Mikhail Kalashnikov dies

[Santagranddad]

After a long illness the originator of the Kalashnikov assault rifle died today.

 

[hecma925]

Memory Eternal.

 

[vamrat]

Sad day.  Great man.

 

[Gorazd]

Вечная память! Eternal memory!

 

[scamandrius]

Why is his rifle called AK, then?  I thought AK were the inventor's initials, which obviously can't be the case if his first name as Mikhail.

 

[mike]

Avtomat Kalashnikova - Kalashnikov's machine

 

[vamrat]

Why is his rifle called AK, then?  I thought AK were the inventor's initials, which obviously can't be the case if his first name as Mikhail.

Avtomat.  Means automatic, but was what the Russians called submachineguns in WWII.  Properly, they were called "pistolyet-polemyot" which means machinegun pistol, or Machine Pistol (as the Germans termed such weapons) - hence PPSh (Shpagin's Macine Pistol).  Most soldiers as far as I can tell called it an Avtomat, though (Submachinegunners = Avtomatchiki.)  Thus, AK-47 = Avtomat Kalashnikova obr 1947.  

(A note about Assault Rifles, the Ak-47 is the second rifle that fits the definition of Assault Rifle - selective fire, intermediate cartridge.  The first being the German MP-43/44/45 and some of the bizarre stop-gap Volksturmgewehrs.  Assault Rifle as a term was more of a nickname (Sturmgewehr).  Some referred to the German weapons using the designation Stg-44, etc, but as far as I can tell the official designation was MP-44, etc.  MP standing for Machinenpistole...)

 

[AntoniousNikolas]

Memory eternal.

 

[Achronos]

Isn't the AK47 a terrible weapon though, as far as accuracy?

It's iconic for sure but I never understood the appeal.

 

[vamrat]

Isn't the AK47 a terrible weapon though, as far as accuracy?

It's iconic for sure but I never understood the appeal.

In WWII they found that most combat took place at 300 yards or less.  (In Vietnam it was often considerably closer.)  An AK47 can put out a metric crapton of fire.  When coupled with light machineguns and RPGs it is even more devastating.  Rifles like the FN FAL are much more accurate but have considerable recoil and are HEAVY AS ****!!!  For an intermediate cartridge, the 7.62x39 fired from the AK has quite a bit of punch.  Not as good as the FN FAL's 7.62x51mm, but you don't really need that much, typically to ruin someone's future hopes and dreams.

 

[JamesR]

It's iconic for sure but I never understood the appeal.

Ingenuity in simplicity. It's more so the weapon's platform that's inspiring. Virtually every other military rifle that has come after it has been inspired by it in one way or another. It's also extremely easy to manufacture, and virtually any idiot can figure out how to use it. You could bury the gun in sand for a week and allegedly it would still fire just as well as if it had just come out of the box.

 

[yeshuaisiam]

It's a really great gun.  I just wish there was no wars or shooting people.

NOTE
AK-47's are much better than .22 Long Rifles (with 15 shots).
:-X

Face a good 600 pounder with a .22 Long Rifle, and you'll know what I mean.   

I would love to get an AK-47 for my cart if I run into one.  I just keep a simple .22 LR for small stuff....

 

[vamrat]

It's a really great gun.  I just wish there was no wars or shooting people.

NOTE
AK-47's are much better than .22 Long Rifles (with 15 shots).
:-X

Face a good 600 pounder with a .22 Long Rifle, and you'll know what I mean.   

I would love to get an AK-47 for my cart if I run into one.  I just keep a simple .22 LR for small stuff....

Ugh.  I'd go with a .45-70 for anything that big!

 

[Punch]

May his memory be eternal.  After being seriously injured when his tank was destroyed by the Germans, he designed the AK-47.  He was a humble man and always said that his only reason for designing the AK was to protect the Motherland. I honestly have to say that I was greatly saddened to hear of his passing.  His weapon is so respected that I know of one nation that even has it as part of its flag (Mozambique).

 

[hecma925]

You could bury the gun in sand for a week and allegedly it would still fire just as well as if it had just come out of the box.

Allegedly.  Like any weapon, keeping it clean will allow it to work perfectly.  If it was only dry sand, the lubricant could dry out too much, causing jams.  I've had a jammed up AK a few times and it was because it hadn't been cleaned in a long time.  That being said, you're right; any idiot can operate the rifle and clean it, since it has very few parts.

Anyway, Kalashnikov was a hero.

 

[Fire-Bird2014]

Very sweet, talented, humble man, who lived and died like other War veterans in Russia (very modest condo, no savings) There are 70 mln AK units sold  in 50 countries of the world. This gun belongs to the list of 20 c. greatest inventions.

He was an Orthodox Christian who helped to build Church of St Michael

 

[Iconodule]

You could bury the gun in sand for a week and allegedly it would still fire just as well as if it had just come out of the box.

