Kalashnikov assault rifle AK-47, produced in 1947-1949, in the documents of those years had the designation "AK-47", later replaced by "AK"

Kalashnikov assault rifle AK, 1949-1954

Kalashnikov assault rifle AK, 1954-1959

Kalashnikov assault rifles AKS (assault rifle with folding butt)

Kalashnikov assault rifle AKS, 1954-1959

Before moving on to the history of the creation of the Kalashnikov assault rifle and a description of its design, one should decide on some points of terminology. With regard to AK, the most technically correct term would be "automatic carbine", that is, an automatic rifle with reduced weight and dimensions. Or the term "assault rifle" (German Sturmgewehr or English Assault rifle), introduced by Adolf Hitler as the name of the Henel automatic carbine designed by Hugo Schmeisser, which was subsequently given the designation Stg.44. The term "assault rifle" had a propaganda meaning, however, it has become widespread throughout the world in relation to all individual small arms automatic weapons chambered for an intermediate cartridge. The term "automatic", introduced in the USSR and used to refer to the Fedorov automatic rifle and even the PPSh-41 submachine gun, is in circulation only in the Russian Federation and on the so-called " post-Soviet space". At the same time, along with the designation of weapons, in colloquial speech, this term is applied to such electronic-mechanical devices as a coffee machine and a gaming machine, while the term "automatic carbine" corresponds much more accurately and describes a certain class of automatic weapons.

Development and production (official version)

The decision to start design work to create a new weapon-cartridge complex, which resulted in the adoption of the Kalashnikov automatic carbine into service by the USSR, was made on July 15, 1943 at a meeting of the Technical Council under the USSR People's Commissariat of Defense, based on the results of studying the captured German automatic carbine MKb.42 ( H), which was the prototype of the future Stg.44, under the world's first mass intermediate cartridge 7.92x33 and the American self-loading carbine M1 Carbine under 7.62x33.

The new model was supposed to conduct effective fire at ranges of the order of 400 meters and shoot an intermediate, between rifle and pistol cartridge in terms of power, which exceeded the corresponding indicator of submachine guns and was not much inferior to weapons for excessively heavy, powerful and expensive rifle and machine gun ammunition. This allowed him to successfully replace the entire arsenal of individual small arms in service with the Red Army, which used pistol and rifle cartridges and included Shpagin and Sudaev submachine guns, a Mosin magazine non-automatic rifle and several models of magazine carbines based on it, a Tokarev self-loading rifle, and also machine guns of various systems.

The first samples of the new cartridge were created by OKB-44 already one month after the meeting, and its pilot production began in March 1944. It is noteworthy that neither domestic nor Western researchers found any real confirmation of the version that had been in circulation at one time, which said, that this cartridge was completely or partially copied from earlier German experimental developments (in particular, they called the Geco cartridge of 7.62 × 38.5 mm caliber).

In November 1943, drawings and specifications for a new 7.62 mm intermediate cartridge designed by N.M. Elizarova and B.V. Semin were sent to all organizations involved in the development of a new weapon complex. At this stage, it had a caliber of 7.62x41 mm, but was subsequently redesigned, and quite significantly, during which the caliber was changed to 7.62x39 mm.

A new set of weapons under a single intermediate cartridge was supposed to include a machine gun (automatic carbine), as well as self-loading (non-automatic) magazine carbines and a light machine gun. Subsequently, the development of a magazine carbine was discontinued due to the obvious obsolescence of the concept. However, the SKS self-loading carbine was not produced for long (until the beginning of the 1950s) due to the relatively low manufacturability with lower combat qualities than the machine gun, and the Degtyarev RPD machine gun was subsequently (1961) replaced by a different model, widely unified with a machine gun - RPK.

As for the development of the automatic carbine itself, it went through several stages and included a number of competitions in which a large number of systems of various designers. In 1944, according to the test results, the AC-44 designed by A.I. was selected for further development. Sudayev. It was finalized and released in a small series, military tests of which were carried out in the spring and summer of next year at the GSVG, as well as in a number of units on the territory of the USSR. Despite positive reviews, the army leadership demanded a reduction in the mass of weapons.

The sudden death of Sudaev interrupted the further progress of work on this model, so in 1946 another round of tests was carried out, which, among others, included Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov, who by that time had already created several rather interesting weapon designs, in particular, two pistols - machine gun, one of which had a very original semi-free shutter braking system, a light machine gun and a self-loading carbine powered by cartridge packs, which lost the Simonov carbine in the competition. In November of the same year, his project was approved for the manufacture of a prototype, and a month later, the first version of the Kalashnikov experimental automatic carbine, now sometimes conventionally referred to as the AK-46, was made at an arms factory in the city of Kovrov, along with the samples of Bulkin and Dementiev, was submitted for testing. .

It is curious that this model, developed in 1946, did not have many of the features of the future Kalashnikov assault rifle, which are often criticized in our time. His cocking handle was located on the left, not on the right, instead of the fuse-translator located on the right, there were separate flag fuses and a translator of types of fire, and the body of the firing mechanism was made folding down and forward on a hairpin. However, the military from the selection committee demanded that the cocking handle be placed on the right, since it (the cocking handle of the AK), located on the left, with some methods of carrying weapons or moving around the battlefield, crawled against the body of the shooter, and also to combine the fuse with the translator of types of fire into a single knot and place it on the right to completely rid the left side of the receiver of any perceptible protrusions.

According to the results of the second round of the competition, the first Kalashnikov automatic carbine was declared unsuitable for further development. However, Kalashnikov managed to challenge this decision, obtaining permission to further refine the AK-46, in which he was helped by acquaintance with a number of commission members with whom he had served together since 1943, and received permission to refine the machine gun. For this purpose, he returned to Kovrov, where, together with the designer of the Kovrov Plant No. 2, A. Zaitsev, he developed in the shortest possible time a virtually new automatic carbine, and for a number of reasons it can be concluded that elements were widely used in its design (including the arrangement of key nodes), borrowed from other submitted for the competition or simply pre-existing samples.

So, the design of the bolt frame with a rigidly attached gas piston, the general layout of the receiver and the placement of the return spring with the guide, the protrusion of which was used to lock the receiver cover, were copied from Bulkin's experimental machine gun that also participated in the competition; USM (with minor improvements), judging by the design, could be “peeped” on the Holek rifle (according to another version, it goes back to the development of John Browning, which was also used in the M1 Garand rifle; these versions, however, are not mutually exclusive), the fuse-mode selector lever fire, which also acts as a dust cover for the shutter window, was very reminiscent of that of the Remington 8 rifle, and a similar “hanging out” of the bolt group inside the receiver with minimal friction areas and large gaps was typical for the Sudaev assault rifle.

Although formally the conditions of the competition did not allow the authors of the systems to familiarize themselves with the designs of competitors participating in it and make significant changes to the design of the submitted samples (that is, theoretically, the commission could not allow the new prototype of the Kalashnikov assault rifle to further participate in the competition), it still cannot be considered something something that goes beyond the norms - firstly, when creating new weapon systems, “quotes” from other samples are not at all uncommon, and secondly, such borrowings in the USSR at that time were not only generally not forbidden, but even encouraged , which is explained not only by the presence of specific ("socialist") patent legislation, but also by quite pragmatic considerations of adopting the best model in conditions of constant lack of time with a very real military threat.

There is even an opinion that most of the changes and design decisions made by the Kalashnikov assault rifle were almost directly due to the TTT (tactical and technical requirements) put forward by the commission based on the results of earlier stages of the TTT competition (tactical and technical requirements) for new weapons, that is, in fact - imposed as the most acceptable with their military point of view, which partly confirms the fact that the systems of Kalashnikov's competitors in their final versions used very similar design solutions.

It is also worth noting that, in itself, borrowing successful solutions cannot guarantee the success of the design as a whole, however, Kalashnikov and Zaitsev managed to create such a design, and in the shortest possible time, which in principle cannot be achieved by any compilation of ready-made units and design solutions. Moreover, there is an opinion that copying successful and well-proven technical solutions is one of the conditions for creating any successful weapon model, in particular, allowing the designer not to “reinvent the wheel”.

