The AK platform is an interesting beast. A simple, intuitive and rugged weapon that was a culmination of its era. In many ways married to the 7.62x39mm M43 round, the Russians sought not just to emulate the German pioneering of an intermediate caliber but the weapon design with it. The Soviets found themselves economically and socially in dire straits in the post war period, desperately trying to keep up and surpass the military developments of the NATO powers. It would be an attitude their engineers maintained throughout those developments of the Soviet Union and what would become the Russian Federation.
One example of this is the development of the 5.45x39mm round and the AK-74 which would debut during the Soviet-Afghan War. The Russians had no doubt examined the results of the US M193 55gr 5.56 in Vietnam. Military thinkers at the time were married to the concept of small, high…
View original post 844 more words
The way I see things ... 