Kalashnikov Information part 2

                            


                           Kalashnikov, posing in front of the Order of Lenin, and other medals

Kalashnikov changed his design in 1944 to match the newer 7.62x39mm cartridges. He developed a selective fire carbine that used a rotating bolt operated by a cam lug moving in a groove in the bolt carrier. It had a fixed magazine, like the SKS, but it used many features which would later re-appear in the AK47. Kalashnikov's project died when the SKS was adopted by the Soviet Army as their semi-automatic battle rifle.

Kalashnikov's competitor, A.I. Sudayev, submitted a very different 7.62x39mm automatic rifle in early 1944. It was a blowback operated gun using a massive bolt. Tests indicated that the gun would quickly shoot itself to pieces, and that further development was needed. Sudayev then submitted a second design that incorporated a rotating bolt mechanism (like Kalashnikov's design) and a folding butt. Tests indicated that the gun was still too heavy, and the Artillery Committee of the Main Artillery Commission issued requirements for decreasing the weight. 

Enlargement of a 7.62x39 cartridge on top of a 20-round ammo box

Kalashnikov was studying the weapons of the other designers while developing his own weapon. Kalashnikov produced his "Mikhtim" (derived from his first name and patronymic). He settled on the use of a gas operated mechanism, and in the Spring of 1946 he submitted his latest rifle for evaluation by the Main Artillery Commission, and won acceptance after it was dragged through mud, sand, and dust and was still able to fire without jamming. Moscow authorities accepted his design for development as an experimental weapon. Kalashnikov created a design team which included A.A. Zaytsev, Engineer-Colonel V.S. Demin, V.V. Krupin, V.A. Kharkov, A.D. Kryakushkin, N.N. Afanasyev, and V.N. Punshin, and tests continued. 

By 1949 the "Avtomat Kalashnikova" had been accepted as the standard carbine of the Soviet Army, capping four years of design, engineering work and testing. Production of the AK47 began late in 1949. When released from military service in 1949, Kalashnikov was assigned to the Izhevsk Machine Factory as a civilian engineer, where he quickly became a senior manager, overseeing production engineering and design operations. Kalishnikov and his team then perfected a new and lighter stamped receiver for the AK.  

Mikhail Kalashnikov with a more modern AK-74 (easily identified by the grove on the butt stock)

There were many setbacks during early production. The first models had stamped sheet metal receivers. Difficulties were encountered in welding the guide and ejector rails, causing high rejection rates. Instead of halting production, a heavy machined receiver was substituted for the sheet metal receiver. This was a more costly process, but the use of machined receivers accelerated production as tooling and labor for the earlier Mosin-Nagant rifle's machined receiver were easily adapted. Partly because of these problems, the Soviets were not able to distribute large numbers of the new rifle to soldiers until 1956. During this time, production of the interim SKS rifle continued. 

Early model milled receiver

Once manufacturing difficulties had been overcome, a redesigned version designated the AKM (Avtomat Kalashnikova Modernizirovanniy) was introduced in 1959. This new model reverted to an improved stamped sheet metal receiver, and featured a slanted muzzle brake on the end of the barrel to compensate for muzzle rise under recoil. In addition, a hammer retarder was added to prevent the weapon from firing out of battery (without the bolt being fully closed), during rapid or automatic fire. This is also sometimes referred to as a "cyclic rate reducer", or simply "rate reducer", as it also has the effect of reducing the number of rounds fired per minute during automatic fire. It was also lighter than the previous model, at roughly one-third lighter.

Early model milled receiver

Between 1950 and 1970, a series of unified small arms weapons developed by Kalashnikov-AKM, AKMS, AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74U, RPK, RPRS, RPK-74, RPKS-74, PK, PKS, PKM, PKSM, PKT, PKTM, PKB, PKMB-were adopted. 

Milled receiver - 1954

 

...........................to be continued