Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov (Cyrillic: Михаи́л Тимофе́евич Кала́шников; November 10th, 1919 – December 23rd, 2013) was a famous Russian firearms engineer known for designing the AK-47 assault rifle.
Short Biography
Born in a poor peasant family in the village of Kurya, Altai region, he was the seventeenth child of the 19 children, he was the son of Aleksandra Frolovna Kalashnikova and Timofey Aleksandrovich Kalashnikov. He started his engineering career working at a train depot, where Kalashnikov was able to learn much about mechanics. In 1938 he was drafted into the Red Army and served as a tank commander during the first months of the Great Patriotic War (World War II). In October 1941 Kalashnikov was badly wounded in combat and sent home from the front lines. He started to create his first gun designs in a hospital and soon joined a depot's workshop of the Moscow Aviation Institute. While working there Kalashnikov produced a number of innovations for tanks, including a mechanism that would count the number of shots fired. Within several years, he was promoted to the position of chief engineer and given far more resources. In 1947, he designed the AK (an acronym for Avtomat Kalashnikova). In 1949 the AK assault rifle became operational in the Red Army; after this, the design would become Kalashnikov's most famous invention. Kalashnikov is one of the most well known weapon designers.
Kalashnikov, who started as a self-taught-inventor, ascended to the prominent position of General Designer of small arms for the Soviet Army. In his design engineering department, Hugo Schmeisser and Dr. Gruner (MG42), a pioneer in the area of the sheet metal embossing technology, worked into the 1950s. In addition, a number of German laborers were enlisted or coerced to work in the USSR under the technical designer.
Later in his career he developed a squad automatic weapon variant of the AK-47, known as the RPK (Ruchnoi pulemyot Kalashnikova - Kalashnikov's light machine gun), and also the PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova - Kalashnikov's machine gun), which used a much larger cartridge (the same full-powered rifle cartridge as employed in the Mosin-Nagant rifle). The PK was belt-fed rather than magazine-fed. In other respects, it was nearly the same design. These designs both saw widespread adoption in their respective roles, though the AK-47 still served as the primary infantry weapon.
Since 1949 Mikhail Kalashnikov has been living and working in the town of Izhevsk, Udmurtia. In 2004, he began promoting his own brand of vodka [1]. He told Reuters Television, "I've always wanted to improve and expand on the good name of my weapon by doing good things." The new brand is 41% alcohol and sold worldwide with his seal of approval, in a glass bottle the shape of the rifle.
Mikhail Kalashnikov was awarded twice the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. In 1998 he was awarded an Order of Saint Andrew the Protoclete (orden Svyatogo Andreya Pervozvannogo). His military rank is Lieutenant General. He is a Doctor of Technical Sciences.
Despite estimates that there are around 100 million AK-47 assault rifles in circulation, General Kalashnikov claims that he himself has made no money from the sale of these weapons and that he only receives a meager state pension. [2]
Kalashnikov was admitted to the hospital in November 2013 for internal bleeding, and died December 23, 2013 at the age of 94.[3]
Kalashnikov's son, Victor Kalashnikov, was also a firearm designer.
Designs
Handguns
- Kalashnikov automatic pistol
Submachine guns
- Kalashnikov submachine gun
- Kalashnikov submachine gun (1947)
Rifles
- Kalashnikov carbine (1944)
Sniper Rifles
Light machine guns
General purpose machine guns
Gallery
Biography & Weapons
Childhood
Mikhail Kalashnikov was born on November 10. 1919 in the village of Kurya in the Altai Region. At this time, the Russian Civil War was raging in the country between the Red and White armies. Mikhail is born as the eighth child of the Kalashnikov family. His mother, originally called Alexandra Frolovna Kaverina, was born in 1884 and married Kalashnikov's biological father Timofej Alexandrovitsch Kalashnik around 1900. He came from a Cossack family with roots in the Kuban region. When Tsar Nicholas II offered the farmers of this region their own land in the Altai region in 1910, his father's family accepted the offer and moved to the village of Kurya. In the process, the family Russified their name from the Cossack Kalashnik to Kalashnikov. At the age of seven, Mikhail helped with field work. He learned to read and write largely from his older siblings, and later attended the village school.
Deportation
After the Russian Civil War ended in favor of the Red Army in 1923, the Altai region was part of the newly founded Soviet Union. After the SU consolidated its power, the first deportations of so-called kulaks took place in 1929. These were supposedly rich people who were accused of exploiting other farmers. However, the definition remained so vague that in 1930 it also affected Kalashnikov's family, who had their own land but did not live in prosperity. The aim of these deportations was to reclaim previously almost deserted parts of the Soviet Union.
With the exception of two married sisters, namely Niura and Gasha, the Kalashnikov family was deported from Kurya to Siberia to a place called Nijnaya Mokhovaya on the outskirts of Tomsk. His older, newly married brother Viktor resisted the deportation by fleeing, but was later caught and sentenced to seven years of hard labor on the Bjelomor Canal. Mikhail was just eleven years old at the time. The deportees' civil rights were severely restricted and were not restored until 1936.
Mikhail received a good education during his exile, the reason for this was the intellectuals who were exiled to Siberia and ended up there as village teachers. In order to be able to attend secondary school after finishing village school, he had to go to the neighboring village called Vorochina, where he stayed for the week. He particularly enjoyed the physics lessons. In his free time, he often dismantles objects such as padlocks and alarm clocks to understand how they work.
In 1930, Mikhail's father died of exhaustion at the age of 48. A few years later, Mikhail's mother married a widower who brought more children into the family.
First escape
In 1934, at the age of 15, Mikhail decided to flee Siberia and return to his home village, where his older sisters lived. As a tramp, he overcomes the almost 100 kilometer journey and stays with his sister Niura, who lives near Michail's home village Kurya. Although he finds work, he decides to return to Siberia so that he can continue attending school.
