AK 47 a Lord of war

[TsarSamuil]

Russian Commandos to Adopt New Underwater Assault Rifles.

MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s army is set to adopt a new assault rifle that performs effectively both on the ground and underwater.

The ADS assault rifle, currently being showcased by the Tula-based KBP design bureau at the Interpolitex 2013 arms show in Moscow, can fire standard-issue 5.45-mm cartridges when above the water with accuracy and effectiveness similar to that of AK-74s.

When submerged and loaded with special 5.45-mm PSP ammunition, the ADS outperforms the service-issue, Soviet-designed APS underwater assault rifle in terms of accuracy and ease of handling.

The new rifle is fitted with an integral 40-mm grenade launcher and adjustable iron sights. Its carrying handle is provided with a bracket to mount various types of optical sights.

“These rifles will soon enter service with special combat units of the Russian army,” a spokesman for KBP design bureau said Tuesday.

For several decades, Soviet and later Russian combat divers and naval commando units were armed with special weapons for underwater combat. These included the SPP-1 pistol and APS underwater assault rifle, which performed poorly on the surface.

The ADS proved its effectiveness and reliability during extensive field trials by Russian naval commando units, according to a KBP design bureau official.

It will replace APS underwater weapons and, possibly, some AK-74M general issue assault rifles in service with Russian special forces units.

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Vid,
rt.com/news/underwater-gun-russia-debut-627/

Underwater 'Kalashnikov': Russia showcases first ever efficient amphibious assault rifle.

RT.com
October 23, 2013 23:33

Russian arms manufacturers have unveiled a new technological marvel – the world’s first ever assault rifle capable of shooting standard size cartridges both underwater and on land. Russian Special Forces units will soon be armed with the new gun.

Designed by Russia's Tula Instrument Design Bureau the ‘ADS’ gun can shoot underwater using a special cartridge, which in size is suitable for the standard magazine case Kalashnikov assault rifle. To fire under water or on land, one only needs to replace the magazine of the 5.45 millimeter automatic rifle.

"Until now underwater fighters were compelled to use two types of weapon – for use under water and the Kalashnikov for overland firing. Now it is only necessary to replace the ammunition magazine," Nikolay Komarov, head of department of foreign economic relations of the manufacturer in Tula told rostec.ru

The ‘ADS’ is also equipped with a 40 mm grenade launcher. Developers believe that its effectiveness and accuracy are comparable if not greater than the legendary AK-47m.

The first ever machine gun of its kind was presented by the Russian developers at the XVII international arms exhibition in Moscow called " Interpolitex 2013” and in the near future will be deployed in the service by the Russian Defense Ministry.

"The main feature of it is that the fire can be carried out both under water and on land. Currently, no country in the world has been developing such machine guns, they are developing only underwater guns,” a representative of the developer told Ria.

The weight of the machine gun with the grenade launcher is approximately 4.6 kg. The ‘ADS’ uses bullets of 5.45х39 mm at a firing rate of 800 shots/min with the aim range on a land of 500 m.

The rifle’s effective firing range underwater when using a specially designed cartridge is about 25 meters at a depth of 30 meters and 18 m at a depth of 20 m. The new underwater cartridge is externally very similar to standard 5.45x39 ammunition except for a different specially calculated bullet shape. The bullet length is 53.5 mm compared to an overall cartridge length of 57mm.

As compared to the Soviet underwater assault rifle APS that was designed back in 1970s, the new ADS is no less efficient when firing on land than a traditional Kalashnikov. Firing 5.66 mm caliber steel bolts, the APS with its non-rifled barrel is somewhat inaccurate on land. Out of water the APS’s lifetime was only 180 shots with an effective range of around 50 meters.

Completed in Tula in 2007, the ADS machine gun has undergone successful tests in naval special units in the Russian Defense Ministry in the North, Far East and the Black Sea. Rosoboronexport is promoting the new weapon for export.

This year the 17th “Interpolitex” is taking place in Moscow. Visitors can witness the latest defense technology for the police and military as well as medical equipment for emergency situations.

