How many parts does a Kalashnikov assault rifle have? AK74: purpose, combat properties and general arrangement of the machine gun, the principle of operation of automation; order of incomplete disassembly and assembly. About single shooting
Purpose and combat properties. The 5.45 mm Kalashnikov assault rifle (AK-74) is the main type of automatic small arms in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Fig. 34).
Being an individual weapon, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is designed to destroy manpower and destroy enemy fire weapons. Automatic or single fire is carried out from the machine gun. Automatic fire is the main type of fire: it is carried out in short (up to 5 shots) and long (up to 15 shots) bursts and continuously. To defeat the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, a bayonet-knife is attached to the machine gun. For shooting and observation at night, a night shooting sight is attached to the machine gun. The machine gun can be used in combination with the GP-25 grenade launcher.
The Kalashnikov assault rifle has received wide recognition, it is simple in design and has high combat and operational qualities.
The combat properties of the Ak-74 assault rifle:
Barrel caliber, mm .............................. 5.45
Sighting range shooting, m .............. 1000
Muzzle velocity, m/s ..................900
Bullet lethal range, m ........... 1350
Combat rate of fire, rds / min:
when firing in bursts ................... up to 100
when firing single shots ....... up to 40
Rate of fire, rds / min .................... 600
Direct shot range, m:
on the chest figure .......................... 440
on a running figure .......................... 625
Magazine capacity, cartridges .................30
Weight with equipped magazine, kg .............. 3.6
Weight of a bayonet-knife with a scabbard, g ............... 490
General device. The machine gun consists of the following main parts and mechanisms (Fig. 35): a barrel with a receiver, sighting device, stock and pistol grip; receiver covers; bolt carrier with gas piston; shutter; return mechanism; gas tube with handguard; trigger mechanism; forearm; shop. In addition, the machine has a muzzle brake-compensator and a bayonet-knife. The machine kit includes accessories, a belt and a bag for magazines.
The automatic action of the machine is based on the use of the energy of powder gases discharged from the bore into the gas chamber.
When fired, part of the powder gases following the bullet rushes through the hole in the barrel wall into the gas chamber, presses on the front wall of the gas piston and discards the piston and bolt carrier with the shutter in the rear position.
When the bolt frame moves back, the bolt is unlocked, with its help the sleeve is removed from the chamber and thrown out, the bolt frame compresses the return spring and cocks the trigger.
The bolt frame with the bolt returns to the forward position under the action of the return mechanism, with the help of the bolt the next cartridge is sent from the magazine to the chamber and the barrel bore is closed, and the bolt frame removes the self-timer sear from under the cocking of the self-timer trigger. The trigger becomes on a combat platoon. The shutter is locked by turning around the longitudinal axis to the right, as a result of which the lugs of the shutter go beyond the lugs of the receiver.
If the translator is set to automatic fire, then the shooting will continue as long as the trigger is pulled and there are cartridges in the magazine.
If the interpreter is set to single fire, then only one shot will fire when the trigger is pulled; to do next shot release the trigger and pull it again.
Trunk(Fig. 36) serves to direct the flight of the bullet. Inside the barrel has a channel with four rifling, winding from left to right. The rifling serves to give the bullet rotary motion.
Outside, the barrel has a front sight base with a thread for screwing in a muzzle brake-compensator and bushings for firing blank cartridges, a gas outlet, a gas chamber, a coupling, a sight block and a cutout for the ejector hook on the breech section.
Muzzle brake compensator serves to increase the accuracy of the battle and reduce the recoil energy. It has two chambers: front and rear (with a round hole in them for the bullet to fly out).
Receiver designed to connect the parts and mechanisms of the machine, close the bore with a bolt and lock the bolt. AT receiver the trigger mechanism is placed. The top of the box is closed with a lid.
receiver cover protects parts and mechanisms placed in the receiver from contamination.
sighting device serves to aim the machine at the target when firing at various distances and consists of a sight and a front sight. The sight includes a sight block, a lamellar spring, an aiming level and a collar. On the aiming bar of the sight there is a scale with divisions from 1 to 10 and the letter "P". The scale numbers indicate the required firing range in hundreds of meters, and the letter “P” indicates the permanent installation of the sight, which corresponds to the sight 3. The front sight is screwed into the slide, which is fixed at the base of the front sight.
Stock and pistol grip provide comfort when shooting.
Bolt carrier with gas piston designed to actuate the shutter and trigger mechanism.
Gate serves to send a cartridge into the chamber, close the bore, break the primer and remove the cartridge case (cartridge) from the chamber.
Return mechanism designed to return the bolt carrier with the bolt to the forward position.
Gas tube with handguard directs the movement of the gas piston and protects the submachine gunner's hands from burns when firing.
Via trigger mechanism the trigger is released from the combat platoon or from the self-timer platoon, strikes the striker, ensures automatic or single fire, and stops firing; in addition, it is designed to prevent shots when the shutter is unlocked and to set the machine to safety.
handguard serves for convenience of actions with the machine gun and for protection of hands of the machine gunner from burns.
Score designed to place cartridges and feed them into the receiver.
Bayonet knife attaches to the machine to defeat the enemy in battle, and can also be used as a knife, saw (for cutting metal) and scissors (for cutting wire). A scabbard is used to carry a bayonet-knife on a belt. If necessary, they are used together with a bayonet-knife for cutting wire.
live cartridge consists of a bullet, cartridge case, powder charge and primer. 5.45 mm cartridges (fig. 37) are produced with ordinary and tracer bullets. The head of the tracer bullet is painted green.
To simulate shooting, blank (without a bullet) cartridges are used, which are fired using a special sleeve.
1. Tell us about the purpose and combat properties of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. 2. Name the main parts and mechanisms of the machine. 3. What is the purpose of the main parts and mechanisms of the machine?
Pre-conscription training: a textbook for grades 10-11. institutions of general avg. education with Russian lang. training / V. B. Varlamov. - 3rd ed., revision. and additional - Minsk: Adukatsiya i vykhavanne, 2012. - 328 p. : ill.
Chapter III
PURPOSE, DEVICE OF PARTS AND MECHANISMS OF THE AUTOMATIC (MACHINE GUN) KALASHNIKOV, ACCESSORIES AND CARTRIDGES
Purpose, arrangement of parts and mechanisms of the machine gun (machine gun) Kalashnikov
11. Barrel(Fig. 27) serves to direct the flight of the bullet. Inside the barrel has a channel with four rifling, winding from left to right. The rifling serves to give the bullet a rotational motion. The gaps between the grooves are called fields. The distance between two opposite fields (in diameter) is called the caliber of the bore; for a machine gun (machine gun) it is 5.45 mm. In the breech, the channel is smooth and made in the shape of a cartridge case; this part of the channel serves to place the cartridge and is called the chamber. The transition from the chamber to the rifled part of the bore is called the bullet entry.
