Posted on 04/17/2006 3:44:47 PM PDT by Paddlefish
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of the world's most popular assault rifle, says that U.S. soldiers in Iraq are using his invention in preference to their own weapons, proving that his gun is still the best.
"Even after lying in a swamp you can pick up this rifle, aim it and shoot. That's the best job description there is for a gun. Real soldiers know that and understand it," the 86-year-old gunmaker told a weekend news conference in Moscow.
"In Vietnam, American soldiers threw away their M-16 rifles and used (Kalashnikov) AK-47s from dead Vietnamese soldiers, with bullets they captured. That was because the climate is different to America, where M-16s may work properly," he said.
"Look what's happening now: every day on television we see that the Americans in Iraq have my machine guns and assault rifles in their armored vehicles. Even there American rifles don't work properly."
Some U.S. troops in Iraq have reportedly taken to using AK-47s in preference to the standard-issue M-16. The Cold War-era gun, renowned for its durability and easy handling, is plentiful in Iraq.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...
May I suggest writing the bad guys obits with a Chicago typewriter?
They only tested the handguns and shotgun in the water column. Recall that all kept 100% of their mass, which gave them deeper penetration.
They then went to an indoor pool and fired the rifles.
Every round, including the 30.06 from the M1 Garand, fragmented upon impact with the water.
The USGI green followers are nice, but they aren't as "anti-tilt" as they say. The MagPul followers, particularly the GenII follower, is truely no-tilt. Not "anti-tilt", but actually impossible to tilt because of the design. I bought new D&H manufacture magazines and put the MagPul followers in them, replacing the USGI green ones. The CProducts Stainless Mag uses a licensed version of the Magpul follower. Hell, Magpul is even making glow-in-the-dark followers, now. go figure.
I fired over 5,000rnds of 5.56mm through my carbine and it was my old USGI that gave me the problems. The Magpul followers fixed that right up.
I love the classics.
Hate to say it, but...................my AK and SKS are hard-use dependable, accurate and easy to clean and service. They both are easy to go from carry to up and aim. Unfortunately, I've only had very limited chances to fire US military issue weapons.
I've fired them.
Very nice, but discontinued.
Frame cracking issues and nobody wanted the .45ACP over the MP5/10. If only they'd been brought in with double-stack receivers, instead of the aftermarket abortions. I would have DEFINITELY picked one up.
The problem is the wounded can still fight you. They need to die instead!
Nice description of the different rounds, but don't forget there is a Russian 7.62x54 round that is used in their Dragunov sniper rifles.
The round flat out DOES NOT KILL THEM! Again we had several engagements where two burts of the M249-SAW did NOT drop the target. THAT is the wrong answer.
The tumbling I am talking about is inside the target, bouncing off bone, ricocheting through the next vital organ. The engagements are far too close for the current round to do this. The rounds have so much speed, they are zipping right through, not doing any damage but the pin prick it makes.
I don't think the AK was a copy of the Sturmgewehr. It was an original design, it does look suspiciously like the Browning designed Remington model 8 although internally it is different.
We had one ol' b@stard that we would joking say; "he started out as a Gatling gunner on a Calistoga wagon!"
Check out the MythBusters episode on water stopping bullets.
I agree. I wasn't the only one who put aside my M-16 when I got my hands on an AK-47 w/a banana clip in Vietnam.
So the DC sniper dude was a fluke of mythical proportions? Most of the dozen or so people that caught one of his bullets are dead.
The heavier 7.62mm round would do even less damage at close range. It won't fragment as well as the 5.56mm, and the mass carries it through human targets. You can't rely on the increased diameter to get the job done, but the 7.62 gives you enhanced shoot-through capability. Ironically, the 5.56mm round excels at the closer ranges.
It's really logistics that's keeping the 5.56mm round in service. The US pushed its allies to adopt the 5.56mm round over the .243 round that the Brits wanted.
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