Second Escape
However, in 1936 at the age of 17, Mikhail plans his escape again, but now with better preparation; in a small workshop in the attic he forges the necessary documents for a legal journey to his home village. His friend Gavril Bondarenko traveled with him. In order to get through the first remote villages, Mikhail acts as a prisoner and Gavril as his guard. For this purpose, the two of them got hold of an unusable rifle from the black market. Shortly before their destination they dispose the weapon. However, they get an old pistol in Gavril's home village. This weapon was examined by Mikhail, repeatedly dismantled and then reassembled. The pistol most likely had been a German production FN Model 1900.
Thanks to their papers, both find work in Kurya's agricultural machinery company, Gavril as an accountant, Mikhail as an inspector. However, they are reported because of the old pistol and interrogated by the militia. In order to avoid further trouble, they both decide to go to Kazakhstan to Gavril's brother, who works in the town of Matai for the "Turk-Sib", the Turkmenistan-Siberia railway.
Work at Matai
In Matai they both work in the "Turk-Sib" railway depot and sleep in one of the sleeping cars stored there. Because of his beautiful handwriting, Michael was employed there as a technical secretary.
Military Service
In 1938, at the age of 19, Mikhail was drafted into military service and barracked in Stryi, Ukraine. During basic military service he was trained on the Mosin-Nagant 91/30 rifle. He later joins the tank forces because of his previous technical knowledge. The tank drivers of this time were equipped with the TT-33 self-loading pistol. He also briefly comes into contact with the then new PPD-34 submachine guns. This weapon fascinated the young tank technician, but was withdrawn from the army after a short time because the People's Commissar for Defense Gennady Kulik was against this relatively new type of weapon.
In 1940, Mikhail took part in a program that called on ordinary soldiers to improve the army's equipment. Mikhail then develops a device in the facilities workshop that counts the shots fired by a tank. Also he created a device that counts the operating hours of tank engines. His superiors are impressed by a hand-made prototype and so they send him to Kyiv, to a higher school for tank technology. With an improved model he made there, Kalashnikov was presented to General Zhukov, who recognizes the young Mikhail's talent and sends him to Moscow to have the device tested. Zhukov also gave Kalashnikov a watch at the meetings.
However, the tests, which took place in Kubinka not far from the capital Moscow, had already been completed when Kalashnikov arrived there with his improved prototype. However, Zhukov insisted that Kalashnikov's device to also be tested. A it turned out to be the best of the competitors, Kalashnikov was supposed to accompany mass production in Leningrad from 1941.
Secord Word War
However, when the Soviet Union was attacked by Nazi Germany on June 22, 1941, Kalashnikov had to return to his regiment and, due to a lack of personnel in the Red Army, was deployed as tank commander. Although he had never received any training for this activity. He was deployed on the internal border between the Russian and Belarusian SSRs, where it experiences a shortage of effective small arms. He was wounded in the Battle of Briansk. When he took a look of the turret hatch to get an overview, a splinter from a German grenade hits him in the shoulder.
He was rescued by comrades and given basic care in a bunker. It was only after two days that a field doctor reached him and determined that he should be transferred to a hospital. However, since his position had since been surrounded by German troops, it was determined that a truck carrying wounded men should attempt a breakout. The vanguard of this outbreak was Kalashnikov and a lieutenant, with Kalashnikov only being armed with a TT-33 pistol and the lieutenant with a Mosin-Nagant 91/30 rifle. While exploring a village, both were surprised by German troops and came under fire from automatic weapons. When both of them withdrew to warn the medical transport, they discovered that it had also been attacked by Germans. There were only a few survivors, including the truck driver Kolja.
Kalashnikov, together with Kolja and the lieutenant, fought their way from village to village back to their own lines, which were moving further and further back. They were accommodated by a village doctor, who provided some emergency care for their wounds and with whom they were able to rest for a few days. After a week they reached the city of Trubchevsk, near the border with the Ukrainian SSR.
Time in Hospital
Because of his wounds, Kalashnikov and the lieutenant were taken to a military hospital. There he heard conversations from soldiers who had had similar experiences. They talked about the low firepower of their own weapons, in contrast to those of the Germans. In 1941, the year in which most prisoners had their experiences, the Russian PPSch-41 submachine gun was not yet available in sufficient quantities. The only widespread rapid-fire weapons for the infantry were the DP light machine gun and the PM-1910 heavy machine gun, the latter a design from before the First World War. The Germans, on the other hand, were equipped with the MG43 universal machine gun, and many platoon and group leaders already carried MP40 amd MP38.
The opinion of the soldiers in the hospital was that the Soviet army was repeating the mistakes of the Crimean and First World Wars and that they had not adequately supplied their own soldiers with modern automatic weapons. In fact, the Soviet Union was technically quite well positioned at the time. They already had a modern self-loading rifle, SVT-38 and SVT-40 but were not able to produce them in sufficient numbers. The PPD-34 was also a powerful submachine gun, but its development was stopped at the behest of the Deputy People's Commissar for Defense Gennady Kulik. It was not until 1939, due to the experience with the Finnish Suomi KP/-31 , that development was resumed and resulted in the PPD-40 , which, however, was quite expensive to produce.
Kalashnikov decided to address this shortage of submachine guns. To learn as much as he could about weapons, he borrowed Vladimir Fyodorov 's two books from the military hospital library. In these books, Fyodorov described almost all of the weapons known up to that point and how they worked. In addition, a scientist who was also wounded helped him understand the basic scientific principles of weapons technology. Kalashnikov prepared lists and compared the advantages and disadvantages of all previously known weapon classes. Kalashnikov was particularly fascinated by the story of the simple soldier Yakov Ustinovich Roshtshepei, who had already developed a self-loading rifle for the tsarist army around 1900, which had a rotating bolt, but was rejected by the army. Kalashnikov drew the first sketches of his submachine gun while still on his sick bed.
