The Associated Press reports:

"Age is not significant. I have plenty of life left in me. But still, this is a special date and it needs to be celebrated," the white-haired inventor said in remarks broadcast on Russian television.

Kalashnikov, whose tie was decorated with a metal pin shaped like an AK-47, smiled and read patriotic poetry to journalists in Izhevsk, his hometown located 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) east of Moscow.

A fine award for a great man.

Many thanks to Morten for the link.

An American model holding a German made copy of the iconic Soviet rifle … oh the irony

Two models are available, synthetic or wood, with either with 10 or 24 round magazine. They have an overall length of 34.5″ (an inch longer than the original wood stocked Russian AK-47) and a barrel length of 16.5″. Click to expand the photos:

Synthetic model.


Wooden model 24 round magazine.


Wooden model 10 round magazine.

It was rumored that the wooden stock would be wood-looking plastic, but it is real, and looks really nice. The gas system is defiantly fake, it is a blowback operated rifle that requires high velocity .22 ammunition to cycle. You can see in the above photo that the 10 round magazine has the same AK-like size as the 24 round magazine, which is a nice touch. It appears to be compatible with the AK side mount for optics.

The MSRP is $549 for the synthetic model and $569 for the wood. I think this will be very popular rifle.

It is all in Russian but still very interesting to see inside the factory. According to a couple of Russian speakers at WAFF they mention that a new line of AKs will be launched next year (2009)! I wonder what they have in store for us? Maybe finally a left-hand side charging handle?

During the interview Kalashnikov says he gets a lot of hate mail asking how he sleeps at night. He says it is politicians not guns that kill people. Well said! I have seen many interview of Kalashnikov over the years.

He attributes the rumors to foreign nations trying to undermine Russian power and goes on to encourage Russian law enforcement, who use Izhmash firearms, to punish the rumor spreaders.

I translated the letter using Google Translate (originally from the Izhmash website):

Dear Dmitry!
Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!
Dear fellow citizens!

Today, I appeal to you all a very sad occasion. Nearly half a year stretches harassment plant Izhmash, where I worked for 60 years and I feel proud of our country.

As the country goes unknown to anyone Committee employees and veterans’ Izhmasha. ” It is far from the factory, people acting on behalf izhmashevtsev and say that the plant surviving the last few days.

Those who spread rumors about the collapse of “Izhmash” – issued wishful thinking!

I work with “Izhmashe, and I see that the plant continues to operate normally today. We are actively engaged in fulfilling the state defense order to rearm our Army and international military-technical cooperation. Our hunting weapons demand worldwide. Russian athletes win with our new weapons and new awards. Great honor for us was that the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, visiting “Izhmash” in February this year, called it the pride of Russian industry.

There are people who want to cross out all of this, the credibility of the “Izhmashu” in Russia and abroad, deprive him of his orders and thus an opportunity to select and further improve our weapons. They hide behind good goals, good goals but do not reach through lies.

I do not know who it is. But I think the ability to do so only those foreign nations who want to undermine the power of Russia, or banditry groups that want to gain force again, to get the plant for the production of small arms.

I appeal to all our law enforcement agencies. After all, you have to work with us, because you know that without arms “Izhmasha” Our country will not have the great power that it has become in recent years. I ask you to prevent this flow of lies and punish the guilty.

Best regards,
Mikhail Kalashnikov Timofeyevich

Click to expand

Impact Guns says it features a 16.5″ barrel and 15 round magazine and has it listed for $529.99. It is not clear when it will ship.

These ATI ads have been floating around the internet. The girl looks like a stock image and rifle is not the actual .22 Kalashnikov.

General Kalashnikov at GSG holding a GSG-5

GSG, makers of the GSG-5 .22 MP5 clone, are naming a sporting rifle after General Kalashnikov.

From GSG (translated using google translator from German)

The sports and leisure with the calibre weapon “(Point) 22 LR” is currently in an advanced stage of development and will soon market gain.

The design and the technical features of the new weapon was the engineer from Russia after thorough inspection its approval.

From Die Zeit (again translated from google):

The inventor Mikhail Kalashnikov weapons with his new business partners from the firm GSG Sauerländer

I will never again cooperate with a company that also manufactures weapons of war,” proclaims chosen the man who practically a synonym for mass shooting and killing has developed.

Apparently he also lends his name to knives and umbrellas!

Hat Tip: treelogger