The CIA & The Double Four Ammunition Of Darra Adam Khel, Pakistan
The Double Four, or “44”, is the name given to the 7.92x33mm Kurz, the round first developed for the famous Sturmgewehr 44, manufactured by craftsman in the famous gun workshops of Darra Adam Khel, Pakistan and which are popular in Pakistan’s tribal regions.
Local lore says that the Double Four was introduced during early years of the Soviet war in Afghanistan in order to hide involvement of the CIA and Pakistan Intelligence who were supplying the Afghan Mujahedeen. While there is no way to verify if this story is true, we do know that the CIA went to extreme lengths to hide, or at least be able to plausibly deny, their involvement in shipping ammunition and weapons to Pakistan Intelligence who in turn distributed it to the Mujahedeen.
Post-CIA, I am not sure what the benefit of the slightly shorter round is in a full length rifle. The only benefit I can think of is that it may cost slightly less to manufacture. Most likely it is still popular because many rifles chambered for it are still floating around Pakistan. In the early 90s Colt developed the 5.56x30mm MARS and recently India developed the 5.56x30mm INSAS, but these were for use in compact PDW-style weapons not rifles.
This AK-style rifle above is designed to fire the Double Four. I was told that is can be quickly converted to fire regular 7.62x39mm ammunition if required. It uses standard 7.62x39mm AK magazines.
UPDATE: Turns out
Many thanks to Zain for the information and photos.
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I beg to differ .
this cartridge is not 7.92×33mm Kurz, rather it
is a whole new invention by the darra craftsmen. A very simple
measurement with varinier caliper would prove it that it is not
7.92×33mm Kurz cartridge
local lore says that this bore was invented by Drra Craftsmen to
dispose legally the piles of irreparable AK47s which Russians left
behind after getting a humiliating defeat in Afghanistan. Those
irreparable AKs found their way ultimately to Pakistan as a scrap item
as the Pak-Afghan border is too long and too porous and impossible to
guarded entirely. Even the America could not seal it in her 10 year
stay even being a Super power equipped with most modern satellite
technology.
So , in my opinion, it is an all new caliber/ bore
invented by Darra craftsmen. The Wikipedia article appears to be wrong when it calls the 44 as 7.92×33mm Kurz.
I think they have necked down the 7.62X39
cartridge because the main intention behind the invention of this
cartridge was to develop a bullet which could be fired by a weapon that
could be easily modified to fire 7.62X39 also. The main attraction to
the weapons of this round seems to be its ability to fire AK47
ammo which is cheaply and abundantly available in local markets
I pulled out a round of 7.92x33 kurz and it was identical to the one in the picture - including the bullet, the neck and the case. No, I don't have an StG 44, but I do have the book "Die Sturmgewehr Patrone 7,92x33" by Dr. Dieter Kapell, a great book on the development and history of the cartridge. In addition to the StG 45 experimental rifle, the Germans actually tried to used this round in a number of last-ditch weapons, including bolt-action rifles.