Developing the SMG in Matai
After his release from the military hospital, Kalashnikov was given several months of convalescent leave. So he set off for Kurya in Altai, but he changed his mind and went to Kazakhstan to the Matai railway depot to build his submachine gun. The person in charge there approved the construction of the weapon because an official competition for a new submachine gun had been announced shortly before in 1941. So Kalashnikov was given the conditions for the tender, along with a Mosin rifle, from which Kalashnikov used the barrel and some small parts such as the trigger. A friend and skilled worker named Genja Kravchenka was a great help in making the weapon a reality, and several other workers also helped in their free time.
This is how Kalashnikov's first weapon was created, the PPK-42 . It was a submachine gun with a simple blowback, using the Mosin barrel in 7.62mm caliber. What is striking is the similarity to the US Thompson, as well as the folding stock, which reveals that Kalashnikov also thought of tank crews with all of his weapons.
During this time, Kalashnikov fathered his first son, whom he named Viktor in honor of his brother. Viktor Kalashnikov will develop the Bison submachine gun in the 1990s.
Developing the SMG in Alma-Ata
After examining the PPK-42 in its early form, the head of the Matai military commissariat sent Kalashnikov to Alma-Ata to further develop the weapon. However, when Kalashnikov arrived there, he was first arrested by the local military commissariat and thrown into prison for four days. Only when the matter had been clarified Kalashnikov was able to begin his work there. Due to the advancing German Wehrmacht, many factories and institutes that were important to the war effort were relocated there. In Alma-Ata (Almaty from 1998) were a lot of well-trained specialists and workshops. Kalashnikov was introduced to an engineer and professor of aviation from Moscow University, whose students were to help him improve his submachine gun. With this help, the simple blowback became a retarded blowback with a rather unique way of working. The late PPK-42 has a separate ignition device with a relatively large mass; by running back under blowback forces, the bolt forces the mass of this ignition device to rotate. When returning, not only the bolt inertia comes into play, but also the radial inertia of the ignition device. The overall weight of the bolt could be reduced.
In Samerkand
After completing the work, Kalashnikov went to Samarkand, the capital of the Uzbek SSR, where the artillery academy had been relocated. Famous firearms expert Anatoly Balgonravov examined the PPK-42 but found the retarded bolt to be too complicated and difficult for mass production. However, Balgonravov believed that Kalashnikov should be given the opportunity to study on his own. However, the military in charge decided that it was not the right time for this and so Kalashnikov was taken to the Kurovo Polygon near Moscow to complete the development of his submachine gun and to take part in the test for the tender for the new submachine gun. On the train ride there, Kalashnikov met Sergei Simonov for the first time, the developer of the AVS-36 self-loading rifle, who was working on the SKS-31 carbine at the time.
Polygon of Kurovo
Kalashnikov was particularly fascinated by the Kurovo polygon because of its large collection of weapons. When he wasn't continuing to work on his PPK-42, he was studying the various weapons on display. His PPK-42 submachine gun was not adopted in both the original version for 7.62mm or a new version in 9mm and was inferior to Georgi Shpagin's PPS-42 . The reason was the simpler structure of the PPS compared to the PPK, as well as the cheaper production costs.
Development of a light Machine Gun
Despite the defeat in the competition, Kalashnikov was given a new task, this time designing a weapon that was halfway between a light machine gun and a automatic rifle. For this purpose he was sent to Tashkent, the capital of the Uzbek SSR. The weapon he developed there was set up for the Mosin cartridge 7.62x54mmR, which featured a 20-round magazine. Like his submachine gun, this weapon had a folding stock.
The competition for this new weapon took place on December 15, 1943, but did not produce a winner and it was decided not to introduce this new type of weapon. Nevertheless, during this period Kalashnikov was hired as a regular weapons designer and received a salary of 1,500 rubles a month.
Development of the carbine in Kurovo
Kalashnikov returned to Kurovo and secretly learned that a new cartridge was being developed, for which four weapons were being sought. The cartridge was the newly developed M43 medium cartridge, at that time still measuring 7.62x41mm, for which a self-loading carbine, a machine gun and a multi-loading rifle were sought. Almost the entire Red Army was to be equipped with these three weapons. However, there was one exception, all weapons that could not be replaced by these three should all be replaced with one weapon which was simply called Avtomat (Kyr. Автомат) simply meaning "automaton". This would have meant the end of the submachine gun, which still had many opponents, but whose mass production was tolerated due to the hardship of the war.
When Kalashnikov returned to Kurovo, he devoted himself to the development of the self-loading carbine. The reasons was, on the one hand, that the majority of the army should be equipped with these weapons and, on the other hand, that it was suspected that the Avtomat, as the proverbial "jack of all trades", could not fulfill all tasks at the same time and could therefore fall into disgrace just as much as that "rapid fire rifle" Kalashnikov worked on.
The work led to the SKK-44, which, despite the S, also provided rapid fire. It was loaded via an-bloc clip, which, similar to the US M1 Garand, it was ejected from the weapon when the last cartridge case was ejected. However, upon initial testing, this feature proved to be revered, as the testing general judged this feature to be too complicated and confusing for the common soldier, quote: "He will think a part of the rifle has fallen off." And he said to Kalashnikov: "If you only care about being original, you don't need to come here anymore."
During his time in Kurovo, Kalashnikov met Alexei Sudayev, whose submachine gun PPS-42 had been preferred to Kalashnikov's and which was in mass production at the time in an improved form as the PPS-43.
Also during this time Kalashnikov developed a single-fire sear for the SG-43 medium machine gun, which allowed the weapon to also fire single shots.
