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AK stands for Avtomat Kalashnikova (Автомат Калашникова); avtomat literally means "automatic" (used as a noun, not as an adjective), and in practice means sub-machinegun. "Kalashnovika" is the genitive (possessive) case, so literally "Kalashnikov's automatic" => "Kalashnikov's sub-machinegun." ("Kalaschnikow" is the German transliteration of Калашников.)

You can conclude from this--and you would be correct in doing so--that Soviet/Russian military doctrine considers the AK to be a high-powered SMG rather than a (comparatively) low-powered rifle. It's a little tricky to wrap your head around if you're from the West, because western armies have never considered an SMG to be a primary battlefield weapon; SMGs could complement rifles, but never replace them. During the "Great Patriotic War," however, the Sovs equipped entire regiments with PPSh-41s (especially desantnik units, that would ride into battle on the backs of tanks, and not start shooting until they were right on top of the German positions).

You can also conclude that any semi-auto only variant of a basic Kalashnikov mechanism is ipso facto not an "AK." Note that the article in Die Zeit that treelogger links to refers to the AK-47 as a Maschinengewehr (no translation necessary, I hope).

Huh. I'm looking at that picture in the GSG press release, and is it me, or does their GSG-5 look a lot more like something from H&K than AK? Do you think you might have misread it, treelogger, and the forthcoming GSG "Kalaschnikow" model is a different weapon?

Here's an interesting passage towards the end of the Zeit article:

Licensing revenues for the manufacture of the military Kalashnikov [rifle] still go to [state arms manufacturer] Ishmash. [Kalashnikov himself receives a state pension of ~€40.] His US counterpart Eugene Stoner, by contrast, became a millionaire by inventing the M16 rifle. "But he didn't receive any recognition from his government. I on the other hand am a twofold Hero of Socialist Labor, was awarded the Order of Lenin three times, as well a doctorate in mechanical engineering in 1971," Kalashnikov says proudly. "I wouldn't trade places with him."

Such a different mindset, isn't it? Five gongs from a defunct government, and an honorary doctorate makes up for a squalid state-built apartment and a €40/month pension.

And in case you're wondering, yes, I do speak German (well, but not fluently) and Russian (very basic, but enough to get around in Siberia for a month).

Last edited by C. lupus baileyi (2008-01-19 15:02:28)

By the way, here's an exciting new California Legal AR-15.  Unfortunately, I think they only made one.

Mike Kelly wrote:

By the way, here's an exciting new California Legal AR-15.  Unfortunately, I think they only made one.

Wow, that's weird.  A single-shot black powder AR upper?  Why?  What problem does it solve?  Other than having the most fun possible building the oddest upper one can imagine.  Good for them.

But not being semi-automatic, it is indeed California legal (as long as one doesn't use a banned-by-name lower, like a Colt AR-15).  But then, so are many other more useful uppers.

treelogger wrote:

So now I'm confused: Will they apply the "Kalaschnikow" label to their GSG-5 H&K clone, or will they make a similar AK-47 clone to call their "Kalaschnikow"?

The latter, I'm thinking. GSG's press release says:

Das Höinger Unternehmen bringt bald eine "Kalaschnikow" heraus. Die Sport- und Freizeitwaffe mit dem Kaliber "(Punkt) 22 LR" befindet sich derzeit im fortgeschrittenen Entwicklungsstadium und wird in Kürze Marktreife erlangen.

[Translation: The Höingen-based firm will soon release a "Kalashnikov." The sport and leisure weapon in .22LR caliber is currently in a stage of advanced development and will shortly reach market-readiness.]

Future tense. The GSG-5 appears to be a current production item.

Last edited by C. lupus baileyi (2008-01-23 01:56:06)

C. lupus baileyi wrote:

The GSG .22 Kalashnikov is now available from American Tactical Imports. MSRP for the model with polymer furniture is $549, and $569 for the model with wooden furniture. It comes standard with a 24-round mag, and 10-round mags are available for states that impose limits on magazine capacity.

Those things are hot commodities around these parts.

janicepatio1 wrote:

You can aswell achieve that any semi-auto alone alternative of a basal Kalashnikov apparatus is ipso facto not an "AK." Note that the commodity in Die Zeit that treelogger links to refers to the AK-47 as a Maschinengewehr (no adaptation necessary, I hope).

True, very true. The East German army (Nationale Volksarmee, or NVA) designated their AK clone the MPi-K: Maschinenpistole-Kalaschnikow, or "Sub-machine gun, Kalashnikov".