Kalashnikov Media Show Off an Early AK Prototype
Kalashnikov Media continue their fascinating series looking at rare Russian small arms, the latest video brings us a look at an early, pre-production prototype AKS.
Kalashnikov Media helpfully provide a short history of the AK-47’s design and development to give the video some context, concluding (courtesy of google translate):
The production of new automatic devices was decided at the factory in Izhevsk, where Kalashnikov was sent from Kovrov at the end of 1947. The first batches of new submachine guns were assembled in Izhevsk in the middle of 1948, and at the end of 1949, according to the results of the military tests, the new submachine gun was adopted by the Soviet Army in two variants under the designations “7.62mm AK Kalashnikov assault rifle” and “7.62mm Kalashnikov assault rifle with folding butt AKS “(for the airborne troops).
This early AK has a number of features that would change in production models including a knurled tube metal charging handle and an integral muzzle break. The folding stock design would later be seen on production AKS’s which were first fielded in the early 1950s.
Check out the short video below:
https://kalashnikov.media/en/embed/4516587
The prototype shown in the video has an early stamped, rather than milled, receiver – these were manufactured between 1948 and 1951 before production moved to milled receivers between 1951 and the introduction of the improved stamped AKM in 1959. The video’s annotations explain that just 1,500 of this pattern AKS were made before the design evolved further.
Kalashnikov Media have also posted some detail photos of the AKS prototype:
Managing Editor: TheFirearmBlog.com & Overt Defense.com. Matt is a British historian specialising in small arms development and military history. He has written several books and for a variety of publications in both the US and UK. Matt is also runs The Armourer's Bench, a video series on historically significant small arms. Here on TFB he covers product and current military small arms news. Reach Matt at: matt@thefirearmblog.com
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Nice! I would've hated to have faced these as a NATO soldier in an early '50s alternate timeline where WW3 was kicked off during the Berlin Airlift, or the '61 standoff over Checkpoint Charlie between US and Soviet forces.
One thing I was interested in, is the rationale for the AK (and some other Soviet firearms) angled gas block design. I know that AK74 switched away from it, because of problems with bullet shearing, apparently more prominent with small-caliber bullets - but why was it a thing in the first place? My guess is that it's because it makes it possible to clean the gas port, but surely there's got to be something more official than guesswork?