Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of AK-47 rifle, dead at 94

[Drache]

MOSCOW—Mikhail Kalashnikov, whose work as a weapons designer for the Soviet Union is immortalized in the name of the world's most popular firearm, died Monday at the age of 94.

Kalashnikov once aspired to design farm equipment. But even though his most famous invention — the AK-47 assault rifle — sowed havoc instead of crops, he often said he felt personally untroubled by his contribution to bloodshed.

"I sleep well. It's the politicians who are to blame for failing to come to an agreement and resorting to violence," he said in 2007.

Kalashnikov died in a hospital in Izhevsk, the capital of the Udmurtia republic where he lived, said Viktor Chulkov, a spokesman for the republic's president. He did not give a cause of death. Kalashnikov had been hospitalized for the past month with unspecified health problems.

The AK-47 — "Avtomat Kalashnikov" and the year it went into production — is the world's most popular firearm, favoured by guerrillas, terrorists and the soldiers of many armies. An estimated 100 million guns are spread worldwide.

Though it isn't especially accurate, its ruggedness and simplicity are exemplary: it performs in sandy or wet conditions that jam more sophisticated weapons such as the U.S. M-16.

"During the Vietnam war, American soldiers would throw away their M-16s to grab AK-47s and bullets for it from dead Vietnamese soldiers," Kalashnikov said in July 2007 at a ceremony marking the rifle's 60th anniversary.

The weapon's suitability for jungle and desert fighting made it nearly ideal for the Third World insurgents backed by the Soviet Union, and Moscow not only distributed the AK-47 widely but also licensed its production in some 30 other countries.

The gun's status among revolutionaries and national-liberation struggles is enshrined on the flag of Mozambique.

Kalashnikov, born into a peasant family in Siberia, began his working life as a railroad clerk. After he joined the Red Army in 1938, he began to show mechanical flair by inventing several modifications for Soviet tanks.

The moment that firmly set his course was in the 1941 battle of Bryansk against Nazi forces, when a shell hit his tank. Recovering from wounds in the hospital, Kalashnikov brooded about the superior automatic rifles he'd seen the Nazis deploy; his rough ideas and revisions bore fruit five years later.

"Blame the Nazi Germans for making me become a gun designer," said Kalashnikov. "I always wanted to construct agricultural machinery."

In 2007, President Vladimir Putin praised him, saying "The Kalashnikov rifle is a symbol of the creative genius of our people."

Over his career, he was decorated with numerous honours, including the Hero of Socialist Labor and Order of Lenin and Stalin Prize. But because his invention was never patented, he didn't get rich off royalties.

"At that time in our country patenting inventions wasn't an issue. We worked for Socialist society, for the good of the people, which I never regret," he once said.

Kalashnikov continued working into his late 80s as chief designer of the Izmash company that first built the AK-47. He also travelled the world helping Russia negotiate new arms deals, and he wrote books on his life, about arms and about youth education.

"After the collapse of the great and mighty Soviet Union so much crap has been imposed on us, especially on the younger generation," he said. "I wrote six books to help them find their way in life."

He said he was proud of his bronze bust installed in his native village of Kurya in the Siberian region of Altai. He said newlyweds bring flowers to the bust. "They whisper 'Uncle Misha, wish us happiness and healthy kids,'" he said. "What other gun designer can boast of that?"

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/12/23/mikhail_kalashnikov_designer_of_ak47_rifle_dead_at_94.html

[ACUDANUT]

Commie.

[Tilar]

He might have been a commie but he made a hell of a nice pea shooter. 

[ACUDANUT]

His weapon has killed thousands upon thousands (if not a million)  of Marines and Soldiers in the US military. God bless Eugene Stoner and the AR-15/M-16.
I know there is a lot more to this topic and good talking points, but in a nutshell...He was our enemy. Period.
You think Eugene Stoner (inventer of the M-16/AR-15) was given a thread in Russia, when he died. ?

Yes I know, the gun does not kill people..People kill people.
Cars don't kill people. People kill people.

[Tilar]

I understand where you're coming from, but that is like blaming Henry Ford or the Dodge Brothers because someone dies in a car crash.

[Drache]

His weapon has murdered thousands upon thousands (if not a million)  of Marines and Soldiers in the US military. God bless Eugene Stoner and the AR-15/M-16.
I know there is a lot more to this topic and good talking points, but in a nutshell...He was our enemy. Period.
You think Eugene Stoner (inventer of the M-16/AR-15) was given a thread in Russia, when he died. ?

Murdered? Seriously? Then I guess Marines murdered the "Commies". It's a two way street. 

And I'm sorry to say the AR-15 the US military uses is no candle to the AK47. About the only thing better is the longer range accuracy. I've used it many times with work and don't get me wrong it's a nice firearm but not fully designed for combat. Lightweight, easy to foul, uses a very light useless round (5.56mm), etc. Granted this was changed with the advent of rifles like the H&K 417.

The AK-47 was the firearm that literally changed the world. With more AK-47's made and distributed world wide, it was a gun that could be driven over by a truck while sitting in a mud puddle filled with pig intestines. More AK-47s have been sold world wide that Stoner could have ever dreamed of.

Back when the US Military was still using M1 Garands left over from WWII (which was a canadian invented firearm BTW) the AK-47 was being produced in great numbers. Then the US adopted the M14 which was an upgraded Garand (capable of full automatic fire) and finally to the M-16A1 13 years after the AK-47 was brought out.

[Indygenerallee]

I have owned more than a few AK-47's and while they would "bumpfire" like none other and they had a certain something special about the rough build quality all the ones I owned jammed like a mother and had Star Wars stormtrooper accuracy!!!! Crap gun compared to all the AR-15's I have owned..

