Last week Indian media outlets began reporting that an order for as many as 70,000 AK-pattern rifles had been made from Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern. Speculation surrounded the news and many wondered how the order would fit into the larger deal being negotiated [Read More…]
The first permanent photograph was a contact-exposed copy of an engraving and was made in 1822. Advances in digital photography combined with the Internet have made it possible for us to enjoy huge amounts of photographs. Some good, some not as good. In TFB’s Photo Of [Read More…]
Recently we had a look at the Kalashnikov AKV-521 carbine with interchangeable uppers. In this Photo Of The Day, the time has come for the version chambered in .366 TKM, aimed at the Russian civilian market. The .366 TKM is a redesigned 7.62×39 cartridge that has been [Read More…]
Photo Of The Day and we go back in history a few years. We’re looking at Syrian Democratic Forces soldiers providing security during a simulated patrol mission in the Deir ez-Zor province, in Syria, 2018. As you can see in the following pictures, they’re [Read More…]
Each day a different image from the World of Firearms. We call this POTD, short for Photo Of The Day, and it’s our daily article series where we go to great lengths trying to find the most interesting pictures out there for you. Today we go to Russia for a look at [Read More…]
Kalashnikov Concern is designing a new family of AK rifles called 500-series. Despite having a high level of parts commonality with the AK-12/AK-15, the new 500-series rifles feature a completely different upper/lower receiver layout. The company has published some [Read More…]
Today we have a variety of images from the Russian Ministry of Defense, with a lot of AKs, SVD sniper rifles and PK machine guns. They call it a “photo report” from the special tactical training with cadets of the Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne Command [Read More…]
India and Russia media reports suggest that the deal for India to procure and produce the AK-203 rifle has been agreed upon. The deal will provide the Indian Armed Forces with a much needed new service rifle. We have covered the trials and tribulations of India’s [Read More…]
Russian state news service TASS has reported that 35,000 new 5.45x39mm AK-12s have been delivered to the Russian army. With deliveries continuing apace this indicates that Kalashnikov Group are on track to meet their target of delivering over 110,000 rifles by 2021. [Read More…]
No prior knowledge of the Russian language to take this class. Photo Of The Day, and we’re back to the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course with the focus on various versions of the rifles designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. By the looks of it, they had an [Read More…]
Founded in 2013, XTech Tactical was formed by a group of firearms enthusiasts. If their reputation lives up to the hype, this could be a huge win for any and all fans of the Kalashnikov platform. They offered to send some of their newest AK Magazines, and other [Read More…]
For years we at TFB have closely followed India’s struggles to select a new service rifle to replace the 5.56x45mm INSAS which has gained a questionable reputation over the years. Numerous home-grown rifles such as the Indian Ordnance Factories Board-designed [Read More…]
The Chukavin Sniper Rifle (SVCh) is a DMR that was designed to replace the venerable SVD in the Russian military. We have covered the life of this rifle from its development history to its adventures in Russian military trials. Today, we’ll tell you about another [Read More…]
Welcome to another edition of TFB’s Field Strip series, in which we’ll look at the simplistic field strip AK rifles and pistols adhere to. Mikhail Kalashnikov‘s AK47 has become one of the most recognizable and iconic rifles and fielded by many nations, [Read More…]
Today’s Photo Of The Day gives us a top view of an AK (Type 56) with the dust cover removed and with & without bolt/recoil spring assembly. If you’re a collector you should own some kind of “Back To Basic” firearm, like the AK pictured. My [Read More…]
Kalashnikov USA had a number of different offerings this year, everything from an all-American 7.62x39mm AKM rifle to competition entries from Decedent Arms who are putting their competition modifications to the AK-patterned platforms. Probably the most important point that readers are interested in [Read More…]
“PAPER BOOKS ARE DYING” – I keep hearing that over and over again. In a way it makes sense, but in the last few years, when I started doing more serious research about small arms (serious meaning just one level above articles like “The Deadliest [Read More…]
A White Russian is a cocktail made with vodka, some kind of coffee liqueur and cream served with lots of ice, preferably in an old fashioned type of glass. However, in TFB’s Photo Of The Day we don’t mix drinks, we try to show you the best firearm’s [Read More…]
100 years ago, Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov was born. He died in 2013 at the age of 94. This is the subject in today’s Photo. In memory of this event, there will be a statue raised in St Petersburg, Russia which you can see above. Translated from Russian: A [Read More…]
Kalashnikov Media, apparently inspired by IV8888, conducted a meltdown test of AK-12, the latest iteration of Kalashnikov rifle that was recently adopted by the Russian military. They fired this 5.45x39mm rifle in full-auto rapidly changing the magazines until the [Read More…]
POTD, short for Photo Of The Day, is TFB’s recurring articles where we go to great length trying to find the best pictures out there. Today we look at a combat swimmer of the PDSS detachment from the Arctic group of the Northern Fleet during an exercise in the Bering [Read More…]
In 1965 the Finnish Army adopted the 7.62x39mm Valmet RK62, and it has been produced in volumes over 350,000 by Valmet and Sako in Finland. As with many “modern” firearms, the RK62s have been in need of upgrades and modernization, and after years of planning [Read More…]
Just earlier this week Kalashnikov announced its own line of rifle cartridges. Well, actually the Tula factory will be packaging their ammunition into boxes with the Kalashnikov logo. It’s a marketing trick used by many other ammunition manufacturers as well, to [Read More…]
In our day and age, it is hard to imagine that some weapons still remain literally unknown to the general public. It seems that because of TFB, “Forgotten weapons” and other specialty gun blogs, no weapon is truly forgotten anymore. That is why I was really [Read More…]
Photo Of The Day – we travel to Al Taqaddum, Iraq, to look at Iraqi Security Forces who practice combat marksmanship with AK-47 assault rifles earlier this year. The range training is part of the development of the Iraqi soldiers’ individual skills and [Read More…]
Wooden stocks on AKs are nothing new, neither are side folding stocks. However, the combination of both is something that simply doesn’t exist (not counting the custom made ones). Well, didn’t exist: Kalashnikov Concern has released a limited edition [Read More…]
Today’s Photos brings us to Russia and Patriot Park outside Moscow. Last year, The Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the center to experience the latest developments of the Russian Concern Kalashnikov. The Patriot Park can best be described as a Disney [Read More…]
With a name like Kalashnikov USA, what kind of guns do you expect? Yes, the Soviet kind… I had the good fortune of going to check out their factory in Florida. Kalashnikov USA, while they used to be an importer, now is a manufacturer. They currently, 2019, produce their KS-12 Shotgun, [Read More…]
Today’s guest post is written by Andrey Ulanov. Andrey is a firearms enthusiast, historian, researcher and writer. He is the author of numerous interesting small arms articles in various websites. Here is an example of an article written by Andrey. Let’s [Read More…]
For many years we at TFB have been following the progress of Venezuela’s efforts to build a factory and produce AK-pattern rifles. In recent years 2019 has been the projected start date for production. Well, it’s now 2019 and according to Russian media [Read More…]