[WhiskeyPapa]

Can a gun be great? If you don't think so, you probably shouldn't be reading this piece, but the AK-47 was great. It was invented by a peasant sergeant, and it was manufactured in a tractor factory. What could be more Red?"

I thought the AK-47 was just a slightly modified MP-44 of German design, dating from 1944.

Walt

[js1138]

Hey, the article was originally from WP. I've seen the OBL pictures posted with his Yuppie AKS-74, but this is the first print article that describes OBL's obsession with his gun. If the beltway sniper is using OBL's weapon, that's a pretty clear statement.

[Sender]

Dr Kalashnikov vehemently denies that his design was copied from the German. Probably the concept of a light, portable, select-fire weapon which fired a medium-power round was copied from them, but the AK design is an original. Darn hard to improve after all these years too. If there hadn't been a Cold War, our troops would probably be carrying them right now but procurement from the Evil Empire was unthinkable at the time.

[Axenolith]

MP (or SG) 44.