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Rifle

Kalashnikov the correct nomenclature – Part 2

November 16, 2013 by Bart "Sergei" Norman 1 Comment

After the AK went into mass production, Kalashnikov did not stop his work there. As the stamped receiver concept was pretty much still on his mind, he put his work into modernizing the AK. In 1959 the Modernized version of the AK came into being and was accepted into service in the Soviet Red Army as the AKM. The biggest improvement was the decrease of the overall mass of the weapon by 2.2 lb.  This was achieved by implementing major changes to the construction of the weapon and use of more stamped sheet steel parts instead of milled counterparts found on the AK. The new weapon continued to utilise the 7.62×39 M43 ammunition.

There were several variants produced in the Soviet Union (at Tula Mechanical Plant and in Izhmash) as well as other countries. The main and most widespread types are:

AKM – Standard Assault Rifle, with a fixed wooden stock.

akm_partsakm_cut

AKMS – Standard Assault Rifle, with a under-folding metal stock.

Polish_AKM

AKMN – A variant of the AKM with a dovetail side mount for night optics.

akmn

AKMSN – A variant of the AKMS with a dovetail side mount for night optics, one of the sides of the under-folding stock was modified not to interfere with the optic mount.

ammsn02

AKML – This was a special complex designed especially for night and low-light engagements. It was noticed that the slant muzzle brake of the AKM produced a lot of flash which caused concern for using night optics. A new muzzle device (similar in shape to that of the M14 or the SVD sniper rifle)

akml1akml

 

And so, I hope this clarifies a bit more for you all. Note in some sources you might also find such contraptions as the fabled AKMSU the commonly known shorty or “Krink” version in 7.62×39. Unlike the guns mentioned above, there were very limited amounts of this weapon produced and it was NEVER officially accepted into service in any Army. The gun that short was just to unreliable when used with a 7.62 round, and never made it into mass production. Though it was a milestone on the road to a true “Suchka” which we will mention in the next Part of Kalashnikov the correct nomenclature.

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About the Author

Bart "Sergei" Norman Bart "Sergei" Norman is a Poland-based firearms instructor and security consultant. A proud member of the Tactical Beard Owners Club, Sergei graduated from Adam Mickiewicz University with a BA in Information Science (Social Media and Open-Source Intelligence), and from The Higher Banking School with an MA in Management Psychology (War on Terror as part of Political Marketing in the US after 9/11). Currently leading a quiet life as Polish Army reservist, Sergei's main fields of study include: Psychology in Propaganda, Information Security, Open-Source Intelligence, Information Analysis, Conflicts in the Caucasus.

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