for 40 (sector) or 75 (drum-type) rounds of 7.62 mm caliber and for 45 rounds of 5.45 caliber mm. If we also take into account stores foreign production, created for various variants of the Kalashnikov system (including for the civilian arms market), then the number of different options will be at least several dozen, with a capacity of 10 to 100 rounds.

The magazine attachment point is characterized by the absence of a developed neck - the magazine is simply inserted into the receiver window, catching on the protrusion on its front edge, and fixed with a latch.

sighting device

The AK sighting device consists of a sight and a front sight.

Aim- sector type, with the location of the aiming block in the middle part of the weapon. The sight is calibrated up to 800 m (starting with AKM - up to 1000 m) in increments of 100 m, in addition, it has a division marked with the letter "P", indicating a direct shot and corresponding to a range of 350 m. The rear sight is located on the neck of the sight and has a rectangular slot forms.

front sight located at the muzzle of the barrel, on a massive triangular base, the "wings" of which it is covered from the sides. While bringing the machine to normal combat, the front sight can be screwed in / out to raise / lower the mid point of impact, and also moved left / right to deviate the mid point of impact horizontally.

On some modifications of the AK, if necessary, it is possible to install an optical or night sight on the side bracket.

Bayonet

Bayonet designed to defeat the enemy in close combat, for which it can be attached to the machine, or used as a knife. The bayonet is put on the barrel sleeve with a ring, fastened with protrusions on the gas chamber, and with a latch it engages with the ramrod stop. Being unlocked from the machine gun, the bayonet is worn in a sheath on a waist belt.

Initially, a relatively long (blade 200 mm) detachable blade-type bayonet was adopted for the AK, with two blades and a fuller.

When the AKM was adopted, a short (150 mm blade) detachable bayonet-knife was introduced, which had expanded functionality in terms of household use. Instead of a second blade, he received a saw, and in combination with a scabbard, he could be used to cut barbed wire obstacles. Also, the upper part of the handle is made of metal. The bayonet can be inserted into the sheath and used as a hammer. There are two variants of this bayonet that differ mainly in the device.

A late version of the same bayonet is also used on weapons of the AK74 family.

Of the foreign variants, the Chinese clone of the AK - Type 56 - is notable for the use of a non-removable folding needle bayonet.

Belonging to the machine

Designed for disassembly, assembly, cleaning and lubrication of the machine.

Consists of a ramrod, wiping, a brush, a screwdriver with a punch, a storage case and an oil can. The body and cover of the case are used as auxiliary tools for cleaning and lubricating the weapon.

It is stored in a special cavity inside the butt, with the exception of models with a folding frame shoulder rest, in which it is worn in a bag for magazines.

Operating principle

The principle of operation of AK automation is based on the use of the energy of powder gases discharged through the upper hole in the wall of the barrel bore.

Before firing, it is necessary to feed the cartridge into the chamber of the barrel and bring the mechanism of the weapon into a state of readiness for firing.

This is done by the shooter manually by pulling the bolt frame back by the reload handle mounted on it (“jerking the bolt”).

After the bolt frame moves back to the length of the free stroke, the figured groove on it begins to interact with the leading lug of the bolt, turning it counterclockwise, while its lugs come out from behind the lugs of the receiver, which ensures the unlocking of the bolt and opening of the bore. After that, the bolt carrier and the bolt begin to move together.

When moving back under the action of the hand of the arrow, the bolt frame acts on the rotary trigger, placing it on the self-timer sear. The trigger is held on it until the bolt frame arrives in its extreme forward position, where the frame, acting on the self-timer pen, separates the trigger from the self-timer. Next, the trigger gets on the front sear (with manual "shutter jerking").

At the same time, the return spring is compressed, accumulating energy, and when the shooter releases the handle, it pushes the bolt group forward. During the reverse movement of the bolt group under the influence of the spring, the protrusion at the bottom of the bolt pushes the upper cartridge in the magazine over the upper part of the bottom of the sleeve, sending it into the chamber of the barrel.

When the shutter comes to its extreme forward position, it rests against the protrusion of the shutter liner and first rotates through a small angle in order to get out of interaction with the special area of ​​the figured groove. The bolt frame at this time still continues its movement under the action of the spring force and inertia force, while it, by the action of a figured groove on the leading ledge of the bolt, turns the bolt clockwise to an angle of 37 °, which achieves its locking.

During its remaining (free) stroke after locking the shutter to the extreme forward position, the bolt frame deflects the self-timer lever forward and down, which disengages the self-timer sear from the trigger, after which it is held in the cocked state only by the main sear, made as a single unit with the trigger crochet.

The weapon is now ready to fire.

When the trigger is pulled, its sear holding the trigger releases it. The trigger, under the action of the mainspring, rotates around its axis, hitting the drummer with force, which transmits the blow to the cartridge primer, breaking it and thereby initiating the combustion of the powder composition in the sleeve.

At the time of the shot, a high pressure of powder gases is quickly created in the bore. They press simultaneously on the bullet and on the bottom of the sleeve, and through it - on the bolt. But the shutter is locked, that is, it is motionlessly connected to the receiver, so it remains motionless, but they come into motion: the bullet - on the one hand, the weapon as a whole - on the other. Since the mass of the weapon as a whole and the bullet varies many times, the bullet moves much faster, moving in the direction of the muzzle of the barrel and, due to the presence of rifling in its channel, acquiring rotational motion to stabilize in flight. The movement of the weapon is perceived by the shooter as its return (one of its components).

When the bullet passes the gas outlet, powder gases under high pressure rush through it into the gas chamber. They put pressure on the piston on the rod, rigidly connected to the bolt carrier, setting it in motion backwards. After the piston travels a certain distance (about 25 mm), it passes through special holes in the gas outlet tube through which powder gases are vented into the atmosphere (part of the gases are vented, the rest enter the receiver or flow back into the barrel).

The bolt carrier, as with manual reloading, moves back with the piston by the amount of free play, after which it unlocks the bolt in the same way. At the same time, the parameters of the weapon (barrel length, ammunition power, mass of the bolt frame with a piston, the diameter of the gas outlet, and so on) are calculated (selected in fact) by the designers in such a way that by the time the bolt is unlocked, the bullet will have already left the barrel, and the pressure in its channel becomes low enough so that the unlocking of the bolt is safe for the weapon and the shooter.

When the bolt is unlocked by the bolt frame moving backwards, a preliminary displacement (“breaking off”) of the cartridge case located in the chamber occurs, which contributes to ensuring the non-failure operation of the weapon’s automation.

After the bolt is unlocked, it, together with the bolt frame, vigorously begin to move back under the influence of two forces: the residual pressure in the bore (practically, the pressure in this case is close to atmospheric and has little effect), until the cartridge case leaves the chamber acting on its bottom, and through it - on the shutter, and the inertia of the shutter frame and the gas piston connected to it.

In this case, the spent cartridge case is removed from the weapon due to the energetic impact of its bottom on the protrusion of the reflector, which is rigidly fixed on the bolt box, which informs it of a rapid movement to the right, up, and forward.

After that, the bolt carrier with the bolt continues to move back until they come to the rearmost position, and then return to the frontmost position. At the same time, in the same way as with manual reloading (depending on whether single shooting or burst shooting is being carried out, there are features in the work of the sear), the trigger is cocked and the next cartridge is sent from the magazine to the chamber, and after that, the bore is locked.

Subsequent events depend on the position of the fire translator and whether the trigger is pressed by the shooter.

If the trigger is released, the moving parts of the weapon stop in the forwardmost position; the weapon is reloaded, cocked and ready for a new shot.

If the trigger is pressed and the translator is in the AB (automatic firing) position, at the moment the moving parts of the weapon come to the extreme forward position, the self-timer will release the trigger, and then everything happens in exactly the same way as described above for one shot, until the shooter will not remove his finger from the trigger, or the magazine will not run out of ammo.

If the trigger is pressed and the translator is in the OD position (single shooting), then after the moving parts of the weapon come to the extreme forward position and the self-timer is triggered, the trigger will remain cocked, held by the sear of a single fire, and will remain on it until the shooter releases and will not pull the trigger again.

When firing from a machine gun, especially when using low-quality cartridges and heavily contaminated weapons, delays are possible due to misfires (lack of energy to prick the primer - “not capping the primer”) or a violation of the supply of cartridges (sticking and distortions - most often malfunctions of the magazine edges). They are eliminated by the shooter by manually reloading the weapon by the handle, which in most cases allows you to remove a misfired or skewed cartridge from the weapon. More serious causes of delay in firing, such as non-removal of the cartridge case or its rupture, are more difficult to eliminate, but are extremely rare and only when using low-quality, defective or damaged cartridges during storage.