Outside, the barrel has a front sight base for a machine gun with a thread (for a machine gun, a thread on the muzzle) for screwing a muzzle brake-compensator on a machine gun (for a machine gun-flash suppressor) and
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Rice. 27. Barrel: a - external view of the barrel of the machine gun; b - external view of the barrel of the machine gun; c - breech section; d - section of the barrel; 1 - rifled part; 2 - bullet entry; 3 - chamber; 4 - front sight base; 5 - gas chamber; 6 - coupling; 7 - sight block; 8 - recess for the barrel pin; 9 - thread; 10 - bipod base;
Rice. 28. Muzzle brake compensator and flash hider:
Rice. 29. Base of the front sight: a - machine gun; b - machine gun; 1 - emphasis with a recess for a ramrod; 2 - stop for a bayonet-knife with a hole for a ramrod; |
bushings for firing blank cartridges, a gas outlet, a gas chamber, a coupling, a sight block and a cutout for the ejector hook on the breech section. The base of the front sight, the gas chamber and the block of the sight are fixed to the barrel with pins. The machine gun, in addition, on the front of the barrel has a bipod base for attaching a bipod to the barrel with a hole for a ramrod and a ring with an eye to increase the reliability of fastening the ramrod. Muzzle brake-compensator machine (Fig. 28) serves to increase the accuracy of the battle and reduce the recoil energy. It has two chambers: front and rear (with a round hole in them for the bullet to fly out). The front chamber has a rim, on which a bayonet-knife ring is put on when it is attached to the machine gun, a rectangular groove into which the protrusion of the bayonet-knife enters, and two windows for the exit of powder gases. The rear chamber has two slots in front, and in the middle part - three compensation holes for the exit of powder gases. At the back, the muzzle brake compensator has an internal thread for screwing onto the base of the front sight, a recess into which the retainer enters and a circular bevel that facilitates the insertion and removal of the ramrod. Machine gun flash hider serves to reduce the size of the flame when fired. It has a thread for screwing onto the barrel, five recesses for the latch and five longitudinal slots for the release of gases. Front sight base(Fig. 29) has a stop with a notch for a ramrod, a hole for a front sight slide, a front sight guard and a retainer with a spring. The latch keeps the muzzle brake-compensator (flash suppressor) and the sleeve for firing blank cartridges from screwing. The machine, in addition, on the basis of the front sight has an emphasis for attaching a bayonet-knife with a hole for a ramrod. gas chamberserves to direct powder gases from the barrel to the gas piston of the bolt carrier. It has a gas outlet, a branch pipe with a channel for a gas piston and holes for the exit of powder gases. Coupling serves to attach the forearm to the machine gun (machine gun). It has a forearm lock, a swivel for a belt and a hole for a ramrod. The barrel is connected to the receiver by means of a pin and is not separated from it. 12. Receiver (fig. 30) serves for |
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Rice. 30. Receiver: 1 - cutouts; 2 - reflective protrusion; 3 - limbs; |
connection of parts and mechanisms of the machine gun (machine gun), to ensure the closing of the bore by the bolt and locking the bolt. A trigger mechanism is placed in the receiver. The top of the box is closed with a lid. The receiver has: · inside - cutouts for locking the bolt, the rear walls of which are lugs; limbs and guides for guiding the movement of the bolt carrier and bolt; reflective protrusion to reflect the sleeves; jumper for fastening the side walls; a ledge for the hook of the store and one oval ledge on the side walls for the direction of the store; |
· at the top rear - grooves: longitudinal - for the heel of the guide rod of the return mechanism and transverse - for the receiver cover; tail with a hole for attaching the butt to the receiver;
· in the side walls - four holes each, three of them for the axes of the firing mechanism, and the fourth for the pins of the translator; on the right wall - two fixing recesses for setting the translator on automatic (AB) and single (OD) fire;
· below - a window for the store and a window for the trigger.
The machine with a folding butt, in addition, has holes for the latch and the latch of the butt (Fig. 33).
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Rice. 31. Sight: a - automatic; b - machine gun; 1 - sight block; 2 - sector; 3 - aiming bar; 4 - collar; 5 - mane of the aiming bar; 6 - clamp latch; 7 - rear sight screw handwheel; 8 - rear sight |
In a machine gun with a folding buttstock, the receiver has a socket at the back for a left latch with a spring holding the stock in the folded position; on the right wall - a cutout for the right latch of the butt and a hole for pressing the right latch when it is recessed; on the left wall - an eye for attaching the butt and a hole for the front end of the left latch (Fig. 34 and 35). Attached to the receiver: a stock with a swivel, a pistol grip and a trigger guard with a magazine latch. For assault rifles (machine guns) with night sights, a bar is attached to the left side wall for attaching a night sight. 13. Sighting device serves to aim the machine gun (machine gun) when firing at targets at various ranges. It consists of a sight and a front sight. Aim(Fig. 31) consists of a sight block, a leaf spring, an aiming bar and a collar. Sight blockhas two sectors for giving the aiming bar a certain height, eyelets for attaching the aiming bar, holes for the pin and gas tube lock; inside - a socket for a leaf spring and a cavity for a bolt carrier; on the back wall - a semicircular cutout for the cover of the receiver. |
The sight block is put on the barrel and secured with a pin.
leaf spring is placed in the socket of the sight block and holds the aiming bar in the given position.
aiming bar has a mane with a slot for aiming and cutouts to hold the collar in the installed position by means of a latch with a spring. On the aiming bar (for a machine gun - from above, for a machine gun - from above and below) there is a scale with divisions from 1 to 10; scale numbers indicate firing ranges in hundreds of meters.
The machine gun, in addition, has the letter “P” on the aiming bar - a permanent setting of the sight, approximately corresponding to sight 4 (firing range 440 m).
At the machine gun, the aiming bar has a socket for the rear sight and at risk; on the wall of the nest of the rear sight there is a scale with ten divisions; each of which corresponds to two thousandths of the firing range.
Rear sightthe machine gun has a mane with a slot for aiming, a screw with a handwheel, a spring, a washer and a pin.
Clampput on the aiming bar and held in position by a latch. The latch has a tooth, which, under the action of a spring, jumps into the cutout of the aiming bar.
front sightscrewed into the runner, which is fixed at the base of the front sight. On the track and on the base of the front sight there are risks that determine the position of the front sight.
Attached to the machine gun (machine gun) device for shooting at night and in conditions of limited visibility(self-luminous nozzles). It consists of a folding rear sight with a wide slot, mounted on the mane of the aiming bar, and a wide front sight, put on top of the front sight of the weapon. Self-luminous dots are applied on the rear sight and front sight of the device.
