The dark horse of the Russian next-generation individual weapon trials has been the A545, better known as the AEK-971. Where the AK-12 is essentially the well-known and respected Kalashnikov with some new architecture that supports the modern accessory-driven paradigm, [Read More…]
Russian special forces were spotted recently in the Russian republic of Dagestan, which has been experiencing an insurgency recently. The commandos were equipped with at least two foreign weapons, an HK417 7.62x51mm rifle with an impressively large suppressor, and an [Read More…]
Six weeks ago I announced that Alexey Krivoruchko, the CEO of the Kalashnikov Group, would be interviewed by me and he was willing to answer question submitted by TFB readers. As promised, I chose the highest up-voted questions and sent them to the Kalashnikov Group, [Read More…]
The constant bugbear in Soviet small arms engineers’ sides after 1950 was the poor performance of the AK rifle in fully automatic. The rifle was for decades very inaccurate in fully automatic fire, owing to its vigorous action and relatively (when compared to [Read More…]
I am excited to announce that TFB will be interviewing Mr. Alexey Krivoruchko, the CEO of Kalashnikov Concern. This interview was made possible by the excellent public relations team at Rostec, the massive Russian State Corporation that either fully or partly owns [Read More…]
10. Thorneycroft Carbine Some of you might be familiar with this gun, but few know that almost all available pictures of it are misleading, at best. The picture below is not of the original Thorneycroft Carbine, but of the later Thorneycroft-Farquhar rifle. The title [Read More…]
Title Image: Wolf Performance Amunition makes steel cased 6.5 Grendel; most likely the inspiration for the new round. A stray has followed them home: Russian small arms designers have apparently created a close clone of the 6.5 Grendel, called 6.5x39mm. At first [Read More…]
VPK.name has three separate reports (in Russian) on the Russian government’s program to replace its aging generation of small arms. The two leading contestants appear to be the heavily modernized Kalashnikov design AK-12, and the balanced-action AEK-971. According [Read More…]
Kalashnikov Concern, makers of Tigr SVD, Vepr and Saiga rifles and shotguns, and KBP Instrument Design Bureau, the less well known manufacturer or the GSh-18 pistol and VSK-94 rifle, have been added to the Government of Canada’s list of sanctioned Russian [Read More…]
The Romanian Army has publicly unveiled the prototype of their new 5.56x45mm service rifle at the Expomil 2013 military exhibition in Bucharest. The rifle does not yet have an official name and is just being referred to as the “New 5.56mm Army Rifle”. [Read More…]
Introduction: As a long-time Arsenal fan and owner, I was thrilled to discover that I would be reviewing the Arsenal SAM7SF, which Arsenal has ambitiously termed the “Game Changer.” Much of this excitement derived from the fact that this new AK-pattern [Read More…]
Izhmash has unveiled a prototype sniper rifle called the VS-121. This bullpup rifle uses an action based on the Dragunov sniper rifle action. With its heavy profile 24.4″ barrel it weights just under 10 lbs. It will be chambered for 7.62x54mm, 7.62x51mm and a [Read More…]
Lenta.ru reports that Izhmash is working on producing a next-generation bullpup rifle along with a new cartridge for it. Title image is the Izhmash AK-12.
Somehow Steven Seagal managed to convince the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin that he would be able to lobby the US government to ease restrictions on Russian firearm imports. I think our chances of buying an AK-12 or AK-107 at the local gun store [Read More…]
Famed Russian gun maker Izhmash, the original AK-47 manufacturer and the manufacturer of the newer AK-12, Saiga 12 and AK-108 firearms, is branching out into ammunition. They have gotten a license from the Russian government to start producing civilian ammunition [Read More…]
The famed original AK maker Izhmash is on the brink of collapse. Production of sporting rifles has stopped, export contacts cannot be fulfilled and skilled workers are leaving the company. Mikhail Kalashnikov and 16 colleagues have written an open letter to President [Read More…]
The Izhmash subsidiary Vyatskie Polyany Machine Building Plant (aka. MOLOT) have developed two new tactical-style versions of their VEPR rifle, one chambered in .308 Win. and the other in .223 Remington. The biggest new feature on these rifles is non-reciprocal forward [Read More…]
wayfaerer320 posted photos of the St. Petersburg Open Championship. The police and counter-terrorism officers are carrying some really tricked out AK-style rifles with plenty of AR-15 accessories added. Magpul stocks are popular (with an AK stock adapter) as are EOTech [Read More…]
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