AK47 News From AirSplat

[Matt]

[right]http://www.airsoftpacific.com/images/news/ICS-AK47.jpg[/right]AirSplat has written a short preview of the ICS AK-47, which will be available for purchase at AirSplat in 2 weeks. They've also got the user manual available online for those who want to see more information or check out the diagrams.

Furthermore, the UTG AK47 model is now available and in stock at $129.99.

[Valentine]

Wait, is that an AK-74 or one of the 100 series not a 47? Sorry i'm just being an a$$ about the AKs being named wrong...

[Pope_Alex_Kaeda_I]

Looks to me like one of the AK74 varients to me. remember, theres like 8709876897569658654 ak varients - and depending on which nation built it, they ahve different features that may or nay not be found on all other "related" weapons

[yandle]

Ya it's suposed to be a 74.

[Billdozer]

That is an AKM-74 (by Russian designation). Assuming we're talking about Russian AKs, here's the breakdown:

AK - Automat Kalashnikova (base gun)
47 - 7.62x39
74 - 5.45x39

M - Modernized (black furniture is most obvious indicator)
S - Folding Stock
U - Shortened front end
N - Side Mounted Optics Plate

This is only Russian, not the AK 100 series, the Vz.58 series, the Type 56 series, ect.

[Matt]

Maybe they should change the name of it on their website then

[danneskjold]

That is an AKM-74 (by Russian designation). Assuming we're talking about Russian AKs, here's the breakdown:

AK - Automat Kalashnikova (base gun)
47 - 7.62x39
74 - 5.45x39

M - Modernized (black furniture is most obvious indicator)
S - Folding Stock
U - Shortened front end
N - Side Mounted Optics Plate

This is only Russian, not the AK 100 series, the Vz.58 series, the Type 56 series, ect.

Sorry for the semi necro post on this one, but I have to make a correction.

AKM does not mean at all that it has black furniture, most AKM's I have seen have the regular wooden furniture. The way to tell an AKM vs. a regular AK is that it has a slanted muzzle break.
The AKM is not really "modernized", if I remember correctly it was made between the AK47 and the AK74. It has a stamped reciever like the 74, but it is chambered in 7.62 like the 47.
Apparently the AKM is still in use because of its better stopping power compared to the 74.
I havent heard the part about the side mounted optics plate though, thats interesting.

[airsoft guy]

That is an AKM-74 (by Russian designation). Assuming we're talking about Russian AKs, here's the breakdown:

AK - Automat Kalashnikova (base gun)
47 - 7.62x39
74 - 5.45x39

M - Modernized (black furniture is most obvious indicator)
S - Folding Stock
U - Shortened front end
N - Side Mounted Optics Plate

This is only Russian, not the AK 100 series, the Vz.58 series, the Type 56 series, ect.

Sorry for the semi necro post on this one, but I have to make a correction.

AKM does not mean at all that it has black furniture, most AKM's I have seen have the regular wooden furniture. The way to tell an AKM vs. a regular AK is that it has a slanted muzzle break.
The AKM is not really "modernized", if I remember correctly it was made between the AK47 and the AK74. It has a stamped reciever like the 74, but it is chambered in 7.62 like the 47.
Apparently the AKM is still in use because of its better stopping power compared to the 74.
I havent heard the part about the side mounted optics plate though, thats interesting.

Actually, the best way to tell the difference is the receiver. The original AK receivers were milled because the Soviets didn't have the tools required to stamp the receivers. When they did get the machinery they updated the production calling it the AKM, for modern. You can tell the main difference between the AK and the AKM by the dimples and slots along the outside of the magazine well. On the AK they're long milled slots, on the AKM they're dimples.

As stated before though there's about a billion types of AK out there, made by various countries and companies, each with their own ideas on how to speed up production, make more sales, whatever they think makes the weapon "perfect." My WASR-10 for example has no dimple. Instead what the Romanians did was spot weld metal plates on the insaide of the magazine well.



This is the side mounted scope mount, I've found no real use for it except to prevent me from installing an underfolder on the rifle. I've sort of given up on that right now, I have an AR to feed.



Also, the reason the Russians still use the M43 round is logistics, they simply do not have the means to hand out the 5.45x39 rifles to all the troops. Some people don't realize it but Russia is an incredibly poor country. Soldiers and civil workers are issued weapons as old as their grandparents, great grandparents in some cases. The Russian postal service issues Nagant M1895 revolvers to it's mail carriers.

"Stopping power" has nothing to do with it, and in fact the 5N7 round has some pretty impressive wound potential. Of course, this is just the observation of an outsider with no formal training or knowledge of the subject, but at the end of the day shot placement matters most, not the size of the bullet, unless it's the size of a freight train of course.