In the device of the new sample, self-luminous stripes are applied: two horizontally located - on the rear sight and one vertically - on the front sight.
A device for shooting at night is installed on an automatic machine gun (machine gun) and verified when it enters the troops and is not separated from it during operation.
The combat of a weapon when firing with a fixture is basically the same as with an open sight. In the event of a significant deviation of the midpoint of impact in height, it is necessary to fix the weapon in the sighting machine, aim at the target and select the rear sight so that the aiming line with the open sight and the device coincide.
When shooting during the day, the rear sight and front sight of the device recline down. In this position, they do not interfere with the use of the sighting device of the machine gun (machine gun).
When firing at night and in conditions of limited visibility, the rear sight of the device turns up until it touches the mane of the aiming bar, and the front sight of the device moves up along the spring and is put on the front sight.
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Rice. 32. Receiver cover: |
14. Receiver cover (Fig. 32) protects parts and mechanisms placed in the receiver from contamination. On the right side, it has a stepped cutout for the passage of ejected shells and for the movement of the bolt carrier handle; at the back - a hole for the protrusion of the guide rod of the return mechanism. The cover is held on the receiver by means of a semicircular cutout on the sight block, the transverse groove of the receiver and the protrusion of the guide rod of the return mechanism. |
15. Stock and pistol grip serve for the convenience of the operation of the machine gun (machine gun) when firing.
The permanent buttstock of the AK74, AK74N assault rifles (Fig. 33) and the RPK74, RPK74N machine guns (Fig. 34) has a swivel for a belt, a socket for an accessory case and a butt plate with a lid over the socket. In the nest of the butt, a spring is strengthened for pushing out the pencil case. The permanent butt of the machine gun can be wooden or plastic (for the machine gun - wooden).
The folding buttstock of the AKS74 and AKS74N assault rifles consists of an upper and lower rod, a butt plate, a clip and a tip, connected into one piece by welding. On the right side of the butt on the clip there is a swivel for a belt. In the folded position, the butt is held by a latch, and in the folded position, by a latch.
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Rice. 33. The butt and pistol grip of the machine: a - a permanent (wooden) butt (in section);
Rice. 35. Folding the butt of a machine gun: 1 - butt; 2- receiver; 3 - pistol grip; 4 - hole in the wall of the receiver |
Rice. 34. Butt and pistol grip machine gun: a - a permanent butt (in the section); b - a folding butt (in the folded position); 1 - swivel for a belt; 2 - socket for accessories; 3 - butt plate; 4 - cover; 5 - spring for pushing out the accessory case; 6 - protrusion of the butt with ears; 7 - eye of the receiver; 8 - right latch of the butt with a spring;
Rice. 36. Machine gun bipod: 1 - bipod base; 2 - legs; 3 - spring; 4 - ledge; |
To fold the butt, it is necessary to drown the latch (in this case, the latch will disengage from the butt tip) and turn the butt to the left around the axis until the butt is secured with a latch located on the left wall of the receiver.
To recline the butt, you need to take the latch back and turn the butt to the right until it is secured with a latch.
The folding butt of the RPKS74 and RPKS74N machine guns, in addition to the machine gun specified for the permanent butt, has a protrusion for the right butt latch holding the butt in the folded position, lugs for attaching the butt to the receiver, and for the RPKS74N, it also has a recess, which includes a strap for attaching a night sight when the butt is folded.
To fold the butt, it is necessary to drown the right latch of the butt with a punch or a cartridge bullet through the hole in the right wall of the receiver (Fig. 35) and turn the butt to the left until it is secured with the left latch in the folded position.
To recline the butt, you need to press the back of the latch with a notch to the left with your finger and turn the butt to the right until it is secured by the right latch.
16. Machine gun bipod(Fig. 36) serves as an emphasis when shooting. It has a base, two legs with skids for resting on the ground and protrusions for fixing the legs in the folded position, a spring for spreading the legs, a spring fastener on the left leg for fastening the legs in the folded position. The bipod is not separated from the machine gun.
17. Bolt carrier with gas piston(Fig. 37) serves to actuate the shutter and trigger mechanism.
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Rice. 37. Bolt frame with gas piston:
Rice. 38. Shutter: a ~ shutter core; b- drummer; in - ejector; 1 - cutout for the sleeve; 2-cutout for the ejector; 3- leading protrusion; 4- hole for the ejector axis; 5 - combat ledge; 6 - longitudinal groove for a reflective ledge; 7 - ejector spring; 8 ~ ejector axis; |
The shutter frame has: inside - a channel for the return mechanism, and a channel for the shutter; rear - safety ledge; on the sides - grooves for the movement of the bolt frame along the limbs of the receiver; on the right side - a ledge for lowering (turning) the self-timer lever and a handle for reloading the machine gun (machine gun); below - a figured cutout for placing the leading protrusion of the shutter in it and a groove for the passage of the reflective protrusion of the receiver. A gas piston is fixed in front of the bolt frame. 18. Shutter(Fig. 38) serves to send the cartridge into the chamber, close the bore, break the primer and remove the cartridge case (cartridge) from the chamber. It consists of a core, a drummer, an ejector with a spring and an axis, and a stud. shutter framehas: on the front cut - a cylindrical cutout for the bottom of the sleeve and a groove for the ejector; on the sides - two lugs, which, when the bolt is locked, go into the cutouts of the receiver; on top - a leading ledge for turning the shutter when locking and unlocking; on the left side - a longitudinal groove for the passage of the reflective protrusion of the receiver (the groove at the end is expanded to ensure the rotation of the bolt when locking); in the thickened part of the shutter body there are holes for the ejector axis and studs. Inside the frame of the shutter has a channel for placing the drummer. |
Drummerhas a striker and a ledge for a hairpin.
Ejectorwith a spring serves to remove the sleeve from the chamber and hold it until it meets the reflective protrusion of the receiver. The ejector has a hook for gripping the sleeve, a socket for the spring and a cutout for the axle.
Hairpinserves to secure the drummer and the ejector axis.