According to some sources, V.F. Lyuty, who later became the head of the field tests in 1947.

One way or another, in the winter of 1946-1947, for the next round of the competition, along with also quite significantly improved, but not undergoing such radical changes, the samples of Dementiev (KBP-520) and Bulkin (TKB-415) Kalashnikov presented an actually new design (KBP-580 ), which had little in common with the previous version.

As a result of the tests, it was found that not a single sample meets the tactical and technical requirements in full: the Kalashnikov assault rifle turned out to be the most reliable, but at the same time it had unsatisfactory accuracy of fire, and the TKB-415, on the contrary, met the requirements for accuracy, but had problems with reliability. Ultimately, the choice of the commission was made in favor of the Kalashnikov sample, and it was decided to postpone bringing its accuracy to the required values ​​for the future. Given the current situation in the world at that time, such a decision looks quite justified, since it allowed the army to rearm modern and reliable, although not the most accurate, weapons in real time, which was preferable to a reliable and accurate model, but when is not known. At the end of 1947, Mikhail Timofeevich was seconded to Izhevsk, where it was decided to begin production of the AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle.

According to the results of military tests of the first batches, released in the middle of 1948, in the middle of 1949, two versions of the Kalashnikov design were put into service under the designations "7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle" and "7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding butt" (abbreviated designations - AK-47 and AKS-47, respectively). Thus, the year of manufacture of the AK-47 can be considered 1948. AKS (GRAU Index - 56-A-212M) - a version of the Kalashnikov assault rifle with a folding metal butt, intended for airborne troops. Initially produced with a stamped receiver, and since 1951 - milled due to high percentage marriage during stamping.

One of the main problems faced by the developers during the deployment of mass production of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was the stamping technology used to manufacture the receiver. The first releases of the AK-47 had a receiver made of a fairly large number of sheet forgings and parts milled from forgings.

In 1953, a high rejection rate forced a switch to milling technology. At the same time, a number of measures made it possible not only to prevent an increase in the mass of weapons, but also to reduce it relative to samples with a stamped receiver, so the new AK-47 model was designated as "Lightweight 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK)". In addition to the modified design of the receiver, it was also distinguished by the presence of stiffening ribs on the magazines (early magazines had smooth walls), the possibility of adjoining a bayonet (an early version of the weapon was adopted without a bayonet) and a number of other, smaller details.

In subsequent years, the design of the Kalashnikov assault rifle was also continuously improved. The development team noted "low reliability, weapon failures when used in extreme climatic and extreme conditions, low accuracy of fire, insufficiently high performance" of serial samples of early models.

The appearance in the early 1950s of the TKB-517 submachine gun designed by German Korobov, which had a lower mass, better accuracy, and also cheaper, led to the development of tactical and technical requirements for a new machine gun (automatic carbine) and a machine gun as unified as possible with it. The corresponding competitive tests, for which Mikhail Timofeevich presented a modernized model of an automatic carbine and a machine gun based on it, took place in 1957-1958. As a result, the commission gave its preference to the Kalashnikov models, as they had greater reliability, and were also sufficiently familiar to the arms industry and the troops, and in 1959 the “7.62-mm Kalashnikov modernized assault rifle” (abbreviated as AKM) was put into service.

AKM (Kalashnikov Modernized, Index GRAU - 6P1) - modernization of the AK-47, adopted in 1959. In AKM, the aiming range has been increased to 1000 m, changes have been made to improve reliability and ease of use.

The AKM receiver is made of stamped, due to which the weight of the weapon is reduced. The butt is raised up to bring the point of emphasis of the machine to the line of fire. Changes have been made to the trigger mechanism - a trigger retarder has been added, thanks to which the trigger is released a few milliseconds later during automatic firing. This delay has practically no effect on the rate of fire, it only allows the bolt carrier to stabilize in the extreme forward position before the next shot. The improvements had a positive effect on accuracy, especially (almost by a third) the vertical dispersion decreased compared to the AK-47 assault rifle.

The muzzle of the AKM barrel has a thread on which a removable muzzle compensator in the form of a petal (the so-called “tray compensator”) is installed, designed to compensate for the “withdrawal” of the aiming point up and to the right when firing bursts due to the use of pressure from the powder gases escaping from the barrel to the lower compensator protrusion. Silencers PBS or PBS-1 can be installed on the same thread instead of a compensator, for the use of which it is necessary to use 7.62US cartridges with a subsonic muzzle velocity. Also on the AKM, it became possible to install the GP-25 “Koster” underbarrel grenade launcher.

AKMS (Index GRAU - 6P4) - AKM variant with a folding stock. The butt mounting system was changed relative to the AKS (it folded down and forward, under the receiver). The modification is designed specifically for paratroopers. AKMN (6P1N) - variant with night sight. AKMSN (6P4N) - modification of AKMN with a folding metal butt.

In the 1970s, following the NATO countries, the USSR followed the path of transferring small arms to low-pulse cartridges with reduced-caliber bullets to facilitate portable ammunition (for 8 magazines, a 5.45 mm caliber cartridge saves 1.4 kg in weight) and reduce , as it was believed, "excessive" power of the 7.62-mm cartridge. In 1974, a weapon complex chambered for 5.45 × 39 mm was adopted, consisting of AK-74 and light machine gun RPK-74, and later (1979) supplemented by the small-sized AKS-74U, created for use in a niche occupied by submachine guns in Western armies, and in last years- the so-called PDW. The production of AKM in the USSR was curtailed, but this model remains in service to this day.

First combat use of the AK-47

The first case of mass combat use of the Kalashnikov assault rifle on the world stage occurred on November 1, 1956, during the suppression of the uprising in Hungary. Until that moment, the AK-47 assault rifle was hidden from prying eyes in every possible way: the soldiers wore it in special covers that concealed the outlines, and after firing, all the shells were carefully collected. AK-47 has proven itself well in urban combat.

The design and principle of operation of the AK-47

AK-47 consists of the following main parts and mechanisms: barrel with receiver, sights and stock; detachable receiver cover; bolt carrier with gas piston; gate; return mechanism; gas tube with handguard; trigger mechanism; handguard; shop; bayonet. There are approximately 95 parts in the AK.

The principle of operation of the AK-47 automation is based on the use of the energy of powder gases discharged through the upper hole in the barrel wall, with a long stroke of the gas piston. The barrel bore is locked by turning the bolt around the longitudinal axis clockwise by two radial lugs included in the special cutouts of the receiver, which achieves the locking of the bore before firing. The rotation of the shutter is ensured by the interaction of the protrusion on its body with a curly groove on the inner surface of the shutter frame.

Barrel and receiver

The AK-47 barrel bore has 4 grooves, winding from left-up-right, the barrel was made of gun-grade steel.

In the wall of the barrel, closer to its muzzle, there is a gas outlet. Near the muzzle, the base of the front sight is fixed on the barrel, and on the side of the breech it has a chamber with smooth walls, designed to accommodate the cartridge when fired. The muzzle of the barrel has a left-hand thread for screwing the sleeve when firing blanks.

The barrel is attached to the receiver motionlessly, without the possibility of a quick change in the field.

The receiver is used to connect the parts and mechanisms of the AK-47 into a single structure, to place the bolt group and set the nature of its movement, to ensure that the barrel is closed by the bolt and the bolt is locked; also inside it is placed the trigger mechanism.

The receiver consists of two parts: the receiver itself and a detachable cover located on top, which protects the mechanism from damage and contamination.

Inside the receiver has four guides that set the movement of the bolt group - two upper and two lower. The lower left guide also carries a reflective protrusion.

In front of the receiver there are cutouts for which the bolt is locked, the rear walls of which are, therefore, lugs. The right combat stop also serves to guide the movement of the cartridge fed from the right row of the AK-47 magazine. On the left is a part similar in purpose, which is not a combat stop.

