The American Russian Weapon Company, which imports weapons manufactured by the Kalashnikov concern to North America, intends to launch production of AK-47s in the United States this year. And this is despite the sanctions.As reported, in addition to the AK, it is planned to establish the production of smooth-bore hunting weapons, previously imported from Russia. The news generated a lively reaction in the electronic media. Indeed, there is no better advertisement for our small arms. In this red top ak 47 buyers guide you will know about it all.
How It Came to Use
AK series assault rifles and AKS Simonov automatic carbines became popular overseas immediately after the end of the Vietnam War. There, the Yankees themselves experienced the full power of this weapon. They were especially impressed by the reliability of assault rifles and carbines supplied to the partisans from the USSR.
Surprisingly, the characteristics of Russian weapons that were truly lethal for the enemy did not disgust him. On the contrary, it was the Vietnam veterans who introduced the fashion for AK and SKS. Very soon in the USA, every self-respecting man had to have a personal “Kalash” at home. Overseas, the boom of AK began.
American Charlie Katshaw in collaboration with Russian Valery Shilin published the book “Legends and Reality of the Kalashnikov Assault Rifle”. Military historian Chris McNab’s book “AK-47” has been published. In 2004, a real encyclopedia “Kalashnikov assault rifles and their variations” appeared under the authorship of US weapons expert Joe Poyer. All authors have noted the amazing transformation of the AK into an international heraldic symbol.
Among the countries that have included the image of the Kalashnikov assault rifle in their state symbols are Mozambique (coat of arms and flag since 1975), Zimbabwe (coat of arms since 1980), Burkina Faso (coat of arms in 1984-1997). The Mozambique banknote also contains the AK image.
What is the reason for such an unprecedented popularity of the Kalashnikov assault rifle?
Mikhail Timofeevich was able to achieve an optimal combination of a number of qualities that ensure high efficiency of use and exceptional reliability of the machine in battle. Among them is the simplicity of the design and disassembly of the mechanism, which practically does not have screw or threaded connections. Compactness, convenient location of the firing mode switching lever, an ingeniously simple shutter device (suspended shutter) and also a short locking unit, preliminary starting of the cartridge case after the shot, which excludes the refusal when extracting the spent cartridge case. The machine is impervious to pollution; it works flawlessly in any climatic conditions.
In all corners of the world, soldiers of the most diverse armies speak of the Kalashnikov assault rifle only in superlatives. In the 1990s, when many restrictions were lifted, shipments of AK overseas began to grow steadily. And the emergence of the Russian Weapon Company, which specializes in promoting Kalashnikovs to the United States and Canada, was quite natural.
Last Words
In addition to military weapons in North America and throughout the world, hunting and sporting weapons produced in Izhevsk were in high demand. Its distinctive feature was that almost all samples were created on the basis of automatic rifles and AK series rifles. For example, the Saiga hunting rifle was developed on the basis of the AKM, the Tiger on the basis of the Dragunov sniper rifle, which, by the way, was also appreciated in Vietnam. For American hunters it was considered a special chic to go after a wild beast, clutching not just a hunting rifle, but a rude but reliable analogue of the combat Kalashnikov.