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Rice. 39. Return mechanism: 1 - return spring; 2 - guide rod;
Rice. 40. Gas tube with handguard: 1- gas tube; 2 - guide ribs for the gas piston; 3 - front coupling; 4 - handguard; 5 - rear coupling; 6 - protrusion; 7 - leaf spring
Rice. 41. Parts of the firing mechanism: A - trigger; b - mainspring; c - trigger; |
19. Return mechanism (Fig. 39). serves to return the bolt carrier with the bolt to the forward position. It consists of a return spring, a guide rod, a movable rod and a clutch. guide rod has a spring stop at the rear end, a heel with projections for connection with the receiver and a projection for holding the receiver cover. Movable rod at the front end has bends for putting on the clutch. 20. Gas tube with handguard (Fig. 40) consists of a gas tube, front and rear couplings, a handguard, a metal half ring and a leaf spring. gas tubeserves to guide the movement of the gas piston. It has guide ribs. The front end of the gas tube is put on the branch pipe of the gas chamber. barrel pad serves to protect the hands of the submachine gunner (machine gunner) from burns when firing. It can be wooden or plastic for a machine gun (wooden for a machine gun) and has a groove in which a metal semi-ring is fixed, pressing the handguard off the gas tube (this prevents the lining from rolling when the wood dries out). The handguard is attached to the gas tube by means of front and rear couplings; the rear coupling has a protrusion against which the gas pipe contactor rests; leaf spring eliminates the longitudinal pitching of the tube. 21. Trigger mechanism (Fig. 41) serves to release the trigger from the combat cocking or from the self-timer cocking, striking the firing pin, ensuring automatic or single fire, stopping firing, preventing shots when the bolt is unlocked and for setting the machine gun (machine gun) on safety. |
The trigger mechanism is placed in the receiver, where it is attached with three interchangeable axles, and consists of a trigger with a mainspring, a trigger retarder with a spring, a trigger, a single-fire whisper with a spring, a self-timer with a spring, a translator and a tubular axis.
triggerwith a mainspring is used to strike the drummer. The trigger has a combat cocking, self-timer cocking, trunnions and a hole for the axis. The mainspring is put on the trigger trunnions and with its loop acts on the trigger, and with its ends - on the rectangular ledges of the trigger,
trigger retarder serves to slow down the forward movement of the trigger in order to improve the accuracy of combat when firing from stable positions. It has front and rear lugs, axle hole, spring and latch.
Trigger serves to hold the trigger on the cocking and to pull the trigger. It has a figured protrusion, a hole for the axle, rectangular protrusions and a tail. With his figured protrusion, he keeps the trigger on the cocking.
Single Fire Whisper serves to hold the trigger after a shot in the rearmost position, if the trigger was not released during single fire. It is on the same axis as the trigger. The sear of a single fire has a spring, a hole for the axis and a cutout, which includes the interpreter sector when conducting automatic fire and stops the sear. In addition, the notch limits the sector to rotate forward when the translator is on the safety lock.
Self-timerserves to automatically release the trigger from the self-timer cocking when firing in bursts, as well as to prevent the trigger from being released when the bore is not closed and the bolt is not locked. It has a sear for holding the trigger while the self-timer is cocked, a lever for turning the self-timer with a lug of the bolt carrier when it approaches the forward position, and a spring.
On the same axis with the self-timer is its spring. Its short end is connected to the self-timer, and its long end runs along the left wall of the receiver and enters the annular grooves on the axes of the self-timer, trigger and trigger, keeping the axes from falling out.
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Rice. 42. Handguard (wooden): 1 - finger rest; 2 - ledge; 3 - leaf spring; 4 - hole for ramrod
Rice. 43. Shop: 1- housing; 2- cover; 3- locking bar; 4- spring; 5 - feeder; 6 - support ledge; 7 - hook |
Interpreterserves to install the machine gun (machine gun) on automatic or single fire, as well as on the fuse. It has a sector with trunnions that fit into the holes in the walls of the receiver. The lower position of the translator corresponds to setting it to a single fire (OD), the middle position to automatic fire (AB) and the upper position to the fuse. 22. Handguard(Fig. 42) serves for the convenience of action and to protect the hands of the submachine gunner (machine gunner) from burns. It can be wooden or plastic for a machine gun (wooden for a machine gun). The fore-end is attached to the barrel from below with the help of a coupling and to the receiver - by means of a protrusion included in the socket of the receiver. In the body of the forearm there is a through hole for a ramrod. At the rear of the forearm there are cutouts and a notch into which the leaf spring is placed. The spring serves to eliminate the pitching of the forearm. The cutouts on the handguard and handguard form windows for cooling the barrel and gas tube when firing. The plastic handguard has a metal shield designed to reduce the heat of the handguard when firing. |
23. Shop(Fig. 43) serves to place cartridges and feed them into the receiver. It consists of a plastic body, a cover, a locking plate, a spring and a feeder.
The magazine body connects all parts of the magazine; his side walls they have bends on top (on the neck) to keep the cartridges from falling out and protrusions that limit the rise of the feeder; on the front wall there is a hook, and on the back - a support ledge, through which the magazine is attached to the receiver. On the back wall of the case at the bottom there is a control hole for determining the completeness of the magazine's equipment with cartridges.
From below the case is closed by a cover. The cover has a hole for the protrusion of the locking bar.
A feeder and a spring with a locking bar are placed inside the housing. The feeder is held at the upper end of the spring by means of an internal fold on the right wall of the feeder; the feeder has a protrusion that provides a staggered arrangement of cartridges in the magazine. The locking bar is permanently attached to the lower end of the spring and, with its protrusion, keeps the magazine cover from moving.
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Rice. 44. Bayonet: a - blade; b - handle; 1 - cutting edge; 2 - saw;
Rice. 45. Scabbard: 1 - pendant with a loop-fastener and a carabiner;
Rice. 46. Affiliation: 1 - ramrod; 2 - wiping; 3 - brush; 4 - screwdriver; 5 - punch; 6 - pencil case; 7 - cover; 8 - oiler; 9 - clip; |
24. Bayonet(Fig. 44) is attached to the machine to defeat the enemy in battle. In addition, it is used as a knife, saw (for cutting metal) and scissors (for cutting wire). The wires of the lighting network must be cut one at a time, after removing the belt from the bayonet-knife and the pendant from the sheath. When cutting the wire, make sure that your hands do not touch the metal surface of the bayonet-knife and scabbard. Making passages in electrified wire obstacles with a bayonet-knife not allowed. The bayonet-knife consists of a blade and a handle. on the bladethere is a cutting edge, a saw, a sharpened edge, which, in combination with a scabbard, is used as scissors, a hole into which a protrusion-axis of the scabbard is inserted. Leverserves for the convenience of action and for adjoining the bayonet-knife to the machine. There is a belt on the handle for easy handling of the bayonet-knife; front - ring and ledge for attachment to muzzle brake compensator and belt hook; behind a metal lug with a connecting screw. There are longitudinal grooves on the tip, with which the bayonet is put on the corresponding projections on the base of the front sight, a latch, a safety protrusion and a hole for the belt. Sheath(Fig. 45) are used to carry a bayonet-knife on the waist belt. In addition, they are used together with a bayonet-knife for cutting wire. The scabbard has a suspension with a loop, a protrusion-axis, an emphasis to limit the rotation of the bayonet-knife when it acts like scissors; inside the scabbard there is a leaf spring with a Lock to keep the bayonet-knife from falling out. Belonging to the machine gun (machine gun) 25. Belonging (Fig. 46) serves for disassembly, assembly, cleaning, lubrication of the machine gun (machine gun) and accelerated loading of the magazine with cartridges. Accessories include: a ramrod, a wipe, a brush, a screwdriver, a punch, a pencil case, an oiler, clips and an adapter. |
Ramrodused for cleaning and lubricating the barrel bore, as well as the channels and cavities of machine gun (machine gun) parts. It has a head with a punch hole, a thread for screwing a wipe or a brush.