Development of the Avtomat in Kurovo
Saddened by the rejection of his carbine, Kalashnikov returned to Kurovo, but was cheered up by one of his colleagues and finally persuaded to take part in the competition for the Avtomat. Kalashnikov didn't think his chances were good because other designers were already working on the topic and it was a very difficult task that broke new ground for most designers.
Avtomats had been around since 1916 with the Avtomat Federov (but only designated as such in 1921), this weapon was a select-fire rifle chambered for the Japanese 6.5x50mm Arisaka cartridge. In the 1930s, various intermediate weapons were created, some of which are classed as proto-assault rifles. Including Sergie Korovin's AK-33 , which was essentially an enlarged submachine gun for the US cartridge .351 Winchester SL (met. 8.9x35mm).
The new Avtomat should be able to cover a very wide range of tasks. Including that of my submachine gun, but it should also be able to be used as a light machine gun with a magazine, a role that would nowadays be assigned to the IAR (Infantry Automatic Rifle). At that time, the BAR in its first version from the First World War probably best fulfilled this role. The concept was simply rejected by many established weapon designers. The 7.62x41mm cartridge at the time was too powerful for an MP and an IAR was not necessary because of the light machinegun RPD. Many designers therefore simply refused to submit a corresponding weapon and could only be persuaded to participate through an order from the military leadership. The weapons of those designers who had already developed a successful model of another weapon category were simply bracketed versions of these models. Tokarev's contribution essentially consisted of an SVT-40 with a 30-round removable magazine and a flanged pistol grip. While Spagin's contribution consist of an enlarged PPS-43.
In 1945 the official order was given to establish plans for the new weapon. The late date can be explained by the strict secrecy of the 7.62x41mm M43 cartridge. Since the military leadership feared that the ranks of established weapons designers would become to old, it was decided that all plans for the competition would have to be submitted under a pseudonym. In this way, the aim was to prevent the old, well-known designers from being taken advantage because of their names.
While working on the plans, Mikhail Kalashnikov met the illustrator Katja Moiseyeva, who later became his wife.
The Avtomat Michtim
Mikhail Kalashnikov chose "Miktim" as his pseudonym, a contraction of his first name Mikhail and his patronymic Timofeevich, which is typical in Russia. The plans were taken to the jury in Moscow and were found to be good.
Development of the AK-46 in Kovrov
With the blessing of the jury from Moscow, Kalashnikov was now given the order to produce a real prototype. However, at that time all of the polygon's workshops in Kurovo were occupied and so Kalashnikov had to go to the city of Kovrov. This city was essentially built around the local arms industry and was assigned to Degtyarev. At that time, one well-known designers was assigned to every important armaments factory.
The result of Kalashnikov's work in Kovrov became the AK-46 No.1. This weapon was still chambered for the old dimensions of the M43 and was powered by the short-stroke principle, it was somewhat slimmer, had fire selector and safety leaver on the left side of the receiver. In contrast to the models of the other candidates, the AK-46 was neither a bigger submachine gun nor a smaller carbine, but a completely new weapon tailored to its task.
In 1946, Sudayev died suddenly and was eliminated from the competition, while Degtyarev showed disinterest in the competition; despite been already 66 years old at the time.
Test in the Polygon of Kurovo
After work on the AK-46 was completed, the model, along with others, underwent some interim tests. The result was the departure of some smaller designers. However, the AK-46 should be further developed. However, a carbine designed by Team Kalashnikov, designated SSK No.3, was rejected.
On his return to Kurovo, Kalashnikov saw Katya again.
Development of the AK-47 in Kuvrov
In 1947, Kalashnikov further developed the AK-46 into the AK-47 No.1. Contrary to the rules of the competition, which only allowed the weapons to be improved but not fundamentally changed, he reworked the weapon almost completely. The reason for this was the AK-46's poor performance in the environmental tests, as well as rumors circulating that these would be tightened in the next phase of the tests.
Kalashnikov changed the operation system from short to long stroke and increased the amount of gas drawn from the barrel to ensure reliable function even if dirt entered the weapon. He also deviated from the previous dogma in weapon construction, according to which one had to use all possible means to prevent dirt from getting into the receiver. Instead, he cut extensive dirt grooves inside in which dirt that had gotten into the weapon could be collected so as not to disrupt its function. All important components were housed in the tub-like lower part of the housing; the upper housing was just a dust-cover that could be removed quickly and easily to clean the weapon. The barrel was also now shortened from 500 mm to 420 mm to make the weapon more manageable for tank crews. Only his closest colleague Sascha Saitzev was aware of this changes.
Shortly before the upcoming new tests, Kalashnikov and Degtyarev agree to show each other their prototypes beforehand. After Degtyarev has examined the AK-47, he announces that he will voluntarily withdraw from the competition. But he is persuaded by the authorities not to.
Test of 1947
The particularly tough tests took place from June 30th to October 12th, 1947. In addition to Kalashnikov, Rukavishnikov, Bulkin, Dementyev and Korobov also took part. There were also comparison shootings with other weapons such as the AS-44 , the PPSch-41 and the German Stg.44. Only Kalashnikov, Bulkin and Dementiev remain in the running, each of which should be manufactured in pilot series.
Pre-Production in Izhevsk
At the beginning of 1948, Kalashnikov traveled with Sacha Saitzev and Lieutenant Deikin to the city of Izhesk, not to the established weapons factory there, but to the city's motorcycle factory, where a preliminary series was to be manufactured for testing. At the same time, the PPK-47 "Model 1" was also created, a submachine gun with simple blowback and set up for the Tokarev cartridge 7.62x25mm, as well as a "Model 2" set up for 9x18mm PM. Some parts of the weapons come from AK-46 prototypes. Why this weapon was developed is unclear, but it can be assumed that Kalashnikov did not believe in the end of the submachine gun as a weapon category.