The showroom has four major exhibitions: police equipment, military- technical, protection and border security and Unmanned Multipurpose Vehicle Systems.

According to the organizers, 430 organizations are taken part at the convention, including more than 60 companies from 23 countries, such as Belgium , Britain, Denmark, Germany, India, Israel, Spain , Italy , France , USA , Czech Republic, Kazakhstan , Belarus and Ukraine.

[TsarSamuil]

Museum for AK-47 Inventor Opens in Siberia.

BARNAUL, November 15 (RIA Novosti) – A museum dedicated to the inventor of the world’s most popular firearm, the AK-47, officially opened on Friday in his home town in southern Siberia.

But the inventor, Mikhail Kalashnikov, who turned 94 years old last week, said he was unable to attend the opening ceremony due to poor health.

Kalashnikov has donated numerous personal items to the museum, including an honorary professor’s robe from Harvard University and a letter from late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who traveled to Russia in 2009 to personally congratulate Kalashnikov on his 90th birthday.

A high-ranking official at newly formed state arms maker Kalashnikov Concern said in a statement that the inventor “sends his best regards to all residents of the Altai Territory and thanks them for still remembering him.”

The museum is located in the town of Kurya, in a century-old wooden school house where Kalashnikov used to study.

The building will feature three separate exhibitions devoted to Kalashnikov’s early life, the creation of the AK-47, and the inventor’s immense contribution to Russia’s defense capabilities.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia Buries Famed AK-47 Inventor Kalashnikov.

MYTISHCHI (Moscow Region), December 27 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s most famous gun designer, Mikhail Kalashnikov, was buried Friday at a new military cemetery outside Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and a host of other high-ranking officials came to pay their respects at the funeral, held with full state honors at the Federal Military Memorial Complex in the town of Mytishchi.

Putin laid red roses on the coffin and offered condolences to Kalashnikov’s family members.

The military paid a fitting last tribute to Kalashnikov with salvoes fired from the AK-47, the iconic assault rifle that he designed and which brought him lasting fame.

Yelena Kalashnikova, daughter of the famed weapons designer, said at the funeral that her father had dedicated his whole life to the service of the Motherland and “never thought of anything else.”

Kalashnikov, who died Monday at the age of 94, was initially to be buried in his hometown of Izhevsk, the capital of Russia’s Udmurtia republic.

However, the Russian authorities decided that a man who made such a significant contribution to the country's defense and holds the title of Hero of Russia among other honors, should be buried in a more prominent place.

Over 60,000 people paid their last respects to Kalashnikov in two days of mourning in Izhevsk before his coffin was flown on Thursday to Moscow.

The Kalashnikov Group, the newly formed small-arms holding that still manufactures derivatives of the AK-47, has said it plans to turn Kalashnikov’s office into a small museum and to establish an award bearing his name to honor its best branches and employees.

Izhevsk already has a dedicated Kalashnikov museum, opened in 2004, that includes a range where visitors can fire air gun copies of AK series weapons on a range.

An estimated 100 million AK-47s have been built worldwide since it went into mass production in February 1947. The reliable and easy-to-use assault rifle is still favored by an assortment of armed forces, guerrilla groups, terrorists and even common thugs in at least 55 countries.

Derivatives of the AK-47, which has a vodka and even a rap song named in its honor, are produced in about 30 countries, including Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Finland, India, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden and South Africa.


Mikhail Kalashnikov was buried Friday at a new military cemetery outside Moscow

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'Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle easiest to fall in love with' - Ex-CIA officer.

RT
Dec 24, 2013

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbt6bpoiCM8

The father of the legendary AK-47 assault rifle, Mikhail Kalashnikov, has died at the age of 94. The weapon - along with its successors - remains the world's most widely-used firearm, and also an instantly recognizable brand. Former U.S. Navy and CIA officer Michael Vlahos says that after more than six decades in use, the Kalashnikov rifle still stands up to its modern equivalents.