Rubbingused for cleaning and lubricating the bore, channels and cavities of other parts of the machine gun (machine gun). It has an internal thread for screwing onto a ramrod and a slot for rags or tow.
brushused to clean the bore with RFS solution.
Screwdriver and punch used for disassembly and assembly of the machine gun (machine gun). The cutout at the end of the screwdriver is designed for screwing in and unscrewing the front sight, and the side cutout is for fixing the wipe on the ramrod. For ease of use, a screwdriver is inserted into the side holes of the case. When cleaning the bore, a screwdriver is inserted into the case over the head of the ramrod.
Pencil caseserves for storage of rubbing, a brush, a screw-driver and a punch. It is closed with a lid.
The case is used as a handle for a screwdriver when screwing in and unscrewing the front sight and for turning the gas tube contactor, as well as a handle for a ramrod.
The case has through holes into which a ramrod is inserted when cleaning the machine gun (machine gun), oval holes for a screwdriver and a rectangular hole for turning the gas tube connector when disassembling and assembling the machine gun (machine gun).
Single neck oiler serves to store lubricant, it is carried in the pocket of a shopping bag.
clipserves for carrying cartridges and accelerated equipment of the magazine with cartridges. The clip holds 15 rounds. It has two longitudinal grooves and a leaf spring that keeps the cartridges from falling out. In addition, the leaf spring provides a strong connection of the cage with the adapter.
Adapterserves to connect the clip with the magazine when equipping it with cartridges. It has: from the bottom (broadened part) two bends that fit into the corresponding grooves on the neck of the store; on top - two longitudinal grooves for the clip, a hole for the clip spring and a stop that limits the progress of the clip when it is inserted into the adapter.
5.45mm live ammunition Kalashnikov
26. A live cartridge (Fig. 47) consists of a bullet, a cartridge case, a powder charge and a primer.
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Rice. 47. Live cartridge: 1 - bullet; 2 - sleeve; 3 - powder charge; 4 - primer; |
Rice. 48. Bullets: a - ordinary with a steel core; b - tracer: 1 - shell; 2 - steel core; 3 - lead jacket; 4 - core (lead); 5 - tracer composition |
27. 5.45 mm rounds are issued with ordinary and tracer bullets. The head of the tracer bullet is painted in green color. To simulate shooting, blank (without a bullet) cartridges are used, which are fired using a special sleeve.
ordinarybullet(Fig. 48, a) is designed to defeat enemy manpower located openly and behind obstacles pierced by a bullet.
An ordinary bullet consists of a tombac-coated steel jacket and a steel core. There is a lead jacket between the sheath and the core.
tracer bullet (Fig. 48.6) is also designed to defeat enemy manpower. In addition, when a bullet is flying in the air, its burning tracer composition at firing ranges up to 800 m leaves a luminous trail, which allows for fire correction and target designation.
In the shell of a tracer bullet, a core is placed in the head part, and a checker of a pressed tracer composition is placed in the bottom part. During the shot, the flame from the powder charge ignites the tracer composition, which, when the bullet flies, gives a luminous trail.
28. Sleeve serves to connect all parts of the cartridge, protect the powder charge from external influences and to eliminate the breakthrough of powder gases towards the shutter. It has a body for placing a powder charge, a muzzle for fixing a bullet and a bottom. Outside, at the bottom of the sleeve, an annular groove is made for the ejector hook. At the bottom of the sleeve there is a nest for the primer, an anvil and two seed holes.
29. Powder charge serves to communicate translational motion to the pool; it consists of gunpowder spherical granulation.
30. Capsule serves to ignite the powder charge. It consists of a brass cap, an impact composition pressed into it and a foil circle covering the impact composition.
31. Capping of 5.45-mm cartridges is made in wooden boxes. The box contains two hermetically sealed metal boxes of 1080 rounds each; cartridges in boxes are packed in cardboard packs of 30 pieces. In total, 2160 rounds are placed in the box.
On the side walls of the boxes, in which cartridges with tracer bullets are sealed, a green stripe is applied. Each box has a knife to open the box.
Even during the First World War, it became clear that the fire density of the rifle squad, created with the help of rifles and carbines, was insufficient.
There was a need for individual infantry soldiers to have personal rapid fire weapons.
This problem was solved with the creation of submachine guns and machine guns. Second World War spawned many various designs automatic weapons, among which should be noted.
However, by the end of the war, there was a need to create a new weapon, which was solved by the introduction of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.
How did the first Kalashnikov assault rifle appear?
In 1943, the Technical Council conducted a study of the German machine gun MKb.42 (H), created under the Wehrmacht cartridge 7.92 × 33 mm. German experience and the experience of the American designers who created the M1 Carbine carbine was recognized as successful.
The question of creating a similar weapon was raised before the Soviet designers.
After several attempts to create a universal cartridge, the specialists settled on the 7.62 × 39 caliber. Its creators were the designers N.M. Elizarov and B.V. Semin. Under this cartridge, the designer Sudayev developed the AS-44 assault rifle, which went into a small series.
The assault rifle passed army tests, but the military recommended that the design be finalized by reducing the overall weight of the assault rifle. The death of Sudayev stopped work on this design.
The need to create weapons required a new round of the competition, in which in 1946 the first Kalashnikov assault rifle was shown. Following the results of two stages, this machine was declared unusable, but the designer managed to achieve the right to refine it.
After completion in 1947, the machine still did not satisfy necessary requirements, however, was better than the others presented in the competition.
Kalashnikov was sent to Izhevsk, where, after refinement, the famous machine gun of the 1947 model appeared, which for decades determined the development of automatic weapons on the planet.
The question of who invented the Kalashnikov assault rifle does not have such an unambiguous answer as it seems.
It is hard to believe that a not very literate Komsomol member was able to create an effective military weapon.
Designer Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov claimed that the idea of creating a new machine gun came to him after reading a book about small arms. But it is one thing to think, and quite another to create it.
On the other hand, as a Komsomol leader, Mikhail Timofeevich was quite suitable for the role of a wedding general.
Recall that this was Alexei Stakhanov earlier, to whom the entire production of the brigade was recorded.
layout diagram and technical solutions used in the Ak-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle are in many ways similar to the German submachine gun, as well as the MP-40 created by a group of German specialists.