The first batches of AK-47s had, in accordance with the assignment, a stamped receiver with a forged barrel liner. However, the available technology did not allow then to achieve the required rigidity, and the rejection rate was unacceptably high. As a result, in the mass production of the AK-47, cold stamping was initially replaced by milling a box from a solid forging, which caused an increase in the cost of production of weapons. Subsequently, during the transition to AKM, technological issues were resolved, and the receiver again acquired a mixed design.

The massive all-steel receiver gives the weapon high (especially in the early milled version) strength and reliability, especially in comparison with the fragile light-alloy receivers of weapons like the American M16 rifle, but at the same time makes it heavier, making it difficult to upgrade.

bolt group

It consists mainly of a bolt carrier with a gas piston, the bolt itself, an ejector and a striker.

The AK-47 bolt group is located in the receiver "hung", moving along the guides in its upper part as if on rails. Such a “hung” position of moving parts in the receiver with relatively large gaps ensures reliable operation of the system even with heavy contamination.

The bolt frame serves to actuate the bolt and trigger mechanism. It is fixedly connected to the gas piston rod, which is directly affected by the pressure of the powder gases removed from the barrel, which ensures the operation of the weapon's automation. The reloading handle of the weapon is located on the right and is made as a single unit with the bolt carrier.

The shutter has a close to cylindrical shape and two massive lugs, which, when the shutter is turned, enter into special cutouts in the receiver, which locks the barrel bore for firing. In addition, the shutter, with its longitudinal movement, feeds the next cartridge from the magazine before firing, for which there is a protrusion of the rammer in its lower part.

Also, an ejector mechanism is attached to the bolt, designed to remove a spent cartridge case or cartridge from the chamber in the event of a misfire. It consists of an ejector, its axis, a spring and a limiter pin.

To return the bolt group to the extreme forward position, a return mechanism is used, consisting of a return spring and a guide, which in turn consists of a guide tube, a guide rod included in it and a coupling. The rear stop of the guide rod of the return spring enters the groove of the receiver and serves as a latch for the stamped receiver cover.

The mass of moving parts of the AK-47 is about 520 grams. Thanks to a powerful gas engine, they come to the extreme rear position at a high speed of the order of 3.5-4 m / s, which in many respects ensures the high reliability of the weapon, but reduces the accuracy of the battle due to the strong shaking of the weapon and powerful impacts of moving parts in the extreme provisions. The moving parts of the AK-74 are lighter - the bolt carrier and bolt assembly weighs 477 grams, of which 405 grams are for the bolt carrier and 72 grams for the bolt. The lightest moving parts in the AK family are in the shortened AKS-74U: its bolt carrier weighs about 370 grams (due to the shortening of the gas piston), and their combined mass with the bolt is about 440 grams.

trigger mechanism

Hammer type, with a hammer rotating on the axis and a U-shaped mainspring made of triple twisted wire.

The trigger mechanism of the AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle allows continuous and single fire. A single rotary part performs the functions of a fire mode switch (translator) and a double-acting safety lever: in the safety position, it locks the trigger, the sear of single and continuous fire and prevents the bolt frame from moving backwards, partially blocking the longitudinal groove between the receiver and its cover. In this case, the moving parts can be pulled back to check the chamber, but their movement is not enough to send the next cartridge into the chamber.

All parts of the automation and trigger mechanism are compactly assembled inside the receiver, thus playing the role of both the receiver and the trigger housing.

The "classic" USM AK-shaped weapon has three axes - for the self-timer, for the trigger and for the trigger. Civilian variants that do not fire bursts usually do not have a self-timer axis.

Shop

Shop AK - box-shaped, sector type, two-row, 30 rounds. It consists of a body, a locking plate, a cover, a spring and a feeder.

The AK-47 and AKM had magazines with stamped steel cases. There were also plastic ones. Large taper of the 7.62 mm cartridge case mod. 1943 led to their unusually large bend, which became feature weapon shape. For the AK-74 family, a plastic magazine was introduced (originally polycarbonate, then glass-filled polyamide), only the folds ("sponges") in its upper part remained metal.

Shops of Kalashnikov assault rifles are distinguished by high reliability of feeding cartridges, even when they are filled to the maximum. Thick metal "sponges" at the top of even plastic magazines provide reliable feeding and are very tenacious with rough handling - a design subsequently copied by a number of foreign firms for their products.

In addition to the regular 30-round magazines for an assault rifle, there are also machine-gun magazines, which, if necessary, can also be used for firing from a machine gun: for 40 (sector) or 75 (drum-type) rounds of 7.62 mm caliber and for 45 rounds of 5.45 caliber mm. If we also take into account foreign-made stores created for various variants of the Kalashnikov system (including for the civilian arms market), then the number of different options will be at least several dozen, with a capacity of 10 to 100 rounds.

The magazine attachment point is characterized by the absence of a developed neck - the magazine is simply inserted into the receiver window, catching on the protrusion on its front edge, and fixed with a latch.

sighting device

The AK-47 sighting device consists of a sight and a front sight. Sight - sector type, with the location of the aiming block in the middle of the weapon. The sight is calibrated up to 800 m (starting with AKM - up to 1000 m) in increments of 100 m, in addition, it has a division marked with the letter "P", indicating a direct shot and corresponding to a range of 350 m. The rear sight is located on the neck of the sight and has a rectangular slot forms.

The front sight is located at the muzzle of the barrel, on a massive triangular base, with the “wings” of which it is covered from the sides. While bringing the machine to normal combat, the front sight can be screwed in / out to raise / lower the mid point of impact, and also moved left / right to deviate the mid point of impact horizontally.

On some modifications of Kalashnikov assault rifles, if necessary, it is possible to install an optical or night sight on the side bracket.

Bayonet knife

The bayonet-knife is designed to defeat the enemy in close combat, for which it can be attached to the AK-47 assault rifle, or used as a knife. The bayonet-knife is put on with a ring on the barrel sleeve, fastened with protrusions on the gas chamber, and with a latch it engages with the ramrod stop. Being unlocked from the weapon, the bayonet-knife is worn in a sheath on a waist belt.

Initially, a relatively long (200 mm blade) detachable blade-type bayonet-knife with two blades and a fuller was adopted for the AK-47.

When the AKM was adopted, a short (150 mm blade) detachable bayonet-knife (type 1) was introduced, which had expanded functionality in terms of household use. Instead of a second blade, he received a saw, and in combination with a scabbard, he could be used to cut barbed wire obstacles, including those under tension. Also, the upper part of the handle is made of metal. The bayonet can be inserted into the sheath and used as a hammer. There are two variants of this bayonet that differ mainly in the device.

A late version of the same bayonet (type 2) is also used on weapons of the AK-74 family. The quality of the metal used in the bayonet is somewhat inferior to foreign analogues of such well-known American companies as SOG, Cold Steel, Gerber.

Of the foreign variants, the Chinese clone of the AK-47, the Type 56, is notable for the use of a non-removable folding needle bayonet.

Belonging to AK-47

Designed for disassembly, assembly, cleaning and lubrication of the machine. Consists of a ramrod, wiping, a brush, a screwdriver with a punch, a storage case and an oil can. The body and cover of the case are used as auxiliary tools for cleaning and lubricating the weapon. It is stored in a special cavity inside the butt, with the exception of models with a folding frame shoulder rest, in which it is worn in a bag for magazines.

The accuracy of the battle and the effectiveness of fire

The accuracy of the battle was not originally a strong point of the AK-47. Already during the military tests of its prototypes, it was noted that with the greatest of the reliability systems submitted for the competition, required by the conditions of accuracy, the design of the Kalashnikov assault rifle did not provide (like all the designs presented to one degree or another). Thus, according to this parameter, even by the standards of the mid-1940s, the AK-47 was clearly not an outstanding model. Nevertheless, reliability (in general, reliability here is a set of operational characteristics: reliability, shot until failures, guaranteed resource, actual resource, resource of individual parts and assemblies, persistence, mechanical strength, etc., according to which the AK-47 assault rifle, to word, the best even now) was recognized at that time as paramount, and it was decided to postpone the fine-tuning of accuracy to the required parameters for the future.