Allegedly.  Like any weapon, keeping it clean will allow it to work perfectly.  If it was only dry sand, the lubricant could dry out too much, causing jams.  I've had a jammed up AK a few times and it was because it hadn't been cleaned in a long time.  That being said, you're right; any idiot can operate the rifle and clean it, since it has very few parts.

Anyway, Kalashnikov was a hero.

Not sure if it's true, I heard an anecdote from Vietnam about an American officer (platoon commander maybe?) who pulled an AK-47 out of a swamp, shook the muck off it, and then fired off the entire clip.

 

[yeshuaisiam]

It's a really great gun.  I just wish there was no wars or shooting people.

NOTE
AK-47's are much better than .22 Long Rifles (with 15 shots).
:-X

Face a good 600 pounder with a .22 Long Rifle, and you'll know what I mean.   

I would love to get an AK-47 for my cart if I run into one.  I just keep a simple .22 LR for small stuff....

Ugh.  I'd go with a .45-70 for anything that big!

Sometimes I keep a .357 magnum on my utility cart while going through the land, but it seems like ANY time I need it, I just have my .22 long rifle which is always on the cart.  LOL

600 pound hogs are NOT fun with a .22 long rifle!!!!   The .357 would do so much better, but I'd much rather have an ak-47 for the job.  Of course, there is always the perfect gun debate...  But I run into so many critters out there...  90% of the critters are fine with a .22LR.  8% are questionable such as 100-150 pound hogs.  

Now of course if I have my 12 gauge or .357 with me, I will only see mice, field rats, or possums.   LOL.   If I just have my .22 LR, then I drive up on a 600 pound hog.  

There is no feeling like getting chased into a tree by a insanely ticked off hog.  It's like 3 bullets left of 15.... Aim good.... pop... screech (and it gets madder).    

Sad part is you have to kill those or else they will literally break through barn wood and eat your goats/sheep.  I mean directly through the walls!

This is not me but these are like the hogs around here:  (I'd guess about 350 pounds)

I thank God I never crossed paths with one of these:

They say that was 1100 pounds (from Arkansas)!  I'd be in big trouble with that!  One of those suckers will kill you in a heartbeat if they get you.  If I saw one of those today, I'd go back for my 12 gauge, bring plenty of extra shells, and my .357 with plenty of extras.... Climb a tree near it, and start at it.

I'd MUCH rather have an AK-47 with 30 round clips for something like that.... Especially if it knocks over the tree you are in!  The reliability, the rapid shots, would be nice.

People just don't understand how dangerous these things are.  

The AK-47 I hate because of the use against people, as I hate all war.  But I'd love to get one in the event I'd have to tangle with a 1000+ pounder (or even the 600 pounders).  

One of my buddies said to me "There is no adrenaline like an angry hog coming at you, and I've been attacked by a bear"...  (He use to live in CO)

 

[Jibrail Almuhajir]

^^ Those wild hogs are becoming a big, big problem.  It's no wonder many states have 'shoot on sight' orders in regards to them.  My brother used to go just over the border to Arkansas to hunt them.  They'll charge you and, if given the chance, maul and eat you.

 

[Mor Ephrem]

What the...is that thing real?

 

[vamrat]

What the...is that thing real?

It was a creature God created only for the purposes of eventually being in a SyFy Chanel film.

 

[Jibrail Almuhajir]

What the...is that thing real?

Not sure about those particular pics, but yes, wild pigs do get that big.  My state's conservation dept, the great state of Missouri, has issued a 'shoot on sight' Shoot 'Em On Sight .  They cause extensive damage to the land and eat just about anything they can catch.  If you come up on a male or even between a sow and her piglets, you better be armed or run like Usain Bolt.

 

[Punch]

What the...is that thing real?

Not sure about those particular pics, but yes, wild pigs do get that big.  My state's conservation dept, the great state of Missouri, has issued a 'shoot on sight' Shoot 'Em On Sight .  They cause extensive damage to the land and eat just about anything they can catch.  If you come up on a male or even between a sow and her piglets, you better be armed or run like Usain Bolt.

True.  I ran into a bunch of them in Southern Illinois when I was much younger.  They were nowhere near this size, but they were not happy to see me.  Thankfully I was hunting and had a shotgun with me.  The farmer who's land I was on had warned us that there were feral pigs in the area and to shoot them on sight.  None of us figured we would run in to them, and none of us were adequately armed since we were quail hunting.  The three of us did, however, come out better than two of the pigs.

 

[TheTrisagion]

Apparently, Kalashnikov wrote the MP expressing guilt about his invention before he died.

http://news.yahoo.com/kalashnikov-repented-killings-letter-church-report-085934283.html

 

[ialmisry]

Apparently, Kalashnikov wrote the MP expressing guilt about his invention before he died.

http://news.yahoo.com/kalashnikov-repented-killings-letter-church-report-085934283.html

http://byztex.blogspot.com/2014/01/ak-47-inventor-kalashnikov-wrote.html