Automatic model 1946
The Kalashnikov AK-46 assault rifle itself was a very crude and intermediate version.
It was rather a transitional model from the Shpagin submachine gun, which was most common in the Soviet (Red) army at that time, to the weapon that became familiar to everyone under the name AK-47.
It contained many shortcomings, but it was a necessary step towards the subsequent constructive breakthrough. Consider this weapon in more detail.
What was the scheme and device
Since the original automaton was quite different from the sample we are used to, it is interesting to know what these differences were:
- The cocking handle was located on the left, not on the right. The location was changed at the suggestion of the state commission, since when crawling, the handle would rest against the stomach;
- The presence of a separate fuse;
- The lever for transferring fire from single to firing bursts was a separate device;
- Folding trigger mechanism on a hairpin.
The bolt carrier with a rigidly fixed gas piston appeared during refinement at the Kovrov plant before the second round of the competition.
Her appearance dramatically improved tactical specifications, so to the question of how the Kalashnikov assault rifle works, the answer is simple - due to the energy of the discharged powder gases.
A similar device could have been copied from the Bulkin assault rifle that participated in the competition.
The structure of the machine gun for firing in bursts was changed - the fuse was combined with the transfer lever, which greatly simplified the design, making it clearer to the fighters.
What technical characteristics did the AK-46 have
- Cartridge caliber 7.62 × 41 sample 1943;
- Barrel 450 mm long;
- The total length of the machine is 950 millimeters;
- Magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds + 1 round in the barrel;
- The mass of the machine without taking into account the mass of cartridges is 4.328 kilograms;
- Sighting range of 0.8 kilometers.
How the AK-47 and AKS were created
After the second round, held in 1946, the commission made a decision that said that none of the automata submitted for the competition, even after improvements, does not meet the required characteristics.
In terms of performance characteristics (TTX), the automatic machine created by the designer Bulkin came closest to the necessary requirements. However, for reasons of simplicity and affordability of manufacture, and perhaps for some other reasons, it was decided to finalize the Kalashnikov assault rifle.
To bring the weapon to the desired characteristics, the Kalashnikov-Zaitsev design team was sent to Izhevsk. Then a group of well-known German designers worked at the Izhevsk arms factory.
Among them was the famous Hugo Schmeisser, who at one time designed many samples of automatic and assault weapons. His weapons were successfully used by the Wehrmacht on various fronts of the Second World War.
It is not known whether the Germans collaborated with the creators of the new machine gun, but it was very different from the one provided earlier.
The machine itself was originally produced with a wooden butt. However, for special forces it was inconvenient, primarily because of the length of the weapon, so a modification was created for them that reduced the dimensions of the product.
The wooden butt was replaced with a metal one, the latter being able to fold. This modification of weapons was called the Kalashnikov folding assault rifle (AKS). It was possible to go into battle with this weapon right after a parachute jump, without laying out the butt.
What performance characteristics did the AK-47 have
Consider TTX machine Kalashnikov model 1947. It should be noted here that the table itself is given for the base model. The folding version practically does not differ from it, with the exception of the mass. It is lighter by 400 grams and shorter by 2 millimeters.
- The caliber of the weapon is 7.62 mm.
- The cartridge used for firing is 7.62x39 mm;
- The total length of the machine is 870 millimeters;
- The length of the stem part is 415 millimeters;
- The weight of the machine, excluding cartridges, is 4.3 kilograms;
- total weight cartridges - 576 grams;
- Total weight with cartridges - 4.876 kilograms;
- Maximum firing range - 0.8 kilometers;
- Rate of fire - 600 rounds per minute;
- Burst rate - 400 rounds per minute;
- Rate of fire with single shots - from 90 to 100 rounds per minute;
- The initial speed of the bullet is -715 m / s (2500 km / h);
- The number of cartridges in the store - 30 pieces.
How did the modernized Kalashnikov assault rifle (AKM) appear?
In the early fifties, the designer German Korobov presented to the court of specialists and the army leadership new sample infantry weapons automatic TKB-517.
This weapon had better accuracy, less weight compared to the AK-47. The mere fact that the production of TKB-517 was cheaper meant a lot. Considering the best technical and tactical characteristics of the newly presented model, it was clear that the time had come for a new weapon.
However, the army leadership and government Soviet Union decided not to radically change the production technology (as well as debunk the designer's exaggerated glory) and made it possible for Kalashnikov to modernize his version of the weapon.
So the Kalashnikov assault rifle appeared modernized AKM.
In the new version, the buttstock turned out to be somewhat raised compared to the original, which brought the point of emphasis of the butt against the shoulder closer to the line of the shot. Sighting range was increased to one kilometer.
In addition, on the basis of AKM, a unified with it light machine gun, called the RPK.
Is it possible to install a bayonet-knife
On the first models of the AK-47, the installation of a bayonet-knife was not provided. This fact indirectly proves the participation of German weapons designers in the work on weapons.
The fact is that during the Second World War, the Nazi weapons did not provide for the possibility of attaching additional edged weapons. The German infantryman had to be able to use weapons in such a way as to hit the enemy with a bullet.
Infantry soldiers were simply practically not trained in techniques hand-to-hand combat.
However, in the future, AK received a blade two hundred millimeters long, which was attached to the gas chamber. He possessed a double blade and fuller.
The appearance of AKM also changed the design of additional weapons.
Instead of a double blade, a single blade appeared with a file on the other side.
The length of the blade has decreased to 150 millimeters. The bayonet-knife itself received more opportunities for use in the economic field for the needs of the soldier.
How the 1974 AK-74 came about
In the early seventies of the last century, the armies of potential opponents (NATO) began to massively switch in their automatic weapons from the usual rifle caliber to a lightweight unified cartridge with a caliber of 5.56 mm.
There was an urgent need for the armies of the Warsaw Pact countries and the Soviet Union to take a step in the same direction. The 5.45 mm caliber was called to replace the rifle cartridge.
He had enough lethal force, but had less weight and was less expensive to manufacture. The total weight of eight wearable ammunition has decreased by 1400 grams.
New option the machine has a 100 meters long range direct shot, durable plastic magazine. Thanks to the new muzzle brake, the grouping and accuracy of combat increased.
What myths and misconceptions are pursued by the Kalashnikov assault rifle
The main myth regarding this type of weapon is the talk that this machine gun is the best on Earth. In essence, on the planet, and in Russia, there are many types of small arms that are superior in their characteristics to the Kalash, we can recall the same Abakan.
The second myth is that the machine was designed personally by Mikhail Timofeevich. In reality, the help of the designer Zaitsev was simply invaluable, in addition to this, a whole group of designers also worked on the weapon. We cannot exclude the work of German specialists led by Hugo Schmeisser.