Further weapon upgrades, such as the introduction of various muzzle compensators and the transition to a low-impulse cartridge, really had a positive effect on the accuracy (and accuracy) of firing from a machine gun. So, for AKM, the total median deviation at a distance of 800 m is already 64 cm (vertical) and 90 cm (in width), and for AK74 - 48 cm (vertical) and 64 cm (in width). The range of a direct shot at the chest figure is 350 m.

AK-47 allows you to hit the following targets with one bullet (for the best shooters, lying down with a single fire):

head figure - 100 m;

waist figure and running figure - 300 m;

To hit a target of the “running figure” type at a distance of 800 m under the same conditions, 4 rounds are required when firing with a single fire, and 9 rounds when firing in short bursts.

Naturally, these results were obtained during firing at the range, under conditions very different from real combat (however, the test methodology was created by professional military people, which implies confidence in their conclusions).

Assembly and disassembly

Partial disassembly of the AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle is carried out for cleaning, lubrication and inspection in the following order:

• magazine separation and checking the absence of a cartridge in the chamber;
• removal of a pencil case with accessories (for AK-47 - from the butt, for AKS - from the pocket of a shopping bag);
• ramrod compartment;
• separation of the receiver cover;
• extraction of the return mechanism;
• separation of the shutter frame with the shutter;
• separation of the bolt from the bolt carrier;
• branch of the gas tube with a handguard.

Assembly after partial disassembly is carried out in the reverse order.

Patent Status

Izhmash calls all AK-like models produced outside of Russia counterfeit, however, there is no evidence that Kalashnikov registered copyright certificates for his machine gun: some certificates are exhibited at the M. T. Kalashnikov Museum and Exhibition Complex of Small Arms (Izhevsk) issued to him in different years with the wording "for an invention in the field military equipment" without any accompanying documents to establish the presence or absence of their connection with the AK-47. Even if the author's certificate for the AK-47 assault rifle was issued to Kalashnikov, it is worth noting that the terms of patent protection for the original design developed in the forties have long expired.

Some of the improvements introduced in the AK-74 and AK "hundredth series" are protected by a Eurasian patent from 1997, owned by Izhmash.

Differences from the basic AK described in the patent include:

• folding butt with locks for combat and traveling position;
• a gas piston rod mounted in a hole in the bolt carrier with a threaded clearance;
• a pocket for a pencil case with accessories, formed by stiffening ribs inside the butt and closed with a spring-loaded swivel lid;
• a gas tube spring-loaded relative to the sight block in the direction of the muzzle;
• changed geometry of the transition from the field to the bottom of the rifling in the rifled part of the barrel.

Production and use of the AK-47 outside of Russia

The government of the USSR willingly supplied machine guns to everyone who, at least in words, declared their commitment to the "cause of socialism." As a result, in some Third World countries, the AK-47 is cheaper than live chicken. It can be seen in reports from almost any hot spot in the world. The AK-47 is in service with the regular armies of more than fifty countries of the world, as well as many informal groups, including terrorist ones. In addition, "fraternal countries" received licenses for the production of AK-47 free of charge, for example, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, China, Poland, North Korea and Yugoslavia.

In the 1950s, licenses for the production of AK-47s were transferred by the USSR to 18 countries (mainly the Warsaw Pact allies). At the same time, twelve more states launched the production of Kalashnikov assault rifles without a license. The number of countries in which the AK-47 was produced without a license in small batches, and even more so handicraft, cannot be counted. To date, according to Rosoboronexport, the licenses of all states that previously received them have already expired, however, production continues. Particularly active in producing clones of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are the Polish company Bumar and the Bulgarian company Arsenal, which has now opened a branch in the United States and launched the production of assault rifles there. The production of AK-47 clones is deployed in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. According to very rough estimates, there are from 70 to 105 million copies of various modifications of Kalashnikov assault rifles in the world. They are adopted by the armies of 55 countries of the world.

In some of the states that had previously received licenses for the production of the AK-47, it was manufactured in a slightly modified form. So, in the modification of the AK, produced in Yugoslavia, Romania and some other countries, there was an additional pistol-type grip under the forearm to hold the weapon. Other minor changes were also made - the bayonet mounts, the materials of the forearm and butt, and the finish were changed. There are cases when two machine guns were connected on a special home-made mount, and an installation similar to double-barreled air defense machine guns was obtained. In the GDR, a training modification of the AK chambered for .22LR was produced. In addition, many samples of military weapons were created on the basis of the AK-47 - from carbines to sniper rifles. Some of these designs are factory conversions of the original AK-47s.

Many of the AK-47 copies are in turn also copied (licensed or not) with some modifications by other manufacturers, resulting in quite different systems from the original sample, for example, the Vektor CR-21 - a South African automatic carbine with a bullpup layout, created on the basis of the Vektor R4, which is a copy of the Israeli Galil - a licensed copy of the Finnish Valmet Rk 62, which in turn is a licensed version of the AK-47.

In countries with liberal gun laws (first of all, in the USA), various versions of the Kalashnikov system are very popular as civilian weapons.

In the United States, all AK-like weapons are collectively known as "AK-47" ("hey-kei-foti-sevn"). The first copies of the Kalashnikov assault rifle came to the United States along with soldiers returning from Vietnam. Since in those years the possession of automatic (firing bursts) weapons in the United States was allowed to civilians, subsequently many of them were officially registered with all the necessary formalities.

The Gun Control Act, passed in 1968, prohibited the import of civilian automatic weapons, but thanks to a number of loopholes in the legislation, the sale of automatic weapons assembled in the United States remained possible. In addition, the import of self-loading variants based on AK was not limited to anything.

In 1986, an amendment to the same decree (the so-called Firearm Owners Protection Act) banned not only the import, but also the sale of automatic weapons to civilians, as well as their production for the purpose of such sale; this regulation, however, does not apply to weapons registered before 1986, which can be legally acquired with an appropriate license, and with an appropriate level dealer license (Class III Dealer) - and sold. Thus, in the US in the hands civilians and there are currently a certain number of military-style Kalashnikov assault rifles capable of firing bursts.

Subsequently, a number of regulations were also adopted (1989 Semi-Automatic Rifle Import Ban, 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban), which specifically prohibited the import of any AK-like weapon, with the exception of specifically modified options, such as the Russian "Saiga" of some modifications, with a rifle butt instead of a pistol handles and other design changes. These additional restrictions have now been lifted due to the expiration of these regulations.

In other countries, in the vast majority of cases, civilian possession of automatic weapons, if allowed by law, is only as an exception by special permission, or for the purpose of collecting.

AK-47 at the moment

As the weapon became obsolete, its shortcomings began to appear more and more, both characteristic of it initially and identified over time due to changes in the requirements for small arms and the nature of hostilities. At the present time, even the latest modifications of the AK-47 are generally outdated weapons, with virtually no reserves for significant modernization. The general obsolescence of weapons also determines many of its specific significant shortcomings.

First of all, there is a significant mass of weapons by modern standards, due to the widespread use of steel parts in its design. At the same time, the Kalashnikov assault rifle itself cannot be called unnecessarily heavy, however, any attempts to significantly modernize it - for example, lengthening and weighting the barrel to increase shooting accuracy, not to mention the installation of additional sights - inevitably take its mass beyond the limits acceptable for army weapons , which is well shown by the experience of creating and operating the Saiga and Vepr hunting carbines, as well as RPK machine guns. Attempts to lighten the weapon while maintaining an all-steel structure (that is, the existing production technology) also lead to an unacceptable decrease in its service life, which partly proves the negative experience of operating early batches of AK-74, the rigidity of the receivers of which turned out to be insufficient and required strengthening of the structure - that is , here the limit has already been reached and there are no reserves for modernization. In addition, in the AK-47, the shutter is locked through the cutouts of the receiver liner, and not the barrel process, as in more modern models, which does not allow the receiver to be made of lighter and more technologically advanced, although less durable materials. Two lugs are also a simple, but not optimal solution - even the SVD rifle bolt has three lugs, which provide more uniform locking and a smaller angle of rotation of the bolt, not to mention modern Western models, for which we are usually talking about at least six bolt lugs.

