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Kalashnikov wishes he'd invented a lawnmower
NZ Stuff ^
| 28 JULY 2002
| Unsigned
Posted on 07/27/2002 7:07:10 PM PDT by aculeus
BERLIN: Mikhail Kalashnikov, inventor of the assault rifle which bears his name, says he is proud of developing the AK-47 but wishes he'd designed something to help people instead like a lawnmower.
"I would have preferred to invent something which helps people and makes life easier for farmers. A lawnmower, for example," the 82-year-old general told Bild newspaper.
The Kalashnikov, which can fire 400 rounds per minute and is light and easy to maintain, has become the weapon of choice for guerrillas and insurgents across the globe but its inventor does not regret his achievement.
"I am proud of it. And sad, too, that the weapon is used by terrorists," said Kalashnikov, who was in Germany to open an exhibition about the weapon.
Kalashnikov is said to have come up with the idea for the submachine gun while he was in hospital recovering from shell-shock in 1941.
The Kalashnikov went into production in 1947 and was adopted by the Russian army in 1949. Up to 100 million have been built.
"Actually, you Germans are to blame," he told Bild. "Our soldiers often didn't have proper weapons in those days."
Despite the success of the AK-47, Kalashnikov has never earned any money from his invention.
"All the earnings went to the state," he said.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Russia
KEYWORDS: banglist
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1
posted on
07/27/2002 7:07:10 PM PDT
by
aculeus
To: aculeus
Perhaps, but what a fine lawnmower it would be!
To: aculeus
Or anything as successful as his rifle, in a free economy where he could have kept even 1% of the profits.
3
posted on
07/27/2002 7:15:10 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
To: aculeus
I would have preferred to invent somethingwhich helps people and makes life easier for farmers.It depends. The farmers in Zimbabwe would
have made good use of his invention.
4
posted on
07/27/2002 7:16:45 PM PDT
by
gcruse
To: aculeus
which can fire 400 rounds per minuteWell, not really. It can maybe fire rounds at that rate, but nobody has ever been able to get that many rounds through it in a minute.
5
posted on
07/27/2002 7:19:40 PM PDT
by
Restorer
To: aculeus
I would definitely rather see swarthy-types storming my property with lawnmowers over assault rifles any day. My lawn looks horrible right now.
Seriously, if it wasn't his weapon it would be another. Perhaps Mr. K. can take a little comfort in knowing he is not the first or last genius to never see a penny from his invention.
6
posted on
07/27/2002 7:22:56 PM PDT
by
Spruce
To: sheik yerbouty
It would! Probably it'd improve on the Tim Allen version:
To: Spruce
I would definitely rather see swarthy-types storming my property with lawnmowers over assault rifles any day. My lawn looks horrible right now.LOL! too good!
8
posted on
07/27/2002 7:28:23 PM PDT
by
Yardstick
To: sheik yerbouty
but what a fine lawnmower it would be!I have to disagree. It would not be a "fine" lawnmower as in a rifle of refinement ;>), but the darn thing would be able to start and cut grass after being left out in the yard all winter, if the theoretical lawnmower was anything like his rifle.
/john
To: aculeus
"...400 rounds per minute...."Not without it jamming.
But I'll never forget the distinctive crack of that thing firing across the paddies of Vietnam.
10
posted on
07/27/2002 7:31:45 PM PDT
by
onedoug
To: aculeus
"Our soldiers often didn't have proper weapons in those days." The Mosin-Nagant, 7.62 x 54R, was okay as long as it didn't have problems. IMO, the rifle is inferior to the Mauser in most ways. If all things were equal on the Eastern Front with the only difference being Mauser-vs-Mosin, the Germans would have been having tea with the Japanese in Peking by 1943.
To: onedoug
Never had an AK or a SKS jam. Not too damned accurate beyond 100 yds., but a dependable popper, nonetheless.
To: aculeus
As Samuel L. Jackson said in the movie Jackie Brown.
"THE AK-47! WHEN YOU HAVE TO KILL EVERY ---- IN THE ROOM, ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTE!!!!"
To: mlibertarianj
Just as long as your in a room and not a field.
14
posted on
07/27/2002 7:41:43 PM PDT
by
Ajnin
To: gcruse
Damn good point!
15
posted on
07/27/2002 7:56:25 PM PDT
by
Don Joe
To: aculeus
Theoretically, you could mow down your lawn with an AK-47.
To: LibWhacker
But the neighbors might protest.
To: DeaconBenjamin
But the neighbors might protest. Not for long.
18
posted on
07/27/2002 8:14:55 PM PDT
by
Eala
To: aculeus
Ahhhhhh Mr. Kalashnikov, how I love my AK! It's the same satification I get from driving my old Z-28. Not so accurate, but what a rush to shoot! We have a lawn guy anyways, so forget about the lawnmower.
To: Yakboy
I'm the lawn boy at my house so maybe his lawnmower would be up my alley!
20
posted on
07/27/2002 8:52:20 PM PDT
by
dcwusmc
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