Be that as it may, the Kalashnikov assault rifle was, is and will remain a legend glorifying the Russian designers who created one of the most trouble-free assault rifles of the 20th century and, without a doubt, it is the most common.
Kalashnikov is still in service with a huge number of states. It is depicted on the coats of arms of 4 states and the flag of Mozambique. Yes, new weapons are coming, but this mass distribution how AK is unlikely to be achieved by anyone else.
Video
Home hallmark appearance "AN-94" is wide application plastics (glass-filled, reinforced polyamide). The stock in the classical sense is replaced here by a carriage-type casing, inside which a firing unit moves along metal guides, consisting of a barrel connected to the receiver. Inside the box are a bolt carrier with an unusually short bolt and a trigger. The trigger mechanism is integrated with the pistol grip and, if necessary, can be easily disconnected from the general operating mechanism. What at first glance seems to be a gas tube with an unusual placement under the barrel, is actually a guide lever that supports the barrel when it rolls back according to the principle artillery piece. A regular 40-mm GP-25 grenade launcher is also mounted here with an adapter. It is also noteworthy that the bayonet-knife is not attached in the lower position, like in AK, but on the right side. This is done for reasons of ensuring the simultaneous attachment of both a grenade launcher and a bayonet-knife. In other designs, before installing a grenade launcher, you must make sure that the bayonet is removed. Seconds that are precious to a fighter’s life can be spent on this in battle. In addition, the horizontal position provides greater, compared with the vertical, penetrating power into the intercostal space. In this position, a bayonet-knife can be used not only for stabbing, but also for lateral cutting blows. As for the gas tube, it, as well as the entire firing unit, together with the box, are placed inside the casing. When firing in the casing of the machine, two main movements occur:
- rollback of the barrel connected to the box and
- reciprocating movement of the bolt group.
At the same time, the shutter does not “overrun” the store, as happens in all types of automatic weapons. The design of the machine allows you to supply ammunition in two steps - preliminary extraction from the magazine when the frame moves back and chambering into the chamber when it rolls forward after locking the chamber by turning the sliding bolt. In this case, the stroke length of the frame with the shutter barely exceeds the length of the used cartridge. This is another significant difference from the known rifle systems, where the rollback of the bolt group is limited by almost the length of the receiver. In addition, there is a shock absorber and buffer inside the casing, which not only effectively dampen the impact of the rolling firing unit on the rear wall of the box, but also set an additional accelerating impulse to return it to its original position. All this is calculated to ensure a high rate of fire.
And here we come to the main advantage of Nikonov's sample! The machine has three modes of fire: single, short burst with a cut-off of two shots and automatic. But this is not the main thing. And the main thing is that the machine in the short burst mode of two shots and the first two shots of fully automatic fire gives 1800 (!) Rounds per minute at a high rate. When firing with automatic fire, the weapon independently, without additional manipulations, goes into a normal rate of 600 rounds per minute, i.e. the rate of fire of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. And such a cycle is repeated each time the next time the shutter is pressed. Taking into account that during operation the firing unit rolls back, during the rollback time the machine has time to make two cycles at a high pace and only after both bullets have left the barrel, it reaches its extreme rear point, hits the buffer and the shooter feels the summed recoil momentum of the first shots . The offset of the recoil momentum significantly increases the accuracy of shooting and the probability of hitting the target.
I often have to shoot different types new automatic weapons, and when I first took the Abakan into my hands, Nikonov warned me not to “prop up” the weapon with my shoulder, which is sometimes used to compensate for recoil. He said that from such compensation, although the shots were heaped, they fell below the target. And he was right. Surprisingly, Nikonov practically does not feel the recoil momentum! Shooters are well aware of the effect of "bullying" the barrel when firing in long bursts. Here, however, such a phenomenon is practically non-existent. And the point is not only that the design uses an unusually successful two-chamber muzzle brake, which received the name “snail” among the Izhmashev designers. As we noted above, in all firing modes, the bolt does not run over the magazine. This prevents the firing unit from hitting the rear wall at a normal pace (600 rounds per minute). As a result, "Nikonov" surpasses "Kalashnikov" in terms of accuracy by one and a half, and the American automatic rifle M16A2 by 0.5 times. And this despite the fact that, according to objective data, the 5.56 x 45 mm HATO cartridge itself has better accuracy than our 5.45 x 39. Thus, Nikonov created such a weapon that, with the already existing cartridge model, solely thanks to more advanced of its design, has achieved a sharp improvement in the quality of shooting.
If in 1974 the state made expenses on the development and implementation of the whole “cartridge + weapon” complex, now these expenses have been at least halved. This is the economic contribution of Gennady Nikonov to the treasury of the Fatherland.
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Tactical and technical characteristics |
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This article will discuss weapons with a worldwide reputation, the development of which marked the beginning of a whole era in the field of domestic weapons design. The performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle were improved from one model to another, but the principle of operation remained unchanged. The traditions laid down by the creator himself in his model remained inviolable: quality, reliability, simplicity and long service life.
History of creation...
The prerequisites for the development of a new weapon model were the results of a meeting of the technical council at the USSR People's Commissariat in July 1943, where the captured prototype of the German StG-44 and the American M1 Carbine carbine were dismantled.
About a month later, a new experimental cartridge of 7.62 x 41 mm caliber was created, subsequently the cartridge was adjusted, as a result, the caliber was converted to 7.62 x 39 mm.
Later, a number of design competitions were announced, as a result of which the famous machine gun was developed.
In 1947, it was decided to start the production of the machine gun in Izhevsk. And two years later, two samples were put into service: a standard AK with a caliber of 7.62 mm and a model with a folding stock - AKS - of the same caliber.
1959 was marked by the release of a modernized version of the machine. The flaws identified during operation were corrected, on the basis of the already used TKB-517 assault rifle, new performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle were compiled and the first machine gun based on AKM was released.
Machine
The Kalashnikov assault rifle, performance characteristics and main parts were refined from one version of the product to another to increase efficiency, reliability and improve quality. However, the design features remained unchanged.
From the moment it entered service, the performance characteristics established at that time became the starting point for the unceasing development of design ideas. The types and forms of butts, the shape of the handle, the length of the barrel changed. Models of the hundredth series (in addition to the protrusions for mounting the bayonet-knife) have a mounting slot. The fifth generation machine (for example, AK-12) has provisions for mounting various types of equipment, such as optical or collimator sights, laser designators or a flashlight. The quality, purpose, performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are constantly improving.
Purpose of the main parts of the product
Now you should dwell directly on each component in order to make out which part serves what.
Trunk- is intended to set the direction of the bullet's flight directly when fired.