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Legendary Kalashnikov: Story of AK-47 Rifle (RT's Documentary)

RT
Dec 24, 2013

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQtFYkvascA

The Kalashnikov rifle needs no introduction. In this documentary we'll show you its origins, how it's made and tested, who uses it and much more. You'll be taken to the Izhmash manufacturing plant where the rifles are assembled, see elite soldiers from Russia's Interior Ministry train with the world-renowned weapon, and hear American war veterans recall their experiences with the gun. The inventor of the iconic AK-47 assault rifle, Mikhail Kalashnikov, has died at the age of 94.

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Funeral for Kalashnikov.

Reuters
Dec 27, 2013

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSOXI8Rz-iA

Dec. 27 - Russia buries Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of the AK-47 assault rifle that has killed more people than any other weapon in the world.

[TsarSamuil]

Kalashnikov Signs Contract to Sell 200,000 Guns in US, Canada.

MOSCOW, January 16 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Kalashnikov gun maker has signed a contract to sell up to 200,000 firearms annually to customers in the United States and Canada, the company said Thursday.

The contract was signed with the Russian Weapon Company, an American dealer of Russian firearms, at the 2014 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, the largest annual hunting and shooting trade show in the world.

“Under the terms of the agreement, the Russian Weapon Company has the exclusive right to distribute hunting and sporting weapons under the Izhmash and Baikal brands in the US and Canada,” Kalashnikov spokeswoman Yelena Filatova told journalists.

“The volume of sales will be 80,000 to 200,000 guns per year,” she added.

Kalashnikov has been working closely with RWC for two years and sells more than 90 percent of its civilian export models to American consumers.

The Kalashnikov Concern, one of the world’s largest firearm producers, is the maker of the AK-47 assault rifle and its military derivatives. The company also produces a wide range of civilian guns for sport shooting and hunting.

[TsarSamuil]

Pro-gun lobby wants to turn Russian homes into fortresses.

RT.com
February 20, 2014 10:27

An online initiative to soften Russian gun laws by radically broadening the legal definition of self-defense has gathered over 100,000 signatures and must now be considered by parliament.

The petition titled “My home is my fortress” was launched by the Right to Arms organization – a relatively new group that actively promotes the liberalization of gun laws in Russia. The essence of the proposal is that any resistance citizens offer to intruders inside their homes must be considered as necessary self-defense.

Currently, the law only lists as necessary self-defense the actions aimed at protection of personal safety, and against actions that threaten or could potentially threaten human lives. Charges of murder or inflicting grievous bodily harm can be lifted if the suspect proves that he was necessarily acting in self-defense. The Right to Arms initiative suggests that if a confrontation takes place inside a home between the owner and an intruder the burden of proof lies on the intruder.The activists claim that this would prevent cases in which people faced trial and sometimes conviction for protecting themselves and their families against violent aggressors.

The explanatory note posted together with the draft reads that the current situation is very unbalanced – breaking into other people’s homes is considered a much softer offence than murder or grievous bodily harm. Because of this, ordinary citizens fear to resist intruders and become easy victims.

In addition, the activists suggest broadening the legal definition of “home” and include not only the official permanent residence, but also places of temporary lodging, like hotels and holiday homes. They also suggested altering the criminal code and making unsanctioned entry into other people’s cars a crime punishable with a heavy fine or up to 2 years behind bars – currently it is only prosecuted if the aggrieved party manages to prove the intention of theft.

On Thursday the petition gathered over 100,000 signatures on the official government portal which automatically makes it a legislative initiative. It became the third petition to pass the threshold since this option of draft law preparation was introduced in April 2013.

It should be noted that the two previous drafts submitted through internet voting were almost immediately rejected by parliamentary committees and did not make it to a vote. The head of the Right to Arms group, Maria Butina, told Izvestia daily that she was confident that one of the lower house deputies would push the prepared bill in the State Duma. She did not name the politician or his party caucus, but MP Alexei Zhuravlev said he would submit the bill that broadens gun owners’ rights. Zhuravlev heads the moderate nationalist party Rodina (Motherland) but sits in the State Duma on the ticket of parliamentary majority United Russia.