The accuracy of the battle and the effectiveness of fire

The accuracy of the battle was not originally a strong point of the AK. Already during the military tests of its prototypes, it was noted that with the greatest of the reliability systems submitted for the competition, the required accuracy conditions, the Kalashnikov design did not provide (like all the presented designs to one degree or another). Thus, according to this parameter, even by the standards of the mid-1940s, the AK was clearly not an outstanding model. Nevertheless, reliability (in general, reliability here is a set of operational characteristics: reliability, shot to failure, guaranteed resource, actual resource, resource of individual parts and assemblies, persistence, mechanical strength, etc., according to which the machine is by the way the best even now ) was recognized as paramount at that time, and it was decided to postpone the fine-tuning of accuracy to the required parameters for the future.

The median deviation is half the width of the central dispersion band containing 50% of all hits.

Further weapon upgrades, such as the introduction of various muzzle compensators and the transition to a low-impulse cartridge, really had a positive effect on the accuracy (and accuracy) of firing from a machine gun. So, for AKM, the total median deviation at a distance of 800 m is already 64 cm (vertical) and 90 cm (in width), and for AK74 - 48 cm (vertical) and 64 cm (in width).

The next step in improving this indicator was the development of the AK-107 / AK-108 models with balanced automatics (see below), however, the fate of this variant of the AK is still not clear.

The range of a direct shot at the chest figure is 350 m.

AK allows you to hit the following targets with one bullet (for the best shooters, lying down with a single fire):

• head figure - 100 m;
• waist figure and running figure - 300 m;

To hit a target of the “running figure” type at a distance of 800 m under the same conditions, 4 rounds are required when firing with a single fire, and 9 rounds when firing in short bursts.

Naturally, these results were obtained during firing at the firing range, under conditions very different from real combat (however, the test methodology was created by deeply military and professional people, which makes one feel confident in their conclusions).

Assembly and disassembly

Partial disassembly of the machine is carried out for cleaning, lubrication and inspection in the following order:

• magazine separation and checking the absence of a cartridge in the chamber;
• removal of a pencil case with accessories (for AK - from the butt, for AKS - from the pocket of a shopping bag);
• ramrod compartment;
• separation of the receiver cover;
• extraction of the return mechanism;
• separation of the shutter frame with the shutter;
• separation of the bolt from the bolt carrier;
• branch of the gas tube with a handguard.

Assembly after partial disassembly is carried out in the reverse order.

Assembly / disassembly of the mass-dimensional layout of the AK is included in the school course NVP (initial military training), and later OBZh, while disassembly and assembly are assigned, respectively:

• grade "excellent" - 18 s and 30 s,
• "good" - 30 s and 35 s,
• "satisfactory" - 35 s and 40 s.

The army standard is 15 s and 25 s, respectively.

AK family

Table of characteristics of automatic machines of the AK series and their domestic competitors

AKC

AKS (Index GAU - 56-A-212M) - a variant of the AK with a folding metal butt, intended for airborne troops. It was adopted simultaneously with AK. It was originally produced with a stamped receiver, and since 1951 - milled due to the high percentage of marriage during stamping.

AKM

AKM (Kalashnikov Modernized, Index GRAU - 6P1) - modernization of the AK, adopted in 1959. In AKM, the aiming range has been increased to 1000 m, changes have been made to improve reliability and ease of use.

The AKM receiver is made of stamped, due to which the weight of the machine is reduced. The butt is raised up to bring the point of emphasis of the machine to the line of fire. Changes have been made to the trigger mechanism - a trigger retarder has been added, thanks to which the trigger is released a few milliseconds later during automatic firing. This delay has practically no effect on the rate of fire, it only allows the bolt carrier to stabilize in the extreme forward position before the next shot.

Improvements had a positive effect on accuracy, especially strongly (almost a third) decreased vertical dispersion.

The muzzle of the barrel of the weapon has a thread on which a removable muzzle compensator in the form of a petal (the so-called “tray compensator”) is installed, designed to compensate for the “withdrawal” of the aiming point up and to the right when firing bursts due to the use of pressure from the powder gases escaping from the barrel to the lower compensator protrusion. Silencers PBS or PBS-1 can be installed on the same thread instead of a compensator, for the use of which it is necessary to use 7.62US cartridges with subsonic initial speed bullets. Also on the AKM, it became possible to install the GP-25 “Koster” underbarrel grenade launcher.

• AKMS (Index GRAU - 6P4) - AKM variant with a folding stock. The butt mounting system was changed relative to the AKS (it folded down and forward, under the receiver). The modification is designed specifically for paratroopers.
• AKMSU - a shortened version of the AKM with a folding butt, designed for special forces and airborne troops. It was released in very small quantities and did not receive wide distribution among the troops. It did not officially enter service.
• AKMN (6P1N) - variant with night sight.

• AKMSN (6P4N) - modification of AKMN with a folding metal butt.

AK74 (GRAU index - 6P20) - further modernization of the machine. It uses 5.45 mm caliber cartridges and was put into service in 1974 along with a weapon complex based on it. The production technology of machines has changed: more parts began to be made from cast billets according to investment models, however, significant unification with AKM has been preserved. A new muzzle brake-compensator was also installed, which, coupled with a reduced recoil momentum, had a positive effect on the accuracy of fire. Over time, changes were made to the machine: so the later samples had plastic fittings instead of wood in the early ones.

However, despite the increase in some characteristics of the weapon, many professional military men continue to believe that the AKM is the best representative of the Kalashnikov line in terms of the sum of its combat qualities.

Among the shortcomings of 5.45 mm modifications is the tendency of bullets of this caliber (typical of the early samples of the NATO 5.56 mm) to ricochet when meeting even light and fragile obstacles (for example, grass, branches), as well as a lower penetrating ability (although it is believed that such bullets inflict more severe injuries). In addition, the stopping effect of 5.45 caliber bullets is controversial. Supporters of the small-caliber cartridge, however, argue that a sufficiently strong stopping effect is achieved due to the higher bullet speed than the 7.62 cartridge, and the instability of the small-caliber bullet in the wound channel. In general, it was believed that the transition to 5.45 caliber bullets was caused by understanding the experience of the Vietnam War. In particular, the fact that 5.45 bullets “kill” less, but injure opponents more, and the wounded “takes out” not only “himself” from the battle, but several opponents at once, who are forced to deal with his rescue and transportation. In general, the question of the superiority of the 7.62 or 5.45 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle is still open and causes numerous discussions among amateurs and professionals.

• AKS74 - version for the Airborne Forces and the Marine Corps with a metal butt folding to the left;
• AK74N and AKS74N - "night" versions of AK74 and AKS74, respectively (they had a bar for installing a night infrared sight);
• AK74M - modernization of AK74, replaced AK74, AKS74 and night versions.
• AKS74U - a shortened version with a folding butt.

"Hundredth Series"

In the mid-90s, a new series of machine guns appeared, called the "Series 100". Models of this series are sold for export, and are also in service with the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The AK-74M was taken as the basis of the series, specific models differ in calibers (5.45 × 39 mm for AK-105 and AK-107; 5.56 × 45 mm NATO for AK-101, AK-102, AK-108; 7 .62×39 mm for AK-103, AK-104), short barrel (AK-102, AK-104, AK-105), balanced automation system (AK-107 and AK-108). A characteristic feature of all assault rifles of the 100th series is the plastic fore-end and black stock.

Models with balanced automatics

In the AK-107 and AK-108 assault rifles, a modified automation scheme is used - shockless with separated masses. Despite the great external similarity and wide unification with the AK74, in fact it is a very different weapon from it in design and principle of operation, based on earlier (created in the 1960s - 70s) developments of the Izhevsk designer Yuri Alexandrov (AL- 4 and AL-7).

In this scheme (see also an animated illustration of its operation), the machine has two gas pistons with rods moving towards each other. The main piston is connected, as in a conventional AK, to the bolt frame, and activates the automatic reload; additional - moves a massive compensator located above the bolt group, the movement and impact of which on the platform located in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe base of the front sight compensate for the momentum of the bolt group. The movement of the pistons is synchronized by means of a rack and pinion mechanism so that the impacts occur exactly at the same time.

This, in combination with the reduced run-out of the bolt group, makes it possible to largely eliminate the shaking of the machine from the movement of its moving parts, which increases the accuracy of automatic fire, especially from unstable positions, by 1.5-2 times.

