This is for the gun fans out there, Casey H and Roxran, but I figured I would put it in the D & D since no weapon has become more associated with insurgency and revolution since its invention. Also a question for gun people out there. Have any of you fired AK-47's or other Kalishnikovs and how do they compare to US assault rifles? http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/09/262571.aspx THE KALASHNIKOV CELEBRATES 60 YEARS Russia’s most popular weapon celebrated its 60th birthday, and it couldn’t come at a better time for Russia’s weapons industry. At a ceremony in Moscow’s Armed Forces Museum, a first model of the Kalashnikov rifle, the AK-47 (the first version was produced in 1947), was unveiled and placed into the hands of its creator, Mikhail Kalashnikov. The 87-year-old Kalashnikov said he was excited to greet what he called his "first-born," but also said he loves all versions of the Kalashnikov equally – the way a mother loves all her children. Weapon of choice He’s not alone in loving Russian weapons. Russia is second in the world in weapons exports, with only the United States selling more. The vast majority of these weapons are sold through the official state arms export agency, Rosoboroexport. According to government estimates, Russia sold over $6 billion worth of weapons last year and plans to break the $7 billion mark in 2007. The government agency also estimates that future orders booked last year will be worth over $20 billion. Venezuela survived the U.S. arms embargo by buying billions of dollars worth of Russian weapons, and Israel complains that Russian weapons sold to Syria make their way to Hezbollah. While those deals by Russia get most of the critical Western press attention, the country’s main weapons trade is with China and India. But no export is as well-known or widespread as the Kalashnikov rifle. Easy to manufacture and tough to jam, the Kalashnikov is the weapon of choice for national armies (President Hugo Chavez ordered 100,000 for Venezuela) and countless militias, guerrillas, and insurgent groups. An estimated 100 million Kalashnikovs are in circulation in the world – outstripping the U.S.’s M-16 (estimated 12 million) by almost 10-1 – and are ubiquitous in armed conflicts around the world. They are manufactured in 14 different countries. But the Kalashnikov’s status may be best gauged by the range its cultural symbolism. One can find the Kalashnikov on the flag of Mozambique, the logo of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp., the flag of Hezbollah and even referenced in the N.B.A. – Utah Jazz star (and Russian native) Andrei Kirilenko’s number is 47 (hence his nickname, AK-47). Resting easy But for the weapon’s inventor, Mikhail Kalashnikov, the existence of vast numbers of the weapon doesn’t faze him. Without even being prompted by the question, he told reporters that he sleeps fine at night, because it’s "the politicians to blame for failing to come to an agreement and instead resolving their problems with violence." All he did, he says, was create a weapon to defend the Russian fatherland.
countries in central america gathered all the ak 47s left from the war and made art exhibitions out of them, as to show honour to those who gave up their lives for freedom. ( this was about 3 years ago). I've held one in my hands but never fired it, just observed its beauty
I watched We Were Soldiers last night, and was reminded of how revolutionary the AK-47 was. It was interesting watching the Americans who didn't yet have an M-16, and they were still using M-1's (WWI technology) against the North Vietnamese who had AK-47's.
Finally!... Military channel ranks the AK47 as the best combat rifle of all time...(M16/M4 was ranked #2)... What makes the AK47 so incredible is the reliability...(which is the utmost important in a battle rifle...)...The weapon is sub-par on accuracy when compared to the tighter M16 or even M4 carbine... The advantage of the AK47 is you can buy cheap WOLF brand ammo, and stockpile thousands and not too much of a cost.... The other advantage is compared to the .223 round, it has more energy and it will penetrate cinder blocks and vehicles much better...a lot of U.S. soldiers envy this... However the strange thing is the .223 round is often considered a better killing round due to the fact it's smaller size, and faster speed will translate to great fragmentation of the round in the body...I have heard reports of a bad guy receiving an entry wound the size of a pencil, and an exit wound the size of a grapefruit... Unfortunately, reliable fragmentation stops at 160 yards...(That is why in Afghanistan, you see lots of M14 rifles - greater range with the .308 round) Still, up close...the advantage of the AK47 round with better penetration of hard targets, reliabilty with good killing power is hard to beat... I have only shot 1 machine gun ...(the MP5) I have shot semi-auto only variants of the AK47, M4, M16... I have shot the M1A rifle, but that is more of a "battle rifle" than an assault type rifle... The AK47 has more kick than than the M16, M4...It sounds a bit louder to me, and more solid...The M4/M16 has a disturbling "cling" sound in the butt stock after you fire a round which honestly, and I hate to say it, makes it sound more toy than rifle...The M4 type being shorter looks a lot better, but the M16 has better range/killing power... Recoil is less with the American designed rifles, and accuracy is better... For instance, with an AK47, you are good to get 4 inch groups at 100 yards...With the M16/M4, the same can be said for 1.5 inch groups...