A significant drawback in modern conditions is a collapsible receiver with a detachable lid. This design makes it impossible to mount modern types of sights (collimator, optical, night) using Weaver or Picatinny rails: placing a heavy sight on a removable receiver cover is useless due to its significant structural backlash. As a result, AK-like weapons for the most part allow the installation of only a limited number of models of sights that use a dovetail-type side bracket, which also shifts the center of gravity of the weapon to the left and does not allow the stock to be folded on those models where this is provided for by the design. The only exceptions are rare variants such as the Polish Beryl assault rifle, which has a separate pedestal for the aiming bar, which is fixedly attached to the bottom of the receiver, or the South African assault rifle Vektor CR21, which has a collimator sight located on a bar attached to the base of the sight, standard for the AK-47 - with this arrangement, it turns out to be just in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe shooter's eyes. The first solution is rather palliative, significantly complicates the assembly and disassembly of weapons, and also increases their bulkiness and weight; the second is only suitable for weapons made according to the bullpup scheme. On the other hand, it is precisely due to the presence of a removable receiver cover that the assembly and disassembly of the AK is carried out quickly and conveniently, and this also provides excellent access to the details of the weapon when cleaning it.

At present, there are other, more successful solutions to this problem. So, on the AK-12, as well as on the Saiga hunting carbines, the receiver cover is hinged up and down, which allows the installation of modern sighting bars (on the AK-12 and "tactical" versions of the Saiga, this solution is already applied) without compromising access to weapon mechanisms.

All parts of the trigger mechanism are compactly assembled inside the receiver, thus playing the role of both the bolt box and the body of the trigger mechanism (trigger box). By modern standards, this is a lack of weapons, since more modern systems(and even for the relatively old Soviet SVD and the American M16) USM is usually made in the form of a separate easily removable unit that can be quickly replaced to obtain various modifications (self-loading, with the ability to fire in bursts of a fixed length, and so on), and in the case of the M16 platform - and modernization of weapons by installing a new receiver unit on the existing USM unit (for example, to switch to a new caliber of ammunition), which is a very economical solution.

To speak of a deeper degree of modularity characteristic of many modern small arms systems - for example, the use of quick-change barrels of various lengths - in relation to the AK-47, including even its most recent modifications, all the more so.

The high reliability of the family of Kalashnikov assault rifles, or rather, the methods used in its design to achieve it, is at the same time the cause of its significant drawbacks. The increased momentum of the gas exhaust mechanism, coupled with a gas piston fixed to the bolt frame and large gaps between all parts, on the one hand, leads to the fact that the automatic weapon works flawlessly even with heavy pollution (contamination is literally “blown out” of the receiver when fired), - on the other hand, large gaps during the movement of the bolt group lead to the appearance of multidirectional lateral impulses that displace the weapon from the aiming line, while the bolt frame, which comes to the extreme rear position at a speed of the order of 5 m / s (for comparison, for systems with more " soft "work of automation, even at the initial stage of the shutter retraction, this speed usually does not exceed 4 m / s), guarantees a strong shaking of the weapon during firing, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of automatic fire. According to some of the available estimates, the weapons of the AK family are generally not suitable for effective aimed fire in bursts. This is also the reason for the relatively large slide overrun, and hence the greater length of the receiver, to the detriment of the length of the barrel while maintaining the overall dimensions of the weapon. On the other hand, the AK bolt runout occurs completely inside the receiver, without using the butt cavity, which allows the latter to be folded, reducing the dimensions of the weapon when carried.

Other shortcomings are less radical, and can be characterized more as individual features of the sample.

As one of the shortcomings of the AK-47 associated with the design of its trigger, the inconvenient location of the translator-fuse is often called (on the right side of the receiver, under the cutout for the cocking handle) and a clear click when the weapon is removed from the protection, unmasking the shooter before opening fire. On many foreign variants ("Tantalum", "Valmet", "Galil") and on the AEK-971 machine gun, an additional translator-fuse has been introduced, conveniently located on the left, which can significantly improve the ergonomics of the weapon. The AK release is considered to be quite tight, but it is noted that this is completely corrected by a simple skill.

The cocking handle located on the right is often attributed to the shortcomings of the AK family. Such an arrangement of it was at one time adopted on the basis of quite practical considerations: the handle located on the left, when carrying the weapon “on the chest” and crawling, would rest against the body of the shooter, giving him significant discomfort. This was just typical, for example, for the German MP.40 submachine gun. The experimental Kalashnikov assault rifle of 1946 also had a handle located on the left, but the military commission considered it necessary to move it, like the fuse-translator of types of fire, to the right. For example, on the foreign version of "Galil", for the convenience of cocking with the left hand, the handle is bent up.

The AK-47 magazine receiver without a developed neck was also often criticized as not ergonomic - sometimes there are claims that it increases the magazine change time by almost 2-3 times compared to a system with a neck.

Ergonomics of all variants of Kalashnikov assault rifles has often been criticized. The stock of the AK-47 is considered to be too short, and the fore-end is considered to be too "elegant". However, this weapon was created for the relatively undersized military personnel of the 1940s, as well as taking into account its use in winter clothes and gloves. The situation could be partially corrected by a removable rubber butt pad, variants of which are widely offered on the civilian market. in Russian divisions special purpose and in the civilian market, it is very common to use non-serial versions of stocks, pistol grips, and so on on various AKs, which increases the usability of weapons, although it does not solve the problem in itself and leads to a significant increase in its cost.

The factory sights of the AK from a modern point of view should be recognized as rather rough, and the short aiming line (the distance between the front sight and the slot of the rear sight) does not contribute to high accuracy. Most of the significantly reworked foreign variants based on the AK-47 first of all received just more advanced sights, and in most cases - with an entirely diopter-type shooter located close to the eye. On the other hand, compared to the diopter, which has real advantages only when firing at medium-long ranges, the “open” AK sight provides a faster transfer of fire from one target to another and is more convenient when conducting automatic fire, as it covers the target less. It is worth noting that the first versions of the Kalashnikov assault rifle did not have rails for mounting optical sights. The ability to install a bar for mounting optical sights appeared only on the AK-74M modification.

The accuracy of the weapon's fire was not its strong point from the very moment it was put into service, and, despite the constant increase in this characteristic during upgrades, remained at a lower level than that of similar foreign models. Nevertheless, in general and in general, it can be considered acceptable for military weapons chambered for such a cartridge. For example, according to data obtained abroad, AKs with a milled receiver (that is, an early modification of 7.62 mm) with single shots regularly showed groups of hits with a diameter of 2-3-3.5 inches (~ 5-9 cm) at 100 yards ( 90 m). The effective range in the hands of an experienced shooter at the same time was up to 400 yards (about 350 m), and at this distance the dispersion diameter was about 7 inches (about 18 cm), that is, a value quite acceptable for hitting a single person. Weapons for low-impulse cartridges have even better characteristics.

On the whole and in general, although the AK certainly has numerous positive qualities and will be suitable for arming the armed forces of countries in which they are used to it for a long time, the need to replace it with more modern models, moreover, having radical differences in a design that would allow not to repeat the fundamental shortcomings of the outdated system described above.

Specifications AK-47

• Caliber: 7.62x39
• Weapon length: 870 mm
• Barrel length: 414 mm
• Weight without cartridges: 3.8 kg.
• Rate of fire: 600 rds / min
• Magazine capacity: 30 rounds
• Main characteristics of AKS
• Caliber: 7.62x39
• Weapon length: 880/645 mm
• Barrel length: 414 mm
• Weight without cartridges: 3.8 kg.
• Rate of fire: 600 rds / min
• Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

Purpose and combat properties. The 5.45 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-74) is the main type of automatic small arms in Armed Forces Republic of Belarus (Fig. 34).