[Drache]

I have owned more than a few AK-47's and while they would "bumpfire" like none other and they had a certain something special about the rough build quality all the ones I owned jammed like a mother and had Star Wars stormtrooper accuracy!!!! Crap gun compared to all the AR-15's I have owned..

You literally have to be the only person I've ever heard state that they had an AK-47 jam 

Like I said the AR-15 are nice rifles but not in a combat survival instinct.

[twodko]

I understand where you're coming from, but that is like blaming Henry Ford or the Dodge Brothers because someone dies in a car crash.

No it's not.

[twodko]

Both weapons designers created iconic combat rifles each with its own characteristics, flaws and advantages. Both weapons have killed millions.
Kalashnikov created a weapon manufactured using a simple and cheap metal stamping process such that millions of them could be made quickly. The AK family of firearms uses a large caliber round with substantial stopping power. The downside of the round is its weight which determined the combat load a soldier could reasonably carry. This is the AK series biggest drawback.

Stoner built a long gun requiring a higher degree of engineering/machining which resulted in the AR's early dependability issues. Stoner's idea was to create a weapons platform that was much lighter than the M1/14 models and allowed a soldier to carry a much larger combat load. He accomplished this using a smaller round, a smaller round that was very accurate and devastating. The 5.56 round breaks up inside the target causing massive internal trauma unlike the AK round which punches through its target with "localized" trauma. Localized trauma does not diminish the rounds deadliness but compared to the massive internal damage the AR round causes brings the AR to an equal or greater level of combat effectiveness.

Refinements were necessary to make the AR platform as robust as its AK counterpart to be sure but the end result weighs in favor of the AR in terms of increased combat load, auxiliary add-on armaments and overall weight.

My choice........a lighter weapon with a larger combat load.....hands down.

[Indygenerallee]

It's pretty common for a AK to Jam... I had one bend a round in half once I said a extra prayer that night..Ive owned over 8 different AK's and they were all shit compared to AR's

[stripedelete]

Stoner built a long gun requiring a higher degree of engineering/machining which resulted in the AR's early dependability issues.

I recently had a conversation with a gun expert/nut .  He claimed much of the early issues had to do with the government skimping on the quality of the ammo when the gun was initially issued.   It was designed for a hotter load.
Have you ever heard this explanation for early reliability issues?  Just curious.

[twodko]

That's correct. Early 5.56 were considered "dirty" loads that quickly fouled the feed ramp.

[ACUDANUT]

Wow, so many experts here. lol...The issue with early M-16's was the gun powder. Stick vs. ball powder....Do some research guys.
I too will take a AR over a AK.

[Nacho-RT74]

Some friends here try to become this in something stupidly political... if you blame Kalashnikov for your deaths and blah blah blah, then rest of the world will blame you guys for the atomic bomb etc.. etc... etc... or the same appllies to Kalashnivov rifle competitors made in USA ( which I dunno which one it is, I dunno ANYTHING about weapons ).

I understand where you're coming from, but that is like blaming Henry Ford or the Dodge Brothers because someone dies in a car crash.

No it's not.

yes it is ( or allmost )

Note: Alfred Nobel invented the TNT, Chinesse the Powder, etc...

[Nacho-RT74]

His weapon has murdered thousands upon thousands (if not a million)  of Marines and Soldiers in the US military. God bless Eugene Stoner and the AR-15/M-16.
I know there is a lot more to this topic and good talking points, but in a nutshell...He was our enemy. Period.
You think Eugene Stoner (inventer of the M-16/AR-15) was given a thread in Russia, when he died. ?

Murdered? Seriously? Then I guess Marines murdered the "Commies". It's a two way street. 

I agree...

I don't want to become on political, but as stated, we have to check the other vision too.

we have to be balanced. Nothing more to say. Just open the eyes and minds

( I still say 73/74 Chargers are great cars, like 71/72s LOL )

[Silver R/T]

Kalashnikovs are great guns, AR15 is more accurate, less powerful. It's just a matter of preference.
You can buy either one and bunch of other cool guns here....
http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/

[Lighthorseman]

I find it rather funny that Kalashnikov is credited with "designing" the AK - All he did was copy the German SG44.

I too have owned both, and I'd also take an AR any day.

[polywideblock]

I find it rather funny that Kalashnikov is credited with "designing" the AK - All he did was copy the German SG44.

I too have owned both, and I'd also take an AR any day.

at last someone else    ALL assault rifles are a continuation of the  sturmgewehr 44  the true first assault rifle 

never owned a AK 47 but had a SKS type 63  was a good gun , last semi auto I had was a FN 49 30 06

[LaOtto70Charger]

The winners write the history books and steal the tech.  Kind of like missile technology.

[Silver R/T]

It's pretty common for a AK to Jam... I had one bend a round in half once I said a extra prayer that night..Ive owned over 8 different AK's and they were all shit compared to AR's

You must've bought yours from Walmart bud

[Silver R/T]

I have owned more than a few AK-47's and while they would "bumpfire" like none other and they had a certain something special about the rough build quality all the ones I owned jammed like a mother and had Star Wars stormtrooper accuracy!!!! Crap gun compared to all the AR-15's I have owned..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pv0K2KKHvg

[ACUDANUT]

Silver, why are you promoting a Commie rifle. ?   

[Silver R/T]

Silver, why are you promoting a Commie rifle. ?   

No promotions here. Simply stating a fact that a foreign-made product is best in its class Just cause something wasn't build in U.S. doesn't make it worse than import made product.

[twodko]

Partial to the AR platform myself for personal reasons but credit must be given where credit is due. The AK deserves
such credit.