Kalashnikov RIP

[Skybird]

Whatever. The SG44 left quite a huge impression in Russian - and Western - minds, and Kalashnikov himself said in a rare interview about which I have read many years ago that the SG44 tremendously influenced his thinking - both in things he took over and things he made different. He said the Russians rated the concept of the SG44 and its military value in the war as very high. He said without the SG44 he would have done the AK quite differently - again both regarding design decisions "copying" the German SG'S characteristics and design decisions that were made to "replace" details in the German weapon. Also, the idea behind the SG44 - to combine carbine and machine pistol and make support by LMG and MMG less essential, was a kickstart to similiar brainstorming in East and West.

Technically, the SG44 and the AK47 are quite different, still, the SG44 has influenced the design of this and similar machine carbines (as would be the correct German term instead of assault rifle).

The SG44 gets used in third world conflicts until today. And German wikipedia says ammunition for it still gets manufactured, for example in Serbia.

[Red October1984]

RIP to a great man with a great idea turned into a great innovation.

[Ducimus]

(45:57)

Mentions much of what some are discussing in this thread. I watched it earlier today, but didn't bother linking it.

[TFatseas]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Whatever. The SG44 left quite a huge impression in Russian - and Western - minds, and Kalashnikov himself said in a rare interview about which I have read many years ago that the SG44 tremendously influenced his thinking - both in things he took over and things he made different. He said the Russians rated the concept of the SG44 and its military value in the war as very high. He said without the SG44 he would have done the AK quite differently - again both regarding design decisions "copying" the German SG'S characteristics and design decisions that were made to "replace" details in the German weapon. Also, the idea behind the SG44 - to combine carbine and machine pistol and make support by LMG and MMG less essential, was a kickstart to similiar brainstorming in East and West.

Technically, the SG44 and the AK47 are quite different, still, the SG44 has influenced the design of this and similar machine carbines (as would be the correct German term instead of assault rifle).

The SG44 gets used in third world conflicts until today. And German wikipedia says ammunition for it still gets manufactured, for example in Serbia.

Meh, the tilting bolt design of the StG 44 is a world away from the AK-47.

The AK is closer to a SVT or a SKS, heck, even an M1 Garand internally than a StG. I don't doubt the StG 44 influenced the AK, but I believe more of it comes from the Soviet's own designs.

Anyhow, I need to do a mag dump for Mr. Kalashnikov.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by TFatseas

Anyhow, I need to do a mag dump for Mr. Kalashnikov.

Mag dump did you say?



Edit:
Although, I'd have been more impressed if he was using a class 3 AK.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by TFatseas

Anyhow, I need to do a mag dump for Mr. Kalashnikov.

Sounds like fun...

I really love shooting AK's. They're great rifles on and off the battlefield IMHO.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Sounds like fun...

I really love shooting AK's. They're great rifles on and off the battlefield IMHO.

The Russian army had huge stockpiles of AK's that would have armed the reserves in case of a general mobilization. But in 2011 the weapons failed to pass Russian army's qualification tests, quoting its poor aim and the change in the kind of warfare to be expected. No longer is it about huge masses of enemies that are to be mowed down in epic land battles, but precision against small forces that move agile and quickly, and about individual targets. The weapon, says the Russian army, no longer meets the needs of the to-be-expected armed conflicts of the forseeable future. Who am I to challenge the Russians over their own assessment of their own national idol.

Kalashnikov himself had doubts about his life's work record when he became older. He was aware that his invention had become the killing tool of choice of terrorists, ruthless general in civil wars that sent child soldiers into battle, and today I read in Der Tagesspiegel that in a TV documentation from around the year 2000 he voiced worries about his fate in afterlife, fearing to suffer hellfire for what he had done. It seems he was a man of religious belief. And clearly he knew what the invention of the AK47 has meant and caused in the world.

Iconic the weapon is - but iconic for many sides and many users with questionable reputation. It seems as a man of higher age he did not get over his role in this "achievement".

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Sounds like fun...

I really love shooting AK's. They're great rifles on and off the battlefield IMHO.

You know, as much as a gun nut people here probably think I am now, I have never held a kalashnikov of any sort in my hands. I don't even think i've asked to see them at gun shops. Hell, I had a gold membership to a local range where I had access to check out rental's for free anytime i wanted as part of that membership , class 3 full auto AK's, and never bothered to check one out.

Originally Posted by Skybird

Kalashnikov himself had doubts about his life's work record when he became older. He was aware that his invention had become the killing tool of choice of terrorists, ruthless general in civil wars that sent child soldiers into battle, and today I read in Der Tagesspiegel that in a TV documentation from around the year 2000 he voiced worries about his fate in afterlife, fearing to suffer hellfire for what he had done. It seems he was a man of religious belief. And clearly he knew what the invention of the AK47 has meant and caused in the world.

Iconic the weapon is - but iconic for many sides and many users with questionable reputation. It seems as a man of higher age he did not get over his role in this "achievement".

I think i caught similar impressions elsewhere. Maybe in the 45 minute documentary i linked earlier, maybe elsewhere, i dunno, i watch/listen to a lot of documentaries. But on this subject, a quote by a fellow named Jeff Cooper comes to mind:

"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles."

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

You know, as much as a gun nut people here probably think I am now, I have never held a kalashnikov of any sort in my hands. I don't even think i've asked to see them at gun shops.

me neither

[MH]

RIP AK
Great rifle in its time but out dated today and also a bit over glorified .