Development of the AK-48 in 7.62x39mm
Shortly before the turn of the year 1947 to 1948, the dimensions of the M43 cartridge were changed from the original 7.62x41 mm to 7.62x39 mm in order to improve the ballistic properties in arctic conditions. The biggest change concerns the bullet, which had to be lengthened by 2 mm. If only the bullet had been lengthened, all weapons, which were already in the final phase of their prototype stage at this point, would have had to be redesigned. To prevent this, the cartridge case was shortened by 2 mm. In this way, the overall length of the cartridge remained almost identical and only different chambers had to be cut into the weapons.
Kalashnikov and his new team in Izhevsk used this opportunity to further develop the AK-47 into the AK-48 . This weapon received some improvements such as a threaded muzzle instead of the muzzle brake that had been used until then. Due to the lower recoil of the shorter cartridge, the break was no longer needed anyway. In addition, the trunnion block was now riveted into the weapon differently, but this caused problems that could not be remedied until the tests and so instead an AK-47 No.3 was equipped with a new barrel and sent to the tests to Moscow.
Since the pre-series models were not allowed to deviate from the submitted model, weapons were manufactured based on the AK-47 No.3 pattern but chambered for the new dimensions of the M43 cartridge with a 39mm case length. The AK-47 for 7.62x39 mm was infernally called AK-17 No.10.
1948 Tests
In 1948, all candidate weapons for the new cartridge were finally tested in large-scale tests at the GAU in Moscow. In addition to the candidates for the Avtomat, the carbine and the light machine gun candidates also being tested. During a troop test with the AK-47 on a small scale, some soldiers complained about ear pain after shooting, which Kalashnikov solved by removing the muzzle brake, which the AK-47 No.3 still had and which was no longer needed with a 39 mm case length.
Serial Production Run
Serial production was supposed to start before the official adoption; this was moved from the engine factory to the actual weapons factory in Izhevks Ischmach. It was not until 1949 that the weapon was officially adopted as "7.62 AK" without a year, just like Simonov's SKS carbine and Degtyarev's RPD light machine gun. In the same year, Kalashnikov and the other two received the Stalin Medal for their work. However, the main body of the Red Army, called the Soviet Army since 1946, was initially equipped with the SKS as planned. The AK should initially only be issued to squad leaders and special units; tank crews should receive the AKS with a folding stock. However, since further troop tests revealed the great value of the Avtomat, it was decided to initially keep its existence secret, so AKs were only issued very hesitantly.
At this time, Kalashnikov was discharged from the army and given the rank of senior sergeant of the reserve. He settles in Izhevsk as a civilian with his wife Katja and their children. He kept on his work as a designer at Ischmach and was paid well, given his time. Over time, he was promoted to deputy and finally to chief designer.
Problems with mass production, the AK issue 1949
Ishmach was a factory that had been producing weapons for a long time, but had little experience with cold forming stamped sheet parts. For this reason, there were significant problems with the production of the AK in the original version that Kalashnikov brought with him from Kovrov. This versions receiver was bent in a U-shape around a shield trunnion milled from a forging blank, with parts of the shield trunnion still exposed. Even the expertise of German engineers could not solve the problem, as the sheet metal stamping technology used in the Third Reich was based on stamping a right and a left half of the weapon and then welding them together.
However, the problems with the AK were exclusively related to manufacturing, where a lot of housing were rejected during quality control. Weapons with casings that consisted of these were rarely objected by the Soviet Army. In order to circumvent the problem at least temporarily, the AK issue of 1949 (called Typ 2 in the west) was developed, which replaces the stamped sheet metal housing with one that is milled from a solid block of metal. The weapon also received a new, steeper handle, which was made from one piece, and a new attachment for the butt, with which there were problems.
In 1950, the Kalashnikov team also experimented with bipods; one version had a bipod on the front sight carrier, another had an front grip from which a bipod could be folded out, similar to today's GPS.
At this time, Kalashnikov moves into a room in a shared apartment with Katja. In 1952 the factory provided him with a two-room apartment. His youngest daughter, Natascha, was born in 1953.
Development of a Machine Pistole
As a result of the plan for the new armament of 1943, the submachine gun was finally eliminated as a weapon class. However, they were looking for a weapon with high firepower at short distances to give special forces and vehicle crews a weapon for personal defence. The choice was to create a new machine pistol, which should have the dimensions of a pistol, fire the then new 9x18 mm cartridge and be equipped with a stock.
Kalashnikov, who still believed in the effectiveness of submachine guns, and his team then created a corresponding weapon with the APK-50 and the slightly improved APK-51 , which, however, lost in the 1949 test against Igor Stetshkin's APS Stetshkin.
Election into the Supreme Soviet
In 1950, at the age of 30, Kalashnikov was elected as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet. He therefore regularly travels to Moscow to represent the Republic of Utmuria. However, he did not join the communist party until 1953. Something he had previously avoided to prevent his past as a refugee from being discovered. In 1954 he was not re-elected because he fell out of favor with his colleagues. The reason for this is Khrushchev's fight against the cult of personalitys. This campaign was initially directed against the personality cult surrounding Stalin, but has also expanded to target other prominent figures in the Soviet system, including Kalashnikov on a local level. Some of his employees turned against him and accused him of arrogance and not recognizing the talent of young developed people. Kalashnikov would later describe this time as the worst of his life. However, the climate improved again after a while.
The AK issue of 1953
In order to fix the last problem with the AK-49, the weapon was given a new attachment for the fixed stock and was further developed into the AK issue of 1953 (called AK Type 3 in the west) . However, this is only an internal designation; the Soviet Army continued to use the weapon simply under the reference 7.62 AK.