In addition, the AK-107 and AK-108 differ from the base model in a higher rate of fire (up to 850-900 rounds per minute) and the presence in the USM of a mode of firing in fixed bursts of 3 rounds, and not instead of, but in addition to the existing " classic "automatic fire mode.

Machine guns built according to this scheme can successfully compete in automatic fire accuracy with the structurally much more complex AN-94 fire monitors (yielding, however, to it in accuracy of fire in fixed bursts of 2 shots) and very close to the AK in design AEK-971, also using balanced automation.

At present, the fate of this family is not entirely clear. There is no information about its adoption into service or purchases by any power structures. According to available information, the promising AK "series 200" does not have balanced automation. Some sources noted problems with chipping of parts of the synchronizer rack mechanism with a large shot.

"Two hundredth series"

In 2009, Rosoboronexport General Director Anatoly Isaikin announced the development of a new Kalashnikov model, which would replace the "hundredth series". At the same time, according to Vladimir Grodetsky, the weapons of the 200th series will differ from the previous generation of assault rifles by 40-50% in terms of efficiency.

On November 25, 2009, at a meeting with representatives of the republican and Russian media, Vladimir Pavlovich Grodetsky, General Director of Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant OJSC, stated:

On May 25, 2010, Grodetsky told Interfax that state tests of the new 200-series Kalashnikov assault rifle would begin in 2011. Based on their results, a decision can be made to supply the machine gun to the troops. He also reported that new model will be based on the AK-74M, and the new machine has a bar for attaching additional equipment - sights, laser designators and a flashlight, which significantly increased the weight of the new machine: 3.8 kg versus 3.3 kg for its predecessor. In addition, the AK 200 series magazine will be more capacious - 30, 50 or 60 rounds versus 30 for the AK-74M. A little later on the same day (May 25, 2010), Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Sergey Ivanov announced that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service of Russia began to buy a new Kalashnikov assault rifle of the 200th series, while adding that the Ministry of Defense decision on the purchase of new small arms has not yet been accepted.

AK-9

AK-9 is a silent version based on the "hundredth series". Similarly, AS "Val" uses 9 × 39 mm cartridges. It is also equipped with mounts for target designators for all types of sights.

Civil variants

In addition to modifications for military purposes, several models of hunting rifles have been created on the basis of the AK. smoothbore weapons 12, 20 and .410 calibers, rifled for 7.62 × 39 mm, 7.62 × 51 mm, 5.45 × 39 mm cartridges, and also (for export sales) 5.56 × 45 mm:

• Saiga hunting carbines - the most famous weapon of this type, which appeared in the 1970s, was made under the 5.6 × 39 cartridge. Also, based on the design of the AKM assault rifle, the Saiga hunting self-loading carbine chambered for 7.62 × 39 mm was released. From military weapons The carbine differs primarily in that it is impossible to conduct automatic fire from it, for which some details have been changed. In addition, the attachment point of the magazine to the weapon has been changed so that it is impossible to insert a magazine from a combat machine into a carbine. The stock and forend of the carbine are made in the style of classic hunting rifles, the parts are made of both plastic and (mostly) wood. Since the carbine does not have a pistol grip for controlling fire, 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 pull in the trigger mechanism. There are two types of magazines - with a capacity of five and ten rounds. There are also modifications of this carbine chambered for 5.45x39 and 5.56x45 mm cartridges.
• Hunting carbines Vepr - products of the Molot plant, OJSC Vyatsko-Polyansky Machine-Building Plant;
• AKMS-MF and AKM-MFA - products of the Vinnitsa arms factory "FORT";
• Volcano - hunting carbines of the Kharkov SOBR LLC.

Experimental samples

AK-46

AK-46 - to a certain extent conditional (it is not known for certain whether he ever wore it) the designation of an assault rifle developed by Kalashnikov on the basis of a self-loading carbine he created earlier in 1944, and presented in 1946 for participation in the competition. The design had a certain similarity with the device 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 tests. After a radical redesign for participation in the next round of tests, the new assault rifle (AK prototype) received minimal structural similarity to its predecessor.

SVK

In 1959, Mikhail Kalashnikov created the "7.62-mm self-loading sniper rifle of the M.T. Kalashnikov system (SVK)", which is similar to the AK. Automation worked on the principle of removing powder gases from the bore with a short piston stroke. The flag-type fuse was located on the receiver on the right. On the receiver on the left there is a bracket for mounting an optical sight. Food was supplied from box magazines for 10 rounds of 7.62 × 54 mm R. The locking scheme is the same as in AK. Weight without cartridges was 4.23 kg. It was not accepted into service.

Patent Status

Izhmash calls all AK-like models produced outside of Russia counterfeit, however, there is no evidence that Kalashnikov registered copyright certificates for his machine gun: some certificates are exhibited at the M. T. Kalashnikov Museum and Exhibition Complex of Small Arms (Izhevsk) issued to him in different years with the wording "for an invention in the field of military equipment" without any accompanying documents to establish the presence or absence of their connection with the AK. Even if the copyright certificate for the AK was issued to Kalashnikov, it is worth noting that the terms of patent protection for the original design developed in the forties have long expired.

Some of the improvements introduced in the AK74 and Kalashnikov assault rifles of the "hundredth series" are protected by a Eurasian patent from 1997, owned by the Izhmash company.

Differences from the basic AK described in the patent include:

• folding butt with locks for combat and traveling position;
• a gas piston rod mounted in a hole in the bolt carrier with a threaded clearance;
• a pocket for a pencil case with accessories, formed by stiffening ribs inside the butt and closed with a spring-loaded swivel lid;
• a gas tube spring-loaded relative to the sight block in the direction of the muzzle;
• changed geometry of the transition from the field to the bottom of the rifling in the rifled part of the barrel.

Production and use of AK outside Russia

In the 1950s, licenses for the production of AKs were transferred by the USSR to 18 countries (mainly the Warsaw Pact allies). At the same time, eleven more states launched the production of AKs without a license. The number of countries in which AK was produced without a license in small batches, and even more so handicraft, cannot be counted. To date, according to Rosoboronexport, the licenses of all states that previously received them have already expired, however, production continues. Particularly active in producing clones of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are the Polish company Bumark and the Bulgarian company Arsenal, which has now opened a branch in the United States and launched the production of assault rifles there. The production of AK clones is deployed in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. According to very rough estimates, there are from 70 to 105 million copies of various modifications of Kalashnikov assault rifles in the world. They are adopted by the armies of 55 countries of the world.

In 2004, Rosoboronexport and personally Mikhail Kalashnikov accused the United States of supporting the distribution of counterfeit copies of the AK. Thus, the fact that the United States supplies the ruling regimes of Afghanistan and Iraq brought to power with Kalashnikov assault rifles produced in China and Eastern Europe is commented on. Of this claim, weapons proliferation expert Professor Aaron Karp remarked, "It's as if the Chinese are demanding payment for every firearm they make, on the grounds that they were the ones who invented gunpowder 700 years ago." Despite these accusations, there is no information about lawsuits or other official steps aimed at stopping the production of AK-like weapons.

In some of the states that had previously received licenses for the production of AK, it was manufactured in a slightly modified form. So, in the modification of the AK, produced in Yugoslavia, Romania and some other countries, there was an additional pistol-type grip under the forearm to hold the weapon. Other minor changes were also made - the bayonet mounts, the materials of the forearm and butt, and the finish were changed. There are cases when two machine guns were connected on a special home-made mount, and an installation similar to double-barreled air defense machine guns was obtained. In the GDR, a training modification of the AK chambered for .22LR was produced. In addition, many models of military weapons have been created on the basis of AK - from carbines to sniper rifles. Some of these designs are factory conversions of original AKs.

Many of the copies of the AK are in turn also copied (with or without the purchase of a license) with some modifications by other manufacturers, resulting in quite different assault rifles from the original sample, for example, the Vektor CR-21, a South African bullpup assault rifle based on the Vektor R4 , which is a copy of the Israeli Galil assault rifle - a licensed copy of the Finnish Valmet Rk 62 assault rifle, which in turn is a licensed version of the AK.

Application in the world

AK is so cheap to manufacture and so widespread throughout the world that it costs less than live chicken in some countries. It can be seen in reports from almost any hot spot in the world. AK is in service with the regular armies of more than fifty countries of the world, as well as countless terrorist groups and just gangs. The AK was and remains the deadliest weapon on earth, killing a quarter of a million people every year. During the Cold War, the US and the USSR competed for spheres of influence around the world, including through the supply of weapons. The AK was noticeably superior to the American M1 Garand and M14 rifles in terms of reliability and ease of maintenance, making it much more suitable for poor countries that did not have a developed weapons infrastructure.

