Kalashnikov Opens Rare Public Exhibition

Wilmington Star ^ | November 21. 2003 | TOBY STERLING

[nickcarraway]

His name is synonymous with both death and excellence, and for years it was associated with the "enemy" on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

Maj. Gen. Mikhail Kalashnikov, the inventor of the AK-47 automatic rifle, opened an exhibit of his life's work at the Military Museum in Delft on Thursday.

The rare public showing, called "Rifle Without Borders," features dozens of variants of the weapon.

It also includes multimedia displays on the various wars in which the AK-47 has played a major role, including ongoing conflicts in Africa where child soldiers sometimes carry Kalashnikovs.

Introduced in 1949, the Kalashnikov rifle quickly became the weapon of choice in communist countries and continues to be used in much of the post-Cold War world. Millions have been produced.

Kalashnikov, 84 said the secret of his rifles' popularity was that he knew his market.

"I served in World War II, and I know what kind of weapon is needed by a soldier," Kalashnikov said. "Soldiers usually don't come from academies, they need a simple, reliable weapon. But it's much more difficult to make something simple than to make it complicated."

Asked whether he felt responsible for the tens of thousands of people who have been killed as a result of his work, Kalashnikov said politicians, not weapons, are to blame.

"Any weapon can kill, that's not the fault of the designer," he said.

The display, which runs through May, includes a chrome-plated Kalashnikov, and another covered with hot pink cloth and glitter.

Another exhibit shows a bullet that had been fired through a wax block, illustrating the pattern of destruction caused by an impact.

Although the design of the Kalashnikov rifles was jealously guarded in the days of the Soviet Union, they have been displayed recently in the West, including last year in Suhl, Germany.

[Eaker]

Whatchu talkin' bout Squantos????

[patton]

Uh, Tom? why exactly do you have a "pink pistol?"

[Tijeras_Slim]

A guy from work went to St. Petersburg and came back with a t-shirt that had an AK on the front and on the back a list of all the trouble spots for the last half century. The title was "Kalashnikov World Tour 50 years of Rock and Roll"

I haven't been able to find one anywhere. :(

[yarddog]

Kalshnikov's statement about it being harder to make something simple rather than complicated is almost the exact same thing John Browning said when as a young man, he designed his first rifle, which was later bought and marketed by Winchester as the model 1885 High Wall.

The rifle was patented in 1878 and manufactured by the Browning Brothers in Utah before Winchester bought the patent rights.

[Eaker]

It goes with my pink punps!!!!

;<)

[Tijeras_Slim]

It goes with my pink pumps!!!!

Slim's suspicions about Texans grows....

[archy]

That's a common story in the old USSR. Their engineering was superb. Their quality absolutely stank.

The first circa 1947-model AK47 rifles, with stamped receivers like the German MP44/StG 44 were an abysmal failure and had to be replaced with a version built with a forged and machined receiver just like an 1880's Winchester rifle. It wasn't until 1959, after 15 years of development, that Kalishnikov's design was refined into the stamped-receiver version, the AKM.

[patton]

Well, I can tell you for a fact that some texans are ok.

But I ain't sure about Eaker.

[Eaker]

But I ain't sure about Eaker.

None of us are sure about Eaker!!

[archy]

Kalshnikov's statement about it being harder to make something simple rather than complicated is almost the exact same thing John Browning said when as a young man, he designed his first rifle, which was later bought and marketed by Winchester as the model 1885 High Wall.

The combination safety lever and receiver opening dust cover of Kalishnikov's AK47 echoes the neat arrangement John Moses Browning designed for the Remington Model 8 semiauto rifle as well.

[yarddog]

I always wondered if Kalashnikov had seen the Browning (FN made version) or the Remington model 8 too. There is a very remarkable resemblance although I think the Remington is recoil operated.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Never seen a Remington Model 8 before. Another beautiful John Moses Browning design... Thanks!

[Squantos]

LMAO....Wow.......learned something new today Archy ! Browning designed a remington model 8 ?? . That is a beautiful rifle in the pic. And the DNA screams design theft by Kalashnikov. I always thought the Sturmgewehr 44 was the inspiration of the little russian designer.

BTW Eaker is a fine friend of mine and a damn good son of a Texan ! And I mean that in the best possible way !.................:o)

Psssst...Eaker.... I want my Victorias Secret Catalog back ....now !

Stay Safe !

[Squantos]

That Remington 8 have some Carbine Williams in it too ???

[patton]

LOL. Which texan?

[OregonRancher]

Absolutely right! The original used a powder that resulted in a cyclic rate a little less than the Army wanted. They, the army, changed the powder to one made by their old favorite supplier and the result is history. The chrome plating was a result of the armys attempt to fix the jaming problem caused by the powder change. The original model used by SF advisors early Nam worked perfectly........The army never would admit that they were the ones' tthat screwed up a good design....NIH syndrome

[FreedomCalls]

Another thing that makes the AK more reliable than the AR is the fact that the AR case is a cylinder whereas the AK case is conic. That means the spent AR case has to be fully retracted before it releases, whereas the AK case is released the moment it is retracted even a small bit. The AR round is therefore more suseptible to breech fouling than the AK round simply because of this shape difference.

[GunRunner]

Here's a shirt that's similar. I'm now actively looking for one like that guy at your office. That's the funniest thing I've ever heard of.

http://page.auctions.shopping.yahoo.com/ca/auction/73345967?aucview=0x13