Unification of Weapons
The shortening of the cartridge case of the M43 cartridge had a particularly beneficial effect on the AK; the weapon could be kept on target during short bursts of fire even without the muzzle brake and could take on the role of a true assault rifle. The change had a less favorable effect on the other two weapons. The SKS carbine now lacked important range, so a planned version with a telescopic sight had to be rejected. The RPD light machine gun also had to contend with a short range and, contrary to the original idea, could no longer be used as a support weapon at long distances. The weapon often did not have enough power to reliably feed from a freely hanging belt. The RPD had been downgraded from a machine gun to an overly heavy automatic rifle.
At the beginning of the 1950s, Stalin therefore initiated a simplification of the weapons, which eliminated all unnecessary models of all types of weapons. In the area of small arms, the SKS carbine was the first to be hit. Is had only slightly more range than the AK, with significantly less firepower due to the non-changeable 10-round magazine. The main body of the Soviet Army was now to be equipped with the AK instead.
To replace the RPD, which could no longer fulfill its role as a universal machine gun, Kalashnikov and his team developed a version of the AK-53 as a pure light machine gun. In addition, the weapon was given an extended barrel, a bipod and a fish-bellied stock, which the shooter could put his second hand on when the weapon was rested on the bipod. The weapon was called RPK had many advantages over the RPD. A shooter trained on the AK could also operate the RPK, the RPK could also be loaded with the AK's magazines in an emergency and fewer spare parts had to be kept in logistics.
Kalashnikov and his team also developed a version of the AK, which was equipped with a longer barrel and a longer handguard and was therefore intended to be more carbine-like, but this AKK-53 did not meet the army's expectations.
GAU's Announcements of 1954
The Red Army's changed strategy now required appropriate small arms. Due to the ongoing development of nuclear weapons, the idea of infantry waves was abandoned and the focus instead lies on motorized infantry. This was supposed to be driven by armored personnel carriers, namely the BTR and BMP, up to the enemy to small arms range, in order to then dismount and to suppress the enemy with massive fire. People also became aware of the importance of house-to-house fighting.
The majority of these motorized and mechanized infantrymen should be equipped with AK and RPK. However, the current AK-53, with its machining manufacturing process, was too expensive for that. In addition, the loss of a universal machine gun and a precise carbine left gaps in the infantry's armament, which should be closed. The GAU (the Soviet Ministry of Artillery) announced a corresponding competition in 1954.
Kalashnikov and his team developed the AKM, which, like the original first series version of the AK, was manufactured using the sheet metal stamping process. However, the trunnion was completely enclosed and riveted into the U-shaped lower housing. The RPK became the RPKM, but received a stronger trunnion than the AKM. Kalashnikov also developed a 75-round drum magazine for the RPKM. With the AKM came a new baronet that could be used as a bayonet and a combat knife. It was also possible to cut wire that was live with this knife and its scabbard.
Test in the Polygon 1956
It wasn't until 1956 that the AKM was tested for the first time. In addition to the AKM, models from Korobow and Konstantinov were also tested, which had better precision but were less environmentally resistant than the early AKM. After the end of the test, it was decided to introduce the AKM and award Kalashnikov the title of “Hero of Socialist Labor”. In 1959 the AKM was officially introduced.
Since the mother of Kalashnikov's first son died in 1957, Viktor Kalashnikov moved in with him and Katja when he was 15. In the same year he received the “Red Flag for Work” award.
Development of the PK, 1959
In order to close the gaps in the Red Army's armament, the DP light machine gun had already been modified ad hoc in 1946 so that it could fire belts instead of its original plate magazine. The weapon called RP-46 served as a gap filler, whereas a new weapon for precise single shots at a distance was not created. Instead, a few special forces remained armed with the Mosin-Nagant 91/30 with PU scopes. In addition, the army leadership saw no use for snipers in the nuclear age.
From 1960 onwards, Kalashnikov was working on the development of a universal standard machine gun. This was supposed to fire the already outdated 7.62x54 mm R cartridge and be usable as both a light and a heavy machine gun. Versions for installation in tanks and aircraft were also required. Development was extremely difficult, especially because of the protruding rim of the old cartridge. The reason is that this type of cartridge can only be pulled out of the belt rearwards, it cannot be pushed forward out of the belt due to its rim, as it is usual with modern machine weapons.
However, Kalashnikov and his team found a solution in the form of a claw that grabbed the cartridges rim to pull them backwards out of the belt, and then inserted them one level deeper into the cartridge chamber. This arrangement on two levels resulted in the PK being a very compact and light weapon for a GPMG, which despite everything could cope with the outdated ammunition. Many experts see the PK as Kalashnikov's real stroke of genius and less in the AK.
The PK was officially introduced to the Soviet Army in 1961 after it prevailed against its competitors in tests in Samarkand. For his work on the PK, Kalashnikov received the "Lenin Prize" in 1964. However, it was not until 1969 that the required version was ready for installation in tanks and armored vehicles, this became the PKT. In 1969 the PK was slightly improved, which above all simplified production, and introduced as the PKM.
Development of the SVK, 1959
At the same time as the PK, Kalashnikov and his team were working on a semi-automatic sniper rifle. With this weapon, the army leadership wanted to close the gap that had arisen due to the discontinuation of the SKS with a telescopic sight. The reason was the insufficient power of the 7.62x39 mm cartridge. Accordingly, a weapon was required for the old Mosin cartridge 7.62x54mmR, a difficult undertaking because the rim of the cartridge repeatedly caused so-called rim-lock in modern weapons with box magazines.
As the basis for these weapons, Kalashnikov and his team used the RPK, which could withstand the higher pressures of the Mosin cartridge thanks to its reinforced trunnion. However, to improve the weapon's precision, a short-stroke gas system was used. Nevertheless, in 1961 the SVK-59 was defeated by Simonov's SVD-61 , which was introduced in 1963 as the SVD.
