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| The primary mission of this site is to provide
information on Kalashnikov equipment, operation, and maintenance. Secondary
objectives are to increase awareness of Kalashnikov ownership withing the
United States. When I first started shooting my Kalashnikov rifle, I found that there was little or vague documentation regarding many aspects of being an active shooter. It is my hope that the information provided will ease some of the difficulties for new beginners. About the True Kalashnikov RifleGenerically refered to as the AK-47, the Kalashnikov rifle
denotes a family of small arms adhering to the designs of Mikhail Kalashnikov.
Technically speaking, AK-47 are rare within the United States are are highly
prized as collectors items. The AK-47, or Kalashnikov assault rifle model
1947, came into production in 1949 by Izhmash Arms located in Izhevsk, Russia.
It could fire is single shots, 2 shots, 4 shots, or one continuous burst.
The AK-47 used an M1943 7.62x39mm cartridge which was designed as a compromise
between the compact size of the pistol round and the range allowed by a
full rifle round. The AK-47 was made from a 6 pound block of steel that
went through 120 milling operations to become a 2.6 pound receiver. Kalashnikov prioritized the features of his assault rifle--compactness and reliability. Reliability was ensured by the short locking distance of the firing chamber. All moving parts are installed with more space between them. This gave the rifle great tolerances in being able to accomodate dust, sand, water, and soot in the reciever interior; giving Kalashnokov rifles a renowed reputation of reliability in a wide variety of environments. Production of the AK-47 ended by 1959 to be replaced by the
AKM or modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle. The AKM change to a stamped
sheet metal reciever allowing for a weight saving of 2.5 pounds. The
AKM took less time to produce and was correspondingly less expensive. The
AKM had a wedge shaped compensator that deflected gas upward to compensate
to the muzzle climb experienced during automatic fire. Looser tolerances
of the firing mechanism were incoporated as well as a chrome plated firing
chamber and barrel. Originally done to allow for corrosive ammunition, it
made the rifle very hardy. With the introduction of the NATO 5.56x45mm cartidge for the
AR-15 and M16, a new version of the Kalashnikov rifle was developed, the
AK-74. It was designed to fire a 5.45x39mm high velocity cartridge. The Vietnam
War demonstrated that a smaller caliber could be as effective as the 7.62mm.
Reducing the bullet size and mass reduced the recoil of the AK-74 for automatic
fire. While the parts between the AK-74 and AKM are not interchangable, the
AK-74 operated on the same principles. The AK-74 supported an elongated compensator
to reduce muzzle climb. The 5.45x39mm round compensates for its lack of
mass with an airspace in the nose so that when the bullet strikes a water-based
medium the nose of the bullet bends over and causes it to yaw, accentuating
the wounding effect. The simplicity of the Kalashnikov action allowed a variety
of weapons to be constructed. Izhmash produces a Saiga line of shotguns
and rifles for sporting purposes. Updated versions of the Kalashnikov rifle
continue to be designed and manufactured iby Izhmash. It is estimated that over 50 million AK-47s and its deritives
have been used or produced of used in 55 countries since 1949. Even though
the AK-47 was designed over 50 years ago, Kalashnikov rifles continue to
be manufacutured and used today. Our Kalashnikov RiflesWe refer to Kalashnikov Rifles as any rifle utilizing the Kalashnikov action. This includes the wide variety of AK-47 derivtives in 7.62x39mm, 5.45x39 mm, and .223 calibers as well as other sniper and shotgun product manufatured in a wide array of country including, but not limited to: Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, and the United States. This site is focused on the use and maintenace of the semi-automatic Kalashnikov rifles available to most civilians within the United States. |