According to Right to Arms there are 5 million civilian gun owners in Russia and 6.4 million registered firearms – mostly hunting rifles and shotguns but also over 600,000 non-lethal guns modified to fire special rubber bullets. Pro-gun advocates claim that the number of crimes committed with officially registered firearms is extremely low – only 142 in 2012.

At the same time, a part of the Russian public and politicians have called for tighter regulation of firearms, especially after several mass shootings in 2013. This included the incident in Belgorod when an ex-convict shot dead six people, claiming later that “he was firing into hell”, and the incident in Moscow where a law clerk of a drugstore chain gunned down six of his colleagues after leaving a hate manifesto online following a breakup with a girlfriend. In February this year a Moscow schoolboy shot dead his teacher and a policeman after taking about 20 children hostage in his school.

Russian law does not allow civilians to carry concealed firearms, but a long gun can be purchased solely for home protection.

[TsarSamuil]

Saiga AK74!

FPSRussia
Mar 9, 2014

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSbNjXnLg5M

[TsarSamuil]

AK-47 buying frenzy sparked by sanctions against Russia.

RT America
Jul 28, 2014

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M7jdp3IuVQ

US sanctions to prevent the import of the Russian made AK-47 are creating a frenzy among American customers trying to get their hands of the weapon while still available. Gun dealers are reporting a high number of inquiries from those hoping to purchase the world’s most popular gun, and prices are skyrocketing along with the demand. RT’s Manila Chan takes a look at the unexpected consequence resulting from the blacklisting by the government.

[TsarSamuil]

AK-47 maker Kalashnikov to double production in three years.

RT.com
September 05, 2014 02:38

The producers of the world-famous AK-47 assault rifle, the Kalashnikov Concern, have announced plans to double its output to 300,000 units in the next three years, despite being on the US sanctions list.

Kalashnikov plans to produce 150,000 units of arms in 2014, with the output rising to 300,000 in the next three years, Kalashnikov CEO Aleksey Krivoruchko told the company’s corporate magazine.

According to Krivoruchko, the concern’s mid-term goal is to perform a complex technical and technological re-equipment maneuver, which would include the purchase of new hardware, reconstruction of facilities and the organization of high-performance workplaces.

Over the period of January to March 2014, the Russian company already doubled its output in comparison with the same period last year, producing 31,000 units of basic arms.

“We have also set the task of designing and manufacturing such weapon models that would combine modern technological and design solutions – like, for example, advanced ergonomics, design modularity, use of wear-resistant coatings, which withstand any influences, including heat, constant friction and moisture,” the Kalashnikov CEO said.

Earlier, Aleksandr Soloviev, acting head of the republic of Udmurtia, where Kalashnikov is located, said that the concern increased its production by about 39-42 percent since the beginning of the year.

The growth would have been even more significant in 2014 if not for the arms embargo imposed by the US on Russia over the events in Ukraine.

In July, Washington sanctioned several Russian companies, including Kalashnikov and air defense systems’ producer Almaz-Antey, banning them from taking mid- and long-term loans in the US and having any contracts with American firms.

Following the announcement of the sanctions, Russian-made firearms have reportedly been flying off the shelves of American gun stores. Saiga rifles and shotguns, based on the reliable Kalashnikov design, had already gained popularity among gun enthusiasts in the US and even the country’s law enforcement agencies.

The Kalashnikov Concern is Russia’s largest producer of military automatic and sniper weapons and guided artillery shells, as well as a wide range of civil products – hunting and sporting rifles, machinery and tools.

The group currently sells its products to nearly 30 countries around the globe, including the UK, Germany, Norway, Italy, Canada, Kazakhstan and Thailand.


Poster with a portrait of designer-gunsmith Mikhail Kalashnikov in the workshop of the enterprise "Concern Kalashnikov" in Izhevsk (RIA Novosti / Sergey Guneev)

[TsarSamuil]

Nationalist pushes radical liberalization of home defense laws.

RT.com
October 06, 2014 09:33

A deputy Lower House speaker has told the press he has prepared a bill allowing Russians to use firearms against criminals breaking into their homes without fear of prosecution.