Being an individual weapon, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is designed to destroy manpower and destroy enemy fire weapons. Automatic or single fire is carried out from the machine gun. Automatic fire is the main type of fire: it is carried out in short (up to 5 shots) and long (up to 15 shots) bursts and continuously. To defeat the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, a bayonet-knife is attached to the machine gun. For shooting and observation at night, a night shooting sight is attached to the machine gun. The machine gun can be used in combination with the GP-25 grenade launcher.

The Kalashnikov assault rifle has received wide recognition, it is simple in design and has high combat and operational qualities.

The combat properties of the Ak-74 assault rifle:

Barrel caliber, mm .............................. 5.45

Sighting range, m............. 1000

Muzzle velocity, m/s ..................900

Bullet lethal range, m ........... 1350

Combat rate of fire, rds / min:

when firing in bursts ................... up to 100

when firing single shots ....... up to 40

Rate of fire, rds / min .................... 600

Direct shot range, m:

on the chest figure .......................... 440

on a running figure .......................... 625

Magazine capacity, cartridges .................30

Weight with equipped magazine, kg .............. 3.6

Weight of a bayonet-knife with a scabbard, g ............... 490

General device. The machine gun consists of the following main parts and mechanisms (Fig. 35): a barrel with a receiver, an aiming device, a butt and a pistol grip; receiver covers; bolt carrier with gas piston; shutter; return mechanism; gas tube with handguard; trigger mechanism; forearm; shop. In addition, the machine has a muzzle brake-compensator and a bayonet-knife. The machine kit includes accessories, a belt and a bag for magazines.

The automatic action of the machine is based on the use of the energy of powder gases discharged from the bore into the gas chamber.

When fired, part of the powder gases following the bullet rushes through the hole in the barrel wall into the gas chamber, presses on the front wall of the gas piston and throws the piston and the bolt carrier with the bolt to the rear position.

When the bolt frame moves back, the bolt is unlocked, with its help the sleeve is removed from the chamber and thrown out, the bolt frame compresses the return spring and cocks the trigger.

The bolt frame with the bolt returns to the forward position under the action of the return mechanism, with the help of the bolt the next cartridge is sent from the magazine to the chamber and the barrel bore is closed, and the bolt frame removes the self-timer sear from under the cocking of the self-timer trigger. The trigger becomes on a combat platoon. The shutter is locked by turning around the longitudinal axis to the right, as a result of which the lugs of the shutter go beyond the lugs of the receiver.

If the translator is set to automatic fire, then the shooting will continue as long as the trigger is pulled and there are cartridges in the magazine.

If the interpreter is set to single fire, then only one shot will fire when the trigger is pulled; to make the next shot, you must release the trigger and pull it again.

Trunk(Fig. 36) serves to direct the flight of the bullet. Inside the barrel has a channel with four rifling, winding from left to right. The rifling serves to give the bullet a rotational motion.

Outside, the barrel has a front sight base with a thread for screwing in a muzzle brake-compensator and bushings for firing blank cartridges, a gas outlet, a gas chamber, a coupling, a sight block and a cutout for the ejector hook on the breech section.

Muzzle brake compensator serves to increase the accuracy of the battle and reduce the recoil energy. It has two chambers: front and rear (with a round hole in them for the bullet to fly out).

Receiver designed to connect the parts and mechanisms of the machine, close the bore with a bolt and lock the bolt. A trigger mechanism is placed in the receiver. The top of the box is closed with a lid.

receiver cover protects parts and mechanisms placed in the receiver from contamination.

sighting device serves to aim the machine at a target when firing at various distances and consists of a sight and a front sight. The sight includes a sight block, a lamellar spring, an aiming level and a collar. On the aiming bar of the sight there is a scale with divisions from 1 to 10 and the letter "P". The scale numbers indicate the prescribed firing range in hundreds of meters, and the letter “P” indicates the permanent installation of the sight, which corresponds to the sight 3. The front sight is screwed into the slide, which is fixed at the base of the front sight.

Stock and pistol grip provide comfort when shooting.

Bolt carrier with gas piston designed to actuate the shutter and trigger mechanism.

Gate serves to send a cartridge into the chamber, close the bore, break the primer and remove the cartridge case (cartridge) from the chamber.

Return mechanism designed to return the bolt carrier with the bolt to the forward position.

Gas tube with handguard directs the movement of the gas piston and protects the submachine gunner's hands from burns when firing.

By using trigger mechanism the trigger is released from the combat platoon or from the self-timer platoon, strikes the striker, ensures automatic or single fire, and stops firing; in addition, it is designed to prevent shots when the shutter is unlocked and to set the machine to safety.

handguard serves for convenience of actions with the machine gun and for protection of hands of the machine gunner from burns.

Shop designed to place cartridges and feed them into the receiver.

Bayonet knife attaches to the machine to defeat the enemy in battle, and can also be used as a knife, saw (for cutting metal) and scissors (for cutting wire). A scabbard is used to carry a bayonet-knife on a belt. If necessary, they are used together with a bayonet-knife for cutting wire.

live cartridge consists of a bullet, cartridge case, powder charge and capsule. 5.45 mm cartridges (fig. 37) are produced with ordinary and tracer bullets. The head of the tracer bullet is painted in green color.

To simulate shooting, blank (without a bullet) cartridges are used, which are fired using a special sleeve.

1. Tell us about the purpose and combat properties of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. 2. Name the main parts and mechanisms of the machine. 3. What is the purpose of the main parts and mechanisms of the machine?

Pre-conscription training: a textbook for grades 10-11. institutions of general avg. education with Russian lang. training / V. B. Varlamov. - 3rd ed., revision. and additional - Minsk: Adukatsiya i vykhavanne, 2012. - 328 p. : ill.

Purpose and combat properties. The 5.45 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-74) is the main type of automatic small arms in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Fig. 34).

Rice. 34. General form Kalashnikov assault rifle: a - with a permanent butt (AK-74); b - with a folding butt and an underbarrel grenade launcher (AKS-74); in - with a folding butt, shortened (AKS-74U)

Being an individual weapon, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is designed to destroy manpower and destroy enemy fire weapons. Automatic or single fire is carried out from the machine gun. Automatic fire is the main type of fire: it is carried out in short (up to 5 shots) and long (up to 15 shots) bursts and continuously. To defeat the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, a bayonet-knife is attached to the machine gun. For shooting and observation at night, a night shooting sight is attached to the machine gun. The machine gun can be used in combination with the GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher. The Kalashnikov assault rifle has received wide recognition, it is simple in design and has high combat and operational qualities.

The combat properties of the AK-74 assault rifle:

• Barrel caliber, mm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.45
• Sighting range, m. . . . . . . . . . . .1000
• The initial speed of the bullet, m / s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 900
• Bullet lethal range, m. . . . . . . . . . 1350

Combat rate of fire, rds / min:

• when shooting bursts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . up to 100
• when firing single shots. . . . . . . .up to 40
• Rate of fire, rds / min. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .600

Direct shot range, m:

• on the chest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440
• running figure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625
• Magazine capacity, cartridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . thirty
• Weight with equipped magazine, kg. . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.6
• Weight of a bayonet-knife with a scabbard, g. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .490

General device. The machine gun consists of the following main parts and mechanisms (Fig. 35): a barrel with a receiver, an aiming device, a butt and a pistol grip; receiver covers; bolt carrier with gas piston; shutter; return mechanism; gas tube with handguard; trigger mechanism; forearm; shop. In addition, the machine has a muzzle brake-compensator and a bayonet-knife. The machine kit includes accessories, a belt and a bag for magazines.

