The AK-47

As I wrote in my last blog, "I hate communists, but I like their weapons."

So....what can one say about the AK-47 that hasn't been said before?  Easily the most prolific "killing machine" of the 20th century, it is still respected and feared here in the 21st.

What I experienced in Vietnam (67-68), going up AGAINST this ugly little brute, would give me enough material to probably write a BOOK on that thing, but my writings are often "lengthy enough" as it is-----so breathe easy...........as old "Joe Friday" used to say........"Just the facts, ma'am!"

In brief, the gun was designed by a Soviet tank commander, Mikail Kalashnikov in 1946, tested and accepted into the Red Army in 1947.  The "AK" stands for (Automatic Kalashnikov.......and the "47" of course, for the year it became "official").  There have been nearly 100 MILLION of them produced by both the Russians, and their satellite allies.  They are still being built today.

Straight up............the AK-47 is a better rifle than our M-16 (or "M-4", as it is called today).  It is not only better--------but MUCH better.  As most of my oldtime readers know, I packed an M-14 in 'Nam, and was there when our M-16's were "replacing" them.   I saw the M-16 for the "mistake and horror story' that it was, and will not clutter this blog up with the details, except to say that our troops today are ahead of the bad guys through good training and technology.......in the field, that means GPS, night vision goggles, etc.

If our guys had to go out there against the enemy.....no "trick equipment", just "bare-rifle to bare-rifle", we'd be in trouble, because the AK-47 is virtually IMPERVIOUS to sand, grit, mud, snow and any other element you can think of.  You just about CAN'T get one of those old Kalashnikovs dirty enough to quit working!

There are still Recon and SEAL teams who use them on occasion!

Most gun designers tend to go for "precision"...to "tighten things up.....but having been OUT THERE in the "soup", Mikail Kalashnikov knew that a combat rifle has to LIVE out there with its soldier, on a 24/7 basis.  (I can tell you first hand, that the "bush, jungle & "swamp" are NOT "laboratory-sterile" out there), so Kalashnikov PURPOSELY designed this rifle to "loose tolerances", thus giving the internal parts a little "elbow room" to move around in filthy environments.  Pick up a BRAND NEW AK-47 today....shake it....and you'll hear things rattle around a bit.  This is BY DESIGN.

The inner workings of an AK-47 are surprisingly simple.  It can be torn down for cleaning in less than a minute, and reassembled just as quickly.  No tools required, everything is readily accessible.  Here you're looking at the hammer & sear assembly, driven by a simple double-coiled spring.  Nothing "gee-whiz" here.

The chamber, with the blowback piston housing above it.  A simple flip-lever releases the forward shroud for ready-access.  The rear sights are spring-laddered and graduated out to a thousand meters, although it would take a lot of luck to HIT something out that far.

And at this point, I will give credit where it's due------the M-16 DOES have a little more range and is a bit more accurate-------but you rarely SEE an "opponent" beyond 200 yards out there, and the AK, with it's 30-caliber bullet, is a lot more devastating than our "high-speed 22 is."......especially if you have to shoot through heavy brush.

It's 7.62x 39 cartridge s a battle-proven cartridge, and a 30-round "banana magazine" like this one, makes it an extremely deadly unit.

Another unique feature of the AK-47 is that "cut & slanted" little "compensator" at the end of the barrel.  As a bullet exits a barrel the remaining "expanding gas" dialates out in a 360-degree pattern.  That "cut" you see gives the DOWNWARD portion of that gas something to PUSH DOWN ON.  This in turn, keeps the muzzle from climbing (especially under rapid fire), giving you a LOT more control, shot-to-shot.  Nothing "high tech" HERE!  Just a simple cut through a steel tube!

Works well.  REALLY well.............and even today, these drawing-board "hot-shots" keep trying to "re-invent the wheel"........well "DUH-H-H!"

When 9/11 went down, nobody really knew what to expect.  Was an invasion to follow?  Were terrorist cells already HERE in this country?  Would we have to evacuate in the hills for awhile?  Man, you just don't know at a time like this, but you keep a cool head and PREPARE though, just in case.

I'm an old deer & elk hunter.....I didn't have an "assault rifle" (I STILL hate that term)...........and I couldn't afford (or find) an M-14 at the time, (although I have one now).

But I COULD get an "AK" for around $300.00 at the time.  181 miles LATER, I HAD one.

On my way out to get it, I wrestled a bit with my "Patriotism"....the thought of buying a "communist gun" didn't set very well at first, but there were other things to consider..........

If we HAD to evacuate and spread out a little, "AK" ammo was plentiful, (and it still IS).....not overly expensive either.  It doesn't have as much knockdown power at distance as our 308-calibered M-14......but it's still more than enough to "get 'er done" (and there's a big long black wall in Washington D.C. to substantiate that).

The only OTHER "assault option" was the AR-15, which was just a civilian version of the M-16. ......"Screw THAT!"........not at ANY price.

I'd remembered all too well, how "finicky" the '16 was when it got "carboned-up" a bit.  I also remembered those old "AK's" we'd captured at Khe Sanh, ....SURFACE-RUSTED from pure neglect.....and still "bangin' away!"  The sheer simplicity and reliability of Kalashnikov's design.   This was the ONE time in my life that "American manufacturing loyalty" gave way to common sense.

Give the option, availability  (and MONEY), at the time.......I'd have had an American M-1 Garand, or my cherished M-14 (which I have since remedied).

But in 2001, the "guns of the bad guys", were still pretty solid choices for anyone needing something reliable.

The AK-47.  It IS what it IS.............I HATED it in 1968, but I respect and trust it today, and while I DO now have the guns of MY choice.......if it all "broke out" tomorrow and the AK was the first one I happened to grab as I got ready to go out there and "mix it up" again.........I'd be just fine with that.  It ain't pretty.......even CRUDE-looking and archaic in nature.

But it WORKS.  Believe me, it works.