Isn't another advantage of the AK-47 is that it is easy to manufacture and the Russians licensed, or allowed people to copy, the design of the rifle to many countries? So many countries have been able to manufacturer their own and sell cheaply AK-47 rifles thus making it the weapon of choice for all sorts of groups. The Flag of Mozambique Peoples Liberation Army
dad's buddy that was in vietnam said they would just use the AKs they picked up off enemies b/c their m16s would jam were just unreliable. a simple, and very good weapon.
aks are great, but once the HK 416 become mass produced, you get the reliability of an AK, with the accuracy of a m4/m16. i shot a mak 90 (norinco import version of the ak 47), couldnt hit jack **** at 200 yards with only the iron sight, its very crudely made. the rock river arms government issue i also shot was a very good gun, accuarate, but lacks the knock down power furthur down the range. also, vietnam era m16s were problem prone, partially due to sticky powder, but they are much more reliable now.
Yep...In addition, certain countries are considered to provide better quality. Russia - obviously, and Bulgaria made are considered better... An example of getting a cheap AK rifle is misalignment of the front sight with the rear sight...Of course, you can adjust only the front sight to compensate, but only just a little...
I've sold what are called 'parts kits'. It is essentially the foreign made AK gun without the reciever, and people buy an American made reciever (for instance, from NoDakSpud) I can't vouch, obviously, for every AK, but I've had them from several countries like Poland or Romania and they are not what I'd call beautiful or elegant. 'Utilitarian' seems to be the nicest description I can give them. 'Ugly' or 'cheap junk' would probably be a better description. I guess they would be good for arming a bunch of untrained people quickly. If they don't really know how to shoot, the fact that they are totally inaccurate won't matter since they are going to be using the 'spray and pray' method. Interestingly, I have a bunch of early Hungarian and Romanian Communist medals and on the crests they show the PPSh-41, not the AK. So I wonder how much of the appearance of the AK in iconography is really about the AK and how much about a general Bolshevik mindset of spreading global revolution.
^ Are the medals you have from shortly after WWII? If so that would make sense that AK-47's aren't displayed in the iconography. It seems to me that many of the anti-colonial liberation movements that feature the AK-47 in their iconography were in full swing in the 1950's through 1970's when the AK-47 became the most widely available assault rifle so rather than being a celebration of Bolshevism it was just the most common weapon. On another note for Otto and Roxran are AK-47's from all countries available for sale in the US or are their trade restrictions? My impression is that Chinese made AK-47's are the most widely sold in the US is this the case?
You know, we don't celebrate weapons enough. I think we should parade them through the streets...we should fly weapons of destruction over sporting events. oh, wait...we totally do that.
^ MadMax; You're right we are a weapon loving culture. I admit I'm not immune to it and am interested in the history and popularity of the AK-47. I don't own a gun and I'm not looking to buy an AK-47 though.
and i'm not sure it's specific to any one culture. it's just how we symbolize strength (which is sad to me). that we tie in bombers to sporting events (like a super bowl or all star game) is more than strange to me, though.
Mao is right, "True power emmanates from the barrel of a gun." As humans we like power and that is symbolized in the tools of power.