The automatic action of the machine is based on the use of the energy of powder gases discharged from the bore into the gas chamber. When fired, part of the powder gases following the bullet rushes through the hole in the barrel wall into the gas chamber, presses on the front wall of the gas piston and throws the piston and the bolt carrier with the bolt to the rear position. When the bolt frame moves back, the bolt is unlocked, with its help the sleeve is removed from the chamber and thrown out, the bolt frame compresses the return spring and cocks the trigger.

Rice. 35. The main parts and mechanisms of the AK-74 assault rifle: 1 - barrel with receiver, sighting device and butt; 2 - muzzle brake compensator; 3 - receiver cover; 4 - return mechanism; 5 - bolt carrier with a gas piston; 6 - shutter; 7 - gas tube with a handguard; 8 - ramrod; 9 - forearm; 10 - store; 11 - accessory case; 12 - bayonet

The bolt frame with the bolt returns to the forward position under the action of the return mechanism, with the help of the bolt the next cartridge is sent from the magazine to the chamber and the barrel bore is closed, and the bolt frame removes the self-timer sear from under the cocking of the self-timer trigger. The trigger becomes on a combat platoon. The shutter is locked by turning around the longitudinal axis to the right, as a result of which the lugs of the shutter go beyond the lugs of the receiver.

If the translator is set to automatic fire, then the shooting will continue as long as the trigger is pulled and there are cartridges in the magazine.

If the interpreter is set to single fire, then only one shot will fire when the trigger is pulled; to make the next shot, you must release the trigger and pull it again.

(Fig. 36) serves to direct the flight of the bullet. Inside the barrel has a channel with four rifling, winding from left to right. The rifling serves to give the bullet a rotational motion.

Rice. 36. Trunk: a - general view; b - section of the trunk; 1 - sight block; 2 - coupling; 3 - gas chamber; 4 - gas outlet; 5 - front sight base; 6 - thread; 7 - field; 8 - rifling

Outside, the barrel has a front sight base with a thread for screwing in a muzzle brake-compensator and bushings for firing blank cartridges, a gas outlet, a gas chamber, a coupling, a sight block and a cutout for the ejector hook on the breech section.

Muzzle brake compensator serves to increase the accuracy of the battle and reduce the recoil energy. It has two chambers: front and rear (with a round hole in them for the bullet to fly out).

Receiver designed to connect the parts and mechanisms of the machine, close the bore with a bolt and lock the bolt. A trigger mechanism is placed in the receiver. The top of the box is closed with a lid.

receiver cover protects parts and mechanisms placed in the receiver from contamination.

sighting device serves to aim the machine at a target when firing at various distances and consists of a sight and a front sight. The sight includes a sight block, a lamellar spring, an aiming level and a collar. On the aiming bar of the sight there is a scale with divisions from 1 to 10 and the letter "P". The numbers on the scale indicate the required firing range in hundreds of meters, and the letter "P" indicates the constant setting of the sight, which corresponds to the sight 3. The front sight is screwed into the slide, which is fixed at the base of the front sight.

Stock and pistol grip provide comfort when shooting.

Bolt carrier with gas piston designed to actuate the shutter and trigger mechanism. The shutter serves to send the cartridge into the chamber, close the bore, break the primer and remove the cartridge case (cartridge) from the chamber.

Return mechanism designed to return the bolt carrier with the bolt to the forward position.

Gas tube with handguard directs the movement of the gas piston and protects the submachine gunner's hands from burns when firing.

With the help of a trigger mechanism, the trigger is released from the combat cocking or from the self-timer cocking, strikes the striker, provides automatic or single fire, and stops firing; in addition, it is designed to prevent shots when the shutter is unlocked and to set the machine to safety.

handguard serves for convenience of actions with the machine gun and for protection of hands of the machine gunner from burns.

Shop designed to place cartridges and feed them into the receiver.

Bayonet knife attaches to the machine to defeat the enemy in battle, and can also be used as a knife, saw (for cutting metal) and scissors (for cutting wire). A scabbard is used to carry a bayonet-knife on a belt. If necessary, they are used together with a bayonet-knife for cutting wire.

live cartridge consists of a bullet, cartridge case, powder charge and primer. 5.45 mm cartridges (fig. 37) are produced with ordinary and tracer bullets. The head of the tracer bullet is painted green. To simulate shooting, blank (without a bullet) cartridges are used, which are fired using a special sleeve.

Rice. 37. Cartridge: a - cartridge with a bullet with a steel core; b - cartridge with a tracer bullet; c - blank cartridge; g - training cartridge

1. Tell us about the purpose and combat properties of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.
2. Name the main parts and mechanisms of the machine.
3. What is the purpose of the main parts and mechanisms of the machine?

This article will discuss weapons with a worldwide reputation, the development of which marked the beginning of a whole era in the field of domestic weapons design. The performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle were improved from one model to another, but the principle of operation remained unchanged. The traditions laid down by the creator himself in his model remained inviolable: quality, reliability, simplicity and long service life.

History of creation...

The prerequisites for the development of a new weapon model were the results of a meeting of the technical council at the USSR People's Commissariat in July 1943, where the captured prototype of the German StG-44 and the American M1 Carbine carbine were dismantled.

About a month later, a new experimental cartridge of 7.62 x 41 mm caliber was created, subsequently the cartridge was adjusted, as a result, the caliber was converted to 7.62 x 39 mm.

Later, a number of design competitions were announced, as a result of which the famous machine gun was developed.

In 1947, it was decided to start the production of the machine gun in Izhevsk. And two years later, two samples were put into service: a standard AK with a caliber of 7.62 mm and a model with a folding stock - AKS - of the same caliber.

1959 was marked by the release of a modernized version of the machine. The flaws identified during operation were corrected, on the basis of the already used TKB-517 assault rifle, new performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle were compiled and the first machine gun based on AKM was released.

Machine

The Kalashnikov assault rifle, performance characteristics and main parts were refined from one version of the product to another to increase efficiency, reliability and improve quality. However, the design features remained unchanged.

From the moment it entered service, the performance characteristics established at that time became the starting point for the unstoppable development of design ideas. The types and forms of butts, the shape of the handle, the length of the barrel changed. Models of the hundredth series (in addition to the protrusions for mounting the bayonet-knife) have a socket for mounting. The fifth generation machine gun (for example, AK-12) has different kind equipment, such as optical or collimator sights, laser designators or a flashlight. The quality, purpose, performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are constantly improving.

Purpose of the main parts of the product

Now you should dwell directly on each component in order to make out which part serves what.

Trunk- is intended to set the direction of the bullet's flight directly when fired.

Receiver- acts as a connector for all parts and mechanisms of the machine, ensures that the barrel is closed with a bolt and the latter is locked.

receiver cover- contributes to the protection of the internal parts of the product (placed in the receiver) from contamination and penetration of foreign objects.

sighting device- consists of a front sight and a sight. Designed to point the barrel of the machine gun at the target to produce the most effective shooting.

Butt- Provides comfortable shooting along with the handle.

Bolt frame - actuates the bolt and trigger mechanism. The shutter, in turn, sends the cartridge into the chamber, locks the bore, breaks the capsule shell, removes the sleeve.

Return mechanism- brings the bolt carrier and the bolt to its original (front) position.

Gas tube and handguard- protect the hands of the shooter from burns, and also set the direction of movement of the gas piston.

trigger mechanism- pulls the trigger, which is in the cocked (combat) position. It strikes the striker, thereby providing automatic fire in bursts or single fire. Serves to stop firing, set the safety lock, and also prevents shots when the shutter is locked.

handguard- serves for a convenient girth of the body of the machine gun when firing. Together with a gas tube, it protects the shooter's palm from burns.

Shop- serves for storage and transportation of machine gun cartridges, as well as feeding into the chamber for firing in a different position.

Bayonet knife- in a position attached to the machine gun, it is used in a bayonet attack or any other form of close contact combat. Can be used as a knife, saw and wire cutter.