In addition, "fraternal countries" received licenses for the production of AK free of charge, for example, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, China, Poland, North Korea and Yugoslavia. It doesn’t take long to learn how to handle an AK (a full army training course for owning a machine gun is only 10 hours), this explains such a distribution of the machine gun among partisans, rebels and terrorists.

First combat use

The first case of mass combat use AK on the world stage took place on November 1, 1956, during the suppression of the uprising in Hungary. Until that moment, the machine gun was hidden from prying eyes in every possible way: the soldiers wore it in special covers that concealed the outlines, and after firing all the shells were carefully collected. AK has proven itself well in urban combat.

Vietnam War

AK also became one of the symbols Vietnam War, during which it was widely used by soldiers of the North Vietnamese army and guerrillas of the NLF. In the unfavorable conditions of the jungle, the "black rifles" M16, due to the economy of the command on the quality of gunpowder, quickly failed, and their repair was difficult, as a result of which American soldiers sometimes replaced them with captured AKs.

Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan accelerated the spread of AK around the world. Now they were armed with rebels and terrorists. The CIA generously provided the Mujahideen with Kalashnikovs, mostly made in China (in the PRC, AKs under the designation Type 56 were produced in huge quantities under license), through Pakistan. The AK was a cheap and reliable weapon, so the US preferred it.

Even before the withdrawal of Soviet troops, the Western media paid attention to the large number of AKs in the region, and the concept of “Kalashnikov culture” entered the lexicon. After the last Soviet units left Afghanistan on February 15, 1989, the developed weapons infrastructure of the Mujahideen did not disappear anywhere, but, on the contrary, was integrated into the economy and culture of the region. For example, almost the entire shadow economy of Pakistan (groups of robbers and kidnappers, drug lords, village arms dealers) was directly dependent on AK. It should be noted that the leader of the Afghan Mujahideen and the sworn enemy of the Soviet troops, Ahmad Shah Masud, to the question: “What kind of weapon do you prefer?”, He answered: “Kalashnikov, of course.”

After the introduction of NATO troops into Afghanistan, the Americans were forced to face the same AKs that the CIA purchased for the Mujahideen. According to the Washington Post, Sergeant 1st Class Nathan Ross Chapman was the first American to die in that war from enemy fire when he was shot by a Kalashnikov by an Afghan teenager (according to the independent website iCasualties.org, the first American killed in Afghanistan by enemy fire was Johnny Spann).

War in Iraq

To the surprise of the coalition forces, the soldiers of the newly created Iraqi army abandoned the American M16 and M4, demanding AKs. According to Walter B. Slocombe, senior adviser to the interim coalition administration, “every Iraqi over 12 years of age can take it apart and reassemble it with eyes closed and a pretty good shot.".

After the collapse of the USSR

After the collapse of the USSR, many ATS countries began to sell their arsenals, but this did not lead to a collapse in prices for AKs. A noticeable decrease in the cost of the machine from about $ 1100 to $ 800 at the turn of the 1980-1990s occurred only in the Middle East, in Asia and America prices even increased (from about $ 500 to $ 700), and in Eastern Europe and Africa they practically did not change ( around $200-300).

Venezuela

In 2005, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez decided to sign a contract with Russia for the supply of 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles. The contract was completed in 2006, but Hugo Chavez is already talking about his readiness to purchase another 920,000 assault rifles and is negotiating the establishment of licensed production of AK-103 in the country. The main reason for the increase in arms purchases, Hugo Chavez calls the "threat of an American military invasion."

Estimates and prospects

The Kalashnikov assault rifle has found a wide variety of ratings throughout its long service life.

At the time of its birth, the AK was an effective weapon, far surpassing in all the main indicators the models of submachine guns chambered for pistol cartridges available at that time in the armies of the world, and at the same time not inferior to automatic rifles chambered for rifle and machine gun ammunition, having an advantage over them in compactness, weight and efficiency of automatic fire.

Fedor Tokarev once described the AK as distinguished by "reliability in operation, high accuracy and accuracy of fire, and relatively low weight."

The high combat effectiveness of the weapon was confirmed during the local conflicts of the post-war decades, including the Vietnam War.

The reliability and non-failure operation of weapons, due to a whole range of technical solutions adopted in it, are almost a benchmark for its class. There are suggestions that the AK is the most reliable military weapon since the Mauser 98 rifle. Moreover, it is provided even with the most careless and unskilled care, in the most difficult conditions.

However, as the weapon became obsolete, its shortcomings began to appear more and more, both characteristic of it initially and identified over time due to changes in the requirements for small arms and the nature of hostilities.

At the present time, it should be noted first of all that even latest modifications AKs are generally obsolete weapons, with virtually no reserves for significant modernization.

The general obsolescence of weapons also determines many of its specific significant shortcomings.

First of all, there is a significant mass of weapons by modern standards, due to the widespread use of steel parts in its design. At the same time, the AK itself cannot be called unnecessarily heavy, however, any attempts to significantly modernize it - for example, lengthening and weighting the barrel to increase the accuracy of fire, not to mention the installation of additional sights - inevitably take its mass beyond the limits acceptable for army weapons, which is well shown by the experience of creating and operating the Saiga and Vepr hunting carbines, as well as RPK machine guns. Attempts to lighten the weapon while maintaining an all-steel structure (that is, the existing production technology) also lead to an unacceptable decrease in its service life, which partly proves the negative experience of operating early batches of AK74, the rigidity of the receivers of which turned out to be insufficient and required strengthening of the structure - that is, here the limit has already been reached and there are no reserves for modernization. In addition, in AK, the shutter is locked through the cutouts of the receiver liner, and not the barrel process, as in more modern samples, which does not allow the receiver to be made of lighter and more technologically advanced, albeit less durable materials. Two lugs are also a simple, but not optimal solution - even the SVD rifle bolt has three lugs, which provide more uniform locking and a smaller angle of rotation of the bolt, not to mention modern Western models, for which we are usually talking about at least six bolt lugs.

A significant disadvantage in modern conditions is a collapsible weapon receiver with a detachable lid. This design makes it impossible to mount modern types of sights (collimator, optical, night) using Weaver or Piccatini rails: placing a heavy sight on a removable receiver cover is useless due to its significant structural play. As a result, AK-like weapons for the most part allow the installation of only a limited number of models of sights that use a very outdated side bracket, which also shifts the center of gravity of the weapon to the left and does not allow the stock to be folded on those models where this is provided for by the design.

The only exceptions are rare variants such as the Polish Beryl assault rifle, which has a separate pedestal for the aiming bar, which is fixedly attached to the bottom of the receiver, or the South African Vector CR21 bullpup assault rifle, which has a collimator sight located on a bar attached to the base of the sight, standard for AK - with this arrangement, it turns out to be just in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe shooter's eyes. The first solution is rather palliative, significantly complicates the assembly and disassembly of weapons, and also increases their bulkiness and weight; the second is only suitable for weapons made according to the bullpup scheme.

On the other hand, it is precisely due to the presence of a removable receiver cover that the assembly and disassembly of the AK is carried out quickly and conveniently, and this also provides excellent access to the details of the weapon when cleaning it.

All parts of the trigger mechanism are compactly assembled inside the receiver, thus playing the role of both the bolt box and the body of the trigger mechanism (trigger box). By modern standards, this is a drawback of the weapon, since in more modern systems (and even in the relatively old Soviet SVD and the American M16), the USM is usually performed in the form of a separate easily removable unit that can be quickly replaced to obtain various modifications (self-loading, with the ability to fire in bursts fixed length, and so on), and in the case of the M16 platform - and upgrading the weapon by installing a new receiver unit on the existing USM unit (for example, to switch to a new caliber of ammunition), which is a very economical solution.

To speak of a deeper degree of modularity characteristic of many modern small arms systems - for example, the use of quick-change barrels of various lengths - with respect to the AK is even less necessary.