Receiver- acts as a connector for all parts and mechanisms of the machine, ensures that the barrel is closed with a bolt and the latter is locked.
receiver cover- promotes protection internal parts products (placed in the receiver) from contamination and penetration of foreign objects.
sighting device- consists of a front sight and a sight. Designed to point the barrel of the machine gun at the target to produce the most effective shooting.
Butt- Provides comfortable shooting along with the handle.
Bolt frame - actuates the bolt and trigger mechanism. The shutter, in turn, sends the cartridge into the chamber, locks the bore, breaks the capsule shell, removes the sleeve.
Return mechanism- brings the bolt carrier and the bolt to its original (front) position.
gas tube and handguard - protect the hands of the shooter from burns, and also set the direction of movement of the gas piston.
trigger mechanism- pulls the trigger, which is in the cocked (combat) position. It strikes the striker, thereby providing automatic fire in bursts or single fire. Serves to stop firing, set the safety lock, and also prevents shots when the shutter is locked.
handguard- serves for a convenient girth of the body of the machine gun when firing. Together with a gas tube, it protects the shooter's palm from burns.
Score- serves for storage and transportation of machine gun cartridges, as well as feeding into the chamber for firing in a different position.
Bayonet knife- in a position attached to the machine gun, it is used in a bayonet attack or any other form of close contact combat. Can be used as a knife, saw and wire cutter.
TTX of the Kalashnikov AK-74 and not only
The modern model of the Kalashnikov assault rifle AK-74M has the following characteristics: the weight of the product is 3.6 kg without cartridges, 3.9 kg - equipped, 5.8 kg - without cartridges, but with the NSPUM model installed, the sight of the NSPU-3 type is slightly lighter - only 0.1 kg.
An empty magazine weighs 0.23 kg, and a bayonet-knife without a scabbard weighs only 0.32 kg.
The length of the machine is 940 millimeters, and with an attached bayonet - 1089 mm. With the stock unfolded, this figure already has a value of 943, and with the stock folded - 704 millimeters. With the advent of new models, the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are undergoing changes.
The barrel length is 415 mm with the installed muzzle brake compensator and only 372 mm without it.
Width is also essential part of performance characteristics Kalashnikov assault rifle. It is 70 millimeters for a standard product. Height - 195 mm.
The principle of operation for all models is the same - the system for removing gases of burnt gunpowder and the rotary shutter - despite the performance characteristics of the Kalashnikov assault rifle changing from one model to another.
5.45 is the caliber of the modern AK-74M.
TTX of the Kalashnikov assault rifle AKS-74U and some interesting things
Folding shortened Kalashnikov assault rifle - this is how the abbreviation of the name of this weapon is deciphered. It is a shortened version of the standard AK-74, designed to conduct combat missions in a small enclosed space: to equip military transport crews in peaceful or combat conditions (for example, BTR-80), crews of various weapons, as well as landing units. It is in service in security structures, has proven itself in those due to its compactness and low weight.
It weighs about 3 kg with cartridges and 2.7 kg without them. The weight of the magazine is 0.21 kg, the mounting of the NSPUM sight weighing 2.2 kg is provided.
The length of the product is 730 mm with the butt unfolded, 490 - respectively, with the butt folded. The length of the barrel itself is 206 mm.
The rate of fire varies from 600 to 700 rounds per second. The effective range is 500 meters, but the effective range is only 300.
A bullet fired from the AKS-74U is capable of developing an initial velocity of 735 m/s.
Features of AKS-74U
In view of the global trend towards the creation of shortened versions of existing assault rifles, the designers of the USSR in the 70s also took care of creating a compact sample of an existing machine gun.
Compared to the original version, "drying" (sometimes there are versions with the letter "h" instead of "w") has the following features:
- a significantly shortened barrel with a mounted muzzle, which in turn serves as a flame arrester;
- the gas-piston rod is shortened by almost half;
- removed the system of slowing down the rate of fire;
- improved bullet flight stabilization system with a shortened barrel.
Advantages
The main feature is the relatively high firing range for this type of weapon. But this is far from the only plus. It should also be mentioned:
- due to its small dimensions, concealed carrying is possible;
- reliable, easy to disassemble, clean and reassemble;
- high penetrating power.
disadvantages
Despite the high popularity of the AKS-74U, the product also has a number of disadvantages. Some of them lead to the refusal to use this weapon, some require getting used to. It all depends on the desire and capabilities of the owner.
- First of all, a significantly lower accuracy is noticeable to the naked eye compared to the original version of the product.
- Sighting range is similarly low when compared with the classic version of the machine.
- Low stopping power. This term refers to the parameter of the bullet, which determines the ability of the enemy to take any further actions after being hit by a bullet. In this case, the low rate of this parameter is associated with the use of caliber 5.45.
- The model quickly overheats due to its small size.
Kalashnikov assault rifle in popular culture
In a number African countries newborn boys are given the name "Kalash". There are many versions of this term.
One theory says that it is named after the hero of the film "22 Minutes" - a Somali pirate who helped the main character.
According to another version, it is argued that the name has no semantic link to the Kalashnikov assault rifle, but means something in local dialects.
And there is also a religious interpretation, rooted in totemic religions based on the cult of patron ancestors. Such views are held by about 16% of the population of all of Africa.
According to this interpretation, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is so famous all over the world that it is difficult to name a country that it would not have influenced. In particular, in a number armed conflicts and in Africa this weapon was also used.
In the end, it got to the point that a number of African tribes who used the famous Kalash identified this weapon with the spirit of a great ancestor, capable of both harming and protecting. Therefore, when a boy was born, and, consequently, a warrior, he was called "Kalash", thus implying that the future protector, support and hope of the whole family is growing.
But this is just one of the theories.
On the albums of many musical groups different directions, images of the Kalashnikov assault rifle are used.
The song "Dragunov" by the Swedish Industrial band Raubtier mentions a Kalashnikov assault rifle in the following context:
Dragunov and Stolichnaya
Smirnoff and Kalashnikoff.
Here is such an unusual application found a Kalashnikov assault rifle. The device, purpose, performance characteristics are not involved in any way.
"Kalashnikov" on the coats of arms of the countries of the world
The famous automaton is present or was present at different times on the coats of arms of a number of countries. For example, it is used on the coat of arms and (with an attached bayonet-knife) in the heraldry of the state of Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso from 1987 to 1997.
Since 2007, the outline of "Kalash" has been used on the coat of arms of East Timor.
Also used in the emblem of the "Vanguard of the Red Youth" - a communist Bolshevik organization, common in the states of the former USSR.
Coat of arms of the Ukrainian volunteer paramilitary association formed to eliminate local conflict on the territory of Donbass, also includes a Kalashnikov assault rifle.