TTX of the Kalashnikov AK-74 and not only

The modern model of the Kalashnikov assault rifle AK-74M has the following characteristics: the weight of the product is 3.6 kg without cartridges, 3.9 kg - equipped, 5.8 kg - without cartridges, but with the NSPUM model installed, the sight of the NSPU-3 type is slightly lighter - only 0.1 kg.

An empty magazine weighs 0.23 kg, and a bayonet-knife without a scabbard weighs only 0.32 kg.

The length of the machine is 940 millimeters, and with an attached bayonet - 1089 mm. With the stock unfolded, this figure already has a value of 943, and with the stock folded - 704 millimeters. With the advent of new models, the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are undergoing changes.

The barrel length is 415 mm with the installed muzzle brake compensator and only 372 mm without it.

The width is also an integral part of the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. It is 70 millimeters for a standard product. Height - 195 mm.

The principle of operation for all models is the same - the system for removing gases of burnt gunpowder and the rotary shutter - despite the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle changing from one model to another.

5.45 is the caliber of the modern AK-74M.

TTX of the Kalashnikov assault rifle AKS-74U and some interesting things

Folding shortened Kalashnikov assault rifle - this is how the abbreviation of the name of this weapon is deciphered. It is a shortened version of the standard AK-74, designed to conduct combat missions in a small enclosed space: to equip military transport crews in civilian or combat conditions (for example, BTR-80), crews of various guns, as well as landing units. It is in service in security structures, has proven itself in those due to its compactness and low weight.

It weighs about 3 kg with cartridges and 2.7 kg without them. The weight of the magazine is 0.21 kg, the mounting of the NSPUM sight weighing 2.2 kg is provided.

The length of the product is 730 mm with the butt unfolded, 490 - respectively, with the butt folded. The length of the barrel itself is 206 mm.

The rate of fire varies from 600 to 700 rounds per second. The effective range is 500 meters, but the effective range is only 300.

A bullet fired from the AKS-74U is capable of developing an initial velocity of 735 m/s.

Features of AKS-74U

In view of the global trend towards the creation of shortened versions of existing assault rifles, the designers of the USSR in the 70s also took care of creating a compact sample of an existing machine gun.

Compared to the original version, "drying" (sometimes there are versions with the letter "h" instead of "w") has the following features:

• a significantly shortened barrel with a mounted muzzle, which in turn serves as a flame arrester;
• the gas-piston rod is shortened by almost half;
• removed the system of slowing down the rate of fire;
• improved bullet flight stabilization system with a shortened barrel.

Advantages

The main feature is the relatively high firing range for this type of weapon. But this is far from the only plus. It should also be mentioned:

• due to its small dimensions, concealed carrying is possible;
• reliable, easy to disassemble, clean and reassemble;
• high penetrating power.

Flaws

Despite the high popularity of the AKS-74U, the product also has a number of disadvantages. Some of them lead to the refusal to use this weapon, some require getting used to. It all depends on the desire and capabilities of the owner.

• First of all, a significantly lower accuracy is noticeable to the naked eye compared to the original version of the product.
• Sighting range is similarly low when compared with the classic version of the machine.
• Low stopping power. This term refers to the parameter of the bullet, which determines the ability of the enemy to take any further actions after being hit by a bullet. In this case, the low rate of this parameter is associated with the use of caliber 5.45.
• The model quickly overheats due to its small size.

Kalashnikov assault rifle in popular culture

In a number of African countries, newborn boys are given the name "Kalash". There are many versions of this term.

One theory says that it is named after the hero of the film "22 Minutes" - a Somali pirate who helped the main character.

According to another version, it is argued that the name has no semantic link to the Kalashnikov assault rifle, but means something in local dialects.

And there is also a religious interpretation, rooted in totemic religions based on the cult of patron ancestors. Such views are held by about 16% of the population of all of Africa.

According to this interpretation, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is so famous all over the world that it is difficult to name a country that it would not have influenced. In particular, this weapon was also used in a number of armed conflicts and in Africa.

In the end, it got to the point that a number of African tribes who used the famous Kalash identified this weapon with the spirit of a great ancestor, capable of both harming and protecting. Therefore, when a boy was born, and, consequently, a warrior, he was called "Kalash", thus implying that the future protector, support and hope of the whole family is growing.

But this is just one of the theories.

On the albums of many musical groups of different directions, images of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are used.

The song "Dragunov" by the Swedish Industrial band Raubtier mentions a Kalashnikov assault rifle in the following context:

Dragunov and Stolichnaya

Smirnoff and Kalashnikoff.

Here is such an unusual application found a Kalashnikov assault rifle. The device, purpose, performance characteristics are not involved in any way.

"Kalashnikov" on the coats of arms of the countries of the world

The famous automaton is present or was present at different times on the coats of arms of a number of countries. For example, it is used on the coat of arms and (with an attached bayonet-knife) in the heraldry of the state of Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso from 1987 to 1997.

Since 2007, the outline of "Kalash" has been used on the coat of arms of East Timor.

Also used in the emblem of the "Vanguard of the Red Youth" - a communist Bolshevik organization, common in the states of the former USSR.

The coat of arms of the Ukrainian volunteer paramilitary association, formed to eliminate a local conflict on the territory of Donbass, also includes a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

QUESTIONS

ON FIRE PREPARATION:

VUS-093500

Question number 1: "Appointment, performance characteristics and the main parts of the Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-74)"

Answer:

Kalashnikov assault rifle AK-74 is an individual firearm, automatic small arms and serves to destroy enemy manpower with single fire and a burst at a distance of up to 1000 meters.

TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AK-74 AUTOMATIC.

MAIN PARTS OF THE KALASHNIKOV AK-74

1. Barrel with receiver and sight, pistol grip and stock.

2. Shop.

3. Pencil case with accessories.

4. Cover of the receiver.

5. Return mechanism.

6. Bolt carrier with gas piston.

7. Shutter.

8. Gas tube with handguard.

10. bayonet

Question number 2: "Appointment, performance characteristics and main parts of the Makarov pistol (PM)"

Answer:

9mm Makarov pistol(Fig. 1) - a self-loading pistol of the "compact" class. It is an individual weapon of attack and defense and serves to defeat the enemy at short distances.

Rice. 1. General view of the 9mm Makarov pistol

PERFORMANCE AND TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

MAIN PARTS OF THE GUN

1. Frame with barrel and trigger guard.

2. Bolt with striker, fuse and ejector .

3. Return spring.

4. Handle with screw.

5. Shutter lag.

6. Shop.

7. Trigger mechanism (trigger, trigger rod with cocking lever, sear with spring, trigger, mainspring, mainspring valve).

Question number 3: "The purpose of the parts and mechanisms of the Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-74)"

Answer:

Purpose of parts and mechanisms Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-74).

Trunk- serves to direct the flight of the bullet and give it rotational motion.

Flash hider (muzzle brake-compensator)- serves to reduce the fire effect on the muzzle cut.

gas chamber- serves to direct the powder gases to the gas piston.

Receiver- serves to connect the parts and mechanisms of the machine, their interaction, closing the bore with a bolt and locking the bolt.

sighting device- serves to aim the machine at the target.

receiver cover- serves to protect the trigger mechanism from mechanical damage.

Bolt carrier with gas piston- serves to actuate the shutter and trigger mechanism.

Bolt with striker and ejector- serves to send a cartridge into the chamber, lock the bore when fired, eject the spent cartridge case and strike the primer.

Return mechanism- serves to return the bolt carrier with the bolt to the extreme forward position.

Gas tube with handguard- serves to direct the movement of the gas piston and protect hands from burns during firing.

trigger mechanism- serves to pull the trigger from a combat platoon; striking a striker; providing automatic or single fire; stop shooting; prevention of shots when the bore is not locked and the safety is on.

handguard- serves to hold weapons and protect hands from burns.

Shop- serves to place and feed cartridges into the receiver.

Trigger- serves to hold the trigger on the cocking and its descent.

fire translator- serves to install the machine on automatic or single fire or on the fuse.