The high reliability of the AK family, or rather, the methods used in its design to achieve it, is at the same time the cause of its significant drawbacks. The increased momentum of the gas exhaust mechanism, coupled with a gas piston fixed to the bolt frame and large gaps between all parts, on the one hand, leads to the fact that the automatic weapon works flawlessly even with heavy pollution (contamination is literally “blown out” of the receiver when fired), - but at the same time, the shutter frame, which comes to the extreme rear position at a speed of about 5 m / s (for comparison, for systems with “softer” operation of automation, even at the initial stage of the shutter retracting, this speed usually does not exceed 4 m / s), guarantees the strongest shock of the weapon when firing, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of automatic fire. According to some of the available estimates, the weapons of the AK family are generally not suitable for effective aimed fire in bursts. This is also the reason for the relatively large slide overrun, and hence the greater length of the receiver, to the detriment of the length of the barrel while maintaining the overall dimensions of the weapon. On the other hand, the AK bolt runout occurs completely inside the receiver, without using the butt cavity, which allows the latter to be folded, reducing the dimensions of the weapon when carried.

Other shortcomings are less radical, and can be characterized more as individual features of the sample.

As one of the shortcomings of the AK associated with the design of its USM, the inconvenient location of the translator-fuse is often called (on the right side of the receiver, under the cutout for the cocking handle) and a clear click when the weapon is removed from the protection, supposedly unmasking the shooter before opening fire. However, it is noted that in combat conditions, if there is at least some probability of opening fire, there is no need to put the weapon on the fuse at all - even in the cocked state, the probability accidental shot for example, when a weapon is dropped, it is practically zero. On many foreign variants (Tantalum, Valmet, Galil), an additional translator-fuse has been introduced, conveniently located on the left, which can significantly improve the ergonomics of the weapon. The AK release is considered to be quite tight, but it is noted that this is completely corrected by a simple skill.

The cocking handle located on the right is often considered a disadvantage of the AK family; it should be noted, however, that such an arrangement was at one time taken on the basis of quite practical considerations: the handle located on the left, when carrying the weapon “on the chest” and crawling, would rest against the body of the shooter, giving him significant discomfort. This was just typical, for example, for the German MP40 submachine gun. The experimental Kalashnikov assault rifle of 1946 also had a handle located on the left, but the military Commission considered it necessary to move it, like the fuse-translator of types of fire, to the right.

An AK magazine receiver without a developed neck has also often been criticized as not ergonomic - sometimes there are claims that it increases the magazine change time by almost 2-3 times compared to a system with a neck. However, it is noted that the AK magazine adjoins, although not in the most convenient way, but in any conditions, unlike, for example, the M16 rifle, in the receiving neck of which dirt often fills in extreme conditions, after which the installation of the magazine into it becomes very problematic. In addition, in combat conditions, the practical rate of fire of a weapon is more determined by the design of the magazine pouch than by the speed of its change.

The ergonomics of all variants of the AK has often been criticized. The stock of the AK is considered to be too short, and the fore-end is considered too "elegant", however, it must be borne in mind that this weapon was created for the relatively undersized soldiers of the 1940s, as well as taking into account its use in winter clothes and gloves. The situation could be partially corrected by a removable rubber butt pad, variants of which are widely offered on the civilian market. In Russian special forces and on the civilian market, it is very common to use non-serial variants of butts, pistol grips, and so on on various AKs, which increases the usability of weapons, although it does not solve the problem in itself and leads to a significant increase in its cost.

From a modern point of view, standard AK sights should be recognized as rather rough, and a short sighting line (the distance between the front sight and the rear sight slot) does not contribute to high accuracy. Most of the significantly reworked foreign variants based on the AK first of all received just more advanced sights, and in most cases - with an entirely diopter-type shooter located close to the eye (for example, see the photo of the sight of the Finnish Valmet machine gun). On the other hand, compared to the diopter, which has real advantages only when firing at medium-long ranges, the “open” AK sight provides a faster transfer of fire from one target to another and is more convenient when conducting automatic fire, as it covers the target less.

The accuracy of the weapon's fire was not its strong point from the very moment it was put into service, and, despite the constant increase in this characteristic during upgrades, remained at a lower level than that of similar foreign models. Nevertheless, in general and in general, it can be considered acceptable for military weapons chambered for such a cartridge. For example, according to data obtained abroad, AKs with a milled receiver (that is, an early modification of 7.62 mm) with single shots regularly showed groups of hits with a diameter of 2-3-3.5 inches (~ 5-9 cm) at 100 yards ( 90 m). The effective range in the hands of an experienced shooter was up to 400 yards (approximately 350 m), and at this distance the dispersion diameter was approximately 7 inches (~ 18 cm), that is, a value quite acceptable for hitting a single person. Weapons for low-impulse cartridges have even better characteristics.

On the whole and in general, although the AK certainly has numerous positive qualities and will be suitable for armies of countries in which they are used to it for a long time to come, it is obvious that it needs to be replaced with more modern models, moreover, they have radical differences in design that would allow not to repeat those described above. fundamental shortcomings of the outdated system.

Kalashnikov assault rifle on the civilian arms market

In countries with liberal gun laws (first of all, in the USA), various versions of the Kalashnikov system are very popular as civilian weapons.

In the US, all AK-like weapons are collectively known as "AK-47" ("hey-kay-foti-sevn"). The first copies of the AK came to the United States along with the soldiers returning from Vietnam. Since in those years the possession of automatic (firing bursts) weapons in the United States was allowed to civilians, subsequently many of them were officially registered with all the necessary formalities.

Adopted in 1968 Gun Control Act banned the import of civilian automatic weapons, however, thanks to a number of loopholes in the legislation, it remained possible to sell automatic weapons assembled in the United States. In addition, the import of self-loading variants based on AK was not limited to anything.

In 1986, by an amendment to the same regulation (the so-called Firearm Owners Protection Act) not only the import, but also the sale of automatic weapons to civilians, as well as their production for the purpose of such sale, were already banned; this regulation, however, does not apply to weapons registered before 1986, which can be legally acquired with an appropriate license, and with an appropriate level of dealer license (Class III Dealer)- and sold. Thus, in the United States, there are still a certain number of military-style Kalashnikov assault rifles in the hands of civilians, capable of firing in bursts.

Subsequently, a number of decisions were also adopted (1989 Semi-Automatic Rifle Import Ban, 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban), which specifically prohibited the import of any AK-like weapon, with the exception of specifically modified versions, such as the Russian "Saiga" of some modifications, with a rifle butt instead of a pistol grip and other changes in design. These additional restrictions have now been lifted due to the expiration of these regulations.

In other countries, in the vast majority of cases, civilian possession of automatic weapons, if allowed by law, is only as an exception by special permission, or for the purpose of collecting.

Kalashnikov assault rifle in popular culture

The Kalashnikov assault rifle, back in the 1970s, entered the popular culture individual regions of the planet, in particular - the culture of the Middle East. According to an international research organization Small Arms Survey headquartered in Geneva, Kalashnikov Cult KalashnikovCulture) and "Kalashnikovization" (eng. Kalashnikovization) have become common terms describing the weapon traditions of many countries of the Caucasus, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.

AK-47 One of the most popular models of the Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding butt. The modernized AKM Kalashnikov assault rifle is externally distinguished by a beveled flame arrester on the muzzle. "Type 56" In China, the AK-47 was produced under the designation "type 56". A bayonet was added to the design, located under the front lower part of the barrel

The AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle is one of the most successful examples of automatic small arms. It is used all over the world, and even after half a century since its adoption in service in different countries, the production of its various modifications continues.

The first AK-47 was designed for a shortened 7.62 mm cartridge, which had a lot of the German 7.92 mm "Kurz" cartridge. During the Second World War, the Soviet infantry was opposed by Wehrmacht soldiers armed with the latest at that time assault rifles MP 43, MP 44 and StuG 44, and it took something to counter them.

The result was the 7.62x39mm cartridge and the AK-47. Its designer was Mikhail Kalashnikov, and the machine became famous all over the world under this name.

The first prototypes appeared in the troops in 1947, although large-scale production was organized only in the early 1950s. Gradually, the AK-47 became the standard weapon of the member states of the Warsaw Pact. Huge production capacities were involved, but the need was so great that many ATS countries began their own production and many different modifications of the AK-47 appeared.

Reliable quality

The AK-47 is a high-quality and well-made weapon, which uses some of the features characteristic of German military designs. The receiver of the AK-47 is machined, steel is certainly of good quality, wood is used for decoration, also of high quality.

The result is a reliable weapon that can withstand any test. Since there are only a few moving parts in the machine and disassembly is very easy, maintenance is also extremely easy and can be done with even minimal preparation. Over the years, there have been many modifications of the AK-47, the most common was the version with a folding butt.

All modifications used the same mechanism, a simple rotating bolt, the lugs of which were included in the corresponding cutouts of the receiver. Automation was driven by a gas piston, which was pushed by powder gases discharged through a hole in the barrel bore.

