Assault rifle inventor Mikhail Kalashnikov dies at 94

BBC ^

[kronos77]

he inventor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, Mikhail Kalashnikov, has died aged 94, Russian TV reports.

The automatic rifle he designed became one of the world's most familiar and widely used weapons.

Its comparative simplicity made it cheap to manufacture, as well as reliable and easy to maintain.

Although honoured by the state, Kalashnikov made little money from his gun. He once said he would have been better off designing a lawn mower.

Mikhail Kalashnikov was admitted to hospital with internal bleeding in November.

[MasterGunner01]

Typo: MKb-42(H) not MKn-42(H). The MKb-42(H) was built by the German firm of C.G. Haenel Waffen und Fahrradfabrik. The MKb-42(W) was a competing design built by the German firm of Carl Walther GmbH. Both rifles were developed as result of a 1939 specification issued by the HWaA [Heer Waffen Amt — Army Weapon Office] for a “machine carbine” or MKb design.

[lavaroise]

just go to the range and see some one shoot it. It is ugly, but it needs to. Its sinister lines and fire spitting flash deflector make it very intimidating. Get shot at by one and even your trusted 1911 gives you little confidence of winning the fight. It makes people quake. It is the perfect thug and tyrant weapon.

However it was inherently designed with range and accuracy limitations because the spetznaz were using long range Dragunov to shoot at deserters.

[Spktyr]

People are starting to rethink the 7.62 NATO ‘uncontrollable’ idea again, FYI. There are a number of videos on Youtube showing that some techniques can tame it.

[cunning_fish]

>>>Sorry no sale. the AK’s basic design was ripped off with German help.<<<

Check out AVS-36, SVT-38 and 40.

All are earlier Soviet designs predating STG. A number were captured by the Germans earlier in a War and were put into service being Germany’s first automatic rifles.

[mad_as_he$$]

Bits and pieces but the Stg was the first that had all the items I mentioned. Soviet AV’s were recoil operated.

[cunning_fish]

>>>Soviet AV’s were recoil operated.<<<

LOL. Have you ever seen one?:)

And I actually fired these guns.

That makes STG a somehow pioneer weapon is a combination of select-fire and a use of intermediate cartridge.

It made an entire concept of “assault rifle” any viable for the first time.

All the elements of it’s design were actually invented and put to use earlier by both US and Soviets.

[MHGinTN]

Eggs ackley

[mad_as_he$$]

Hey genius. I said AV not AVS.

[MHGinTN]

In case of unwanted visitors, if I can’t reach the auto-loading 20 gauge shotgun loaded with buck and slugs, then the M1 with soft point thirty rounder is next. I’ll use a 9 x 19 or 9 x 18 pistol to get to one of the ‘battle’ weapons. I have both an AK47 (earliest Maddi production) and an AK74 (Bulgy), but for close in work the shotgun or the M1 are my preferred tools. ... I only hope I have time enough to get hearing protection on before firing.

[cunning_fish]

There are 12, 20 and 410ga AKs available too.

[donmeaker]

One notes the Chinese used 7.92x57 during WWII, and have converted to 5.8mm assault rifles.

The key to the German assault rifle was the ability to use it against rifle or smg equipped enemy. Against those equipped with a rifle, they could sneak to within 300 meters, then use fire to suppress, and maneuver to flanks and rear to roll up the defense position.

Against SMG equipped enemy they could stand off and fire from a distance to suppress, then maneuver to flanks and rear to roll up the defense position.

[donmeaker]

There is a great scene in Enemy at the Gates with the Soviet blocking battalions shooting their M-1910 Maxim machine guns at soviet soldiers falling back from a failed attack.

The Dragunov came later.

[donmeaker]

It is amusing to recall that one argument against the BAR was that its fire was too accurate! It was thought that greater dispersion (spread) would make it more effective.

Then, the slower velocity lower absolute recoil M-14A1 was reported to be ‘uncontrollable’.

To be fair, the BAR weighed 19 lbs.

[cunning_fish]

What is AV?

[varmintman]

The robustness and reliability of the AK are palpable, you can feel it.

[LevinFan]

” o: kronos77

I have always thought the denigration of
the gun for being comparatively
inaccurate quite odd.

A very large percentage of those it was
intended for weren’t going to be crack
shots anyway. Many operating on the
spray and pray principle, with no real
aiming at all.”

The comparison of M-16 and AK often misses that. The AK was a weapon meant for peasant soldiers. The M-16 was designed for professional soldiers.
Two different missions.

[Sherman Logan]

Right. The AK was an almost perfect tool for its intended use. That cannot be said for many weapons.

[LevinFan]

” Chimp With AK-47 Shoots at Soldiers
http://youtu.be/Jt3aLev041E";

You owe me a monitor, and a beer.

[LevinFan]

But the same can be said of the M-16. Aside frome some early stupidity, it has always been an effective weapon. I’ll take professional soldiers with M16s over peasants with AKs any day.

But I’ve seen shows do side by side comparisons, as if all else was equal, andthat doesn’t work. Like comparing PCs, laptops, tablets, and my cell. Compare them all under the same criteria, like sitting at a desk with performance demands, and you get a who is best/who is worst. Of course there are other factors.
Same with a carbine, rifle, pistol, shotgun. There are always tradeoffs.

[Sherman Logan]

Ran your numbers thru a calculator.

Muzzle energy STG44: 1405.5 ft/lbs

Muzzle energy 30 Carbine: 967.5 ft/lbs

I’m no firearms expert, but I’d think 50% more energy would usually be considered significant.