AK-47 inventor: U.S. troops in Iraq prefer my rifle to theirs

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blaire576

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Last update - 13:25 17/04/2006
AK-47 inventor: U.S. troops in Iraq prefer my rifle to theirs
By Reuters

Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of the world's most popular assault rifle, says that U.S. soldiers in Iraq are using his

invention in
preference to their own weapons, proving that his gun is still the best.

"Even after lying in a swamp you can pick up this rifle, aim it and shoot. That's the best job description there is for a

gun. Real soldiers know that and understand it," the 86-year-old gunmaker told a weekend news conference in Moscow.

"In Vietnam, American soldiers threw away their M-16 rifles and used [Kalashnikov] AK-47s from dead Vietnamese soldiers, with

bullets they captured. That was because the climate is different to America, where M-16s may work properly," he said.

"Look what's happening now: every day on television we see that the Americans in Iraq have my machine guns and assault rifles

in their armored vehicles. Even there American rifles don't work properly."

Some U.S. troops in Iraq have reportedly taken to using AK-47s in preference to the standard-issue M-16. The Cold War-era

gun, renowned for its durability and easy handling, is plentiful in Iraq.

Kalashnikov designed his first weapon in 1947 and is still chief constructor at Izhmash arms factory in Izhevsk in the Urals

mountains.

The factory's director Vladimir Grodetsky told the news conference that around a billion rifles had been produced around the

world using parts of Kalashnikovs or based on the same design, only 10-12 percent of which were made in Russia.
 
Doesn't shock me. the tolerances on the M16 are so tight that if the thing is near perfectly clean it has a tendency to jam. They have made it a bit beter BUT it still can be a pita.

The AK-47 on the other hand . . . well if you shake one it sounds likes it's a rattle. It's much more crappy condition friendly.
 
I got to fire an AK once when I was in Honduras doing top-secret drug interdiction (okay, kidding on that part :p ) ...it was a POS but it did the job. I've read the same things, the thing can get submerged, buried in sand, it will still fire. And in my SOCOM game it is the coolest sounding one too. :D

HB99 is gonna shoots sparks out of his arse when he ses this thread.
 
AR15/M16 is a good police and/or range weapon (read clean environment). Field weapon that you can always count on? I'll take the AK every time (or even an M14).
 
Public Service Announcement

For the uninformed, there are very few true AK-47s in the US in civilian hands. Probably only a handful. In the US we have AK-47 "styled" rifles.

AK-47s described in this article are capable of fully automatic fire (like a machine gun). The versions sold in the US are semi-automatic. Meaning only one shot is fired for each pull of the trigger.

Gun grabbers and the main stream media like to distort that fact, when talking about so-called assault weapons/rifles. Whenever this subject comes up, they'll show some guy in a place like Iraq blasting away with a fully automatic AK-47, as if that is what your neighbor down the street might walk into Wally World and purchase.

Not that I have a problem with people owning real AK-47s.

----------------
"ASSAULT RIFLE -- By U.S. Army definition, a selective-fire rifle chambered for a cartridge of intermediate power. If applied to any semi-automatic firearm regardless of its cosmetic similarity to a true assault rifle, the term is incorrect."
--------------

Now back to your normally scheduled programming.....
 
Lounge Lizard + said:
Public Service Announcement

For the uninformed, there are very few true AK-47s in the US in civilian hands. Probably only a handful. In the US we have AK-47 "styled" rifles.

AK-47s described in this article are capable of fully automatic fire (like a machine gun). The versions sold in the US are semi-automatic. Meaning only one shot is fired for each pull of the trigger.

Gun grabbers and the main stream media like to distort that fact, when talking about so-called assault weapons/rifles. Whenever this subject comes up, they'll show some guy in a place like Iraq blasting away with a fully automatic AK-47, as if that is what your neighbor down the street might walk into Wally World and purchase.

Not that I have a problem with people owning real AK-47s.

----------------
"ASSAULT RIFLE -- By U.S. Army definition, a selective-fire rifle chambered for a cartridge of intermediate power. If applied to any semi-automatic firearm regardless of its cosmetic similarity to a true assault rifle, the term is incorrect."
--------------

Now back to your normally scheduled programming.....
Click to expand...
I've heard of some peoples getting SK-47s. Is this what you are talking about?
 
I'll keep my M-4, thank you very much. If it comes down to fire-superiority, we've got machine guns for that. I just like to know that my round's going where I want it, especially in civilian areas. It does jam alot more than the AK, but that's the trade-off for more precision. All it takes is a little more maitenence to keep the jam rate down to an acceptable level. Plus these guys should be aware that most of the AK's I've seen over here are cheap knock-offs. We took a few that we confiscated down to the range (good clean fun!); one of the barrel blew clean off when we fired it, and another split from muzzel to chamber.
 
The AK47 has proven it's capability. As previously stated they don't jam, can be held together by string and tape and a child can maintain and 'operate' one without difficulty. Shame so many kids 'out there' (Africa, Middle East etc) do.......
 
Pumbaa said:
Doesn't shock me. the tolerances on the M16 are so tight that if the thing is near perfectly clean it has a tendency to jam...
Click to expand...
Actually, there's a lot of misinformation out there about the M16. Most notably the "jamming" problem.