World production

AK 47 was produced in China, Poland, East Germany, Romania and many other countries. His device was copied in the Finnish rifle "Valmet" and the Israeli "Galil". In the late 1950s, the USSR decided that a lot of time was spent on machining parts in production. The modified sample received the designation "Modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle", or AKM, which in principle did not differ from the previous sample, but was easier to manufacture.

The most notable change was the receiver. Now it was made by stamping, and not milled. The shutter was also somewhat changed, simplifying its design. There are also some other differences, most of which are designed to facilitate production.

The AKM did not immediately replace the AK-47, many of which are still in use today. Other Warsaw Pact countries gradually also switched to the production of AKM, and some countries (for example, Hungary) even went further: the Hungarian AKM-63 even looks a little different, although its main mechanism remains from AKM. Modification with a folding stock received the designation AKMS.

Great amount

More than 50 million AK-47s, AKMs and their modifications were produced in different countries of the world. The AK-47 and AKM will remain in service into the 21st century, this longevity can be partly explained by their high prevalence, but the main reason is that the AK-47 and AKM are durable, reliable and easy to handle and maintain.

Automatic Ak-74M is an individual weapon and is designed to destroy manpower and destroy enemy fire weapons.
For shooting in natural night light conditions, the NSPUM sight is attached.
The machine gun can be used in combination with the GP-25 grenade launcher.
To defeat the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, a bayonet-knife is attached to the machine gun.

Tactical and technical characteristics

Caliber: 5.45mm
Cartridge type: 5.45x39
Mass of unloaded machine gun: 3.07 kg
Weight with loaded magazine: 3.8 kg
Weight with equipped magazine and bayonet: 4.1 kg
Length: 940 mm
Length with bayonet: 1089 mm
Barrel length: 415 mm
Right hand cuts: 4 pieces, step - 200 mm
Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s
muzzle energy: 1377 J
Fire mode: single/continuous
Rate of fire: 600 rounds/min
Combat rate of fire (single): 40 rounds/min
Combat rate of fire (bursts): 100 rounds/min
Sighting range: 1000 m
Range of a direct shot at a growth figure: 625 m
Range of a direct shot on the chest figure: 440 m
The range up to which the lethal effect of the bullet is maintained: 1350 m
Maximum range of a bullet: 3000 m
Magazine capacity: 30 rounds
Effective firing range: 650 m

7.62 mm AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle

General information and characteristics

After the development in 1943 of the intermediate cartridge 7.62 × 39, the development of self-loading and automatic weapons for it began. As a result of the competitions, the self-loading carbine Simonov SKS and the Kalashnikov assault rifle, which was adopted under the symbol AK-47, became the winners.

The surprisingly successful design of the AK-47 allowed him to gain immense popularity in the world. The Kalashnikov assault rifle is considered one of the best examples of individual automatic weapons. It is in service in more than 55 countries. In many countries, the production of the Kalashnikov assault rifle is carried out. The basic principles of constructive construction and operation of mechanisms, embodied in the AK-47 assault rifle, formed the basis of a large family of machine guns and machine guns developed later by M. T. Kalashnikov. In 1959, the assault rifle was upgraded to reduce weight and increase the accuracy of the battle and was named AKM (modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle). In the early 1950s work began on the creation of a unified system of small arms based on a single sample. The candidates were AK, SKS and RPD (Degtyarev light machine gun). The winner was the Kalashnikov scheme, on the basis of which it was developed:

• AKM - modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle;
• AKS - modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding butt;
• AKMSU - modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle with a shortened folding butt;
• AKMN and AKMSN - machine guns that allow you to install night sights: illuminated NSP-2; non-illuminated NSP-3, NSPU, NSPUM, NSPU-3.
• RPK - Kalashnikov light machine gun;
• RPKS - Kalashnikov light machine gun with a folding butt;
• AKMB - for silent shooting;
• RPKN and SSBN - light machine guns, allowing you to install night sights;
• PKT - Kalashnikov tank machine gun.

In the early 1970s, after the 5.56 mm M16 rifle appeared in service in the United States, the 5.45 × 39 cartridge was developed in Russia.

Based on AKM, Kalashnikov developed his own assault rifle under the new cartridge, which was put into service under the symbol AK-74 (Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1974). On its basis, Kalashnikov created:

• AKS-74 - Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding butt;
• AK-74N and AKS-74N - machine guns that allow you to install night sights;
• AKS-74U - shortened Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding stock.

The main characteristics of the AK-74

In the early 1990s a new modification of the AK-74M appeared, which embodied the idea of ​​​​a "universal" machine gun capable of replacing machine guns: AK-74, AK-74N, AKS-74 and AKS-74N.

On the basis of the AK-74M assault rifle, the AK-101-5.6 and AK-102 assault rifles chambered for NATO 5.56 × 45 were developed for the external market, and for the domestic market, self-loading carbines AK-103 and AK-104 chambered for 7.62 ×39. In addition, for "internal" use, instead of the AKS-74U assault rifle, a 5.45-mm small-sized AK-105 assault rifle was developed, which has all the possible advantages of export modifications.

On the basis of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, a number of samples of hunting weapons were also developed:

• carbine "Saiga" chambered for 7.62-9.2 (expansive bullet) and 7.62-8 (shell bullet);
• smooth-bore self-loading guns: "Saiga-310", "Saiga-410s", "Saiga-410K", "Saiga-20", "Saiga-20S", "Saiga-20K", "Saiga-12K", "Saiga-308" and etc.;
• self-loading carbines "Vepr" and "Vepr-308";
• Kalashnikov's sports and training gas-cylinder assault rifle.

On the basis of the main components of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, many types of weapons were developed, starting with sniper rifle Dragunov SVD. Of the entire numerous family of Kalashnikov assault rifles, we will consider the AK-47 assault rifle.

Automation works due to the energy of powder gases discharged through a side hole in the barrel bore.

The barrel bore is locked by the lugs of the bolt, rotated around its axis to the right.

The trigger mechanism of the trigger type allows both single and continuous fire.

Translator fuse flag type.

Sights open type and consist of a sector sight and a front sight adjustable in height.

Shop sector box-type with a double-row staggered arrangement of 30 rounds.

AK-47 assault rifle

AKS assault rifle - modification of the AK-47 with a folding butt

AKM assault rifle with GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher

AK-74 assault rifle with underbarrel grenade launcher

Automatic AKS-74

Automatic AKS-74U

AK-101 assault rifle chambered for 5.56 mm NATO

AK-103 assault rifles

Shortened AK-104 chambered for 7.62 × 39

Small-sized AK-105 assault rifle chambered for 5.45 × 39

Hunting rifle "Saiga-308-1"

Smoothbore gun "Saiga-410K"

Hunting carbine "Vepr"

Design of parts and mechanisms

Trunk

The barrel inside has a channel with four rifling, winding from left to right, a chamber with a bullet entry and a side hole for removing part of the powder gases. Outside, the barrel has: a cutout for the ejector tooth; rifled breech for connection with the receiver: a rifled section on the muzzle of the barrel for screwing the sleeve when firing blanks; a gas chamber directing gas from the barrel to the piston; coupling with a contactor for attaching the forearm to the barrel; sight block with a cavity for the bolt carrier and a gas tube lock.

Barrel (above - breech section): 1 - chamber; 2 - threaded part; 3 - pool entrance; 4 - thread for screwing muzzle attachments; 5 - front sight base; 6 - emphasis for a ramrod; 7 - hole for the front sight; 8 - fuse fuse; 9 - latch; 10 - gas chamber; 11 - branch pipe; 12 - eye for a ramrod; 13 - coupling; 14 - forend lock; 15 - sight block; 16 - gas tube contactor; 17 - aiming bar with collar; 18 - thread for connection with the receiver

Receiver

The receiver has: cutouts for the lugs of the bolt; sleeve reflector protrusion; guides for the bolt carrier and bolt; longitudinal groove for the guide tube of the return mechanism; transverse groove for the cover of the receiver tube; shop window; trigger slot; two fixing recesses and a cutout for setting the type of fire by the translator and setting the fuse; holes for the axes of the firing mechanism and the translator of fire.

Receiver: 1 - cutouts; 2 - reflective protrusion; 3 - guides; 4 - longitudinal groove for the heel of the guide tube of the return mechanism; 5 - transverse groove for the cover of the receiver; 6 - butt; 7 - pistol grip; 8 - trigger guard; 9 - store latch

receiver cover

The receiver cover has: a stepped cutout for removing spent cartridges; hole for the protrusion of the guide tube of the return mechanism.

