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Chapter 14
Chapter 14. Design
Chapter 14. History of the weapon

AKS-74U

Kalashnikov assault rifle

Simplicity and reliability. I created an assault rifle being a sergeant, and I always remembered that the soldier did not study in academies.
– M.T. Kalashnikov
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
In 1957, the United States began developing assault rifles for a 5.56 mm cartridge, which was a turning point in the subsequent history of small arms.
In the 1960s, a group of Soviet specialists under the supervision of V.M. Sabelnikov developed a 5.45 mm low-pulse cartridge, which was 6 g lighter than the cartridge M1943.

This made it possible to increase the ammunition in hand. In addition, the 5.45 mm cartridge bullet had a flatter trajectory, which improved the accuracy of fire.
Caliber
5.45 mm
Length, stock extended
73.0 cm
Length, stock folded
49.0 cm
Barrel length
20.6 cm
Weight
3.2 kg
Muzzle velocity
735 m/s
Foresight
On the fore-end on the right is the inscription inlaid with gold wire: SH. KHALIFA BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN (in English: Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan).
Pistol grip
The pistol grip and the magazine body are made of plastic, nickel-plated. The external surface of the steel parts, except for the bolt and sight, is chrome-plated.
Handguard with gas tube
Gas cylinder serves to tap the combustion gases from the barrel bore and directs them to the gas piston of the bolt carrier.
Forearm serves to hold the rifle conveniently and protects the shooter's hands from burns.
Barrel
Flash suppressor is used to reduce the noise and muzzle flash during firing.
Magazine serves to store cartridges and feed them one-by-one to the seating line.
Receiver cover protects parts and mechanisms housed in the receiver from contamination
Magazine latch
Fire mode selector is designed to select a fire mode, and also serves as a safety.
Return mechanism is used to return the bolt carrier with the bolt to the forward position.
Auto-sear lever
Trigger is used to hold the hammer in the cocked position and release the hammer.
Single-fire sear is designed to hold the hammer in the cocked position.
Auto-sear. releases the hammer in burst fire, and also prevents the hammer from being released if the barrel bore is open and the bolt is not locked.
Bolt carrier with a gas piston serves to actuate the bolt and cock the trigger mechanism.
The most effective fire is delivered at up to 400 m. Concentrated fire against group targets is delivered at up to 800 m. The point-blank range of fire against a head-and-shoulders target is 360 m
Shoot
Metal folding stock with a swivel device
Rear sight.
Sights consist of rear sight and front sights and are used to aim the rifle when firing at targets at various ranges. The rear sight has two positions — for firing at distances of up to 350 m ("P") and from 350 to 500 m ("5").
Assemble-disassemble
A five-pointed star (Tula Arms Plant’s make; manufacturer identification), 92 (the last two digits of the year of manufacture: 1992) 705785 (serial number) are stamped on the receiver on the left.
View 3D Model
The generally recognized made it possible to deliver heavy fire, but had a limited firing range.
In this regard, the need emerged to develop a new cartridge, which would occupy an intermediate position between rifle and pistol cartridges in terms of its ballistic data, mass and dimensions.
A cartridge developed by N.M. Elizarov and B.V. Semin in 1943 met these requirements.
Many domestic designers took part In the development of an assault rifle for firing the 7.62 mm M1943 round. According to the results of the second stage of the tender held in 1947, M.T. Kalashnikov’s prototype was selected the winner.
M.T. Kalashnikov’s biography
In 1949, following operational trials, the 7.62 mm Kalashnikov AK assault rifle entered service with the Soviet Army.

The production of Kalashnikov assault rifles was organized at the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant in the same year.

