weapons in the world are not so many samples that have become legend.Epic damask sword replaced the Kalashnikov assault rifle.Hand compressing AKM, has become as much a symbol of victory, as portrayed earlier hand holding a sword.
caliber cartridge
era of modern weapons can be measured from the First World War.The world entered her shop with rifles enormous power and range of fire.Military doctrine drew thick chain infantry Near to bayonet and leading a counter-fire.Firing range depended on the capacity of the cartridge and the barrel length.All the armies of the world armed with rifles caliber of 7.5 to 9 millimeters long sleeve, enclosing the necessary charge of gunpowder.In addition to the Japanese.Cartridge gun "Arisaka" had six millimeters caliber and smaller powder charge.Experience battles of the First World crossed the old stereotypes.It has become evident the need for a less powerful small arms, can fire automatically.Soviet designers have relied on the Japanese cartridge has developed several models of automatic weapons on its basis.However, as the use of a pistol cartridge, it was a half-measure.
Work on the cartridge lower power and weight of the military in many countries was conducted.But for a radical change of basic consumables war lacked confidence in the right choice and willingness to take risks.The army leadership preferred to balance the heavy automatic rifle cartridge with carbines and submachine gun, which had a modest performance.The decisive step Germans did, putting into service intermediate cartridge caliber 7,92 × 33 mm and created by him in 1943, a sample of which has begun a new class of small arms - machine.
German test
Germans themselves called their new product "shturmgeveer", which meant "assault rifle."The turning point in the war StG-44 is not caused.I do not even leave vivid impressions in the memories of war veterans.But allowing all interested parties to see the advantages and disadvantages of the new system is not at the site, and on the battlefield.Soviet machine that is based on the domestic intermediate cartridge, called the AK-47.Caliber thus remained the same as that of the rest of small arms.
Development AK47
Soviet intermediate cartridge was created in 1943.Then began the design of weapons under it, including the future author of the AK-47.The caliber bullets allowed to use the usual standards in the industry.In addition to the Kalashnikov, the work was done by several design offices.The first Soviet machine was the AC-44 design Sudaeva.Military trials revealed its shortcomings and caused a need to consider new models, one of which was the predecessor of the AK-47 / 7.62 mm.
"Everything was stolen before us!"
addition to Mikhail Kalashnikov, who represented his group samples offered by other designers.Machines of all domestic developers are close to each other in general appearance and have similarities with the StG-44, in what is often accused the AK-47.The caliber of all Soviet machines match the new intermediate cartridge, under which they were created.Kalashnikov designed his weapon, drawing not only on the layout created by Schmeisser, but also on the experience of the Soviet developers offer similar options.Despite the proximity to the German image shturmgeveeru mechanism machine is built on a different principle and not a clone or the development of design Schmeisser.AK-47 has been successful its competitors, although not without flaws.In 1949 he was adopted by the Soviet Army in the infantry and landing variant.In the future, based on the design of the machine guns was created line for use in infantry formations and armored vehicles.
Features weapons
main feature of the machine is the balance of its properties.Perhaps that is manifested in the Design talent.The ability to set priorities, as it did Kalashnikov.AK-47 incorporates the already well-known and previously tested solutions.Embodied in its product, they led to the creation of a new quality.The basis of design solutions is rotating in the receiver under the influence of the energy of powder gases gate.This mechanism is quite massive element made of a single piece of metal.All automation is ensured by its reciprocating in the receiver at which the extraction and the spent cartridges and dosylaya in the trunk of a new cartridge from the magazine.At every point of its trajectory valve turns on a certain angle specified design.And every turn means performing some action.The heavy gate demanded strong steel box and a powerful vent mechanism.Free sliding and rotating shutter allowed to leave sufficiently large tolerances between the parts.All these features have led to a very simple Automation, durable, reliable, not susceptible to contamination weapons.Options simplicity and reliability inherent in the AC, have long been the standard for top designers weapons.
Criticism
War Department filed a lot of comments to the new machine.Features weapon determine his strengths and weaknesses.The heavy gate and high power gas piston creating tangible results, leading from the trunk line of sight when shooting bursts.It is this shortcoming identified in the period of competitive tests, still put in the already well-deserved rebuke machine.But it could not be overcome in any subsequent modifications made by the classical scheme.AK-47 weighed about four and a half kilos in running condition.Such weight is also regarded as a drawback that must strive to overcome.The problem was solved with the transition to a smaller caliber cartridge in the following modifications.
Strengths
arguments about the merits and demerits have several academic.Decades of war have shown better what is the Kalashnikov assault rifle.Combat experience in all climatic and natural zones in the hands of professional soldiers and irregular militia made this weapon descriptions.Reliability, power fire, durability and reliability is often determined choice in favor of those weapons.The soldier had no doubt that if he is anywhere in the world with the gun in his hand, his gun will fire.The arctic cold and tropical swamp.The dust storm in the sticky mud trench.Monolithic bolt cast by a gas piston strikes its way through the frozen oil, and through nabivshiysya sand.Robust receiver will retain the geometry even when the barrel from overheating lights forearm.Guns do not jam or skew.The machine will always shoot in any conditions.It is this characteristic Kalashnikov leaves its rivals behind.The rest depends on the fighter.In the hands of a trained shooter "Kalashnikov" shows excellent results in terms of accuracy of fire.In the hands of an inexperienced Irregulars, he spews a flurry of lead up until the run out of ammo.
World Top
transition to a new type of shooting coincided with the rearmament of the countries of socialist orientation and the collapse of the colonial system.Simple and reliable Kalashnikov assault rifle, the price of which has not been inflated, fell to the court in all situations.Before the advent of the American M-16 rifle he had almost no competitors in its class.It is widely disseminated in the world.During the Vietnam War Machine was delivered to the armed forces of the Viet Cong.Then he met on the field of battle with the American development."Kalashnikov" stand comparison with those weapons.That dependability, reliability, power of fire were obvious advantages.The best accuracy, a large sighting range of American rifles do not so much affect the combat capability of the soldiers as her moodiness, susceptibility to fire interruption due to pollution and demanding care.The highest response Kalashnikov confirmed in all forms of military conflict.
Development of
Later subjected to automatic improvements in the army was replaced by AKM AK-47.Caliber modern versions of this weapon have changed.AK-74 uses 5.45 mm caliber ammunition, which reduced the weight of the machine.The principle of automation, the overall layout, the legendary reliability and firepower remained unchanged, which distinguishes a Kalashnikov.The price of the arms market remains in the democratic limits.
