Description:
The
original AK was also known as the AK-47. It was a gas-operated,
selective-fire weapon. Like all 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles, it
fired the Soviet 7.62 x 39-mm M1943 round and used a standard 30-round
curved box magazine. The AK came in two versions: one with a fixed
wooden stock, and another, the AKS, with a folding metal stock
issued primarily to parachutist and armor troops. Except for the
differences in the stock and the lack of a tool kit with the AKS, the
two version were identical. The early AKs had no bayonet, but the
version with the fixed wooden stock later mounted a detachable knife
bayonet.
The
improved model, known as the AKM, is easier to produce and operate. It
weighs about one kilogram less than the AK. The reduced weight results
from using thinner, stamped sheetmetal parts rather than machined,
forged steel; laminated wood rather than solid wood in the handguard,
forearm, pistol grip, and buttstock; and new lightweight aluminium and
plastic magazines. Other improvements include a straighter stock for
better control; an improved gas cylinder; a rate-of-fire control
alongside the trigger; a rear sight graduated to 1,000 meters rather
than 800 meters; and a greatly improved, detachable bayonet.
The
AKM also has a folding-stock version, designated AKMS, intended for use
by
riflemen in armored infantry combat vechicles such as the BMP. Except
for its T-shaped, stamped-metal, folding buttstock, the AKMS is
identical to the AKM. The folding-stock model can reduce its length from
868 to 699 millimeters.
Capabilities:
All
7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifles fire in either semiautomatic or
automatic mode and have an effective range of about 300 meters. At full
cyclic rate, they can fire about 600 rounds per minute (upto 640 rounds
per minute for the AKM), with a practical rate of about 100 rounds per
minute fully automatic or 40 rounds per minute semiautomatic. Both the
AK and AKM can mount a grenade launcher. Both can have passive image
intensifier night sights. Both can function normally after total
immersion in mud and water. The fully chromed barrel ensures effective
operation even at very low temperatures. The muzzle of either weapon
fits into the swiveling firing points of the BMP. Thus, the infantryman
can fire the weapon while
the vechicle is moving.
Limitations:
The
most serious drawback to the AK and AKM is the low muzzle velocity (710
meters per second) of the relatively heavy 7.62-mm round. This results
in a looping trajectory that requires a clumsy adjustment for accuracy
at ranges beyond 300 meters. The barrel overheats quickly when the
weapon fires for extended periods, making the weapon hard to handle and
occasionally causing a round to explode prematurely in the chamber. The
exposed gas cylinder is easily dented, sometimes causing the weapon to
malfunction.
Remarks:
Although
they designed it in 1947 and thus referred to it as the AK-47, the
Soviets actually adopted the AK in 1949. The AK entered service in 1951.
It was the basic individual infantry weapon of the Soviet Army until
the introduction of the AKM. The Soviets developed the AKM in 1959. It
entered service in 1961. All 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assualt rifles are very
dependable weapons. They
produce a high volume of fire and are simple to maintain. However, the
new 5.45-mm assault rife AK-74 is replacing the 7.62-mm weapons.
| |
| Cartridge: | 7.62 x 39 mm | Operation: | gas, selective fire |
| Locking: | rotating bolt | Feed: | 30-round detachable box magazine |
| Weight: | 4.3 kg | Length: | 869 mm |
| Barrel: | 414 mm | Rifling: | 4 grooves, rh, 1 turn in 235 mm |
| Sights: | fore, post, adjustable; rear, U-notch, tangent | Muzzle velocity: | 710 m/s |
| Rate of fire: | cyclic, 600 rds/min | Effective range: | 300 m |
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