Igor Lebedev of the populist nationalist caucus LDPR told the Izvestia daily about his plans to alter the laws defining the limits of self-defense so that Russian citizens could use firearms more freely to protect themselves, their families, and property. The lawmaker acknowledged that a very similar suggestion was put forward in 2012 and rejected by the government, but vowed to push it through this time.

“It would be right to introduce the ‘my home is my fortress’ concept into Russian law. When a citizen is using firearms against a bandit who has entered his residence this citizen should not be punished,” Lebedev told reporters. He also said the LDPR party would publish the bill on a special website so that it can be scrutinized by the public before being officially submitted to the Lower House.

Current Russian law allows people to use firearms or other weapons in life threatening situations to themselves or others, but can be quite difficult to prove that the threat existed in court. In several cases people have been sentenced to prison terms after such incidents. Examples include the 2012 case in which a girl who fired a non-lethal rubber bullet at a man who stabbed her companion in the Moscow Metro – the shooter got three years in prison for grievous bodily harm and the assailant got away with a milder punishment.

In 2014 in the wake of several such stories the gun lobby NGO ‘Right to Arms’ prepared a petition entitled “My home is my fortress,” suggesting that any resistance citizens offer to intruders inside their homes must be considered as necessary for self-defense. The document was put on the internet on the special site for legislative initiatives and it was the first to get over 100,000 signatures from supporters which made it a draft law that had to be considered by the parliament. However, the bill was almost at once turned down by the Interior and Justice ministries.

MP Aleksey Zhuraavlev, who supported the “Right to Arms” motion, linked the ministries’ reaction to the fact that law enforcers feared that if the gun laws in the country become more liberal it would greatly increase the number of applications for gun licenses as well as add to routine work of ordinary policemen who check how the citizens store and maintain their weapons.

“The idea that Russians are some inferior kind of people who cannot use weapons correctly has been embedded in everyone’s mind. This is nonsense. Once the people have firearms street crime and banditry would decline. Ordinary citizens in the USA kill twice as many criminals as the police. I think that the law enforcers oppose the idea because it would make them work more,” Zhuravlev told Izvestia.

Gun rights groups estimate the number of civilian gun owners in Russia at about 5 million, and the number of registered firearms at about 6.4 million, including over 600,000 non-lethal guns modified to fire special rubber bullets. The overall Russian population is over 140 million according to the 2010 official census. Pro-gun advocates also claim that the number of crimes committed with officially registered firearms is extremely low – only 142 in 2012.

Russian law does not allow civilians to carry concealed firearms, but a long gun can be purchased solely for home protection.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia: See inside Kalashnikov factory.

RuptlyTV
Dec 19, 2014

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrBe0Q0kWHc

Legendary Russian arms manufacturer Kalashnikov granted access to its factory in Izhevsk on Friday to see production of its new line of AK rifles, which are being readied for sale in 2015.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia: These Lobaev SNIPER rifles are probably the world's best.

RuptlyTV
Feb 19, 2015

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFwOWBErbG0

Ever wondered how much time and skill went into the making of a custom sniper rifle? Take a look inside the factory of Kaluga based rifle manufacturers Lobaev Arms, who continued to produce their award winning models on Thursday. The cost of one of Lobaev's rifles, the DXL-3, is 350,000 rubles ($5,629; €4,964).

[TsarSamuil]

Russian maritime grenade launcher goes into mass production.

RT.com
February 24, 2015 15:36

A modernized DP-64 grenade launcher uniquely designed to keep enemy frogmen, saboteurs and pirates away from ships and important sea maritime installations, such as oil rigs, has gone into mass production in Russia.

The two-barreled DP-64 “Nepryadva” grenade launcher has been supplied in limited-edition batches to various sections of the Russian Armed Forces, including the Marines, special units of Russia’s Federal Security Guard Service, maritime Border Patrol vessels and FSB coast guards.

The DP-64 grenade launcher enables even a small unit to maintain a secure protection against enemy divers of anchored ships, maritime installations and other important offshore infrastructure facilities.