The thing is is that the people who complain about it and have had problems with it just do not know how to take care of it the way it is supposed to. It's not their fault though because they were never taught correctly.

I repaired small arms for the Army for 5 years ('81-'86). Every time I repaired one and test fired I NEVER had a problem.

The thing is they call the main problem "double feeding". Well, I've been teaching for over 30 years (yes, I still deal in weapons) that there's no such thing as "double feeding".

The problem is the weapon fails to extract the used cartridge - that's what they incorrectly call "double feeding".

I'd choose an M16 over any other rifle.:D

EDIT: Dude: I just saw your comment. :D There's nothing wrong with a lot of the worlds weapons - only their operators!:D
 
homebrewer_99 said:
I'd choose an M16 over any other rifle.:D
Click to expand...

Are you really serious? If so, I'm kind of surprised.

I shot the M4 when I was at Ft. Campbell, it was easier to handle and I loved it.
I also had the opportunity to fire the XM8 (do you work with these?) with the Army when I was in Korea in 2002-2003. I'm not privvy to the status on if this is going to be used but it was nice.
 
The M4 was made for close quarters because of its maneuverability.

I'd rather have the extra barrel length (which equals range and stability) plus the addition of the Picatinny Rails for lasers and scopes, etc. is a great improvement. Then there's the M203A2 short barrel...

I remember when the M4s first came out. I had to inform all the officers, 1SG and section chiefs (who would grab them first because they looked cool) that the M4s are designated to be issued to the vehicle drivers because of its maneuverability in close quarters (the vehicle).

Incidently, a lot of people don't know that you can use an M4 bolt in an M16, but not the other way around. Although they look alike they are made for different pressures and use different bullet weights. If I remember correctly, the M4 bullets are lighter and tumble in M16s. Also, if you use an M16 bolt in an M4 you could rupture the bolt via explosion damage.

I brought this up in Kosovo in '99 and they had to requisition the newer ammo.:D
 
I hate to feed this AR/AK debate because it's been going on for decades but... it would be interesting to talk to the Nasiriya convoy troops who were ambushed. A significant number of their AR weapons jammed and were useless. Patrick Miller was credited with several kills and he was really the only person who significantly returned fire... and he did so with an AR that was basically a single shot weapon (he had to forward assist every round).

I know there are people out there who love their ARs... I love all mine at the range but that's as far as it goes. I hate cleaning them because they're filthy weapons... the filthiest weapons I've ever shot/owned. They basically defecate where they eat. There is a reason that many of our troops in Iraq/Afghanistan are carrying AKs... they're simply more reliable. ARs can be sensitive to ammo type, mag type, and cleanliness. Why anyone would trust their life to a sensitive weapon like that is beyond me.

As far as accuracy, I believe most engagements will take place at less than 300 meters anyhow so the additional accuracy of the AR isn't going to be that much of an advantage (especially with mil ammo in a service grade rifle). If you're looking to accurately engage beyond 300 meters, you should probably be looking at something other than an AK or AR not only because of accuracy aspects, but because terminal ballistics with these rounds really drop off... especially with the lightweight 5.56 round.

Bottom line, for me anyhow, is that a firearm that doesn't go boom isn't a firearm... it's a club. Bringing a club to a gunfight is generally a bad idea.

All of this is, of course, simply my opinion. ;)
 
Just a few weeks ago I shot a 2k AR15 and still liked my cheap $250 AK47 better.

Here is the last one I built:
 
homebrewer_99 said:
Incidently, a lot of people don't know that you can use an M4 bolt in an M16, but not the other way around. Although they look alike they are made for different pressures and use different bullet weights. If I remember correctly, the M4 bullets are lighter and tumble in M16s. Also, if you use an M16 bolt in an M4 you could rupture the bolt via explosion damage.

I brought this up in Kosovo in '99 and they had to requisition the newer ammo.:D
Click to expand...
Does the M-16A2 have the same bolt as the M4? I know the A2 uses the newer M855 Ball ammunition.
 
RichBrewer said:
I've heard of some peoples getting SK-47s. Is this what you are talking about?
Click to expand...


Just Googled this up. It explains the situation fairly well:

http://www.geocities.com/kirbytheog/ak47.html


-------


I don't own an AK styled rifle. I might one of these days. I do own the closest AR-15, true to the original Stoner design possible, within my budget. Mine looks similar to this:


prebanAR15_A1.jpg



It fires a 55 grain round through a 1 in 12 twist barrel. The Stoner design called for 55 grains through a 1 in 14 twist. I can live with the slightly tighter twist.

IMO, Army Ordinance screwed the pooch by mucking with the original design.

They were also directly responsible for the jamming problems found in Vietnam. Rather than use the new clean burning Improved Military Rifle powder proposed by Stoner, they went with the dirty military ball powder. Army Ordinance despised the fact that the new rifle was not an "in house" design, and did everything they could to sabotage it.

Later they added the forward assist and other modifications, trying to alleviate the problems, they themselves caused. The rest is history...

.

.
 
This was a competition built AR15. The owner did those standing, kneeling, laying long range competitions. You can still get AR15 fairly cheap. It was a nice gun but for $2k I could have 5 very nice AK variants.
 
InkBird 300

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