Other countries who use the AK design have the same problem, they don't have the resources available to switch over to newer stuff, and really, what's the incentive? M43 is still one of the cheapest military surplus/new production rounds out there. The rifles themselves are incredibly cheap and durable, magazines plentiful, controls idiot proof. It's just about the most perfect weapon you could arm your unwashed moron troops. If it works, then don't rock the boat.

[danneskjold]

I find it hard to believe that after 25 or so years in mass production and use in the Russian Army, that they are still having logistics problems. If there was one thing the Communists did well, it was weapons production. They might have been incompetent at everything else, but they made good weapons.

And I will stand by what I said about troops still using the 7.62 because of the stopping power. The AKM is still issued, and is commonly seen in Chechnya. Keep in mind though, this is all from an ardent defender of Russian forces - you know the type who wont admit there is any problems.

And I do agree with you about the countries. Why should they bother switching over? AKs are dirt cheap, and require little maintenance.

Have you thought about removing the side mount plate? I have 2 of them on my AK's, and all it would leave is a little hole in the reciever. Might be diff for real steel though.

[saddaminator]

If there was one thing the Communists did well, it was weapons production. They might have been incompetent at everything else, but they made good weapons.

I wouldn't say that. They made one good weapon, the AK, and then based everything on that. The bizon was based on an AK, dragenov (cant spell worth shit) was based on the AK, the rpk and pkm was based on the AK, hell, the Russians even based their shotguns on the AK design. Pleas correct me if I’m wrong.
I thought this was kind of funny. The other day, while we were reading animal farm, in English class, we got to talking about how Russians suck at making stuff. Then my teacher (ex airborne ranger, 60 gunner) said there was no other weapon that he would rather run through the jungle with than the AK. Then he said that you could throw that thing in a mud puddle, pull it out dripping, with mud in the barrel, and that thing would still shoot straight. I just thought I’d add how cool my teacher is.

[danneskjold]

The Bizon was Russian, not Soviet.
The Saiga, Dragunov, RPK, and PKM are all very good weapons. As your teacher said, you can throw them in the mid and still use it. Its works very well in harsh environments - which was essential because thats what a lot of Russia is.
The RPG is good, its cheap easy to use and effective. That doesnt mean I would choose it over the American counterpart but it is good.
Their tanks were very good, as were the MiG fighters.

[Beran]

you are correct on the bizon, rpk and saiga12 being based on the ak system but the svd (dragunov) is a pretty different weapon. i think the only part it shares in common with the ak is the safety lever. the reason its called the dragunov is because it was designed by Yevgeniy Feodorovich Dragunov, who knew Mikhail Kalishnikov but Kalishnikov had nothing to do with the design of the svd.

also i thought the pkm was a different system as well but after a little research it is indeed based on the ak47. its not the same action, but its very similar, as the pkm was designed by Kalishnikov.

the ak47 rifles were designed to be as rugged as possible:

The over sized gas piston, generous clearances between moving parts, and tapered cartridge case design allow the gun to endure large amounts of foreign matter and fouling without failing to cycle.

-from wiki

[saddaminator]

the dragunov was based on the AK47 designe. the maker took the AK design, modified it to semiauto and chambered it for 7.62x54. the whole basis of the dragenov rifle was on the AK. just becaust the parts arent compatable, that doesnt say shit. hell, most of the parts on the ak74 arent compatable with the ak47. so are you saying that they arent related ether?
sorry to be bitchy

[Rogue Reaper]

The ICS AK74 is a Solid Replica.

I like it.

[Beran]

saddaminator sez:
the dragunov was based on the AK47 designe. the maker took the AK design, modified it to semiauto and chambered it for 7.62x54. the whole basis of the dragenov rifle was on the AK. just becaust the parts arent compatable, that doesnt say shit. hell, most of the parts on the ak74 arent compatable with the ak47. so are you saying that they arent related ether?
sorry to be bitchy

To the casual observer, the Dragunov appears to be a variant of the Avtomat Kalishnikov 1947, or AK-47. Other than the safety lever, which is the same as the AK's, the similarities are cosmetic only. The most critical difference between the two rifles is the gas system. The SVD has a short-stroke gas piston system, similar in design and operation to the M1/M14 series of rifles, and to the Tokarev as well. The piston is above the barrel and its short stroke minimizes weight displacement during a shot, which would affect accuracy, and follow-up shot ability. Moreover, the piston rod is separate from the bolt carrier. Further, the SVD also has an adjustable gas regulator to compensate for a dirty gas system when the rifle is under heavy use.

http://www.aspiringtech.net/nobull/SVD.html

The SVD (Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova)-Dragunov Sniping Rifle was the first rifle designed from scratch as a sniper rifle, and was introduced in the 1950's. It has very limited similarities to the Kalashnikov series of rifles.

http://www.ak-47.net/ak47/dragunov.html

see i did some research before i definitively stated something as fact. what are you backing your statement up with?

btw, sorry to be bitchy lolz.