Receiver cover: 1 - stepped cutout; 2 - hole for the protrusion of the guide tube of the return mechanism

Cartridge feed mechanism

It includes the following details:

• bolt carrier with gas piston;
• gate;
• score.

Bolt carrier with gas piston has: a channel for a return mechanism; shutter channel; a safety protrusion that prevents the hammer from hitting the striker when the bolt does not reach and ensures that the trigger is retracted when the bolt frame moves back; guide grooves; a protrusion affecting the self-timer after the shutter is locked; reload handle; figured cutout for the leading lug of the shutter; groove for the passage of the reflector.

Bolt frame with gas piston: 1 - channel for the shutter; 2 - safety ledge; 3 - groove for the guide ledge of the receiver; 4 - protrusion for retracting the self-timer lever; 5 - handle; 6 - curly cut; 7 - groove for the reflective protrusion of the receiver; 8 - piston

Gate

• shutter frame;
• drummer;
• ejector with axle and spring.

Shutter parts: 1 - frame; 2 - drummer; 3 - ejector; 4 - ejector spring; 5 - axis of the ejector; 6 - hairpin

shutter frame has: a cylindrical cutout for the bottom of the sleeve (cup); cylindrical cutout for the ejector; two lugs for locking the bore; a leading protrusion that provides rotation of the shutter; longitudinal groove for the reflector; channel for drummer; holes for the axle and ejector pins.

The frame of the shutter: 1 - cutout for the bottom of the sleeve; 2 - cutout for the ejector; 3 - combat ledge; 4 - leading ledge; 5 - longitudinal groove for a reflective protrusion; 6 - hole for ejector axle

Drummer has: a striker for hitting the primer; guide ribs; pin hole.

Ejector- this is a cylindrical part, which has: a hook for capturing the sleeve; spring socket; axle socket.

Ejector spring

Score includes the following details:

• store building;
• lid;
• locking bar;
• spring;
• feeder.

Store body has: bends to hold cartridges; hook for fixing in the machine; protrusion for attaching to the receiver; control hole for determining the end of the equipment; stiffening rib; folds for contact with the cover.

magazine cover has a hole for the protrusion of the locking bar and bends for contact with the body.

Feeder has: a bend for connection with a spring; a protrusion providing a staggered arrangement of cartridges; guide folds.

Feeder spring It is a twisted rectangular spring.

lock bar has a locking ledge and is integrally attached to the lower end of the feeder spring.

Store: 1 - body; 2 - cover; 3 - locking bar; 4 - spring; 5 - feeder; 6 - bends; 7 - hooks; 8 - support ledge

Return mechanism

• return spring;
• guide tube;
• guide rod;
• clutch.

return spring is a coil spring working in compression.

guide tube has: an emphasis for a return spring; heel with protrusions for connection with the receiver; ledge to hold the cover of the receiver; annular protrusion inside for connection with the guide rod.

guide rod has: collar for engagement with the guide tube; cutout for putting on the clutch.

Coupling has cylindrical protrusions on both sides, allowing you to put it on the rod with either side.

Return mechanism: 1 - return spring; 2 - guide tube; 3 - guide rod; 4 - clutch

trigger mechanism

It includes the following details:

• trigger;
• action spring;
• the whisper of a single fire;
• the spring whispered;
• self-timer spring;
• fire mode translator.

trigger has: combat platoon; self-timer platoon; two trunnions for the mainspring; axle hole.

Trigger: 1 - combat platoon; 2 - self-timer platoon

Action spring- this is a twisted multi-stranded cylindrical double-sided spring with a connecting loop between the sections and elongated ends with bends, working in torsion.

Mainspring: 1 - loop; 2 - curved ends

Trigger has: a head with curly protrusions to hold the trigger on the cocking and rectangular protrusions for contact with the bent ends of the mainspring; tail for contact with the arrow's finger.

Trigger: 1 - curly ledges; 2 - rectangular ledges; 3 - tail (top)

The sear of a single fire and its spring: 1 - cutout; 2 - spring

Single Fire Whisper has: a cutout on the tail section for contact with the interpreter-fuse sector, which limits the rotation of the interpreter upwards during single firing, and with automatic, the interpreter sector enters it and turns off the sear from work; socket for its spring; hole for the axis of the trigger; a head with a hook to hold the trigger on the cocking when the trigger is pressed.

spring whispered is a coiled coil spring.

Self-timer has: a protrusion (sear) to hold the trigger on the cocked; a lever for contact with the projection of the bolt carrier in its forward position; axle hole.

Self-timer spring- this is a coiled coil spring with a very long end in the form of a loop, which provides locking from falling out of the axes of the self-timer, trigger and hammer, and a short end that is connected to the self-timer.

Self-timer and its spring: 1 - protrusion (sear); 2 - lever; 3 - self-timer spring

Fire Mode Translator has: two trunnions with a hole for the axle; a shield covering the slots of the receiver in the protection position; sector to block the trigger and hammer.

Translator: 1 - pins; 2 - shield; 3 - sector

Automatic reload mechanism

It includes the following details:

• gas tube;
• gas piston;
• gas chamber;
• shutter frame;
• gate;
• ejector;
• reflector (reflective protrusion).

gas chamber has: an inclined channel for the passage of gases from the barrel to the piston; branch pipe with a channel for the gas piston; eye for ramrod; swivel.

gas piston is part of the bolt frame and has: ablation grooves to reduce the breakthrough of powder gases and a cylindrical rod with a thickened part.

gas tube on the front part it has holes for the exit of powder gases moving after the gas piston.

Gas tube with handguard: 1 - gas tube; 2 - hook; 3 - holes for the exit of gases; 4 - handguard; 5 - front coupling; 6 - rear coupling

Sighting devices

They consist of a front sight and a sector sight.

front sight is a short cylindrical rod with a threaded end for screwing into a skid fixed at the base of the front sight.

Sector sight consists of the following parts:

• sight block;
• lamellar bar;
• aiming bar;
• collar;
• clamp latch;
• clamp latch spring.

Sector sights have already been described earlier. We note only the features.

Sight block has: a cavity for the bolt carrier; two sectors to give the aiming bar a certain height; holes for attaching the aiming bar.

aiming bar has: mane with a slot for aiming; cutouts for fixing the collar; a scale with divisions from 1 to 8, indicating the firing range and the letter P, indicating a constant sight, corresponding to 3 on the scale.

Front sight: 1 - front sight; 2 - skid; 3 - front sight base; 4 - risks (above)
Sight: 1 - sight block; 2 - aiming bar; 3 - collar; 4 - clamp latch; 5 - mane with a slot; 6 - sector; 7 - holes for pins of the aiming bar

Butt

The butt can be either wooden or metal.

Wooden butt has: socket for accessories; metal butt plate with a cover over the socket; a spring that pushes out the pencil case with accessories.

metal stock has: two traction; shoulder rest; retainer; retainer spring; connecting sleeve; washer with a swivel for a belt.

Metal stock and its parts: 1 - rods; 2 - shoulder rest; 3 - butt lock; 4 - cap; 5 - retainer spring; 6 - connecting sleeve butt; 7 - cutouts for latch protrusions; 8 - washer with swivel; 9 - nut; 10 - studs; 11 - limiter; 12 - rear of the receiver; 13 - hole for the connecting sleeve of the butt; 14 - holes for latch protrusions

handguard

The forearm has: a connecting pad; protrusion for connection with the receiver; chute for placing the trunk; metal gasket for barrel support; half-window cutouts and barrel lining cutouts, which serve to cool the barrel and gas tube.

Forearm: 1 - connecting pad; 2 - ledge; 3 - gasket

barrel pad

It has: a groove for the gas piston rod; a latch that squeezes the lining from the gas pipe; couplings; half-window cutouts; hook for connection with the receiver.

Bayonet

The bayonet consists of a handle and a blade.

Lever has: a ring for putting on the barrel sleeve; protrusions for mounting on the gas chamber; latch; latch spring.

Bayonet and scabbard: 1 - blade; 2 - handle; 3 - ring; 4 - ledges; 5 - latch; 6 - scabbard

Work of parts and mechanisms

Starting position

Before loading the machine, parts and mechanisms take the following positions.

The shutter and the shutter frame under the action of the return spring are in the extreme forward position.

The shutter is turned, and its lugs are within the receiver, locking the bore.

The gas piston is located in the gas chamber pipe.

The return spring has the smallest degree of preload.

The self-timer lever, under the action of the bolt carrier protrusion, takes the lower position, and its protrusion is on the cocked trigger.

