2aHawaii
General Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: astroboy on September 27, 2011, 12:21:58 PM
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Russian army ends purchase of Kalashnikov rifles
The Kalashnikov is one of the world's most recognisable guns Continue reading the main story
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The Russian army says it is halting orders of the famous Kalashnikov assault rifle until a newer model is developed by its manufacturer.
Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov told Russian media that the army already had too many of the weapons in its stores.
A new model is expected to be ready by the end of the year.
News of the army's decision is reportedly being kept from the rifle's designer, Mikhail Kalashnikov, now 91.
"We do not want to take it upon ourselves to tell him," an unnamed member of his family told Russia's Izvestia newspaper.
"It might kill him."
'Too many'
The Kalashnikov, instantly recognisable, renowned for its ruggedness and regarded by some as a design classic, is said to be the world's most heavily produced rifle.
In service in Russia since the 1940s, it has been copied by manufacturers across the world.
It has gone through several versions, from the original AK-47 - the AK stands for "Kalashnikov automatic" - to the AKM and latterly, the AK-74.
Gen Makarov said stocks of the rifle exceeded the army's needs "several times over".
A spokesman for the rifle's developer, the Izhmash plant in central Russia, told Izvestia newspaper that a new model would be ready for demonstration by the end of the year.
The plant would seek to increase exports and step up hunting rifle production in the meantime, the representative added.
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Needs more railzzzz...
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New model.......a Galil with rails for 2A.
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I wonder if that's the reason why the Saiga rifles are dropping a lot in price.... ???
I hope I don't ever get to the "Too Many AK's" phase... Trying to though :crazy:
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When I first saw this thread, I thought someone was talking about me. Haha :rofl:
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When I first saw this thread, I thought someone was talking about me. Haha :rofl:
You are exactly who I thought of when I saw the subject line.
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Ditto, kingkeoni.
The Saiga AK pricing had more to do with supply and demand and the THOUGHT there might be a total loss of supply. Well there wasn't and the prices have started dropping. This affected the 12 Gauge shotgun infinitely more than any of the other models.
I really wonder what they are going to do to "improve" upon the AK design though. I mean, what is there to do besides add more rails.
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I really wonder what they are going to do to "improve" upon the AK design though. I mean, what is there to do besides add more rails.
Better sights.
More ergonomic hand grip.
Magazine that is inserted straight in, without the rocking action.
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Ditto, kingkeoni.
The Saiga AK pricing had more to do with supply and demand and the THOUGHT there might be a total loss of supply. Well there wasn't and the prices have started dropping. This affected the 12 Gauge shotgun infinitely more than any of the other models.
I really wonder what they are going to do to "improve" upon the AK design though. I mean, what is there to do besides add more rails.
Better sights for one.