The launcher can be fired in difficult conditions, such as from a helicopter.

It can launch a grenade at a distance of up to 400 meters and the projectile could be set to explode at a designed depth. Non-lethal grenades with tear gas could be used to avoid undesired casualties.

Designed and produced by JSC Bazalt at its Degtyarev Plant in Russia’s city of Kovrov, the first version of this grenade launcher first appeared in 1989 and was adopted a year later, though still remaining a rare piece of armament.

Last year the Russian Navy ordered a large batch of DP-64s, thus paving the way for the mass production of the weapon.

“The DP-64 is in mass production now. In 2014 we got a considerable order from the Defense Ministry, I can't disclose details, but this is to supply our Navy,” Pavel Sidorov, head of the JSC Bazalt Science and Engineering Department, told RIA Novosti.

Sidorov is currently attending the IDEX 2015 international defense expo in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as the company's official representative at the event, where the DP-64 is being presented alongside other Russian-made weaponry.

[TsarSamuil]

Russia: This ADS Amphibious assault rifle fires under WATER.

RuptlyTV
Apr 14, 2015



The one of a kind ADS amphibious assault rifle, capable of firing under water as well as fitted with a grenade launcher, was filmed at the KBP Instrument Design Bureau in the Russian city of Tula, Tuesday.

[TsarSamuil]

Silent Killer: Russian Super Rifle VSK-94 Up Close.

Sputnik
RUSSIA 16:42 24.07.2015

The ability to shoot in all weather conditions, as far and as accurately as possible has always been a major challenge to sniper gun designers, and this is where Russian master armorers have always shined.

Meet their latest creation – the top-of-the-line VSK-94 silenced sniper rifle — developed by the Tula-based Instrument Design Bureau, most famous for its high-performance GSh-series aircraft cannons, as well as for antitank missile systems and other excellent weapons.

The VSK-94 is actually an attempt to create a less expensive rival to their special purpose VSS Vintorez 9mm silenced super-rifle.

The conduct of urban combat operations requires more compact, easily concealed sniping weapons and the VSK-94 fits the bill just perfectly.

It is light and, unlike its prototype, it sports a more rigid and convenient plastic buttstock and an altered iron sight with settings graduated to a range of up to 400 m.

One important component of the sniper complex is the optical sights – the daytime PKS-07 the nighttime PKN-03M, which offer the latest achievements in this field, giving the rifle an edge over its closes competitor – the US-made S-16 Grendel 7.62x39mm unit.

With a comparable effective range, the S-16 is 100 mm longer and 1.6 kg heavier.

The VSK-94 rifle is a simple and reliable gas-operated weapon. It has a long service life (at least 6,000 shots), irrespective of the types of cartridges fired.

The relatively low cost of the VSK-94, with its superior qualities, is also important.

The VSK-94 sniper complex came along at the right time and is now a weapon of choice for Special Ops troops both in Russia and abroad.

[TsarSamuil]

Holographic Wonder: Russia Develops One of a Kind Gun Sight.

Sputnik
RUSSIA 10:38 10.10.2015

Engineers at a factory in northern Russia are developing a new generation of holographic weapon sights, which have no analogues in the world.

Presenting the all-new Valdai PG-210 holographic weapon sight at a military expo held earlier this month in Kubinka, just outside Moscow, the Yupiter factory’s director, Nikolai Klimkin, described it as “a lightweight and easy-to-use day/night wide-angle scope.”

The PG-210 holographic gun sight with binocular observation ensures an increased rate of fire at moving targets.

“We are now working on one of a kind holographic gun sights with variable rangefinding reticles,” Klimkin emphasized.

The new sight’s additional forte is its invisibility to existing means of optical detection.

Designed expressly for use with the Kalashnikov assault rifles, the Valdai PG-210 holographic sight can also be easily installed on hunting, sportsman rifles and other non-military weapons.

A holographic weapon sight is a non-magnifying gun sight that allows the user to look through a glass optical window and see a cross hair reticle image superimposed at a distance on the field of view.

The hologram of the reticle is built into the window and is illuminated by a laser diode.