The self-timer spring has the highest preload.

The trigger head rests against the drummer, sinking it.

The mainspring has the smallest degree of twisting.

The drummer, under the action of the trigger, occupies the extreme forward position, and its striker is located in the bolt cup.

The trigger, under the action of the mainspring, rotates around its axis in such a way that its curly protrusions occupy the rear position, and the tail - the front.

The fuse translator is set to the "Protection" position.

The shield of the translator closes the cutout in the receiver for the bolt handle.

The translator sector with its lower end is located in the cutout of the single-fire sear and above the right rectangular ledge of the trigger, blocking them.

The magazine feeder, under the action of its spring, occupies the upper position, resting against the lower part of the bolt carrier.

The position of the parts and mechanisms of the AK-47 assault rifle before loading: 1 - barrel; 2 - piston tube; 3 - gas piston; 4 - gas tube; 5 - handguard; 6 - clamp; 7 - sight; 8 - chamber; 9 - shutter; 10 - lock; 11 - body; 12 - drummer; 13 - store latch; 14 - trigger; 15 - mainspring; 16 - reciprocating mainspring; 17 - whispered; 18 - axis of the fire mode translator; 19 - receiver; 20 - butt; 21 - butt plate; 22 - belt ring; 23 - a case with accessories for cleaning weapons; 24 - trigger; 25 - store latch lever; 26 - store; 27 - feeder; 28 - handguard; 29 - ring-forging; 30 - ramrod; 31 - compensator

Loading

In order to charge the machine, you must perform the following operations:

• separate the magazine from the machine by pressing the magazine latch;
• equip the magazine with cartridges;
• attach the equipped store to the machine;
• set the type of fire by setting the translator to the position OD - single fire, or AB - automatic fire;
• pull the bolt carrier back by the reloading handle to failure and release it.

At the moment of loading the machine, the parts and mechanisms perform the following actions.

When the magazine is attached to the machine, the upper cartridge rests against the lower part of the bolt carrier, lowers, lowering all the cartridges, and additionally compresses the feeder spring.

The fuse-translator with its shield goes down and opens a cutout in the receiver cover for the bolt handle, and its sector, depending on the type of fire setting, occupies the following positions:

• when set to automatic fire, the sector becomes in the middle position, without completely leaving the cutout of the sear of a single fire;
• when installed on a single fire, the sector retreats to its rearmost position, leaving completely from the cutout of the single fire sear.

The bolt, when the bolt carrier moves back, slides with its protrusion along the guide groove of the bolt carrier, turns and lugs out of the cutouts of the receiver and unlocks the barrel bore.

The return spring under the action of the bolt carrier receives the greatest degree of preload.

The guide rod of the return spring enters the channel of the guide tube.

The trigger, under the action of the bolt frame, rotates around its axis, twists the mainspring and, with its cocking protrusions, jumps over the curly trigger protrusions and stands on the cocking.

The mainspring receives a degree of twisting.

The self-timer after the passage of the protrusion of the bolt frame of the lever, under the action of its spring, turns back, with a protrusion (sear) it jumps under the cocking of the self-timer of the trigger, and the lever rises.

The feeder, under the action of its spring, lifts the cartridges up until it stops in the bends. The upper cartridge is on the ramming line.

After releasing the reloading handle of the bolt carrier, the following occurs.

The shutter frame, together with the shutter, moves forward under the action of the return spring and, with its protrusion, turns the self-timer lever forward and down.

The bolt, moving forward, pushes the upper cartridge out of the magazine and sends it into the chamber (under the action of the bevel of the left receiver cutout on the left bevel of the bolt lug, and then the curly groove of the bolt frame - on the leading lug of the bolt), rotates around its axis, combat protrusions enters the cutouts of the receiver and locks the bore.

The self-timer under the action of the bolt frame on the lever turns forward, and its protrusion (sear) comes out from under the self-timer protrusion of the trigger.

The trigger, held by the curly protrusions of the trigger, remains only on the cocked.

The ejector with its hook jumps over the annular groove of the cartridge and removes its spring.

The ejector spring receives the highest compression ratio.

The return spring receives the least amount of compression.

The magazine feeder, under the action of its spring, raises the cartridges until the upper cartridge stops against the bolt carrier.

The drummer with his striker rests on the primer of the cartridge and moves back.

Shot

In order to make a shot from a machine gun, you must:

• set the fire mode with the help of a fuse translator;
• pull the trigger.

If for some reason the shutter has not reached the extreme forward position, the bolt carrier will not press the self-timer lever with its protrusion, the trigger will be held on the self-timer cocking, and when the trigger is pressed, the shot will not occur.

Automatic shooting

In order to carry out automatic shooting from a machine gun, you must:

• put the translator-fuse in position AB;
• pull the trigger.

In this case, the parts and mechanisms of the machine will perform the following actions.

The translator-fuse with the lower end of its sector remains in the cutout of the sear of a single fire, preventing it from turning along with the trigger.

The trigger, when the tail is pressed, rotates around its axis, its head moves forward and the curly protrusions disengage from the cocking of the trigger.

The trigger under the action of the mainspring, turning around its axis, strikes the drummer.

The mainspring receives the least degree of twisting.

The drummer, after hitting the trigger, rushes forward, breaks the primer with a striker. There is a shot.

Gases through the side hole in the wall of the barrel bore rush into the gas chamber, put pressure on the piston of the bolt carrier and throw it into the rear position. All parts and mechanisms work in the same way as when the bolt carrier is manually retracted to the rear position, except for the following points.

The ejector with its hook removes the sleeve from the chamber (gases pressing on the bottom of the sleeve help it in this) and holds it in the shutter cup until it meets the reflective protrusion of the receiver.

The sleeve, having received a blow from the reflector, flies out of the machine.

The cocked trigger is held only by the self-timer, since the trigger is pressed and the single-shot sear is blocked by the fire translator.

The mainspring has a small degree of twisting.

The bolt carrier, moving along with the bolt under the action of a return spring, after the bolt sends the next cartridge into the chamber and locks the barrel bore with its lower protrusion, presses the self-timer lever and lowers it down.

The self-timer, turning around its axis, removes its sear from the protrusion of the trigger self-timer and releases the trigger.

The trigger under the action of the mainspring turns and strikes the drummer.

There is another shot. The cycle of work of the parts is repeated as long as there are cartridges in the magazine or the trigger is pressed. To cease fire, you need to release the trigger.

The trigger after removing the pressure under the action of the mainspring turns its head back, and its curly protrusions rise up.

The trigger turns back, compresses the mainspring and, with its cocking protrusions, jumps over the curly trigger protrusions and stands on the cocking.

The mainspring receives the greatest degree of twisting.

Shooting stops, but the machine is ready for further automatic firing.

The position of the parts of the trigger mechanism before loading with the fuse on and the trigger released (A), before the shot (B), after the shot with the translator set to single fire (C): 1 - trigger; 2 - trigger; 3 - mainspring; 4 - translator's sector; 5 - whisper of a single fire; 6 - shaped protrusions of the trigger; 7 - protrusion (sear) of the self-timer; 8 - self-timer lever; 9 - bolt carrier

Shooting single shots

For the production of single firing from a machine gun, you must:

• move the translator-fuse to the OD position;
• pull the trigger.

fuse translator when switching to a single fire with its sector, it releases the rectangular ledge of the trigger (unlocks the trigger), completely leaves the cutout of the single fire sear, removing all restrictions from its movements. The remaining parts and mechanisms of the machine do the same work as in automatic shooting, except that the shot will be fired once. This is due to the fact that when the bolt frame moves back, the cock with its combat platoon enters into engagement with the sear of a single fire and rises to the combat platoon.

In order to make the next shot, you need to release the trigger and pull it again.

Trigger after the pressure is removed, under the action of the mainspring, it turns around its axis, and its curly protrusions will grapple with the lugs of the trigger, holding the trigger on the cocking.

Whispered single fire, turning simultaneously with the trigger, moves back and disengages from the cocking of the trigger.

trigger in the cocked position, it is held only by the curly protrusions of the trigger.

To fire the next shot, you must press the trigger.

Trigger rotates around its axis, its protrusions will disengage from the cocking of the trigger and release it.

trigger under the action of the mainspring, it strikes the striker, the striker breaks the primer, and the next shot occurs.

The position of the parts of the firing mechanism during automatic firing at the moment when the bolt carrier with the bolt are in the rear position

Disassembly and assembly of the machine

Partial disassembly

1. Separate the magazine from the machine while pressing the magazine latch.

2. Separate the cleaning rod.