In 1960, similar to the rest of the Soviet Union, living conditions improved and the Kalashnikov family was able to move into a "Finnish House", named after the Finnish prisoners of war who built it. This was a so-called “Isba”. However, they later leave to live in a modern apartment provided by the factory.
Another election to the Supreme Soviet
In 1966, Kalashnikov was re-elected as a deputy to the Supreme Soviet, a position which did not end until 1988. On a political level, he achieved the construction of important roads, hospitals, schools and a music school right next to his apartment.
Also in 1966, Kalashnikov became a grandfather when his first son Viktor had a son.
Recoil reduction experiments from 1964
One of the biggest weaknesses of the AKM was still its poor stability during continuous fire. The weapon could only be used to deliver short, targeted volleys before the weapon moved off target. In addition to the bullet recoil, the enormous moving bolt mass and the rocket effect of the powder gases escaping from the muzzle were the main reasons for this.
To address the bolt carrier part, a counterweight was built into the weapon, which was driven forward as the bolt carrier moved backwards. However, this counterweight was mounted in a disk above the barrel, which made the weapon too unwieldy to use. Although development was stopped, the basic idea led to the development of the AL-7, AEK-971 and AK-107.
The solution to the rocket effect was more successful, it consisted of an open spoon shaped compensator, which was retrofitted to almost all AKM and AKMS of the Soviet Army from 1971 onwards.
Advent of the 5.45x39mm cartridge
After the Americans had good experiences with a SCHV (Small Caliber High Velocity) cartridge during the Vietnam War, namely the 5.56x45 mm M193, the Red Army leadership decided to develop its own cartridges of this type from 1969 onwards. This type of ammunition does not derive its effectiveness from a large caliber combined with a large bullet mass, but primarily from the high speed of the bullet. To achieve this, the caliber of the bullet is reduced, but the amount of powder is left almost the same. A big advantage for the soldier is that SCHV ammunition is usually lighter than conventional short-cartridge ammunition and he can therefore carry more ammunition. Since the Soviet Army was satisfied with the weapons it had previously used, the new Soviet SCHV cartridge was designed to have almost the same overall length as the old 7.62x39mm M43, the result was the 5.45x39mm M74. Kalashnikov personally was against this "quick shot" and he personally would have thoroughly revised the 7.62x39mm M43.
Nevertheless, he and his team took part in the tender for the new weapon. The results were almost unchanged versions of the AKM for the new cartridge from 1970 onwards. However, in order to meet the stricter conditions of the announced competition, Kalashnikov and his team installed a muzzle brake with an expansion chamber with compensator holes. This model was introduced in 1974 as the AK-74 after it had prevailed in tests against a model from the Kovrov arms manufacturer, where Kalashnikov had manufactured the first model of the AK-47. For his work on the AK-74, Kalashnikov is awarded the “Order of the October Revolution.”
A light machine gun developed in the same period with similarities to the RPD and belt-fed the new M74 cartridge is not accepted. A version of the PKM for this cartridge was also of no interest to GRAU. Instead, the RPKM was introduced as the RPK-74.
In the 1970s, Kalashnikov traveled abroad for the first time to Bulgaria, where he visited the factories there under the false name Sidorov.
In 1972, Kalashnikov received a postcard from the American historian Edward Clinton Ezell, who was working on his book "AK-47 Story". Since the authorities initially prevented contact, this book was published in 1988 without Kalashnikov's involvement.
Development of the OA-70-X
In order to simplify the production of the AK, members of the Kalashnikov team thought about a retarded blowback version early on. However, this was not possible due to the very conical shape of the M43, as a very early extraction of the cartridge would have resulted in the safe extraction distance being exceeded. With the new cartridge the general conditions changed and so the idea was taken up again with the OA-70-X . The weapon was powered by blowback, which pushed the cartridge case backwards against the breech. The bolt head would have transmitted its movement to the bolt carrier via a lever whose arms were calculated in such a way that the bolt carrier would have been accelerated. A similar form of translation will be used on the French FAMAS assault rifle in 1971.
Stagnation in small arms development
Around 1975, the acting General Secretary of the Soviet Union, Khrushchev, decided that the infantry's small arms would no longer be of particular importance in a nuclear war. The military budget was therefore primarily spent on nuclear weapons and the intercontinental ballistic missiles equipped with them.
Accordingly, hardly any new competitions were announced. However, according to the socialist system, Kalashnikov and his team did not become unemployed, but continued to develop. However, many of the prototypes developed at this time were scrapped. According to Kalashnikov's own statement, Ishmach assigned a worker alone to scrap all of the prototypes that Kalashnikov made.
Nevertheless, in 1971, Kalashnikov was awarded the degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences by the Technical Institute in Tula. In 1976 he received the second "Hero of Socialist Labor" award.
During Gorbachev's term of office, Kalashnikov received the "Mechanical Engineers' Medal of Honor".
Working on the AKS-74U, 1979
Already with the first plan for the four weapons from 1943 for the 7.62x41mm cartridge, the submachine gun had been eliminated from the Red Army's armament. However, with the development of increasingly narrow tanks such as the T-72, it became clear that the AK-74, even in the version with a folding stock, AKS-74, was no longer suitable as a weapon for the crews of all vehicles. For this reason, a tender for a compact weapon was announced in 1977. One of the conditions, however, was that it should explicitly use the 5.45x39mm M74 ammunition cartridge and not the 9x18mm PM pistol ammunition that was common at the time.
A real submachine gun could not be designed like this. However, Kalashnikovs and his team did their best and created a weapon that in the West at the time would have been called a "Commando" or a Sub-Carbine today. In the Soviet Union it remained an Avtomat, but shortened to sub machine gun dimensions. The weapon prevailed in tests against the competition and was officially introduced in 1979 as the AKS-74U the U standing for Ukorotschenyj.