In 1949 M.T. Kalashnikov was awarded the Stalin Prize for the development of the assault rifle.
A soldier made weapons for a soldier. I myself was a private and I know well the difficulties encountered in soldier's life. I tried to make my assault rifle not only effective in battle, but also easy to use. I visited military units and consulted with specialists while improving its design. And the soldiers told me what suited them and what needed to be improved. The result is a simple, reliable and effective weapon. The AK never fails, even after immersion in mud, in a swamp and after a fall from a height onto a hard surface. It is a very simple rifle. But I’d like to say that to make something simple is sometimes much more difficult than to make something complex.
— Designer M.T. Kalashnikov
In an interview with the journalist of the Metro Moscow newspaper (November 9, 2009)
The Kalashnikov AKM modernized assault rifle was adopted In 1959 and featured a number of improvements: its weight was reduced, a muzzle brake was installed, a bayonet was replaced by a bayonet-knife able to cut through a barbed wire, the effective range was increased, etc.
AKM Kalashnikov modernized assault rifle
Production: Russia, Tula. Tula Arms Plant. 1969
The development of new small arms systems for the 5.45 mm cartridge began in 1967. Several designers, including Tula designers, submitted their designs to the contest. As a result of tests held in 1974, the Kalashnikov AK-74 assault rifle was adopted.
The fire effectiveness of the new assault rifle is on average 1.5 times higher compared to the AKM.
The AK-74 and AKM share 53% parts commonality
The AK-74 has a two-chamber muzzle brake attached to the barrel to reduce muzzle climb.
AK-74
Production: Russia, Tula. Tula Arms Plant. 1981
To increase firepower, the AK-74 can be equipped with a 40 mm GP-25 Koster underbarrel grenade launcher. This grenade launcher, developed at Tula-based TsKIB SOO) by V.N. Telesh, was adopted in 1978 for use jointly with the AKM and AK-74 rifles. The fielding of the grenade launchers began in 1980 after the experience of the first battles in Afghanistan.

To the GP-25 Koster grenade launcher fires the 40 mm VOG-25 or VOG-25P fragmentation rounds. The effective casualty radius when a grenade falls vertically reaches 10 m. In the event of a fuze failure, falling into water or viscous soil, the grenade self-destructs 14 seconds after firing.
Modern
Compact assault rifle
Stechkin TKB-0116
AKS-74U
Compact assault rifle
of the Dragunov system
In 1973, the Ministry of Defense announced the "Modern" contest for the development of a compact assault rifle, in which noted gunsmiths from Izhevsk, Tula, Kovrov took part.
AK-74
AKS-74U
Rear sight for 200 and 400 meters.
Twice shorter barrel.
A muzzle attachment is installed to serve as an expansion chamber and a flame arrester
The 5.45 mm shortened Kalashnikov AKS-74U assault rifle, adopted in 1979, was intended for equipping grenade launcher operators, armored vehicle drivers, signalmen, sappers, missile system crews and special police units.
Main features distinguishing
the AKS-74U from AK-74
A twice a shorter barrel significantly reduced the structural weight, but negatively affected the range and accuracy of fire.
AK-74
AKS-74U
Barrel length
415 mm
206 mm
Weight (with magazine)
3.6 kg
3.0 kg
Muzzle velocity
910 m/s
735 m/s
Effective range
1000 m
500 m
Advantages of the AKS-74U
+ concealed carry option
+ high piercing performance
Disadvantages
- small effective range
- low stopping power of the bullet
Due to its compact dimensions, the AKS-74U came to be used in security structures and units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Along with the AKS-74U, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs uses new models of compact weapons like the AK-105 assault rifle
Creation Period: 2017
Place of creation: Russia, Izhevsk
Along with the AKS-74U, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs uses new models of compact weapons like the PP-19 Vityaz submachine gun
Currently, the Kalashnikov assault rifle is depicted on the coat of arms of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Burkina Faso and East Timor.
The assault rifle is assembled under licenses in some countries of Europe, Egypt and Iraq, in China and North Korea.

The Kalashnikov assault rifle is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most common automatic individual weapon.

Currently, there are more than 100 million AKs in the world. It means that there is one Kalashnikov assault rifle per 77 inhabitants of our planet.
Now the whole world knows that our domestic small arms are the most reliable, safest and easiest.
— Designer M.T. Kalashnikov