Parallel to the AKS-74U, the PPL was developed a version of the AKS-74U for the 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge. Kalashnikov and his team probably thought this would have been a way to convince the jury that introducing a real submachine gun would make more sense. However, the PPL was rejected.
Special weapons for the Ministry of the Interior
With the beginning of the 80s and the associated perestroika in the Soviet Union, the Ministry of the Interior increasingly demanded special weapons. The background is the feared increase in crime and separatism. Kalashnikov and his team then develop several prototypes of highly specialized weapons. At this point, however, his son Viktor Kalashnikov was in charge.
Interviews with Ezell 1989
Only when the reins of perestroika were loosened Kalashnikov was able to meet with the US historian Ezell, who interviewed him for several days. These interviews form the basis for the book "Kalashnikov: The Arms and the Man", published in 2001. The video recordings of the interviews are now freely available on YouTube.
Travel to the USA
In 1990, at Ezell's invitation, Kalashnikov traveled to the USA, where he met Eugene Stoner, the creator of the M16 , Bill Ruger, the head of the largest small arms factory in the USA, and Uziel Gal, the creator of the Uzi sub machinegun.
Trip to China
In 1991, Kalashnikov was invited to China by Chinese industrialists from NORINCO to visit the Type-56 production sites there. However, he suffers hearing damage from firing a QBZ-95B.
Collapse of the Soviet Union
Kalashnikov viewed the collapse of the Soviet Union as such rather neutrally and initially welcomed the freedoms he had gained. What he disliked, however, was the increasing crime, especially among young people. He was also of the opinion that state-owned companies should not have been privatized because they had been painstakingly built up by the people over the years and had now essentially been given away.
General Director of Rosvoorujenije
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kalashnikov is virtually retired, but due to his fame he is constantly offered various positions. In addition, new companies that were founded at the time repeatedly approached him in order to make money with his name and face.
One of the few successful projects for him was working as general director at Rosvoorujenije.
Development of the AK-74M from 1991
In order to reduce the number of AK-74 versions used in the newly founded Russian Army, the AK-74M was developed from 1991. It is intended to combine the models AK-74, AK-74N, AKS-74 and AKS-74N in one model. Each weapon also has a folding non-skeletonized stock, handguard and pistol grip made of black plastic and a side mount for optics. The short period of development suggests that it was an idea from Soviet times, which could not be implemented at the time due to lack of money.
Export of the Saiga in 1996
From 1996, the now privatized factory, now company, Ischmach became profitable. The reason is the successful export of Saiga rifles for hunting. This weapon was developed by Kalashnikov and his team from the AKM during Soviet times to deal with a plague of the eponymous saiga antelopes in Kazakhstan. Despite his status as a pensioner, Kalashnikov was working on improving weapons at the time.
Awarded by Boris Yeltsin in 1997
In 1997, Kalashnikov was invited to the Kremlin by Boris Yeltsin and received an “Honorary Pistol.” However, according to Kalashnikov's statement, this was a conventional used pistol. When Kalashnikov made this public, Kremlin officials offered to gold-plate this pistol. However, Kalashnikov insisted that the pistol should remain as it was so that it could later be displayed in the planned Kalashnikov Museum. Kalashnikov was no friend of Yeltsin nor politics.
In 1998, Kalashnikov received the "St. Andreas-Oder Russian State" Prize.
When the world learned around 1999 that Kalashnikov still held the rank of reserve colonel sergeant, he was promoted to division general in 1999.
Development of the AK-100 series
In order to strengthen the economy of the young Russian Federation, the weapons of the Kalashnikov system are being reissued. The then recently developed AK-74M served as basis. Initially conservative models were created in 7.62x39 mm and 5.45x39 mm - AK-101 to AK-104 . To what extent Kalashnikov himself was involved in the development is unknown. The other models from the AK-107 to the AK-109 contain a counterweight system similar to that developed by Kalashnikov and his team, back then.
Acceptance of the AN-94 "Abakan"
In 1997, the Abakan project of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was officially completed and ended with the introduction of the AN-94 assault rifle. This means that the AK-74M was officially no longer the army's main ammunition rifle. Kalashnikov accepted the decision and praised the developer Gennady Nikonov as imaginative and creative. At the same time, however, Kalashnikov criticized the complexity of the weapon.
In practice, however, the AN-94 was only introduced on paper; the number of units in the Russian army never reached that of the AK-74 and AK-74M. The official introduction has later withdrawn.
The Kalashnikov Foundation 200
In 2002, Mikhail Kalashnikov founded the "Kalashnikov Foundation", with his daughter Lena becoming chairman. The foundation's task is primarily to take action against false information, which at that time was mainly circulating in the newly established tabloid press in the Russian Federation.
AK-200
The AK-200 from 2010, not to be confused with the AK-200 from 2018, is the first attempt to deliver an AK from the ground up with modern accessory rails. It is not known whether Kalashnikov himself was involved. According to unreliable sources, he is said to have expressed concern. The reason is said to have been the excessive weight and the lack of usefullness of accessories such as flashlights for the normal soldier.
AK-12
Kalashnikov's opinion on the various versions of the AK-12 is not certain.
External links
- Biography in German
- 'I sleep soundly' - Interview with and article on Mikhail Kalashnikov at the age of 83, from The Guardian newspaper.
- The Biography of the Main Gun Designer Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov
- Automat Kalaschnikow film documented the man and his machine
- Mikhail Kalashnikov backs weapons control
- BBC NEWS Profile: Mikhail Kalashnikov
- Free illustrated virtual guided tour of the Museum of Mikhail Kalashnikov
- The life of Mikhail Kalashnikov
- On the AK-47's military and social effects on history